AUTOMATED DELIVERY VEHICLE, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED DELIVERY

• US 20140081445A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Judge Villamar
• Original Assignee: Daniel Judge Villamar
• Inventors: Villamar, Daniel Judge
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for automated delivery using a delivery vehicle transported by a carrier vehicle. The automated delivery method comprises receiving, by a processing device, an order from a buyer. The order specifies one or more products to be delivered to the buyer and itinerary information. The processing device transmits the order to a placer robot. The placer robot positions the one or more products to a delivery vehicle. A carrier vehicle transports the delivery vehicle to a delivery destination based on the order. The carrier vehicle is driverless and lightweight and moves automatically. The carrier vehicle moves on a flat track using itinerary information of the order.

Claims

1. An automated delivery system comprising:

a processing device configured to receive an order from a buyer and transmit the order to a placer robot, the order specifying one or more products to be delivered to the buyer and itinerary information;

the placer robot configured to position one or more products to a delivery vehicle based on the transmitted order;

the delivery vehicle configured to transport the one or more products based on the transmitted order, the delivery vehicle riding along a flat track, wherein the delivery vehicle includes a guiding pin, the guiding pin being configured to interlock with a guiding groove;

a carrier vehicle configured to enable the movement of one or more delivery vehicles.

2. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the carrier vehicle travels automatically without a driver and includes a pull vehicle or a conveyor, the carrier vehicle being powered by gas, fossil fuel, fuel cell, battery, or electricity.

3. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the carrier vehicle is configured to be powered by an electrified rail, the carrier vehicle including a contact shoe contacting the electrified rail to pick up electrical energy from the electrified rail.

4. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the carrier vehicle is configured to be powered by at least one electrified wire, the carrier vehicle including a contact shoe contacting the at least one electrified wire to pick up electrical energy from the at least one electrified wire.

5. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the order is received via a network wirelessly or by wires, the order including an alphanumeric code associated with a product, the code being entered via a mobile phone, a personal computer, a laptop, or a keypad of the delivery vehicle.

6. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the itinerary information includes instructions on travel distance and travel direction associated with a delivery destination.

7. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the placer robot has one or more arms configured to grasp a product and place the product on the delivery vehicle and remove the product from the delivery vehicle.

8. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the placer robot includes a liquid product placer robot, the liquid product placer robot being configured to pour an ordered amount of a product in the delivery vehicle, a container being placed in the delivery vehicle to pour the product in the container.

9. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the placer robot includes a conveyor placer robot, the conveyor placer robot being configured to move the one or more products into the delivery vehicle.

10. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the placer robot includes an insulated robot dispenser, the insulated robot dispenser being configured to dispense the one or more products into the delivery vehicle while keeping a temperature of the one or more products substantially unchanged.

11. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the delivery vehicle includes a key pad configured to receive an alphanumeric code associated with a product.

12. The automated delivery system of claim 1, wherein the delivery vehicle includes a Global Positioning System, the Global Positioning System providing location data associated with a location of the delivery vehicle, the location data being processed based on the itinerary information to control the itinerary of the delivery vehicle.

13. An automated delivery method comprising:

receiving, by a processing device, an order from a buyer, the order specifying one or more products to be delivered to the buyer and itinerary information;

transmitting the order to a placer robot;

positioning, by the placer robot, the one or more products to at least one delivery vehicle;

transporting, by a carrier vehicle, the at least one delivery vehicle to a delivery destination according to the itinerary information, wherein the at least one delivery vehicle is configured to ride along a flat track, the at least one delivery vehicle comprising a guiding pin, the guiding pin being configured to interlock with a guiding groove.

14. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the carrier vehicle includes a pull vehicle or a conveyor, the carrier vehicle being powered by gas, a fossil fuel, a battery, or electricity.

15. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the order is transmitted to the delivery vehicle, the delivery vehicle communicating with the placer robot to send a command to cause the placer robot to position the one or more products on a delivery vehicle based on the order.

16. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the delivery vehicle communicates with the placer robot wirelessly.

17. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the placer robot includes a liquid product placer robot, the liquid product placer robot being configured to pour an ordered amount of a product in the delivery vehicle, the product including a liquid product, a granular product, and a solid product.

18. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the placer robot includes a conveyor placer robot, the conveyor placer robot being configured to move the one or more products into the delivery vehicle.

19. The automated delivery method of claim 13, wherein the placer robot includes an insulated robot dispenser, the insulated robot dispenser being configured to dispense the one or more products into the delivery vehicle while keeping a temperature of the one or more products substantially unchanged.

20. The automated delivery method of claim 13, further comprising:

processing the order to retrieve order data;

storing the order data in a database.