METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING DELIVERY DATA MODELS FOR AERIAL PACKAGE DELIVERY

• US 20170011343A1
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: STENNETH, Leon, MODICA, Leo
• Granted Patent: US 10,600,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An approach is provided for generating delivery data models for aerial package delivery. The approach involves determining at least one delivery surface data object to represent one or more delivery surfaces of at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more delivery surfaces represents at least one surface upon which to deliver at least one package. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a creation of at least one complete delivery data model based, at least in part, on the at least one delivery surface data object to represent the at least one delivery location. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, an encoding of at least one geographic address in the at least one complete delivery data model to cause, at least in part, an association of the at least one complete delivery data model with at least one geographic location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining at least one delivery surface data object to represent one or more delivery surfaces of at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more delivery surfaces represents at least one surface upon which to deliver at least one package;

causing, at least in part, a creation of at least one complete delivery data model based, at least in part, on the at least one delivery surface data object to represent the at least one delivery location; and

causing, at least in part, an encoding of at least one geographic address in the at least one complete delivery data model to cause, at least in part, an association of the at least one complete delivery data model with the at least one geographic location.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one restricted access surface data object to represent one or more restricted access surfaces associated with the at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more restricted access surfaces represent at least one surface that is impenetrable by at least one delivery vehicle,

wherein the creation of the at least one complete delivery data model is further based, at least in part, on the at least one restricted access surface data object.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more boundary elements to represent at least one boundary of the one or more delivery surfaces; and

causing, at least in part, an incorporation of the one or more boundary elements in the at least one delivery surface data object.

4. A method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining at least one delivery edge from among the one or more boundary elements, wherein the at least one delivery edge represents at least one preferred edge for a delivery of the at least one package.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one delivery surface data object, the at least one complete delivery data model, or a combination thereof is specified with respect to one or more geographic point objects referenced according to a fixed world coordinate system.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a ranking of the at least one delivery surface data object according to one or more ranking criteria,

wherein the ranking is included in the at least one complete delivery data model.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the one or more ranking criteria include, at least in part, a proximity to one or more entrances associated with the geographic address, environmental conditions associated with the geographic address, environmental conditions associated with a delivery route, one or more crime statistics associated with the geographic address, a status of at least one aerial delivery vehicle, delivery package information, historical delivery information, one or more customer review, a user input, or a combination thereof.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the association of the at least one complete delivery data model with the at least one geographic location further comprises associating the at least one complete delivery data model with at least one of:

at least one link identifier of at least one map link in at least one map database;

a percent distance from at least one reference node in the least one map database;

a side of the at least one map link;

a perpendicular distance from the at least one map link; and

at least one Universal Location Reference (ULR).

9. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, an encoding of delivery information, package information, recipient information, address information, sender information, or a combination thereof in one or more codes associated with the at least one package, the at least one delivery location, the at least one geographic location, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more codes include one or more machine readable optical labels, one or more wireless beacon signals, one or more near field communication signals, or a combination thereof; and

wherein the at least one delivery location includes, at least in part, at least one landing pad for the at least one aerial delivery vehicle.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the one or more codes are made available for reading by the at least one aerial delivery vehicle capable of delivering the at least one package, accepting the at least one package for delivery, or a combination thereof.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

determine at least one delivery surface data object to represent one or more delivery surfaces of at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more delivery surfaces represents at least one surface upon which to deliver at least one package;

cause, at least in part, a creation of at least one complete delivery data model based, at least in part, on the at least one delivery surface data object to represent the at least one delivery location; and

cause, at least in part, an encoding of at least one geographic address in the at least one complete delivery data model to cause, at least in part, an association of the at least one complete delivery data model with the at least one geographic location.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one restricted access surface data object to represent one or more restricted access surfaces associated with the at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more restricted access surfaces represent at least one surface that is impenetrable by at least one delivery vehicle,

wherein the creation of the at least one complete delivery data model is further based, at least in part, on the at least one restricted access surface data objects.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more boundary elements to represent at least one boundary of the one or more delivery surfaces; and

cause, at least in part, an incorporation of the one or more boundary elements in the at least one delivery surface data object.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one delivery edge from among the one or more boundary elements, wherein the at least one delivery edge represents at least one preferred edge for a delivery of the at least one package.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one delivery surface data object, the at least one complete delivery data model, or a combination thereof is specified with respect to one or more geographic point objects referenced according to a fixed world coordinate system.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a ranking of the at least one delivery surface data object according to one or more ranking criteria,

wherein the ranking is included in the at least one complete delivery data model.

17. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, an encoding of delivery information, package information, recipient information, address information, sender information, or a combination thereof in one or more codes associated with the at least one package, the at least one delivery location, the at least one geographic location, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more codes include one or more machine readable optical labels, one or more wireless beacon signals, one or more near field communication signals, or a combination thereof; and

wherein the at least one delivery location includes, at least in part, at least one landing pad for at least one aerial delivery vehicle.

18. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform:

determine at least one delivery surface data object to represent one or more delivery surfaces of at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more delivery surfaces represents at least one surface upon which to deliver at least one package;

cause, at least in part, a creation of at least one complete delivery data model based, at least in part, on the at least one delivery surface data object to represent the at least one delivery location; and

cause, at least in part, an encoding of at least one geographic address in the at least one complete delivery data model to cause, at least in part, an association of the at least one complete delivery data model with at least one geographic location.

19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determine at least one restricted access surface data object to represent one or more restricted access surfaces associated with the at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more restricted access surfaces represent at least one surface that is impenetrable by at least one delivery vehicle,

wherein the creation of the at least one complete delivery data model is further based, at least in part, on the at least one restricted access surface data objects.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determine one or more boundary elements to represent at least one boundary of the one or more delivery surfaces; and

cause, at least in part, an incorporation of the one or more boundary elements in the at least one delivery surface data object.

21-48. -48. (canceled)