Interaction during delivery from aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630715-B2
Application number	US-201615339400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

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 an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a retractable delivery system comprising: (i) a tether coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and configured to selectively secure a payload, and (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to lower the payload from the UAV towards ground;
a bystander communication module, wherein the bystander communication module is configured to generate a retrieval cue for bystander perception; and
a control system configured to:
while the UAV hovers over a delivery location, use the retraction system to lower the payload from the UAV towards a ground;
determine that the payload is at or near the ground;
in response to determining that the payload is at or near the ground, cause the payload to be released from the tether; and
after the payload is released from the tether, cause the bystander communication module to generate the retrieval cue.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to cause the bystander communication module to generate the retrieval cue at least in part in response to detecting the release of the payload.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
after release of the payload, determine that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height from the ground,
wherein generation of the retrieval cue in responsive to the determination that the payload has ascended to at least the threshold height.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retrieval cue comprises an audible signal relating to completion of delivery.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retrieval cue comprises display of visual content relating to completion of delivery.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
while the payload is being lowered from the UAV, cause the bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the avoidance cue is configured to discourage a bystander from making contact with the payload, and wherein the bystander communication module comprises one or more of: (i) an audio transducer configured to emit an audible signal for bystander perception, and (ii) a light source configured to emit a visible signal for bystander perception.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the payload further comprises one or more sensors, wherein the control system is further configured to, while the payload is secured and being lowered from the UAV, receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, and wherein the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground based at least in part on the received sensor data.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to use the retraction system to cause the tether to retract back to the UAV after the payload is released therefrom.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein use of the retraction system to cause the tether to retract back to the UAV comprises: (i) using the retraction system to cause the tether to retract towards the UAV at a first ascent rate; (ii) determining, based at least in part on received sensor data, that a distal end of the tether is a particular distance from the ground; and (iii) in response to determining that that the distal end of the tether is the particular distance from the ground, using the retraction system to cause the retraction of the tether to increase from the first ascent rate to a second ascent rate faster than the first ascent rate.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
while the payload is descending, determine that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, cause a rate of descent of the payload to change from a first rate to a second rate slower than the first rate.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
while the payload is descending, determine that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, cause the bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue.

13. A method comprising:
while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hovers over a delivery location, initiating delivery using a retractable delivery system, wherein the retractable delivery system comprises: (i) a tether coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and configured to selectively secure a payload, (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to lower the payload from the UAV towards ground, and (iii) one or more electromechanical components configured to selectively secure the payload and release the payload, and wherein initiating delivery comprises lowering the payload from the UAV toward the ground;
determining that the payload is at or near the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload is at or near the ground, releasing the payload; and
after the payload is released from the tether, causing a bystander communication module to generate a retrieval cue.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
detecting the release of the payload; and
at least partially in response to detecting the release of the payload, causing the bystander communication module to initiate the generation of the retrieval cue.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
after the release of the payload, determining that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height from the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height, causing the bystander communication module to initiate the generation of the retrieval cue.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the retrieval cue comprises an audible signal relating to completion of delivery.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the retrieval cue comprises display of visual content relating to completion of delivery.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bystander communication module is further configured to generate an avoidance cue.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the bystander communication module comprises one or more of an audio transducer configured to emit an audible signal for bystander perception and a light source configured to emit a visible signal for bystander perception, and wherein the avoidance cue is configured to discourage a bystander from making contact with the payload.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
while the payload is descending, determining that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, causing the bystander communication module to generate the avoidance cue.

21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
while the payload is descending, determining that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and
in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, using the retraction system to cause a rate of descent of the payload to change from a first rate to a second rate slower than the first rate.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Takayama Leila
• Ball Matthew
• Cohen Joanna
• Graves Roger William
• Fleck Mathias Samuel
• Lambert Andrew
• Burgess James Ryan
• Komarek Paul Richard
• Shannon Trevor

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/146

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D1/02 Primary

  Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) · CPC title