Secure delivery via unmanned vehicles

• US 10,403,062 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2019
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Inventors: Rephlo, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Blouin, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/248,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20190147673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 340 52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for on-demand delivery of a payload by an unmanned vehicle. An unmanned vehicle may comprise a chamber configured to house a payload and adjust a payload state. The payload state may be adjusted based on detection of a tampering event. An unmanned vehicle may also comprise an authentication system configured to allow access to the payload.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle for secure delivery configured to perform operations that comprise:

receiving delivery instructions, the delivery instructions associated with a payload;

loading, based on the delivery instructions, the payload into a chamber of the unmanned vehicle;

receiving, from a client device, information comprising a user location;

traveling to the user location with the payload;

conducting an authentication process comprising;

receiving input data, and

verifying the input data; and

delivering the payload based on the verification.

2. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the delivery instructions are received from a remote control center based on a request.

3. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the delivery instructions are received from the client device.

4. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the chamber is fitted with at least one of shredding components or burning components.

5. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving, while traveling to the user location, updated information comprising an updated user location; and

traveling to the updated user location with the payload.

6. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising docking on the user vehicle before conducting the authentication process.

7. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 6, wherein the user vehicle is moving when the unmanned vehicle docks on the user vehicle.

8. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising transmitting, to the client device, a current location of the unmanned vehicle while traveling to the user location.

9. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

detecting a tampering event while traveling to the user location;

transmitting, to the client device, a notification comprising information related to the tampering event;

receiving a command from the client device;

performing, based on the command, at least one of taking an evasive measure or travelling to an updated user location with the payload.

10. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising detecting a tampering event or malfunctioning event and performing at least one of the following actions based on the detection of the tampering event or malfunctioning event:

adjusting a payload state of the payload;

traveling to a maintenance location;

generating an alarm;

or

transmitting an alert to a local authority.

11. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein verifying the input data comprises:

transmitting, to a remote control center, a verification request comprising the input data; and

receiving, from the remote control center, a notification verifying the input data.

12. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein verifying the input data is based on a user profile associated with the delivery instructions.

13. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the input data is received from the client device.

14. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the input data comprises at least one of user input data from a user interface, a transaction card swipe, a photograph, an audio signal, or a fingerprint scan.

15. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein verifying the input data comprises:

determining a match percentage between the input data and the user profile; and

verifying a user identity based on the match percentage and a predetermined match threshold.

16. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, wherein the authentication process is based on a user proximity detection.

17. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 16, wherein the user proximity detection comprises determining that a user device is within a predetermined radius of the unmanned vehicle based on a signal received from at least one of the user device, a wearable device, or a chip.

18. The unmanned vehicle for secure delivery of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

activating, while traveling to the user location, a remote control mode of the unmanned vehicle;

providing camera output to the client device based on the remote control mode;

receiving, from the client device, based on the camera output, commands to adjust a travel path of the unmanned vehicle, and

adjusting the travel path of the unmanned vehicle based on the commands.

19. A method for secure delivery via unmanned vehicles comprising:

receiving delivery instructions, the delivery instructions associated with a payload;

loading, based on the delivery instructions, the payload into a chamber of the unmanned vehicle;

receiving, from a client device, information comprising a user location;

traveling to the user location with the payload;

conducting an authentication process comprising;

receiving input data, and

verifying the input data; and

delivering the payload based on the verification.

20. An unmanned vehicle for secure delivery configured to perform operations that comprise:

receiving instructions for location-tracking delivery, the instructions associated with a payload;

loading, based on the delivery instructions, the payload into a chamber of the unmanned vehicle;

determining a delivery location based on the instructions;

receiving, from a client device, information comprising a user location;

updating the delivery location based on the user location;

traveling to the updated delivery location with the payload, the updated delivery location being one of the user location or a point along a travel path of the user;

conducting an authentication process comprising;

receiving input data, and

verifying the input data; and

delivering the payload based on the verification.