Payload-release device and operation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302770-B2
Application number	US-201514875362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using a delivery device that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The delivery device can include a channel in which a payload mount attachment for a payload can be inserted. The payload mount attachment can include an aperture for receiving a retaining rod to secure the attachment, and thus the payload, to the delivery device. The retaining rod can assume either an engaged position, in which a portion of the retaining rod engages the payload mount attachment while the payload mount attachment is inserted in the channel, or a disengaged position, in which the retaining rod does not engage the payload mount attachment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A delivery device comprising:
a housing including: (i) a channel arranged to receive a payload, and (ii) a tether attachment feature configured to couple the housing to a tether;
a retaining rod coupled to the housing, wherein the retaining rod is configured to be positioned in: (i) a first position in which a portion of the retaining rod engages the payload when the payload is inserted in the channel, and (ii) a second position in which the retaining rod does not engage the payload;
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon; and
a processor operable to the-execute the program instructions to:
(i) during a delivery operation in which the delivery device is lowered to a ground via the tether, position the retaining rod in the first position to secure the payload to the delivery device;
(ii) determine that the delivery device is at or near the ground; and
(iii) in response to determining that the delivery device is at or near the ground, move the retaining rod from the first position to the second position such that the payload is released from the delivery device.

2. The delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator mechanically coupled to the retaining rod, and wherein the movement of the retaining rod from the first position to the second position comprises application of force to the retaining rod so as to move the retaining rod.

3. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the determination that the delivery device is at or near the ground comprises:
(i) determining that the delivery device is within a threshold distance of the ground,
(ii) in response to determining that the delivery device is within the threshold distance of the ground, determining that an instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds a first threshold; and
(iii) subsequent to determining that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds the threshold, determining that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device is less than or equal to a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold.

4. The delivery device of claim 3 , further comprising one or more sensors arranged on or within the delivery device, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of the delivery device, and wherein the processor is operable to execute the program instructions to:
receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, and
base one or more of the determination that the delivery device is within the threshold distance of the ground, the determination that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds the first threshold, and the determination that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device is less than the second threshold, on the received sensor data.

5. The delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an accelerometer or an altimeter.

6. The delivery device of claim 3 , further comprising a physical communication interface configured to receive information from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled to the delivery device via the tether, and wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions to use the received information as at least a partial basis for one or more of the determination that the delivery device is within the threshold distance of the ground, the determination that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds the first threshold, and the determination that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device is less than the second threshold.

7. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the retaining rod comprises a hook mounted to the housing so as to rotate about an axis of rotation, and wherein the retaining rod moving from the first position to the second position comprises the hook rotating about the axis of rotation.

8. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the retaining rod is configured such that, while in the first position, at least a portion of the retaining rod intersects respective planes defined by opposing sidewalls of the channel, and while in the disengaged position, the retaining rod does not intersect at least one of the respective planes.

9. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein the retaining rod is configured such that, when in the first position, the retaining rod is situated within the channel of the housing.

10. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein the retaining rod is configured such that, when in the first position, at least a portion of the retaining rod is situated along an exterior surface of the housing adjacent the channel.

11. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the payload comprises a tab having a substrate with an aperture formed therein, wherein the aperture is bounded by an interior rim, wherein the tab is configured such that, while the tab is inserted into the channel, the aperture is aligned so as to receive the retaining rod while the retaining rod is in the first position so as to secure the tab to the delivery device via contact between the retaining rod and the interior rim.

12. A method comprising:
while a delivery device is being lowered from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) via a tether coupled to the delivery device and the UAV, receiving sensor data that is generated by one or more sensors arranged on or within the delivery device, wherein the sensor data is indicative of a location of the delivery device;
determining, by a processor, based at least in part on the received sensor data, that the delivery device is within a threshold distance of a ground;
in response to determining that the delivery device is within the threshold distance of the ground, determining, based at least in part on the received sensor data, that an instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds a first threshold; and
subsequent to determining that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device exceeds the first threshold, determining, based at least in part on the received sensor data, that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device is less than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is less than the first threshold; and
in response to determining that the instantaneous acceleration of the delivery device is less than the second threshold, releasing a payload from the delivery device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an accelerometer or an altimeter.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning a retaining rod in a first position while the delivery device is being lowered from the UAV such that the payload is secured to the delivery device, wherein the delivery device comprises a housing and the retaining rod is coupled to the housing, wherein the housing has a channel configured to receive the payload, wherein the retaining rod is configured to be positioned in: (i) the first position in which a portion of the retaining rod engages the payload via the channel, and (ii) a second position in which the retaining rod does not engage the payload;
wherein releasing the payload from the delivery device comprises moving the retaining rod from the first position to the second position such that the payload is released from the delivery device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the delivery device further comprises an actuator mechanically coupled to the retaining rod, and wherein moving the retaining rod from the first position to the second position comprises causing the actuator to apply force t

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Burgess James Ryan
• Cohen Joanna

Classifications

• B64D1/12 Primary

  Releasing · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D9/00

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

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U2101/67

  the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods · CPC title