Systems and methods for validating products to be delivered by unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,586,202 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, John J., Cantrell, Robert L., Winkle, David C., High, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Bathy, Ibrahim N
• Application Number:
  US16/049,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20190066047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for validating products to be delivered to customers via unmanned aerial vehicles. Each UAV includes sensors configured to detect at least one actual physical characteristic and/or actual identifying characteristic of a product being loaded into the UAV and/or being transported by the UAV to a delivery destination. The actual physical characteristic information and/or the actual identifying information detected by the sensors is compared to predefined physical characteristic information and/or predefined identifying information stored in an electronic database in order to validate that the product that is being loaded into the UAV and/or being transported by the UAV is not damaged and corresponds to the order being fulfilled. If validation of one or more products is not successful, the UAV is restricted from delivering such products to the delivery destination.

Claims

1. A system for validating products to be delivered to customers via unmanned aerial vehicles, the system comprising:

at least one unmanned aerial vehicle including;

a receptacle configured to retain at least one product after the at least one product is loaded therein;

at least one sensor configured to detect a physical characteristic of the at least one product;

an electronic database including data indicating predefined physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product, the predefined physical characteristic information corresponding to the at least one product when in a new condition and undamaged; and

a processor-based computing device in communication with the at least one sensor and the electronic database, the computing device being configured to;

obtain data indicating actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product, the actual physical characteristic information corresponding to the at least one product when detected by the at least one sensor; and

based on the obtained data, to;

compare the data indicating the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor to the data stored in the electronic database indicating the predefined physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product in order to validate that the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor is in a new condition and undamaged;

restrict the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle from delivering to a customer the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor in response to a determination, by the computing device, that the at least one product is not in the new condition or is in a damaged condition; and

prior to the at least one product being loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, and, in response to an unsuccessful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in the new condition or is undamaged, transmit an electronic error message to an electronic device of a worker of a facility where the at least one product is being loaded into the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one identifying characteristic of the at least one product.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to a determination by the computing device, that a scan of the at least one product by the at least one sensor after the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle has been deployed for delivery of the at least one product indicates that the product is not in the new condition or is in the damaged condition, the computing device is configured to restrict the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle from delivering to a customer the at least one product by transmitting a signal to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, the signal configured to instruct the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to abort the delivery of the at least one product and to return to a deployment station with the at least one product.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a motion-detecting sensor, a photo sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, an optical sensor, a barcode sensor, a digital camera sensor, an x-ray sensor, hazardous materials sensor, a weight sensor, a size sensor, a volumetric sensor, a smell sensor, and a temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured, prior to the at least one product being loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and in response to a successful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in a new and undamaged condition, to permit the at least one product to be loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured, after the at least one product is loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and while the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight and in response to a successful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in a new and undamaged condition, to permit the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to continue the flight toward a delivery destination.

7. A method for validating products to be delivered to customers via unmanned aerial vehicles, the method comprising:

providing at least one unmanned aerial vehicle including;

a receptacle configured to retain at least one product after the at least one product is loaded therein;

at least one sensor configured to detect a physical characteristic of the at least one product;

providing an electronic database including data indicating predefined physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product, the predefined physical characteristic information corresponding to the at least one product when in a new condition and undamaged; and

providing a processor-based computing device in communication with the at least one sensor and the electronic database;

obtaining, via the computing device, data indicating actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product, the actual physical characteristic information corresponding to the at least one product when detected by the at least one sensor;

comparing, via the computing device and based on the obtained data, the data indicating the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor to the data stored in the electronic database indicating the predefined physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product in order to validate that the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor is in a new condition and undamaged;

restricting, via the computing device, the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle from delivering to a customer the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor in response to a determination, by the computing device, that the at least one product is not in the new condition or is in a damaged condition; and

transmitting, via the computing device and prior to the at least one product being loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, and, in response to an unsuccessful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in the new condition or is undamaged, an electronic error message to an electronic device of a worker of a facility where the at least one product is being loaded into the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one identifying characteristic of the at least one product.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, determining, by the computing device, that a scan of the at least one product by the at least one sensor after the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle has been deployed for delivery of the at least one product indicates that the product is not in the new condition or is in the damaged condition, and restricting, via the computing device, the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle from delivering to a customer the at least one product by transmitting a signal to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle, the signal configured to instruct the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to abort the delivery of the at least one product and to return to a deployment station with the at least one product.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a motion-detecting sensor, a photo sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, an optical sensor, a barcode sensor, a digital camera sensor, an x-ray sensor, hazardous materials sensor, a weight sensor, a size sensor, a volumetric sensor, a smell sensor, and a temperature sensor.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising, permitting, via the computing device, and prior to the at least one product being loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and in response to a successful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in a new and undamaged condition, the at least one product to be loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising permitting, via the computing device and after the at least one product is loaded into the receptacle of the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and while the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight and in response to a successful validation of the actual physical characteristic information associated with the at least one product detected by the at least one sensor that the at least one product is in a new and undamaged condition, the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle to continue the flight toward a delivery destination.