METHODS FOR DISPATCHING UNMANNED AERIAL DELIVERY VEHICLES

• US 20170316376A1
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cooper, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 10,726,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/11 for carrying aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/00 Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight with respect to weapon sights devices F41G takes precedence, parachutes per se B64D17/00; ejectable seats B64D25/10; ejectable capsules B64D25/12; refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/0299 characterized by the use of multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/10 using self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/32 for handling freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/70 Constructional aspects of the UAV body
• 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: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 : Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 : Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 : Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 : Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 : Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/10 : with means for moving the UAV to a supply or launch location, e.g. robotic arms or carousels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0435 : with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 : with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 : using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 : specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• 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: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

Claims

1. A method for initiating delivery of a parcel via an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

for each of a first plurality of parcels to be delivered by a carrier, electronically storing parcel data comprising (a) a first logical grouping identifier corresponding to a first logical grouping associated with each of the first plurality of parcels and (b) a respective parcel identifier for each of the first plurality of parcels;

for each of a second plurality of parcels to be delivered by the carrier, electronically storing parcel data comprising (a) a second logical grouping identifier corresponding to a second logical grouping associated with each of the second plurality of parcels and (b) a respective parcel identifier for each of the second plurality of parcels;

electronically setting a current logical grouping identifier as the first logical grouping identifier;

responsive to receiving an indication that a first parcel from the second plurality of parcels is to be delivered by the carrier, determining whether the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is the same as the current logical grouping identifier; and

responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, initiating delivery of a second parcel from the second plurality of parcels by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, electronically setting the current logical grouping identifier to the second logical grouping identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identifying a user profile identifier based at least in part on the corresponding parcel identifier;

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identifying communication preferences based at least in part on the corresponding user profile identifier; and

for each of the second plurality of parcels, transmitting a notification in accordance with the corresponding communication preferences.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identifying communication preferences based at least in part on the corresponding parcel identifier; and

for each of the second plurality of parcels, transmitting a notification in accordance with the corresponding communication preferences.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises a link to a geographic map indicating the location of the second parcel.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification comprises a link to a live feed of the delivery of the second parcel.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, providing an interactive interface for a user to confirm that the first parcel is not part of the current logical grouping.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein before the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off, one or more pre-flight conditions are evaluated.

9. A system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the system to at least:

for each of a first plurality of parcels to be delivered by a carrier, electronically store parcel data comprising (a) a first logical grouping identifier corresponding to a first logical grouping with which each of the first plurality of parcels is associated and (b) a respective parcel identifier for each of the first plurality of parcels;

for each of a second plurality of parcels to be delivered by the carrier, electronically store parcel data comprising (a) a second logical grouping identifier corresponding to a second logical grouping with which each of the second plurality of parcels is associated and (b) a respective parcel identifier for each of the second plurality of parcels;

electronically set a current logical grouping identifier to the first logical grouping identifier;

responsive to receiving an indication that a first parcel from the second plurality of parcels is to be delivered by the carrier, determine whether the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is the same as the current logical grouping identifier; and

responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, initiate delivery of a second parcel from the second plurality of parcels by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to, responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, electronically set the current logical grouping identifier to the second logical grouping identifier.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to:

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identify a user profile identifier based at least in part on the corresponding parcel identifier;

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identify communication preferences based at least in part on the corresponding user profile identifier; and

for each of the second plurality of parcels, transmit a notification in accordance with the corresponding communication preferences.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to:

for each of the second plurality of parcels, identify communication preferences based at least in part on the corresponding parcel identifier; and

for each of the second plurality of parcels, transmit a notification in accordance with the corresponding communication preferences.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the notification comprises a link to a geographic map indicating the location of the second parcel.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the notification comprises a link to a live feed of the delivery of the second parcel.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to, responsive to determining the logical grouping identifier for the first parcel is not the same as the current logical grouping identifier, providing an interactive interface for a user to confirm that the first parcel is not part of the current logical grouping.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein before the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off, one or more pre-flight conditions are evaluated.