Methods and systems for multiple drone delivery system

• US 10,460,280 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lection, David B., Rakshit, Sarbajit K., Stevens, Mark B., Wilson, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epstein, Brian M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heflin, Brian Adams
• Application Number:
  US15/290,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20180101817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 705332
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• 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 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods

Abstract

Embodiments for delivering goods to customers by a processor are described. An item is selected to be delivered to a delivery point. The selected item is loaded onto a first drone. The delivery point is scanned with a second drone. Based on the scanning of the delivery point, the delivery point is determined to be in a first condition or a second condition. If the delivery point is in the first condition, the first drone delivers the selected item to the delivery point.

Claims

1. A method, by a processor, for delivering items, comprising:

selecting an item to be delivered to a delivery point;

causing the selected item to be loaded onto a first drone;

controlling a second drone to scan the delivery point when a plurality of factors are satisfied such that the second drone is not deployed until a threshold associated with each of the plurality of factors is met;

wherein the factors include at least a distance between an originating point and the delivery point of the item, a previous delivery history to the delivery point, a size of the delivery point, and environmental conditions associated with inclement weather at an expected time of delivery of the item;

based on the scanning of the delivery point, determining if the delivery point is in a first condition or a second condition; and

if the delivery point is in the first condition, controlling the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition is indicative of the delivery point being in a condition suitable to receive the selected item, and the second condition is indicative of at least one of an obstruction at the delivery point or the environmental conditions at the delivery point.

3. The method of claim 2, further including if the delivery point is in the second condition, cancelling or delaying said delivery of the selected item to the delivery point.

4. The method of claim 2, further including if the delivery point is in the second condition, determining an alternative delivery point for the selected item.

5. The method of claim 2, further including if the delivery point is in the second condition, causing a message to be generated, wherein the message is indicative of the delivery point being in the second condition and includes at least one of an electronic message or an aural message.

6. The method of claim 2, further including if the delivery point is in the second condition, and the second condition is indicative of an obstruction at the delivery point:

causing the obstruction to be moved; and

controlling the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point after said moving of the obstruction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first drone or the second drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

8. A system for delivering items, comprising:

a processor that

selects an item to be delivered to a delivery point;

causes the selected item to be loaded onto a first drone;

controls a second drone to scan the delivery point when a plurality of factors are satisfied such that the second drone is not deployed until a threshold associated with each of the plurality of factors is met;

wherein the factors include at least a distance between an originating point and the delivery point of the item, a previous delivery history to the delivery point, a size of the delivery point, and environmental conditions associated with inclement weather at an expected time of delivery of the item;

based on the scanning of the delivery point, determines if the delivery point is in a first condition or a second condition; and

if the delivery point is in the first condition, controls the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first condition is indicative of the delivery point being in a condition suitable to receive the selected item, and the second condition is indicative of at least one of an obstruction at the delivery point or the environmental conditions at the delivery point.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, if the delivery point is in the second condition, cancels or delays said delivery of the selected item to the delivery point.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, if the delivery point is in the second condition, determines an alternative delivery point for the selected item.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, if the delivery point is in the second condition, causes a message to be generated, wherein the message is indicative of the delivery point being in the second condition and includes at least one of an electronic message or an aural message.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor, if the delivery point is in the second condition, and the second condition is indicative of an obstruction at the delivery point:

causes the obstruction to be moved; and

controls the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point after said moving of the obstruction.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first drone or the second drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

15. A computer program product for delivering items by a processor, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion that selects an item to be delivered to a delivery point;

an executable portion that causes the selected item to be loaded onto a first drone;

an executable portion that controls a second drone to scan the delivery point when a plurality of factors are satisfied such that the second drone is not deployed until a threshold associated with each of the plurality of factors is met;

wherein the factors include at least a distance between an originating point and the delivery point of the item, a previous delivery history to the delivery point, a size of the delivery point, and environmental conditions associated with inclement weather at an expected time of delivery of the item;

an executable portion that, based on the scanning of the delivery point, determines if the delivery point is in a first condition or a second condition; and

an executable portion that, if the delivery point is in the first condition, controls the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first condition is indicative of the delivery point being in a condition suitable to receive the selected item, and the second condition is indicative of at least one of an obstruction at the delivery point or the environmental conditions at the delivery point.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further including an executable portion that, if the delivery point is in the second condition, cancels or delays said delivery of the selected item to the delivery point.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further including an executable portion that, if the delivery point is in the second condition, determines an alternative delivery point for the selected item.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further including an executable portion that, if the delivery point is in the second condition, causes a message to be generated, wherein the message is indicative of the delivery point being in the second condition and includes at least one of an electronic message or an aural message.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further including:

an executable portion that, if the delivery point is in the second condition, and the second condition is indicative of an obstruction at the delivery point, causes the obstruction to be moved; and

an executable portion that controls the first drone to deliver the selected item to the delivery point after said moving of the obstruction.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first drone or the second drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).