Last mile delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12496958-B2
Application number	US-202318333092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2023
Priority date	Jun 12, 2023
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle is described. The vehicle may include a vehicle sensor configured to detect cart location, and a lifting mechanism disposed at a vehicle sidewall. The lifting mechanism is configured to lift and secure a cart on a target location on the vehicle sidewall. The vehicle may further include a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the cart location from the vehicle sensor, determine that the cart is aligned with the target location. Responsive to a determination that the cart is aligned, the processor is configured to transmit a command signal to the lifting mechanism to lift and secure the cart on the target location.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle sensor configured to detect a location of a cart inside the vehicle; a lifting mechanism disposed at a vehicle sidewall, wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to lift and secure the cart on a target location on the vehicle sidewall; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the vehicle sensor and the lifting mechanism, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
obtain the location of the cart from the vehicle sensor;
determine that the cart is aligned with the target location based on the location of the cart; and
transmit a command signal to the lifting mechanism to lift and secure the cart on the target location responsive to a determination that the cart is aligned.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a lever based mechanism.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises tracks on a vehicle floor to guide cart movement inside the vehicle.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle sensor comprises a vehicle camera and/or radar.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a power source configured to supply power to the cart when the cart is secured at the target location.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the power source comprises an inductive power transfer coil.

7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide notification to a user device to align the cart with the target location, responsive to a determination that the cart is not aligned.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises:
a first vertical member and a second vertical member; a first cross-tube and a second cross-tube connected between the first vertical member and the second vertical member; a cable arrangement configured to engage with the cart; and a motor disposed at the first cross-tube, wherein the motor is configured to drive the cable arrangement to lift and secure the cart at the target location.

9 . A method for managing a cart in a vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a processor, a location of a cart from a vehicle sensor, wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to detect the location of the cart inside the vehicle; determining, by the processor, that the cart is aligned with a target location based on the location of the cart, wherein the target location is located on a vehicle sidewall; and transmitting, by the processor, a command signal to a lifting mechanism to lift and secure the cart on the target location responsive to a determination that the cart is aligned, wherein the lifting mechanism is disposed at the vehicle sidewall, and wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to lift and secure the cart on the target location.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a lever based mechanism.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle comprises tracks on a vehicle floor to guide cart movement inside the vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle sensor comprises a vehicle camera and/or radar.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle comprises a power source configured to supply power to the cart when the cart is secured at the target location.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the power source comprises inductive power transfer coil.

15 . The method of claim 9 further comprising providing notification to a user device to align the cart with the target location, responsive to a determination that the cart is not aligned.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises:
a first vertical member and a second vertical member; a first cross-tube and a second cross-tube connected between the first vertical member and the second vertical member; a cable arrangement configured to engage with the cart; and a motor disposed at the first cross-tube, wherein the motor is configured to drive the cable arrangement to lift and secure the cart at the target location.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a distributed computing system, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
obtain a location of a cart having from a vehicle sensor, wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to detect the location of the cart inside a vehicle; determine that the cart is aligned with a target location based on the location of the cart, wherein the target location is located on a vehicle sidewall; and transmit a command signal to a lifting mechanism to lift and secure the cart on the target location responsive to a determination that the cart is aligned, wherein the lifting mechanism is disposed at the vehicle sidewall, and wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to lift and secure the cart on the target location.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a lever based mechanism.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the vehicle comprises tracks on a vehicle floor to guide cart movement inside the vehicle.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the vehicle sensor comprises a vehicle camera and/or radar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Wagh Arnav
• Glickman David Brian
• Buttolo Pietro
• Diamond Brendan

Classifications

• B60P7/0815

  Attachment rails or trellis · CPC title

• B60R16/03 Primary

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• B60P7/10 Primary

  the load being plates, cases, or boxes · CPC title

• B62B5/00

  Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts ({B62B3/1404} , B62B9/00 take precedence; wheels, axles, or axle bearings for vehicles B60B; castors for vehicles, castors in general B60B33/00) · CPC title

• B62B3/00

  Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor {(convertible from one-axled to two-axled vehicle B62B1/002)} · CPC title