SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADJUSTING FREIGHT CHARGES FOR AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20170323256A1
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Published: 11/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2016
• 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:
  US15/148,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20170323256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods

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 from a customer and a navigation unit configured to direct the UAV to the package. The UAV may also include a sensor configured to determine one or more physical characteristics of the package and a calculation unit configured to calculate adjusted freight charges by comparing anticipated freight charges based on one or more physical characteristics of the package specified in the request to the one or more physical characteristics of the package determined by the sensor. The UAV may further include an acceptance unit configured to accept the package for transport based on the acceptance of the adjusted freight charges by the customer.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

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

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

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

a calculation unit configured to calculate adjusted freight charges by comparing anticipated freight charges based on one or more physical characteristics of the package specified in the request to the one or more physical characteristics of the package determined by the sensor; and

an acceptance unit configured to accept the package for transport based on the acceptance of the adjusted freight charges by the customer.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on changes in the one or more physical characteristics of the package compared to a corresponding value of the physical characteristic available to the UAV for transporting packages.

3. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on changes in a corresponding value of the physical characteristic available to the UAV for transporting other packages.

4. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on prevention of a previously scheduled payload from transportation within the UAV due to a decrease in the corresponding value of the physical characteristic available to the UAV.

5. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are increased as compared to the anticipated freight charges in response to at least one of the determined physical characteristics of the package being greater than an associated one of the specified physical characteristics of the package.

6. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit is further configured to request additional payment in response to an increase of the adjusted freight charges as compared to the anticipated freight charges.

7. The UAV of claim 6, wherein the additional payment is proportional to the increase of the adjusted freight charges as compared to the anticipated freight charges.

8. The UAV of claim 6, wherein the adjusted payment is based on a determination that the increase of the adjusted freight charges is greater than a threshold.

14. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on the one or more determined physical characteristics of the package exceeding one or more thresholds.

15. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on at least one of fuel and energy needed to transport the package.

16. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on flight time needed to transport the package.

17. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on changes to a delivery route employed to deliver the package.

18. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on wear to the UAV in delivering the package.

19. The UAV of claim 18, wherein the wear to the UAV in delivering the package includes wear to an engine.

20. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on changes to future payloads to accommodate overages on a current payload.

9-13. -13. (canceled)

21-37. -37. (canceled)

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

receiving a request to transport a package from a customer via a communication interface;

directing the UAV to the package via a navigation unit;

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

calculating, via a calculation unit, adjusted freight charges by comparing anticipated freight charges based on one or more physical characteristics of the package specified in the request to the one or more physical characteristics of the package determined by the sensor; and

accepting, via an acceptance unit, the package for transport based on the acceptance of the adjusted freight charges by the customer.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the adjusted freight charges are decreased as compared to the anticipated freight charges in response to at least one of the determined physical characteristics of the package being greater than an associated one of the specified physical characteristics of the package.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising providing, via the calculation unit, a rebate to a customer in response to a decrease of the adjusted freight charges as compared to the anticipated freight charges.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the rebate is proportional to the decrease of the adjusted freight charges as compared to the anticipated freight charges.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the rebate is provided to the customer in response to a determination that the decrease of the adjusted freight charges is greater than a threshold.

50. The method of claim 38, wherein the adjusted freight charges are proportional to the one or more determined physical characteristics of the package.

61. The method of claim 38, wherein the one or more determined physical characteristics and the one or more specified physical characteristics comprise at least one or more dimensions of the package and a weight of the package.

70. The method of claim 61, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the image sensor comprises a camera.

72. The method of claim 61, wherein the sensor comprises a radiation transmitter and a radiation receiver.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the sensor comprises a range sensor.

74. The method of claim 61, wherein the sensor comprises a contact sensor.

39-45. -45. (canceled)

51-60. -60. (canceled)

62-69. -69. (canceled)

75. 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 a request to transport a package from a customer via a communication interface;

directing the UAV to the package via a navigation unit;

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

calculating, via a calculation unit, adjusted freight charges by comparing anticipated freight charges based on one or more physical characteristics of the package specified in the request to the one or more physical characteristics of the package determined by the sensor; and

accepting, via an acceptance unit, the package for transport based on the acceptance of the adjusted freight charges by the customer.

90. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 75, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on flight time needed to transport the package.

91. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 75, wherein the adjusted freight charges are based on changes to a delivery route employed to deliver the package.

95. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 75, wherein the adjusted freight charges are calculated before the UAV initiates flight.

96. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 75, wherein the adjusted freight charges are presented to a customer before the UAV initiates flight.

98. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 75, wherein the one or more determined physical characteristics and the one or more specified physical characteristics comprise at least one or more dimensions of the package and a weight of the package.

99. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor comprises a force sensor.

100. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor comprises a load cell sensor.

101. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor comprises a torque cell sensor.

102. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package in response to the UAV lifting the package.

103. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package based on lift-energy required to lift the package.

104. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package based on motion of the UAV with the package in response to a specified force.

105. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package based on motion of the UAV with the package in response to a specified torque.

106. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the sensor determines the weight of the package based on a difference between a first lift-energy required to lift the UAV without the package and a second lift-energy required to lift the UAV with the package.

76-89. -89. (canceled)

92-94. -94. (canceled)

97. (canceled)

107-111. -111. (canceled)