SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING PACKAGES VIA AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20170293884A1
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cheatham, III, Jesse R., Chin, Hon Wah, Duncan, JR., William David, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Tegreene, Clarence T., Tuckerman, David B., Urzhumov, Yaroslav A., Weaver, Thomas Allan, Wood, JR., Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Application Number:
  US15/093,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20170293884A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/02 for measuring length, width, or thickness G01B21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/002 for postal parcels and letters
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/07 for weighing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be used to deliver a package. The UAV may include a communication interface configured to receive a request to transport a package. The UAV may also include a navigation unit configured to direct the UAV to the package. The UAV may further include a sensor configured to determine one or more physical characteristics of the package. The UAV may also include an acceptance unit configured to accept the package for transport in response to the one or more physical characteristics satisfying a set of criteria.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive a request to transport a package;

a navigation unit configured to direct the UAV to the package;

a sensor configured to determine one or more physical characteristics of the package; and

an acceptance unit configured to accept the package for transport in response to the one or more physical characteristics satisfying a set of criteria.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise a weight of the package.

3. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise one or more dimensions of the package.

4. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a force sensor.

5. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a load cell sensor.

6. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a torque cell sensor.

7. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package in response to the UAV lifting the package.

12. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a threshold weight.

16. The UAV of claim 2, wherein the acceptance unit is further configured to accept the packages in response to a determination that the weight of the package is less than or equal to the reported weight of the package in the request.

17. The UAV of claim 16, wherein the acceptance unit is further configured to request a surcharge to accept the package based on a determination that the weight of the package is greater than the reported weight of the package.

21. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor.

23. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises a radiation transmitter and a radiation receiver.

24. The UAV of claim 23, wherein the sensor comprises a range sensor.

26. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a volume threshold.

27. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a dimension threshold.

29. The UAV of claim 27, wherein the dimension threshold is a dimension limit of the UAV taking into account one or more other packages that have been previously accepted or scheduled for transport.

30. The UAV of claim 27, wherein the acceptance unit is further configured to accept the packages in response a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are less than or equal to the one or more reported dimensions of the package in the request.

31. The UAV of claim 30, wherein the acceptance unit is further configured to request a surcharge to accept the package based on a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are greater than the reported one or more dimensions of the package.

8-11. -11. (canceled)

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22. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

32-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A method for transporting a package via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

receiving, via a communication interface, a request to transport a package;

directing, via a navigation unit, the UAV to the package;

determining, via a sensor, one or more physical characteristics of the package; and

accepting, via an acceptance unit, the package for transport in response to the one or more physical characteristics satisfying a set of criteria.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise a weight of the package.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise one or more dimensions of the package.

47. The method of claim 37, wherein accepting the package comprises accepting packages that do not exceed a threshold weight.

51. The method of claim 37, wherein accepting the package comprises accepting the package in response to a determination that the weight of the package is less than or equal to the reported weight of the package in the request.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein requesting, via the acceptance unit, a surcharge to accept the package is based on a determination that the weight of the package is greater than the reported weight of the package.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein accepting the package further comprises accepting the package in response to payment of the surcharge.

54. The method of claim 37, wherein accepting the package further comprises accepting the package that does not exceed a weight that would require more than a threshold amount of fuel to transport the package.

62. The method of claim 38, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a dimension threshold.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein accepting the package further comprises accepting the packages in response to a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are less than or equal to the one or more reported dimensions of the package in the request.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising requesting, via the acceptance unit, a surcharge to accept the package based on a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are greater than the reported one or more dimensions of the package.

67. The method of claim 36, wherein the UAV, in response to one or more physical characteristics not satisfying the set of criteria, moves the package to a predetermined location pending acceptance by the acceptance unit.

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71. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code configured to cause a processor to perform a method for transporting a package via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

receiving, via a communication interface, a request to transport a package;

directing, via a navigation unit, the UAV to the package;

determining, via a sensor, one or more physical characteristics of the package; and

accepting, via an acceptance unit, the package for transport in response to the one or more physical characteristics satisfying a set of criteria.

72. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 71, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise a weight of the package.

73. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 71, wherein the one or more physical characteristics comprise one or more dimensions of the package.

77. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 72, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package in response to the UAV lifting the package.

82. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 72, wherein accepting the package comprises accepting packages that do not exceed a threshold weight.

86. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 72, wherein accepting the package comprises accepting the package in response to a determination that the weight of the package is less than or equal to the reported weight of the package in the request.

87. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 86, wherein requesting, via the acceptance unit, a surcharge to accept the package is based on a determination that the weight of the package is greater than the reported weight of the package.

96. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 73, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a volume threshold.

97. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 73, wherein the acceptance unit is configured to accept packages that do not exceed a dimension threshold.

100. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 97, wherein accepting the package further comprises accepting the packages in response to a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are less than or equal to the one or more reported dimensions of the package in the request.

101. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 100, further comprising requesting, via the acceptance unit, a surcharge to accept the package based on a determination that the one or more dimensions of the package are greater than the reported one or more dimensions of the package.

102. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 71, wherein the UAV, in response to one or more physical characteristics not satisfying the set of criteria, moves the package to a predetermined location pending acceptance by the acceptance unit.

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