Unmanned aerial delivery to secure location

• US 10,592,843 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Natarajan, Chandrashekar, High, Donald R., O'Brien, V, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeroual, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/360,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20170147975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/147 the receptacle comprising heating or cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/149 with central server link
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• 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: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

A delivery management system comprises a communication device that receives a notification of a communication established between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that delivers a payload and a delivery box constructed and arranged to receive the payload from the UAV when the UAV is a predetermined distance from the delivery box and moving in a direction toward the delivery box, the communication including an identity of the UAV; a verification device that processes the notification and validates the identity of the UAV; and an instruction generator that generates an instruction to the delivery box to open the delivery box in response to the verification device validating the identity of the UAV and a determination by the communication device that the communication is established between the UAV and the delivery box. The communication device includes an autolocker communication device that outputs the instruction to the delivery box.

Claims

1. A delivery management system, comprising:

a communication device that receives a notification of a communication established between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that delivers a payload and a delivery box constructed and arranged to receive the payload from the UAV when the UAV is within a predetermined distance from the delivery box and moving in a direction toward the delivery box, the communication including an identity of the UAV;

dual-validation system that executes an authorization process to confirm access to the delivery box that includes validating both an identity of the delivery box and the identity of the UAV, comprising;

a first beacon-generating electronic device of the UAV;

a first beacon reader of the delivery box that exchanges user-authorization data with the first beacon-generating electronic device;

a second beacon-generating electronic device at the delivery box; and

a second beacon reader of the UAV that exchanges drone-authorization data with the second beacon-generating electronic device;

a special-purpose computer that generates an instruction to the delivery box to open the delivery box in response to the dual-validation system validating the identity of the UAV and a determination by the communication device that the communication is established between the UAV and the delivery box, wherein the communication device includes an autolocker communication device that outputs the instruction to the delivery box;

a blockchain processing device that, in response to determining that the UAV is within the predetermined distance from the delivery box, validates as part of the authorization process the identity of the UAV using blockchain to allows access to the delivery box, and authenticates the payload delivered by the UAV to the delivery box, wherein the special-purpose computer generates the instruction and the autolocker communication device outputs the instruction to the delivery box in response to the authorization process; and

an order generation unit that generates a delivery order for the payload and compares an identified destination for the payload to a list of delivery boxes to determine a flight path for the UAV to the delivery box selected among the list of delivery boxes at or proximal to the identified destination, wherein the blockchain is created for the delivery order in the order generation unit to provide authentication data for user access to the selected delivery box and authentication data of the payload.

2. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein the special purpose computer includes an instruction generator that generates an instruction to the delivery box to unlock the delivery box.

3. The delivery management system of claim 2, wherein the instruction generator generates the instruction to open the delivery box or unlock the delivery box to a robotics mechanism at the delivery box that physically opens or locks the delivery box.

4. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein the communication device determines when the UAV is moving in a direction away from the delivery box and is a predetermined distance from the delivery box after delivery of the payload, and wherein the autolocker communication device outputs an instruction to the delivery box to close the delivery box.

5. The delivery management system of claim 4, wherein the determination is made when the UAV flies outside a geofence about the delivery box, and the UAV cannot communicate with the delivery box.

6. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein the first or second beacon-generating electronic device comprises a tag for transmitting a beacon signal.

7. The delivery management system of claim 1, further comprising a notification generator that generates and outputs information regarding the delivery order to an electronic device.

8. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein the blockchain processing device tracks, registers, and authenticates items of the payload moving through a supply chain.

9. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein validation of the UAV is accomplished through a distribution and sharing of public and/or private keys from a locker system of the delivery box and the UAV, and wherein authentication of the payload delivered by the UAV to the delivery box is performed by comparing acceptable keys from a peer to peer ledger system with keys used by the UAV and locker system.

10. The delivery management system of claim 1, wherein the geofence system is one or more of telecommunications equipment, a beacon device, and a global positioning system.

11. A store item delivery system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that delivers a payload to a destination;

a delivery box constructed and arranged to receive the payload;

a geofence system that determines when the UAV is a predetermined distance from the delivery box;

a delivery management system that controls access to the delivery box in response to a determination of the UAV relative to the geofence system; and

a dual-validation system that executes an authorization process to confirm access to the delivery box that includes validating both an identity of the delivery box and an identity of the UAV, comprising;

a first beacon-generating electronic device of the UAV;

a first beacon reader of the delivery box that exchanges user-authorization data with the first beacon-generating electronic device;

a second beacon-generating electronic device at the delivery box; and

a second beacon reader of the UAV that exchanges drone-authorization data with the second beacon-generating electronic device, the store item delivery item further comprising;

a blockchain processing device that, in response to determining that the UAV is within the predetermined distance from the delivery box, communicates with the delivery management system to validate as part of the authorization process the identity of the UAV using a blockchain to, to allow access to the delivery box, and to authenticate the payload delivered by the UAV to the delivery box; and

an order generation unit that generates a delivery order for the payload and compares an identified destination for the payload to a list of delivery boxes to determine a flight path for the UAV to the delivery box selected among the list of delivery boxes at or proximal to the identified destination, wherein a blockchain is created for the delivery order in the order generation unit and to provide authentication data for user access to the selected delivery box and authentication data of the payload.

12. The store item delivery system of claim 11, wherein the delivery management system generates an instruction to the delivery box to unlock the delivery box.

13. The store item delivery system of claim 12, wherein the delivery management system generates the instruction to open the delivery box or unlock the delivery box to a robotics mechanism at the delivery box that physically opens or locks the delivery box.

14. The store item delivery system of claim 11, wherein the delivery management system determines when the UAV is moving in a direction away from the delivery box and is a predetermined distance from the delivery box after delivery of the payload, and outputs an instruction to the delivery box to close the delivery box.

15. The store item delivery system of claim 11, wherein the UAV is tracked by GPS communications that is transmitted from the UAV to the delivery management system.

16. The store item delivery system of claim 15, wherein location data of the GPS communications is transmitted to an electronic device, which displays the location data.

17. The store item delivery system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first or second beacon-generating electronic device comprises a tag for transmitting a beacon signal, and wherein the GPS communications complement the beacon signal for determining a location of the UAV and validating for security of opening and closing of the delivery box.

18. The store item delivery system of claim 11, further comprising:

sensors to determine when a product has been received by a locker system of the delivery box; and

sensors to determine when the payload is clear of obstructions so the locker system can close the delivery box.

19. A method for delivery, comprising:

establishing a communication between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that delivers a payload and a delivery box constructed and arranged to receive the payload from the UAV when the UAV is a predetermined distance from the delivery box and moving in a direction toward the delivery box;

executing an authorization process to confirm access to the delivery box that includes validating both an identity of the delivery box and an identity of the UAV, wherein the validating comprises;

exchanging user-authorization data between a first beacon reader of the delivery box and a first beacon-generating electronic device of the UAV;

exchanging drone-authorization data with a second beacon-generating electronic device of the delivery box with a second beacon reader of the UAV; and

in response to determining that the UAV is within the predetermined distance from the delivery box, validating, by a blockchain processing device as part of the authorization process the identity of the UAV using blockchain to allow access to the delivery box, and authenticate the payload delivered by the UAV to the delivery box; and

generating, by a special purpose computer, an instruction to open the delivery box and outputting, by an autolocker communication device, the instruction to the delivery box in response to a determination that the communication is established between the UAV and the delivery box, and the authorization process; and

generating, by an order generation unit, a delivery order for the payload and comparing an identified destination for the payload to a list of delivery boxes to determine a flight path for the UAV to the delivery box selected among the list of delivery boxes at or proximal to the identified destination;

wherein the blockchain is created in the order generation unit for the delivery order to provide authentication data for user access to the selected delivery box and authentication data of the payload.