AUTONOMOUS TRANSPORT NAVIGATION TO A SHIPPING LOCATION USING ELEMENTS OF A WIRELESS NODE NETWORK

• US 20160320773A1
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter
• Granted Patent: US 9,949,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00256 Delivery operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/02 Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/102 Straps, bands, strings or other elongate elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• 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 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 : Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 : specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 : Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 : using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 : using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 : using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 : Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 : stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 : specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 : for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 : Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 : using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 : characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 : characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 : Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods, media, and node-enabled autonomous transport vehicles are described for navigating to a shipping location using a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network. A node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, such as a mobile master node, detects a signal broadcast from an ID node associated with the shipping location, and instructs the ID node to lower a power level of the broadcast signal. The mobile master node identifies the signal broadcast from the ID node with the lowered power level, and determines a direction of the ID node relative to the mobile master node based upon the detected signal with the lowered power level. The mobile master node then navigates to the ID node associated with the shipping location based upon the determined direction, which may involve providing the determined direction to an input for the vehicle'"'"'s control system.

Claims

1. A method for navigating to a shipping location by an autonomous transport vehicle using a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network, comprising:

detecting, by a mobile master node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, a signal broadcast from an ID node associated with the shipping location, wherein the mobile master node is one of the plurality of nodes and is operative to communicate directly with a server in the wireless node network over a first communication path, and wherein the ID node is another of the plurality of nodes and is operative to communicate directly with the mobile master node over a second communication path but not operative to communicate directly with the server over the first communication path;

instructing, by the mobile master node, the ID node to lower a power level of the signal broadcast from the ID node;

identifying, by the mobile master node, the signal broadcast from the ID node with the lowered power level;

determining, by the mobile master node, a direction of the ID node relative to the mobile master node based upon the detected signal with the lowered power level; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node associated with the shipping location based upon the determined direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of navigating further comprises navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the mobile master node from the server, an identification of the ID node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the identification of the ID node from the signal broadcast from the ID node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping location comprises one from a group consisting of a delivery point, a drop-off point, and a pickup point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile master node is associated with a control system of an autonomous vehicle transport;

and wherein the step of navigating further comprises providing, by the mobile master node, the determined direction to an input of the control system.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of causing, by the mobile master node, the autonomous vehicle transport to stop moving when a current location of the mobile master node is within a predetermined range of the ID node.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of navigating further comprises:

accessing context data that relates to an operating environment of the ID node; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node with reference to the accessed context data as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time and as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of navigating further comprises:

accessing context data that relates to an anticipated operating environment of the ID node;

gathering proximity sensor data from at least one sensor deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node with reference to the accessed context data and the proximity sensor data as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time and as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operating environment of the ID node is within a package sorting facility.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by the mobile master node to the server, an updated location of the mobile master node as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined using location circuitry on the mobile master node.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile master node is associated with a control system of an autonomous vehicle transport;

and wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based at least in part upon a determined position from an inertial navigation unit deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based upon an onboard location provided by location circuitry on the mobile master node when available and, when the onboard location is not available, the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based at least in part upon a determined position from an inertial navigation unit deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping location comprises a waypoint in an anticipated route.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping location comprises a first waypoint of a plurality of waypoints on an anticipated route as the mobile master node approaches a transit destination for a package transaction, wherein each of the plurality of waypoints is associated with a different ID node.

17. A method for navigating to a shipping location by an autonomous transport vehicle using a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network, comprising:

detecting, by a node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, a signal broadcast from an ID node associated with the shipping location;

instructing, by the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, the ID node to lower a power level of the signal broadcast from the ID node;

identifying, by the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, the signal broadcast from the ID node with the lowered power level;

determining, by the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, a direction of the ID node relative to the mobile master node based upon the detected signal with the lowered power level; and

navigating, by the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, to the ID node associated with the shipping location based upon the determined direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle is at least one of a master node and another ID node, wherein the master node is operative to communicate directly with a server in the wireless node network over a first communication path, and wherein the another ID node is operative to communicate with other nodes in the wireless node network but unable to directly communicate with the server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle comprises a master node temporarily operating as an ID node.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for navigating to a shipping location by an autonomous transport vehicle using a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network, the method comprising:

detecting, by a mobile master node associated with the autonomous transport vehicle, a signal broadcast from an ID node associated with the shipping location, wherein the mobile master node is one of the plurality of nodes and is operative to communicate directly with a server in the wireless node network over a first communication path, and wherein the ID node associated with the shipping location is another of the plurality of nodes and is operative to communicate directly with the mobile master node over a second communication path but not operative to communicate directly with the server over the first communication path;

instructing, by the mobile master node, the ID node associated with the shipping location to lower a power level of the signal broadcast from the ID node associated with the shipping location;

identifying, by the mobile master node, the signal broadcast from the ID node with the lowered power level;

determining, by the mobile master node, a direction of the ID node associated with the shipping location relative to the mobile master node based upon the detected signal with the lowered power level; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node associated with the shipping location based upon the determined direction.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the step of navigating further comprises navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node associated with the shipping location as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time as the mobile master node approaches the ID node associated with the shipping location.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the mobile master node from the server, an identification of the ID node associated with the shipping location.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the identification of the ID node associated with the shipping location from the signal broadcast from the ID node associated with the shipping location.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the shipping location comprises one from a group consisting of a delivery point, a drop-off point, and a pickup point.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the mobile master node is associated with a control system of an autonomous vehicle transport;

and wherein the step of navigating further comprises providing, by the mobile master node, the determined direction to an input of the control system.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises causing, by the mobile master node, the autonomous vehicle transport to stop moving when a current location of the mobile master node is within a predetermined range of the ID node associated with the shipping location.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the step of navigating further comprises:

accessing context data that relates to an operating environment of the ID node; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node with reference to the accessed context data as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time and as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the step of navigating further comprises:

accessing context data that relates to an anticipated operating environment of the ID node;

gathering proximity sensor data from at least one sensor deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport; and

navigating, by the mobile master node, to the ID node with reference to the accessed context data and the proximity sensor data as the power level of the signal is incrementally decreased over time and as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operating environment of the ID node is within a package sorting facility.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises transmitting, by the mobile master node to the server, an updated location of the mobile master node as the mobile master node approaches the ID node.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined using location circuitry on the mobile master node.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the mobile master node is associated with a control system of an autonomous vehicle transport;

and wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based at least in part upon a determined position from an inertial navigation unit deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based upon an onboard location provided by location circuitry on the mobile master node when available and, when the onboard location is not available, the updated location of the mobile master node is determined based at least in part upon a determined position from an inertial navigation unit deployed on the autonomous vehicle transport.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the shipping location comprises a waypoint in an anticipated route.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the shipping location comprises a first waypoint of a plurality of waypoints on an anticipated route as the mobile master node approaches a transit destination for a package transaction, wherein each of the plurality of waypoints is associated with a different ID node.

36-51. -51. (canceled)