System and method for delivering products using lock boxes via autonomous ground vehicles

• US 10,520,945 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2019
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Cantrell, Robert, McHale, Brian, O'Brien, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US16/264,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20190235508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• 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 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like

Abstract

A method for unloading and loading a lock box are provided. An autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) stores a lock box to be delivered. The lock box includes a box body, a first set of stands and a second set of stands, and a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels. The first set of stands can extend of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground. The second set of stands can extend out of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground. It is determined that the package has been removed from the lock box and the lock box is automatically loaded onto the AGV.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a lock box stored in an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV), the lock box comprising;

a box body detecting a space therein and storing a package to be delivered;

a first set of stands and a second set of stands extending from a bottom of the box body, the first set of stands and the second set of stands being configured to support the box body when extended; and

a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels coupled to the first set of stands and the second set of stands at respective ends;

the AGV comprising;

at least one sensor configured to detect a location of a center of gravity of the lock box;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions that when executed by the processor and based on a sensor detection, cause the processor to instruct the lock box to perform operations comprising;

moving the lock box out of the AGV when the sensor detects the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV;

extending the first set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the first set of wheels when the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV;

extending the second set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the second set of wheels when the lock box is supported by AGV;

determining that the package has been removed from the lock box; and

automatically loading the lock box onto the AGV.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation of returning to the AGV further comprises:

retracting the second set of stands inwardly to the bottom of the lock box when the lock box is supported by a lip of the AGV; and

retracting the first set of stands outwardly to a side of the lock box when the center of gravity of the lock box is within the AGV.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the lock box comprises one or more sensors to provide lock box status information comprising location information, empty information, and folding information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

based on the lock box status information,

determining a location of the lock box via the sensors in the lock box;

authenticating a customer before allowing the lock box to be unloaded and opened;

determining when the lock box has been emptied by the customer; and

determining whether the lock box has been folded.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the lock box further comprises a lock-down mechanism detached to a stand of the lock box.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the AGV includes a mechanism controller configured to load a plurality of lock boxes to be nested inside the AGV.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of the lock boxes are loaded by the mechanism controller onto a shelf of the AGV with sides of boxes forming an outside shell of the AGV.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the AGV comprises a slide, a conveyor, or any combination thereof, and the lock box slides into the AGV or slides out from the AGV along the slide.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of stands and the second set of stands of the lock box are retractable to be lowered or raised.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the lock box includes a GPS and navigation module and a communication module.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) storing a lock box to be delivered, the AGV comprising;

at least one sensor configured to detect a location of a center of gravity of the lock box;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions that when executed by the processor and based on a sensor detection, cause the processor to instruct the lock box to perform operations comprising;

moving out of the AGV when the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV, wherein the lock box comprises;

a box body detecting a space therein and to storing a package to be delivered;

a first set of stands and a second set of stands extending from a bottom of the box body, the first set of stands and the second set of stands being configured to support the box body when extended; and

a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels coupled to the first set of stands and the second set of stands at respective ends,

extending the first set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the first set of wheels when the sensor detects the center of gravity of the lock box is still in the AGV;

extending the second set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the second set of wheels when the lock box is supported by a lip of the AGV;

determining that the package has been removed from the lock box; and

automatically loading the lock box onto the AGV.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the operation of loading the lock box onto the AGV, based on the sensor detection, comprises:

retracting the second set of stands inwardly to the bottom of the lock box when the lock box is supported by an lip of the AGV; and

retracting the first set of stands outwardly to a side of the lock box when the center of gravity of the lock box is within the AGV.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the lock box comprises one or more sensors to provide lock box status information comprising location information, empty information and folding information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprises:

based on the lock box status information,

determining a location of the lock box via the sensors in the lock box;

authenticating a customer before allowing the lock box to be unloaded and opened;

determining when the lock box has been emptied by the customer; and

determining whether the lock box is folded.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the lock box further comprises a lock-down mechanism detached to a stand of the lock box.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the AGV includes a mechanism controller configured to load a plurality of the lock boxes to be nested inside the AGV.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of the lock boxes are loaded onto a shelf of the AGV with sides of boxes forming an outside shell of the AGV.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the AGV comprises a slide, a conveyor, or any combination thereof, and the lock box slides into the AGV or slides out from the AGV along the slide.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first set of stands and the second set of stands of the lock box are retractable to be lowered or raised.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the lock box includes a GPS and navigation module and a communication module.