Fleet of robot vehicles for food product preparation

• US 10,332,065 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nuro, Inc.
• Inventors: Ferguson, David, Zhu, Jiajun, Ransohoff, Nan, Jirapinyo, Pichayut
• Primary Examiner(s): Laflame, Jr., Michael A
• Application Number:
  US16/047,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20190056751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 99324-327, 99280-281, 99288
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/52 Adding ingredients adding preservatives A23L2/44
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/00 Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/109 Types of pasta, e.g. macaroni or noodles
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0658 specially adapted for cooking pizza
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 47/00 Kitchen containers, stands or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass; Cutting-boards, e.g. for bread bowls for food processors A47J43/0727
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00364 for caravans or trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/36 using endless chains or belts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/0257 the object being a vending stall, restaurant or food kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/346 means outside vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 : Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/40 : High definition maps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00256 : Delivery operations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 : for parcel delivery or retrieval
• 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: B65G 2209/06 : Use of order trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 : Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 : Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 : Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 : Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• 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 1/0033 : by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 : by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 : for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• 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: G05D 1/0094 : involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 : in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 : involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 : using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 : using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 : Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 : by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 : by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 : Target-seeking control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 : using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 : using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 : the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 : arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 : Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 : 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 : Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 : Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 : Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 : Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• 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 10/0834 : Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 : Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 : Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 : Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 : Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 : Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 : involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 : Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 : based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 : Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 : Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 : Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 : Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 : for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 : Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 : using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 : operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 : specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 : the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 : for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 : comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 : using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 : Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 : Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 : for thawing

Abstract

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system, a navigation system, a communication system configured to communicate with a food delivery management system, one or more storage modules including a storage compartment or a storage sub-compartment configured to store food items, one or more preparation modules including a preparation compartment or a preparation sub-compartment configured to prepare the food items, processor(s), and a memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor(s), cause the autonomous robot vehicle to, autonomously, receive via the communication system a food order for a destination, determine a travel route that includes the destination, control the conveyance system to travel the travel route to reach the destination, and prepare the food item while traveling on the travel route.

Claims

1. An autonomous robot vehicle comprising:

a conveyance system;

a navigation system configured to navigate to destinations;

a communication system configured to communicate with a food delivery management system;

at least one storage module including at least one of;

a storage compartment or a storage sub-compartment configured to store food items;

at least one preparation module including at least one of;

a preparation compartment or a preparation sub-compartment configured to prepare the food items;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to, autonomously;

receive, via the communication system, a food order for a destination;

determine, via the navigation system, a travel route that includes the destination;

control the conveyance system to travel the travel route to reach the destination; and

prepare, via the at least one preparation module, a food item corresponding to the food order while traveling on the travel route,

wherein the at least one storage module includes a plurality of ingredients and the at least one preparation module includes a mixer configured to mix the ingredients.

2. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ingredients include salad ingredients, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mixer to mix the salad ingredients to prepare a salad food order.

3. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ingredients include beverage ingredients, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mixer to mix the beverage ingredients to prepare a mixed beverage food order.

4. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one preparation module includes at least one container and the at least one storage module includes a dispenser, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the dispenser to dispense liquid into the at least one container.

5. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 4, wherein the at least one container includes at least one of pasta, rice, or instant noodles, and wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense water into the at least one container.

6. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 4, wherein the at least one preparation module further includes a heating element configured to heat the at least one container.

7. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 4, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense at least one of coffee or tea, into the at least one container.

8. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 1, wherein in determining the travel route that includes the destination, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to:

evaluate a plurality of possible travel routes having different travel times to reach the destination, the plurality of travel routes provided by the navigation system; and

select one of the plurality of possible travel routes as the travel route based on a travel time sufficient to prepare the food item prior to reaching the destination.

9. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 8, wherein, in selecting one of the plurality of possible travel routes, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to:

select the travel route in which a time to prepare the food item is longer than the travel time to reach the destination; and

determine that travel to the destination will need to be delayed by performing at least one of;

parking for a period of time or circling for a period of time.

10. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 9, wherein in preparing the food item while traveling on the travel route, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to begin preparing the food item as soon as one of the at least one preparation module is available.

11. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 8, wherein, in selecting one of the plurality of possible travel routes, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to:

select the travel route in which a time to prepare the food item is shorter than the travel time to reach the destination,

wherein preparing the food item while traveling on the travel route includes delaying the preparation of the food item.

12. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 11, wherein, in preparing the food item while traveling on the travel route, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to begin preparing the food item when remaining travel time to reach the destination is longer than the time to prepare the food item by a predetermined threshold.

13. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one preparation module includes a plurality of preparation modules, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the autonomous robot vehicle to:

receive, via the communication system, a plurality of additional food orders; and

scheduling the food order and the plurality of additional food orders to the plurality of preparation modules for concurrently preparing at least two food orders.

14. An autonomous robot vehicle comprising:

a conveyance system;

a navigation system configured to navigate to destinations;

a communication system configured to communicate with a food delivery management system;

at least one storage module including at least one of;

a storage compartment or a storage sub-compartment configured to store food items;

at least one preparation module including at least one of;

a preparation compartment or a preparation sub-compartment configured to prepare the food items;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the autonomous robot vehicle to, autonomously;

receive, via the communication system, a food order for a destination;

determine, via the navigation system, a travel route that includes the destination;

control the conveyance system to travel the travel route to reach the destination; and

prepare, via the at least one preparation module, a food item corresponding to the food order while traveling on the travel route,

wherein the at least one preparation module includes at least one of;

a toaster, a toaster oven, a broiler, an air fryer, a microwave, an oven, a griddle, a grill, a kettle, or a coffee maker, and

wherein the food items include frozen food, the at least one storage module includes at least one of;

a temperature controlled storage compartment or a temperature controlled storage sub-compartment, and the at least one preparation module includes the microwave.

15. The autonomous robot vehicle of claim 14, wherein the food items include at least one of pizza or pastries, and the at least one preparation module includes at least one of the oven, the toaster oven, or the broiler.

16. A system for managing a fleet of autonomous robot vehicles for food delivery, the system comprising:

a communication system configured to communicate with each autonomous robot vehicle of a fleet of autonomous robot vehicles and to receive food orders from software applications on customer devices;

a database configured to store information for each autonomous robot vehicle of the fleet, the information including equipment inventory and food inventory for each autonomous robot vehicle;

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive a food order from a software application on a customer device, the food order being an order for food to be prepared en route to a delivery destination;

identify, based on the equipment inventory and food inventory information in the database, particular autonomous robot vehicles in the fleet capable of fulfilling the food order; and

communicate, via the communication system, with at least one of the particular autonomous robot vehicles regarding the food order.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the equipment inventory information indicates whether each autonomous robot vehicle includes at least one of:

a temperature controlled storage compartment or a temperature controlled storage sub-compartment.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the equipment inventory information indicates whether each autonomous robot vehicle includes at least one of:

a toaster, a toaster oven, a broiler, an air fryer, a microwave, an oven, a griddle, a grill, a kettle, or a coffee maker.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the food inventory information indicates whether each autonomous robot vehicle includes at least one of:

pizzas, pastries, frozen foods, salads, mixed beverages, coffee, tea, pasta, rice, or instant noodles.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

forecast at least one future food order based on historical food orders; and

instruct at least one autonomous robot vehicle of the fleet to preemptively prepare the at least one future food order.