On-demand designated delivery locator

• US 10,078,808 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sibon, Mark Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US14/860,215
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• 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: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

Delivery area guidance may be provided to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivering a package to a customer. For example, a UAV may be programmed to fly to a delivery area. When the UAV approaches the delivery area, the UAV may send a signal that it has a package for the customer. A delivery area guidance (DAG) device associated with the customer may receive the signal and project a visible landing marker to guide the UAV to a designated delivery location. The DAG device may monitor motion near the designated delivery location, indicate existence of obstacles, and/or notify inhabitance of the approach of the UAV and/or receipt of the package.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) guidance apparatus comprising:

a transceiver;

a laser;

a speaker;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

receiving, via the transceiver, a first signal from a UAV, the first signal including an identifier associated with a package and the UAV;

identifying the UAV using the identifier;

projecting, via the laser, a delivery marker at a designated delivery location in response to identification of the UAV;

emitting an audible warning sound, via the speaker, to indicate an approach of the UAV toward the designated delivery location; and

transmitting a second signal, via the transceiver, to a user device to indicate arrival of the package associated with the identifier.

2. The UAV guidance apparatus of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

prior to the projecting, encoding a laser signal depicting the delivery marker, the encoding including at least a customer code in the laser signal.

3. The UAV guidance apparatus of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

detecting, via a motion detector, motion within a pre-defined area proximate to the designated delivery location;

transmitting, via the transceiver, an indication that the delivery location is not clear for delivery; and

responsive to a lack of motion within the pre-defined distance of the designated delivery location for a time interval, transmitting, via the transceiver, an indication that the delivery location is clear for delivery.

4. The UAV guidance apparatus of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

detecting, via a sensor, an obstacle in an approach path of the UAV; and

illuminating, via the laser, the obstacle for the UAV to avoid.

5. The UAV guidance apparatus of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

prior to the transmitting the second signal, detecting, via a camera, the package at the designated delivery location; and

capturing an image of the package at the designated delivery location to verify delivery.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a transceiver mounted on a delivery area guidance device located proximate a delivery area, a first signal from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the first signal including an identifier associated with a package;

identifying the UAV using the identifier;

projecting, via a light source, a visible marker onto a surface to designate a delivery location located within the delivery area in response to identification of the UAV;

verifying a delivery of the package at the delivery location; and

transmitting, via the transceiver, a second signal to another device to indicate delivery of the package associated with the identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising at least one of:

causing a speaker to emit an audible warning to indicate an approach of the UAV;

or

causing emission of light from a light source as a visual warning to indicate the approach of the UAV.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting motion proximate to the delivery location; and

transmitting a delay signal to the UAV indicating that it is not clear to deliver the package.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that no motion has been detected in the delivery location for a pre-determined period of time; and

responsive to the determining, transmitting a delivery signal to the UAV indicating that the delivery location is clear to deliver the package.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining an obstacle in an approach path of the UAV toward the delivery location; and

illuminating the obstacle via the light source.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining an obstacle in an approach path of the UAV toward the delivery location; and

sending a message to the UAV, the message comprising obstacle information to assist the UAV in avoiding the obstacle.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring a state of a battery that powers at least the transceiver and the light source;

determining a low power setting of the battery; and

providing an indication of the low power setting of the battery.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responsive to the receiving, switching from a passive mode to an active mode, wherein the passive mode comprises a low power consumption setting with signal reception functionality and the active mode comprises a higher power consumption setting with signal reception and signal transmission functionality.

14. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

receiving a first signal from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the first signal including an identifier associated with a package;

identifying the UAV using the identifier; and

projecting, via a laser, a visible marker on a surface designating a delivery location in response to identification of the UAV.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is implemented by a UAV guidance apparatus to provide the UAV with guidance information for navigating about a delivery area.

16. The system of claim 14, the acts further comprising:

detecting the package at the delivery location;

capturing an image of the package at the delivery location; and

transmitting the image to another device to indicate arrival of the package associated with the identifier.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the visible marker comprises one or more of:

a pulsed customer code as an image code in the visible marker;

a variable wavelength visible marker;

or

a variable frequency visible marker.

18. The system of claim 14, the acts further comprising:

detecting an obstacle in an approach path of the UAV; and

communicating to the UAV to avoid the obstacle.

19. The system of claim 14, the acts further comprising:

detecting motion proximate to the delivery location;

transmitting a warning signal to the UAV indicating that it is not clear to deliver the package;

determining that no motion has been detected in the delivery location for a pre-determined period of time; and

responsive to the determining, transmitting a delivery signal to the UAV indicating that the delivery location is clear to deliver the package.

20. The system of claim 14, the acts further comprising:

after the identifying, transmitting, via a transceiver, a wind direction and a wind magnitude to the UAV.