Autonomous item delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022206488-A1
Application number	US-202117561472-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2021
Priority date	Dec 24, 2020
Publication date	Jun 30, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV) may include multiple storage compartments, and each storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments has a respective storage space and is associated with a respective delivery location. The respective storage space of each storage compartment may store one or more items. Each storage compartment may transition from a first state to a second state, and the first state may prevent access to the storage space of the respective storage compartment and the second state may enable access to the respective storage space of the respective storage compartment. The ADV may further include a receiver configured to receive first information from a computing system remote and external to the first ADV, and the first ADV may autonomously travel to one or more locations based on the first information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A first autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV) comprising:
a plurality of storage compartments, wherein each storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments has a respective storage space, wherein each storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments is associated with a respective delivery location, wherein the respective storage space of each storage compartment is configured to store one or more items, wherein each storage compartment is configured to transition from a first state to a second state, and wherein the first state of each respective storage compartment is configured to prevent access to the storage space of the respective storage compartment and the second state of each respective storage compartment is configured to enable access to the respective storage space of the respective storage compartment; and a receiver configured to receive first information from a computing system remote and external to the first ADV, wherein the first ADV is configured to autonomously travel to one or more locations based on the first information.

2 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the one or more locations include one or more delivery locations associated with the plurality of storage compartments or one or more locations different from the delivery locations associated with the plurality of storage compartments.

3 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the first ADV is configured to cause each respective storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments to transition from the first state to the second state based on:
a current location of the first ADV; a distance between the first ADV and the respective delivery location associated with the respective storage compartment; a second ADV transported by the first ADV needing access to the respective storage space of the respective storage compartment, wherein the second ADV is configured to deliver the one or more items stored in the respective storage compartment to the respective delivery location; authentication information received by the first ADV from the computing system, the second ADV, or an independent authenticator; or a distance between the independent authenticator and the respective delivery location associated with the respective storage compartment.

4 . The first ADV of claim 3 , wherein the independent authenticator includes a smart phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a mobile computing device.

5 . The ADV of claim 4 , wherein the independent authenticator is configured to run an application configured to cause a respective storage compartment to transition from the first state to the second state.

6 . The first ADV of claim 3 , wherein the authentication information includes a user-initiated transition request, scanned information, or a wireless message.

7 . The first ADV of claim 6 , wherein the scanned information includes:
information presented on a display of the independent authenticator; information stored on a radio frequency (RF) tag; scannable information; a scannable code; a barcode; a Quick Response (QR) code; fingerprint scan information; facial recognition scan information; or voice recognition scan information.

8 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the first ADV is configured to autonomously travel to the one or more locations by being configured to communicate with the computing system.

9 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is configured to monitor a position of the first ADV.

10 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the first ADV is configured to communicate delivery status information to the computing system.

11 . The first ADV of claim 10 , wherein the delivery status information includes a successful delivery notification or a delivery failure notification.

12 . The first ADV of claim 10 , wherein the delivery status information includes information indicative of which storage compartments of the plurality of storage compartments are empty.

13 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the one or more items include one or more packages.

14 . The first ADV of claim 13 , wherein a respective package stored in a respective storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments includes an engagement feature engageable by a second ADV transported by the first ADV, wherein the second ADV is configured to engage the engagement feature to deliver the respective package stored in the respective storage compartment to the respective delivery location associated with the respective storage compartment.

15 . The first ADV of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises one or more instructions.

16 . An autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV) comprising:
a storage compartment having a storage space configured to store at least one item destined for delivery to one or more delivery locations, wherein the storage compartment transitions from a first state to a second state based on authentication information received from an independent authenticator, wherein the first state of the storage compartment is configured to prevent access to the storage space and the second state of the storage compartment is configured to enable access to the storage space; and a receiver configured to receive first information from a computing system remote and external to the ADV, wherein the ADV is configured to autonomously travel to the one or more delivery locations based on the first information.

17 . The ADV of claim 16 , wherein the storage compartment is configured to transition from the first state to the second state based on:
a current location of the ADV; a distance between the ADV and one of the one or more delivery locations; or a distance between the independent authenticator and one of the one or more delivery locations.

18 . The ADV of claim 16 , wherein the independent authenticator includes a smart phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a mobile computing device.

19 . A method comprising:
arriving, by a first autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV), at a first delivery location, wherein the first ADV comprises a storage compartment having a storage space that includes one or more items destined for delivery to one or more delivery locations, wherein the one or more delivery locations include the first delivery location; and causing, by the first ADV, the storage compartment to transition from a first state in which the storage space of the storage compartment is inaccessible to a second state in which the storage space of the storage compartment is accessible.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising receiving, by the first ADV, authentication information, wherein causing the storage compartment to transition from the first state to the second state is performed based on the authentication information.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Czinger Kevin Robert
• Weaver Greg
• Lakshman Narender Shankar

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64C1/22

  Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading {, e.g. cargo bays, cranes} · CPC title

• B64D9/00

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• B64U2101/64

  for parcel delivery or retrieval · CPC title

• B64U10/13 Primary

  Flying platforms · CPC title