Machine-readable delivery platform for automated package delivery

• US 10,242,334 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2018
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shucker, Brian Daniel, Trew, Brandon Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Marshall, Christle I
• Application Number:
  US15/866,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20180144286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A user requests a package delivery from a package delivery system. The package delivery system provides the user with a machine-readable code for display at the delivery location. An aerial delivery device receives, from the package delivery system computing device, information associated with the delivery location of the package. The information comprises information matching the information in the machine-readable code associated with the delivery location and a delivery address. The delivery device secures the package for transporting to the delivery location and transports the package to the delivery address. The delivery device locates the machine-readable code on a display at the delivery address and verifies that the information from the machine-readable code is associated with the package. The delivery device deposits the package on the display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to automate package deliveries, comprising:

associating, by the one or more computing devices, delivery information with a delivery location for a package, wherein the delivery information comprises an image to be printed for display in a particular location for the package to be deposited at the delivery location;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the delivery information associated with the delivery location to a delivery device for delivery to the particular location displaying the printed image at the delivery location; and

receiving, by the one or more computing devices and from the delivery device, a visual image of the package at the delivery location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery location further comprises a GPS location of the delivery location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery location further comprises an address associated with the delivery location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery location further comprises instructions to locate the printed image at the delivery location and to deposit the package at the particular location displaying the printed image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the printed image to a user associated with the delivery location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the printed image is transmitted to a user computing device associated with the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the printed image is a QR code, a barcode, a logo, a picture, or an icon.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a confirmation from the device that the package has been deposited at the delivery location.

9. A system to deliver packages to specified user locations, comprising:

a storage device associated with a delivery device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the device storage device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive, from a package delivery system processor, delivery information associated with a package and a particular delivery location at a delivery address and instructions to locate a printed image at the particular delivery location at the delivery address, the printed image comprising an image associated with the particular delivery location at the delivery address and with the delivery information associated with the package; and

communicate an image confirming a deposit of the package at the particular delivery location.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery location further comprises a GPS location of the delivery location.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery location further comprises an address of the delivery location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the printed image is a QR code, a barcode, a logo, a picture, or an icon.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to deliver packages to specified user locations, the computer-executable program instructions comprising;

computer-executable program instructions to associate delivery information with a delivery location for a package, wherein the delivery information comprises an image to be printed for display in a particular location for the package to be deposited at the delivery location;

computer-executable program instructions to transmit the delivery information associated with the delivery location to a device for delivery to the particular location displaying the printed image at the delivery location; and

computer-executable program instructions to receive a communication of a visual image of the package at the delivery location.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-executable program instructions to transmit the printed image to a user associated with the delivery location.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the delivery location further comprises a GPS location of the delivery location.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the delivery location further comprises an address of the delivery location.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the printed image is a QR code or a barcode.

18. The method of claim 13, computer-executable program instructions to receive a confirmation from the device that the package has been deposited at the delivery location.