Systems and methods to interchangeably couple tool systems with unmanned vehicles

• US 10,246,187 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Cantrell, Robert L., Thompson, John P., Winkle, David C., Atchley, Michael D., High, Donald R., Mattingly, Todd D., McHale, Brian G., O'Brien, John J., Simon, John F., Jones, Nathan G., Taylor, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/699,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20180072415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/10 Stowage arrangements for the devices in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/40 for agriculture or forestry operations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/45 for releasing liquids or powders in-flight, e.g. crop-dusting
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

In some embodiments, unmanned aerial task systems are provided that include a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising: a UAV control circuit; a motor; propulsion system; and a universal coupler configured to interchangeably couple with and decouple from one of multiple different tool systems each having different functions to be put into use while carried by a UAV, wherein a coupling system of the universal coupler is configured to secure a tool system with the UAV and enable a communication connection between a communication bus and the tool system, and wherein the multiple different tool systems comprise at least a package securing tool system configured to retain and enable transport of a package while being delivered, and a sensor tool system configured to sense a condition and communicate sensor data of the sensed condition to the UAV control circuit over the communication bus.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial task system, comprising:

a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising;

a UAV control circuit;

a motor; and

propulsion system coupled with the motor and configured to enable the UAV to move;

a universal coupler comprising a communication bus communicatively coupled with the UAV control circuit and a coupling system, wherein the universal coupler is configured to interchangeably couple and decouple between two or more of multiple different tool systems that are each configured to perform at least a different one of multiple different functions configured to be put into use while carried by a first UAV, wherein the coupling system is configured to secure one of the multiple tool systems with the first UAV and enable a communication connection between the communication bus and the one of the multiple tool systems, wherein the UAV control circuit is configured to implement control to enable the coupling system to engage and disengage any one of the multiple different tool systems to enable the first UAV to switch between the two or more of the multiple different tool systems and enable implementation of the respective one of the different functions provided by the two or more of the multiple different tools systems, and wherein the multiple different tool systems comprise at least a package securing tool system configured to retain and enable transport of a package while being delivered, and a sensor tool system configured to sense a condition and communicate sensor data of the sensed condition to the UAV control circuit over the communication bus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal coupler of at least the first UAV of the multiple UAVs further comprises:

a first set of permanent magnets positioned to interact with a second set of permanent magnets of a first tool system, of the multiple tool systems, being cooperated with the universal coupler and configured to align the first tool system with the universal coupler; and

a set of at least one electromagnet positioned relative to at least a first permanent magnet of the first set of permanent magnets, wherein the UAV control circuit is configured to activate the set of at least one electromagnet to overcome a magnetic force relative to at a first permanent magnet and decouple the first tool system from the first UAV.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal coupler of at least the first UAV of the multiple UAVs further comprises at least a first alignment structure configured to engage and cooperate with at least a second alignment structure of a first tool system, of the multiple tool systems, as at least one of the first tool system and the first UAV is moved to cause the secure coupling between the first UAV and the first tool system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first alignment structure comprises a generally cone shaped cavity, and the second alignment structure comprises a generally cone shaped protrusion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV further comprises a gripping system that is configured to be extended to cooperate with a grip feature of a first tool system, of the multiple tool systems, and configured to be retracted to secure and couple the first tool system with the UAV.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the universal coupler of at least the first UAV of the multiple UAVs further comprises at least a first extension configured to engage a stop element formed in a mating surface of the first tool system aligning and inhibiting rotation of the first tool system while the gripping system is retracted a threshold distance.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple mounting stations each configured to support at least one of the multiple tool systems at least while being cooperated with a UAV, wherein the universal coupler of at least the first UAV further comprises at least a first alignment structure, and each of the multiple mounting stations comprises at least a second alignment structure configured to cooperate with at least the first alignment structure of the universal coupler as at least one of the first UAV and a first mounting station is moved to cause the cooperation between the first alignment structure and the second alignment structure to align the first tool system enabling secure coupling between the first UAV and the first tool system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the universal coupler of the first UAV is further configured to temporarily couple with another universal coupler of a second UAV and maintain a position of the first UAV relative to the second UAV while the first UAV and second UAV are in motion.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV control circuit is configured to identify a second UAV carrying the second tool system configured to perform a second function, cause a notification to be communicated to the second UAV directing the second UAV to transfer the second tool system to the first UAV, cause the first UAV to decouple from a first tool system configured to perform a first function that is different than the second function, and direct the propulsion system of the first UAV to couple with the second tool system being transferred from the second UAV enabling the first tool system to switch between the first tool system and the second tool system and implement the second function provided through the second tool system.

18. The system of claim 3, wherein the first UAV further comprises a gripping system that is configured to be extended to cooperate with a grip feature of a first tool system and configured to be retracted to secure and couple the first tool system with the UAV.

19. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

multiple mounting stations each configured to support at least one of the multiple tool systems at least while being cooperated with a UAV, wherein the universal coupler of at least the first UAV further comprises at least a first alignment structure, and each of the multiple mounting stations comprises at least a second alignment structure configured to cooperate with at least the first alignment structure of the universal coupler as at least one of the first UAV and a first mounting station is moved to cause the cooperation between the first alignment structure and the second alignment structure to align the first tool system enabling secure coupling between the first UAV and the first tool system.

9. A method of performing multiple different tasks through multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) each comprising a UAV control circuit and a universal coupler, comprising:

a UAV control circuit of a first UAV performing the following;

implementing, through the UAV control circuit of the first UAV of a plurality of UAVs, an instruction to cause the first UAV to align with and temporarily couple with a first tool system of multiple different tool systems that are each configured to perform a different function of multiple different functions configured to be put into use while carried by one of the plurality of UAVs, wherein the first tool system comprises one of a package securing tool system configured to retain and enable transport of a package while being delivered, and a sensor tool system configured to sense a condition and communicate sensor data of the sensed condition to the UAV control circuit;

controlling, in accordance with the instruction to cause the UAV to align with and temporarily couple with the first UAV, a propulsion system of the first UAV and aligning a universal coupler of the first UAV with the first tool system, wherein the universal coupler is configured to repeatedly and interchangeably couple and decouple from one between two or more of the multiple different tool systems to enable the first UAV to switch between the two or more of the multiple different tool systems and enable implementation of the respective one of the different functions provided by the two or more of the multiple different tool systems; and

causing a coupling system of the universal coupler to securely couple with the first tool system and enable a communication connection between a communication bus of the universal coupler and the first tool system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the aligning the universal coupler with the first tool system comprises controlling the movement of the first UAV such that a first set of permanent magnets of the first UAV are in a threshold distance of a second set of permanent magnets of the first tool system and enabling a magnetic interaction between the first set of permanent magnets and the second set of permanent magnets;

and

causing a decoupling the first UAV from the first tool system comprising activating a set of at least one electromagnet positioned relative to a first permanent magnet of the first set of permanent magnets to overcome a magnetic force relative to at least the first permanent magnet.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the aligning of the universal coupler with the first tool system comprises engaging at least a first alignment structure with at least a second alignment structure of the first tool system as at least one of the first tool system and the first UAV is moved, and causing the coupling between the first UAV and the first tool system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the engaging the first alignment structure with the second alignment structure further comprises causing a generally cone shaped cavity of the first alignment structure to engage a generally cone shaped protrusion of the second alignment structure.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the causing the coupling system of the universal coupler to securely couple with the first tool system comprises extending a gripping system of the first UAV, activating the first gripping system to grip a grip feature of the first tool system, and retracting the gripping system securing the first tool system with the universal coupler.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the causing the coupling system to securely couple with the first tool system comprises causing a first extension of the first UAV to engage a recess formed in a surface of a mating protrusion of the first tool system and aligning and inhibiting rotation of the first tool system while the gripping system is retracted a threshold distance.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the aligning the universal coupler with the first tool system comprises causing at least a first alignment structure of the first UAV to engage with a second alignment structure of a first mounting station of multiple mounting stations each configured to support and align at least one of the multiple tool systems as at least one of the first UAV and the first mounting station is moved to cause the engagement between the first alignment structure and the second alignment structure to align the first tool system enabling secure coupling between the first UAV and the first tool system.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the propulsion system of the first UAV and aligning a second universal coupler of the first UAV with a universal coupler of a second UAV; and

causing a coupling system of the second universal coupler to securely couple with the universal coupler of the second UAV to maintain a position of the first UAV relative to the second UAV while the first UAV and second UAV are in motion and while at least the first tool system is active.