Systems and methods to deter theft of commercial products

• US 10,120,383 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Mattingly, Todd D., Wilkinson, Bruce W., High, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/813,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20180136657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 9/00 Equipment for attack or defence by spreading flame, gas or smoke or leurres; Chemical warfare equipment protection against chemicals A62B
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In some embodiments, autonomous product delivery systems and methods are provided herein useful to deter theft of commercial products via an autonomous ground vehicle (“AGV”). In some embodiments, systems are provided to deter theft of commercial products, and may comprise: an AGV configured to transport commercial products to delivery locations that includes control circuits, which are communicatively coupled to sensors, container storage areas housing commercial products for delivery, defensive elements positioned proximate to the commercial products and configured to physical alter the commercial products and render them unsatisfactory for their intended purpose. The control circuits can determine the presence of unknown third parties positioned next to the AGV and, in response thereto, determine occurrences of adverse events associated with the AGV. Some embodiments, in response to determining the occurrence of adverse events, the control circuits can activate the defensive elements to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

Claims

1. An autonomous product delivery system to deter theft of commercial products, comprising:

an autonomous ground vehicle (“

AGV”

) on a commercial product delivery route and configured to transport a commercial product to a delivery location comprising;

a control circuit;

a container storage area communicatively coupled to the control circuit and housing therein one or more commercial products for delivery;

a sensor communicatively coupled to the control circuit and configured to transmit sensor data to the control circuit;

a defensive element communicatively coupled to the control circuit, positioned proximate to the one or more commercial products, and configured to physically alter the one or more commercial products and thereby render the one or more commercial products unsatisfactory for their intended purpose; and

the control circuit configured to;

determine, using the sensor data, a presence of an unknown third party positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV;

determine, using the sensor data, an occurrence of an adverse event associated with the AGV when the presence of the unknown third party is determined; and

activate the defensive element when the occurrence of the adverse event is determined to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the adverse event comprises a loss of wireless communication capability by the AGV for a predetermined time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the adverse event comprises a loss of primary power to the AGV for a predetermined time period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the adverse event comprises detecting an unauthorized attempt to gain access to the AGV.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the defensive element comprises a reservoir storing a chemical, and a dispenser coupled with the reservoir, wherein the activation of the defensive element comprises activating the dispenser to dispense the chemical from the reservoir onto a surface of or within the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the defensive element comprises an expanding component, and wherein the activation of the defensive element comprises activating the expanding component to at least partially compress the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the defensive element comprises a projectile discharging system, and wherein the activation of the defensive element comprises activating the projectile discharging system to discharge one or more projectiles into at least a portion of the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the defensive element comprises a material having a high potential energy, and wherein the activation of the defensive element comprises activating the material to cause the material to undergo an event selected from the group consisting of:

a detonation and a deflagration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

receive a notification to disarm from a third party; and

deactivate the defensive element in response to receiving the notification to disarm.

10. A method of autonomous product delivery to deter theft of commercial products, comprising:

determining, using sensor data from a sensor of an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) on a commercial product delivery route, a presence of an unknown third party positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV, the AGV comprising a container storage area and a defensive element positioned proximate to the container storage area, the container storage area housing one or more commercial products therein, the defensive element configured to physically alter the one or more commercial products and thereby render the one or more commercial products unsatisfactory for their intended purpose;

determining, using the sensor data and through the AGV, an occurrence of an adverse event associated with the AGV when the presence of the unknown third party is determined; and

activating, using the sensor data and through the AGV, the defensive element when the occurrence of the adverse event is determined to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the occurrence of the adverse event comprises

processing, using the sensor data through the AGV, an image captured within a threshold distance relative to the AGV;

and

detecting, through the AGV, the presence an unknown object included in the captured image, the unknown object comprising a threshold relationship to predefined parameters defining a biological entity or an autonomous vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the occurrence of the adverse event comprises detecting, through the AGV, a loss of wireless communication by the AGV for a predetermined time period.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the occurrence of the adverse event comprises detecting, through the AGV, a loss of primary power to the AGV for a predetermined time period.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the occurrence of the adverse event comprises detecting, through the AGV, an unauthorized attempt to gain access to the AGV.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating the defensive element comprises dispensing, through the AGV, a chemical on to a surface of or within the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating the defensive element comprises at least partially compressing, through the AGV, the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating the defensive element comprises discharging, through the AGV, one or more projectiles into at least a portion of the one or more commercial products to physically alter the one or more commercial products.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of activating the defensive element comprises causing, through the AGV, a high potential energy material to undergo an event selected from the group consisting of:

a detonation and a deflagration.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, through the AGV, a notification to disarm from a third party; and

deactivating, through the AGV, the defensive element in response to receiving the notification to disarm.