Interactive transport services provided by unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,029,787 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lesser, Jonathan, Bauerly, Michael, Cheng, May, Song, Rue
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US15/199,675
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a client-facing application for interacting with a transport service that transports items via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An example graphic interface may allow a user to order items to specific delivery areas associated with their larger delivery location, and may dynamically provide status updates and other functionality during the process of fulfilling a UAV transport request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a client device, a transport request for transport of one or more selected items to a target location by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and responsively;

displaying, by the client device, a preparation status screen including;

(a) a transport-preparation status corresponding to transport of the one or more selected items, and (b) a first arrival-time estimate, wherein the first arrival-time estimate is determined based on a combination of at least (i) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more selected items, and (ii) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by a UAV;

receiving a status message indicating that the one or more selected items are loaded on a first UAV for transport to the target location and responsively;

displaying, by the client device, a flight progress screen comprising;

(a) a map comprising a flight path visualization and a location indication for the first UAV, and (b) an updated arrival time, wherein the updated arrival time is determined based an updated flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by the first UAV; and

receiving a status message indicating that the UAV has released the one or more selected items in a ground delivery area associated with the target location, and responsively displaying a delivery confirmation screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selected items are one or more food items, and wherein the preparation-to-loading time estimate includes an estimated food preparation period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparation-to-loading time estimate corresponds to a pre-flight phase of a fulfillment process for the one or more selected items.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-flight phase comprises an item preparation sub-phase, the method further comprising:

during at least a portion of the item preparation sub-phase, displaying, in the preparation status screen, an indication that the one or more selected items are being prepared for transport.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication that the one or more selected items are being prepared for transport comprises a characterization of the one or more selected items as being at a gate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the pre-flight phase comprises a loading sub-phase corresponding to a process of loading the one or more selected items onto the first UAV, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication that the one or more selected items are being loaded onto the first UAV; and

responsively displaying, in the preparation status screen, an indication that the one or more selected items are being loaded on to a UAV for transport.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication that the one or more selected items are being loaded comprises a characterization of the one or more selected items as boarding the UAV.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight time estimate corresponds to a flight phase of a fulfillment process for the one or more selected items.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein loading of the one or more selected items on to the UAV occurs at a source location, and wherein the flight phase comprises a departing sub-phase, the method further comprising:

determining that the one or more selected food items are loaded on the first UAV and that the UAV is at or within a source area associated with the source location; and

responsively displaying, in the flight status screen, an indication that the UAV flight with the one or more selected is departing.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein loading of the one or more selected items on to the UAV occurs at a source location, and wherein the flight phase comprises a mid-flight sub-phase, the method further comprising:

determining that the first UAV has left the source location or is more than a predetermined distance from the source location, and is not located at the target location or is more than a predetermined distance from the target location; and

responsively displaying, in the flight progress screen, an indication that the UAV is en route to the target location.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the flight phase comprises an approach sub-phase, the method further comprising:

determining that the first UAV is at or within a threshold distance from the target location; and

responsively displaying, in the flight progress screen, an indication that the UAV is approaching the target location.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the flight phase comprises a tethered-delivery sub-phase, the method further comprising:

determining that the one or more selected items are being lowered from the UAV to the ground at the target location via a tether; and

responsively displaying a delivery progress screen comprising an indication that the one or more selected items are being lowered to the ground at the target location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the delivery progress screen comprises a map showing a selected delivery area associated with the target location, wherein the selected delivery area is one of a plurality of delivery areas associated with the target location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a de-coupling of the one or more selected items from the tether, and responsively displaying the delivery confirmation screen.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before receipt of the transport request:

determining, by the client computing device, the target location corresponding to a client computing device; and

displaying an order screen for selection of one or more selected items for UAV transport to the target location, wherein the input data comprising the transport request is received via the order screen.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transport request comprises an order for the one or more selected items, the method further comprising:

in further response to receiving the transport request, displaying an order confirmation screen.

17. A client-device system comprising:

a communication interface operable for communications with a service-provider system for a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) transport service;

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon and executable by the at least one processor to perform functions comprising;

receiving a transport request for transport of one or more selected items to a target location by a UAV, and responsively displaying a preparation status screen including;

(a) a transport-preparation status corresponding to transport of the one or more selected items, and (b) a first arrival-time estimate, wherein the first arrival-time estimate is determined based on a combination of at least (i) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more selected items, and (ii) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by a UAV;

receiving a status message indicating that the one or more selected items are loaded on a first UAV for transport to the target location and responsively displaying a flight progress screen comprising;

(a) a map comprising a flight path visualization and a location indication for the first UAV, and (b) an updated arrival time corresponding, wherein the updated arrival time is determined based an updated flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by the first UAV; and

receiving a status message indicating that the UAV has released the one or more selected items in a ground delivery area associated with the target location, and responsively displaying a delivery confirmation screen.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a transport request for transport of one or more selected items to a target location by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

responsive to receiving the transport request, the client computing device;

(i) determining a total transport time based on a combination of at least (a) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more selected items, and (b) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by a UAV;

(ii) sending a first status message to a client device, wherein the first status message comprises;

(a) a transport-preparation status for the one or more selected items, and (b) an arrival time corresponding to the total transport time;

receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the one or more selected items are loaded on a first UAV for transport to the target location and responsively;

(i) determining an updated total transport time based on an updated flight time estimate for transport of the one or more selected items to the target location by the first UAV;

(ii) sending a second status message to the client device, wherein the second status message comprises an updated arrival time corresponding to the updated total transport time; and

receiving an indication that the UAV has released the one or more selected items in a ground delivery area associated with the target location and responsively sending a third message indicating to the client device to display a delivery confirmation screen.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein first status message provides an indication to the client device to display a preparation status screen indicating the transport-preparation status and the arrival time.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second status message provides an indication to the client device to display a flight progress screen comprising:

(a) a map comprising a flight path visualization and a location indication for the first UAV, and (b) the updated arrival time.