Autonomous package delivery system

• US 10,599,138 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Bosworth, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US15/699,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20190079509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• 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: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for enabling unmanned and optionally-manned cargo delivery to personnel on the ground. For example, an aircraft may be used to provide rapid response cargo delivery to widely separated small units in demanding and unpredictable conditions that pose unacceptable risks to both ground resupply personnel and aircrew. Together with a ground vehicle, packages from the aircraft may be deployed to ground personnel in disbursed operating locations without exposing the ground personnel to the aircraft'"'"'s open landing zone.

Claims

1. A package delivery system for use with an aircraft, the package delivery system comprising:

a land vehicle equipped with a first processor operatively coupled with a first sensor package and a first communication transceiver, the first processor configured to navigate the land vehicle along a navigational land route based at least in part on data received via the first communication transceiver;

a perception system having a second sensor package operatively coupled with a second processor and a second communication transceiver; and

a human-system interface (HSI) device to communicate with the land vehicle and the perception system over one or more wireless links, wherein the HSI device, which is separate and apart from each of the land vehicle and the perception system, includes a third processor, a third communication transceiver, a user input device, and a display device,

wherein the perception system is configured to transmit navigational commands to said land vehicle via said first communication transceiver based at least in part on data from the second sensor package, and

wherein the HSI device is configured to transmit navigational commands to said land vehicle via said third communication transceiver and to receive from the land vehicle a video feed captured by the first sensor package.

2. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor package includes a first optical payload and a second optical payload, wherein each of said first optical payload and said second optical payload is configured to be positioned at different locations of the aircraft.

3. The package delivery system of claim 2, wherein said first optical payload is configured to generate terrain data for a geographic area prior to landing at a touchdown zone within the geographic area, wherein the second processor is configured to determine the navigational land route from the touchdown zone to a field operator based at least in part on the terrain data.

4. The package delivery system of claim 3, wherein said second optical payload is configured to track the land vehicle from the touchdown zone as the land vehicle travels along the navigational land route.

5. The package delivery system of claim 4, wherein each of said first optical payload and said second optical payload include LIDAR or a stereo vision camera system.

6. The package delivery system of claim 3, wherein the second processor is configured to determine a plurality of navigational land routes from the touchdown zone to the field operator based at least in part on the terrain data.

7. The package delivery system of claim 6, wherein the HSI device is configured to present to the field operator, via the display device, the plurality of navigational land routes for selection by the field operator through the user input device.

8. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein the perception system is configured to, in real time, (1) detect obstacles along the navigational land route, and (2) transmit navigational commands dynamically to autonomously navigate the land vehicle while it travels along the navigational land route.

9. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein the HSI device is configured to display the video feed on the display device.

10. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive from the perception system a second video feed captured by the second sensor package and the HSI device is configured to display the second video feed on the display device.

11. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein navigational commands from the HSI device are prioritized over navigational commands from the perception system.

12. The package delivery system of claim 1, wherein the HSI device is configured to display a land vehicle route screen via the display device.

13. The package delivery system of claim 2, wherein the aircraft is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

14. The package delivery system of claim 3, wherein the aircraft is configured to transport the land vehicle from a remote location to the touchdown zone.

15. A human-system interface (HSI) device to facilitate bidirectional communication with a land vehicle and a perception system mounted to an aircraft at a touchdown zone that is configured to track the land vehicle as it travels along a navigational land route between the touchdown zone and a field operator, the HSI device comprising:

a processor;

a display device;

a user input device operatively coupled with the processor; and

a communication transceiver operatively coupled with the processor to communicate with the land vehicle and the perception system over one or more wireless links,

wherein the HSI device, which is separate and apart from each of the land vehicle and the aircraft, is configured to (1) transmit navigational commands to said land vehicle via said communication transceiver, (2) receive from the land vehicle a video feed captured by a first sensor package positioned on said land vehicle via said communication transceiver, and (3) receive from the perception system location data reflecting the land vehicle'"'"'s position along the navigational land route, wherein the location data is generated by a second sensor package of the perception system that is positioned on the aircraft.

16. The HSI device of claim 15, wherein the display device is configured to display a plurality of navigational land routes for selection by the field operator through the user input device.

17. The HSI device of claim 15, wherein the display device is configured to display the video feed.

18. The HSI device of claim 15, wherein the HSI device is configured to receive from the perception system a second video feed captured by the second sensor package.

19. The HSI device of claim 15, wherein said user input device is a touch screen and the display device is configured to simultaneously display the video feed and one or more navigational controller icons.

20. An unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for use in an aerial package delivery system, the UGV comprising:

a chassis to support a package;

an optical payload to generate a video feed of a geographic area;

a communication transceiver to facilitate bidirectional communication with a human-system interface (HSI) device and a perception system over one or more wireless links, wherein the perception system is coupled to an aircraft at a touchdown zone within the geographic area; and

a processor operatively coupled with each of the communication transceiver and the optical payload, wherein the processor is configured to navigate the UGV along a navigational land route from the touchdown zone to a field operator based on navigational commands received from the HSI device or the aircraft via the communication transceiver, and to transmit the video feed to the HSI device.

21. The UGV of claim 20, wherein the navigational land route is received from the perception system via the communication transceiver.

22. The UGV of claim 20, wherein the perception system is configured to track the UGV from the touchdown zone as the UGV travels along the navigational land route.

23. The UGV of claim 20, wherein the communication transceiver is configured to receive navigational commands from the aircraft and the HSI device in real-time to autonomously navigate the UGV along the navigational land route.

24. The UGV of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to localize the UGV based on its location relative to the aircraft.