Automated loading and unloading items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9598238-B2
Application number	US-201514608869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2015
Priority date	Jan 29, 2015
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for automated loading and retrieval of items. In various embodiments, items are received at a loading station where identification data may be captured for each item and handling instructions may be generated. In some embodiments, a label having indicia associated with the item may be generated and affixed to the item. The items may then be deposited through an access door into the vehicle identified in the handling instructions. Once the items are loaded into the access door, an automated load/unload device may deposit the item in the appropriate storage location. The automated load/unload device may also retrieve and rearrange items as desired.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for retrieving items from a vehicle comprising the steps of:
storing, in a memory, data indicative of a storage location of each of one or more items, wherein the storage locations are assigned locations at which each of the one or more items are placed within the vehicle;
identifying the one or more items to be retrieved;
retrieving data indicative of the storage location of each of the one or more items from the memory;
actuating a load/unload device to retrieve each of the one or more items from the storage location, wherein the load/unload device comprises a selectively rotatable platform having one or more power rollers, and wherein actuating the load/unload device comprises moving a lifting mechanism to adjust the relative height of the rotatable platform to gain access to the storage location; and
transporting the one or more items to an access port for retrieval from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the one or more items to be retrieved comprises receiving input from a mobile computing entity identifying the one or more items.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more items to be retrieved is based at least in part on the location of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one or more items to be retrieved is based on a sequence of delivery identified in a dispatch plan.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
determining one or more characteristics of the one or more items, and
wherein the step of determining a storage location is based at least in part on the one or more characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more items comprises a plurality of items, and said step of transporting the one or more items to the access port comprises transporting the plurality items to the access port such that the plurality of items are available for retrieval from the vehicle simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a delivery service according to a dispatch plan, wherein said dispatch plan comprises a plurality of delivery stops each corresponding to a delivery location associated with one or more items of a plurality of items; and
wherein the step of identifying an item to be retrieved is based at least in part on the delivery location corresponding to an upcoming delivery stop.

8. A system for retrieving items from a vehicle comprising:
a vehicle having a cargo area with an access port and a plurality of storage locations, wherein each of said plurality of storage locations are configured for storing one or more items;
a load/unload device configured to transport an item from one of the plurality of storage locations to the access port for retrieval from the vehicle, wherein the load/unload device comprises:
a selectively rotatable platform having one or more power rollers; and
a lifting mechanism configured to adjust the relative height of the rotatable platform to gain access to one or more of the plurality of storage locations; and

a controller disposed within the vehicle and comprising at least one processor and at least one memory having program code instructions embodied therein, the memory and program code instructions being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the controller to:
store, in the at least one memory, data indicative of a storage location of each of one or more items, wherein the storage locations are assigned locations at which each of the one or more items are placed within the vehicle;
receive input indicative of the one or more items to be retrieved;
retrieve data indicative of the storage location of each of the one or more items from the at least one memory; and
provide instructions to the load/unload device to retrieve the one or more items from the storage location of each of the one or more items.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the input indicative of one or more items to be retrieved comprises input to a mobile computing entity identifying one or more items to be retrieved.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising:
a characteristic determining device in communication with the controller and configured to determine at least one physical characteristic of the one or more items, and
wherein the controller is further configured to determine the storage location of each of the one or more items based at least in part on the determined at least one physical characteristic of each of the one or more items.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the determined characteristic is a dimension of the item or a weight of the item.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the lifting mechanism is operatively attached to the rotatable platform and a base, wherein the base is configured to move axially within the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the base engages one or more rails in the vehicle to facilitate movement of the base within the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a vehicle location determining device configured to determine the location of the vehicle; and
wherein the memory and the program code instructions are additionally configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the controller to:
receive data indicative of the location of the vehicle; and
identify, based at least in part on the location of the vehicle, the one or more items to be retrieved.

15. The system of claim 14 , where said memory has a dispatch plan stored therein, the dispatch plan comprises a plurality of delivery stops each corresponding to a delivery location associated with one or more items of a plurality of items; and
wherein identifying the one or more items to be retrieved is based at least in part on the dispatch plan.

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Kadaba Nagesh
• Peterson Erik
• Ramsager Thomas

Classifications

• G08G1/202

  Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching · CPC title

• G07C5/00

  Registering or indicating the working of vehicles · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title

• B65G67/24

  Unloading land vehicles · CPC title