Mobile fulfillment centers with intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,625,859 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2019
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beckman, Brian C., Bjone, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US16/563,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20190389580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/16 Hatches in roofs
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 3/16 adapted for carrying special loads
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/021 Measuring and recording of train speed
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/14 Following schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• 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 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

Claims

1. A mobile system comprising:

a locomotive;

a first well car coupled to the locomotive;

a first intermodal carrier disposed on the first well car, wherein the first intermodal carrier includes a plurality of items and an aerial vehicle disposed therein; and

at least one computer system in communication with at least the locomotive, the first intermodal carrier and the aerial vehicle, wherein the at least one computer system is configured to execute a method comprising;

causing at least the locomotive and the first well car to travel in a predetermined direction on a first set of rails;

receiving a request for a delivery of one of the plurality of items to a location, wherein the request is received while the locomotive and the first well car are traveling in the predetermined direction on the first set of rails;

loading the one of the plurality of items into the aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier;

launching the aerial vehicle from the first intermodal carrier at a first time;

causing the aerial vehicle to travel to the location with the item loaded therein;

causing the aerial vehicle to deposit the item at the location; and

causing the aerial vehicle to return to the mobile system after depositing the item at the location.

2. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the first intermodal carrier comprises:

at least one intermodal container defining a compartment, wherein the at least one intermodal container comprises a steel frame and a rollable door on an upper surface of the steel frame, wherein a lower surface of the steel frame is in contact with the first well car, and wherein the plurality of items and the aerial vehicle are disposed within the compartment prior to the first time;

a motorized roller disposed within the compartment, wherein the motorized roller is configured to extend or retract the rollable door; and

a robotic arm disposed within the compartment;

wherein the at least one computer system is in communication with the motorized roller and the robotic arm, and

wherein loading the one of the plurality of items into the aerial vehicle comprises;

engaging the one of the plurality of items by the robotic arm; and

causing the one of the plurality of items to be loaded into a cargo bay of the aerial vehicle by the robotic arm, and

wherein launching the aerial vehicle from the first intermodal carrier at the first time comprises;

opening, by the motorized roller, the rollable door prior to the first time; and

closing, by the motorized roller, the rollable door after the first time.

3. The mobile system of claim 2, wherein the at least one intermodal container further comprises an automatically operated intake duct and an automatically operated outlet duct,

wherein the automatically operated intake duct extends between an exterior of the steel frame and an interior of the steel frame,

wherein the automatically operated outlet duct extends between the exterior of the steel frame and the interior of the steel frame, and

wherein launching the aerial vehicle from the first intermodal carrier comprises:

identifying a preferred launching condition for the aerial vehicle, wherein the preferred launching condition comprises at least one of an air velocity or an air pressure within the compartment; and

operating at least one of the intake duct or the outlet duct to achieve the air velocity or the air pressure within the compartment.

4. The mobile system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second well car coupled to one of the first well car or the locomotive;

a first intermodal maintenance vehicle disposed on the second well car, wherein the first intermodal maintenance vehicle includes an aerial vehicle part and a robotic arm therein, wherein the at least one computer system is in communication with the robotic arm, and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining whether the aerial vehicle requires at least one servicing operation, wherein the at least one servicing operation is an installation of the aerial vehicle part into the aerial vehicle; and

in response to determining that the aerial vehicle requires the at least one servicing operation,

causing the aerial vehicle to enter the first intermodal maintenance vehicle; and

installing the aerial vehicle part into the aerial vehicle by the robotic arm.

5. A carrier vehicle comprising:

a first intermodal container having an upper face, a forward face, a left face, a right face and an aft face;

a second intermodal container stacked atop the first intermodal container, wherein the second intermodal container has a forward face, a left face, a right face, an aft face and a lower face, and wherein the first intermodal container and the second intermodal container define a compartment;

a slidable door provided on the upper face of the first intermodal container, wherein the slidable door is configured for motion along a longitudinal axis between at least an open position and a closed position, wherein the slidable door has a free end in contact with the aft face of the first intermodal container when the slidable door is in the closed position, and wherein the free end is configured to translate in the longitudinal direction toward the forward face when the slidable door is moved from the closed position to the open position;

an intake duct provided on at least one of the forward face of the first intermodal container or the forward face of the second intermodal container, wherein the intake duct extends between an exterior of the compartment and an interior of the compartment;

an outlet duct provided on at least one of the aft face of the first intermodal container or the aft face of the second intermodal container, wherein the outlet duct extends between an exterior of the compartment and an interior of the compartment;

a launch system comprising at least one conveyor, wherein the launch system is mounted to the lower face of the second intermodal container, and wherein the launch system is configured for motion along a vertical axis with respect to the upper face of the first intermodal container and the lower face of the second intermodal container; and

a robotic arm mounted within the compartment, wherein the robotic arm is configured to automatically retrieve at least one of a plurality of items disposed within the compartment and to automatically install the at least one of the plurality of items in an aerial vehicle disposed within the compartment.

6. The carrier vehicle of claim 5, wherein each of the left face of the second intermodal container and the right face of the second intermodal container has a length of approximately fifty-three feet,

wherein each of the forward face and the aft face of the second intermodal container has a width of approximately eight-and-one-half feet, and

wherein each of the left face of the second intermodal container, the right face of the second intermodal container, the forward face of the second intermodal container and the aft face of the second intermodal container has a height of approximately nine-and-one-half feet.

7. The carrier vehicle of claim 5, wherein the lower face of the second intermodal container is coupled to a well car, and

wherein the well car is coupled to a locomotive, and

wherein each of the locomotive and the well car is configured for travel on a common pair of rails.

8. A mobile system comprising:

a first container comprising a first steel frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section and a common height, and wherein the first steel frame further comprises an upper face having at least a first door configured to travel between an open position and a closed position;

a first plurality of items provided within the first container;

a first robotic arm mounted within the first container, wherein the first robotic arm is configured to automatically retrieve at least a first item of the plurality of items disposed within the first container and to automatically load at least the first item into at least a first aerial vehicle within the first container; and

a first launch or retrieval system disposed within the first container, wherein the first launch or retrieval system comprises at least a first conveyor, and wherein the first launch or retrieval system is configured to launch or retrieve aerial vehicles via the upper face.

9. The mobile system of claim 8, wherein an interior of the first container has a height of approximately nine feet, a width of approximately eight feet, and a length of approximately fifty-three feet.

10. The mobile system of claim 8, wherein the first container further comprises:

an intake duct provided on a forward face of the steel frame, wherein the intake duct extends between an exterior of the first container and an interior of the first container; and

an outlet duct provided on an aft face of the steel frame, wherein the outlet duct extends between the exterior of the first container and the interior of the first container.

11. The mobile system of claim 8, further comprising a first well car and a locomotive,

wherein the first container is disposed on the first well car, and

wherein the first well car is coupled to the locomotive.

12. The mobile system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second container comprising a second steel frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section and a common height, and wherein the second steel frame further comprises an upper face having at least a second door configured to travel between an open position and a closed position;

a second robotic arm mounted within the second container, wherein the second robotic arm is configured to automatically perform at least one servicing operation on at least a second aerial vehicle within the second container; and

a second launch or retrieval system disposed within the second container, wherein the second launch or retrieval system comprises at least a second conveyor, and wherein the second launch or retrieval system is configured to launch or retrieve aerial vehicles via the upper face; and

a second well car,

wherein the second container is disposed on the second well car, and

wherein the second well car is coupled to at least one of the first well car or the locomotive.

13. The mobile system of claim 8, wherein the first container is configured for coupling to each of a container ship, a locomotive and a road tractor.

14. The mobile system of claim 8, wherein each of the first door, the first robotic arm and the first launch or retrieval system is in communication with at least one computer device having at least one memory component and at least one computer processor.

15. The mobile system of claim 14, wherein the computer device is provided at one of:

aboard the first container;

aboard a first powered vehicle coupled to the first container;

or

remote to the first container or the first powered vehicle.

16. The mobile system of claim 14, wherein the at least one memory component has one or more sets of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the mobile system to at least:

receive, over a network, an order for a delivery of the first item to a location;

determine that the first item is stored within the first container;

cause the first item to be loaded into the first aerial vehicle within the first container;

cause the first door to travel to the open position;

cause the first aerial vehicle to be launched from the first container by the first launch or retrieval system; and

cause the first aerial vehicle to perform the delivery of the first item from the mobile system to the location.

17. The mobile system of claim 16, wherein the one or more sets of instructions, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the mobile system to at least:

determine at least one of a course or a speed of the first container;

select a departure point for the first aerial vehicle based at least in part on the at least one of the course or the speed of the first container;

program the first aerial vehicle with instructions to travel from the departure point to the location; and

determine that the first container is at least within a predetermined range of the departure point,

wherein the first door is caused to travel to the open position in response to determining that the first container is at least within the predetermined range of the departure point.

18. The mobile system of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory component has one or more sets of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the mobile system to at least:

determine at least one of a minimum distance, a minimum time or a minimum cost for the delivery of the first item from the first container to the location by the first aerial vehicle,

wherein the departure point is selected based at least in part on the at least one of the minimum distance, the minimum time or the minimum cost.

19. The mobile system of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory component has one or more sets of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the mobile system to at least:

prior to a first time,

determine at least one of;

purchases of the first item or a second item in a geographic area including the location over a predetermined period of time, wherein the second item is one of a complement to the first item or a substitute for the first item;

or

deliveries of the first item or the second item to a plurality of locations in the geographic area over the predetermined period of time; and

determine a level of demand for the first item in the geographic area at the first time based at least in part on at least one of the purchases or the deliveries;

cause at least one of the first item to be loaded into the first container at a fulfillment center; and

cause, by the at least one powered vehicle, the first container to travel from the fulfillment center in a direction associated with the geographic area.

20. The mobile system of claim 16, wherein the first container includes a plurality of aerial vehicles within the first container, and

wherein the at least one memory component has one or more sets of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the mobile system to at least:

determine at least one of a first distance between a departure point from the first container and the location, a second distance between the location and a rendezvous point with the first container or a time at which the delivery of the first item is to be made;

determine at least one attribute for each of the plurality of aerial vehicles, wherein the at least one attribute is at least one of an operating range, a power rating or a carrying capacity; and

select one of the aerial vehicles based at least in part on at least one of the first distance, the second distance or the time and the at least one attribute,

wherein the first aerial vehicle is the selected one of the aerial vehicles.