Apparatus and method for replacing power supply device in a uav

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023415997-A1
Application number	US-202318215060-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 27, 2022
Publication date	Dec 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An order fulfillment facility with a delivery system is disclosed having plurality of mobile robots with containers to bring customer orders and/or power supply device/s to UAV/s for final delivery. UAV leaves the discharged power supply devices that are received in empty container and transported to storage area for replenishment and diagnostic checks. Order fulfillment operations along with power supply device charging and monitoring is performed to achieve timely delivery of customer orders.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A delivery system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for transporting a customer order from an order fulfillment facility to a delivery location, the order fulfillment facility comprising a central control system to regulate operations therein, the UAV comprising a goods section configured to house the customer order and a power-supply section configured to receive one or more power supply devices to power the UAV, the delivery system further comprising:
a UAV docking station for landing and take-off of the UAV; a workstation proximal to the UAV docking station, the workstation further comprising a loader to load or unload the UAV; a mobile robot configured to transport a container from the order fulfillment facility to the workstation station, the container having a first compartment, a second compartment and a divider configured to isolate the first compartment from the second compartment; wherein the first compartment is configured to house the customer order and the second compartment is configured to receive the one or more power supply devices; wherein the second compartment further comprises a power supply port to interface with the power supply device therein;
a storage location comprising a plurality of container stations configured to park the container, the plurality of container stations further comprising at least one power outlet to interface with the power supply port on the container; and
a monitoring system in operative communication with the central control system at the order fulfillment facility, the monitoring system further comprising:
a scan module configured to check the power supply device for identification; and
a memory module in operative communication with the scan module and positioned internal or external to the power supply device and further configured to store and update a plurality of power supply device parameters;
wherein the container when stored at the container station allows charging of the one or more power supply devices located in the second section via the charge controller, wherein, the monitoring system tracks location of the container and further monitors the one or more power supply parameters of the power supply devices, and wherein the loader is configured to transfer the customer order from the container to the UAV and exchange the one or more power supply device on the UAV with a completely charged one or more power supply device on the container.

2 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the container is constructed with a material to maintain an optimal temperature in the first and/or the second compartment.

3 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the container is constructed with a fire-proof and fire containing material.

4 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment of the container further comprises one or more sub-compartments to house plurality of fungible or non-fungible items, the one or more sub-compartments configured to serve as the divider.

5 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power supply device is a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-polymer battery.

6 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein identification of power supply device are barcode tags, RFID labels or comparable tracking system.

7 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system further comprises a charge controller in operative communication with the memory module and configured to gather one or more of the power supply device parameters and regulate power supplied to the power supply device, an electrical harness establishes power and data connection between the power supply device/s, charge controller and the memory module.

8 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the power supply device parameters are charge cycles, health status and health history of the power supply device/s.

9 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the UAV docking station is located on a roof top of the automated storage and retrieval facility.

10 . The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the operator is a non-human operator.

11 . A container removably disposed on a mobile robot, the mobile robot configured to transport the container from a storage location to a workstation, the container further comprises:
a first section configured to receive one or more goods from a storage and retrieval facility; a second section, adjacent to the first section, configured to house one or more power supply device; and one or more power supply port located in the second section such that the one or more power supply device accesses power outlets via the respective one or more power supply port; wherein the one or more power supply device is charged when the container is stationed at the storage location.

12 . The container of claim 11 , wherein the first section further comprises one or more sub-sections to receive the one or more goods and the one or more sub-sections serve as divider between the first section and the second section.

13 . The container of claim 11 is configured to be fireproof and/or fire containing.

14 . The container of claim 11 , wherein the second section further comprises a charged controller to regulate power supplied to the power supply devices.

15 . A method of replacing one or more power supply device in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV configured to carry a customer order to a delivery location, the UAV further comprising a goods compartment and a power supply compartment, the goods compartment configured to receive the customer order and the power supply compartment configured to removably house one or more power supply device to operate the UAV,
the method comprising:
(a) docking the UAV proximal to a workstation to load the order box into the goods compartment;
(b) receiving a container at the workstation, a mobile robot configured to transport the container from a storage location to the workstation, the container comprising a first section having the order box, a second section having completely charged one or more power supply device and a divider configured to isolate the first section from the second section;
(c) loading the goods compartment of the UAV with the order box from the container; and
(d) replacing the one or more power supply device on the UAV with the completely charged one or more power supply device housed in the container,
wherein the container further comprises a power supply port located in the second section such that a charging terminal of the one or more power supply device interfaces the power supply port, wherein the container is stationed at the storage location, the storage location further comprising one or more power outlets to facilitate charging the one or more power supply device.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprises tracking a location of the container.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprises monitoring one or more parameters of the power supply device.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the power level further comprises assessing a device state of the power supply device.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprises insulating the container to be fireproof and fire-containing.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the loading and/or the replacing steps are performed by a non-human operator.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Fosnight William J

Classifications

• B65G1/1375 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title

• B64U10/16

  with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters · CPC title

• B64U70/90

  Launching from or landing on platforms · CPC title

• B64U50/39 Primary

  Battery swapping · CPC title

• B60L53/80

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title