ENABLING MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS CARGO DELIVERIES IN A SINGLE MISSION
First Claim
1. A method, comprising acts of:
- (A) causing an unmanned vehicle to travel from a starting location to a first delivery location;
(B) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a first cargo load at the first delivery location;
(C) causing the unmanned vehicle to travel from the first delivery location to a second delivery location, without returning to the starting location prior to arriving at the second delivery location; and
(D) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a second cargo load at the second delivery location.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus enabling multiple unmanned cargo deliveries in a single mission. An assembly having multiple hooks may be coupled to an unmanned vehicle via a cable. Prior to a mission originating at a starting location, multiple cargo loads may each be loaded on to a respective pallet, wrapped in a cargo delivery net, and attached to one of the hooks. A ground controller may instruct the unmanned vehicle to deliver the cargo loads to separate locations. The unmanned delivery vehicle may navigate to a first delivery location, perform delivery of a first cargo load by causing the hook on the assembly to release the first load, autonomously exit the first location and navigate to a second delivery location without returning to the starting location, and perform delivery of a second cargo load by causing the hook on the assembly to release the second load.
89 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising acts of:
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(A) causing an unmanned vehicle to travel from a starting location to a first delivery location; (B) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a first cargo load at the first delivery location; (C) causing the unmanned vehicle to travel from the first delivery location to a second delivery location, without returning to the starting location prior to arriving at the second delivery location; and (D) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a second cargo load at the second delivery location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. At least one computer for enabling an unmanned vehicle to deliver a plurality of separate cargo loads in a single delivery mission, the plurality of cargo loads being loaded to the unmanned vehicle at a starting location, the at least one computer comprising:
at least one processor programmed to; cause an unmanned vehicle to travel from a starting location to a first delivery location; cause the unmanned vehicle to deliver a first cargo load at the first delivery location; cause the unmanned vehicle to travel from the first delivery location to a second delivery location, without returning to the starting location prior to arriving at the second delivery location; and cause the unmanned vehicle to deliver a second cargo load at the second delivery location. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. At least one computer-readable storage device having instructions recorded thereon which, when executed by at least one computer, perform a method of enabling an unmanned vehicle to deliver a plurality of separate cargo loads in a single delivery mission, the plurality of cargo loads being loaded to the unmanned vehicle at a starting location, the method comprising acts of:
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(A) causing an unmanned vehicle to travel from a starting location to a first delivery location; (B) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a first cargo load at the first delivery location; (C) causing the unmanned vehicle to travel from the first delivery location to a second delivery location, without returning to the starting location prior to arriving at the second delivery location; and (D) causing the unmanned vehicle to deliver a second cargo load at the second delivery location. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification