MOBILE PICKUP UNITS

• US 20170330144A1
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wakim, Peter Anthony, Molton, Jared
• Granted Patent: US 10,339,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A mobile pickup unit is provided that includes storage compartments (e.g., for containing items) and is configured to travel to a user pickup area and park as close as possible to an optimal location that is determined based on the locations of users who are scheduled to utilize the mobile pickup unit. The mobile pickup unit may include or otherwise be transported by any type of mobile machine (e.g., automobile, etc.), and control of the mobile machine may be manual (e.g., a driver) or automated (e.g., directly or remotely controlled by an automated system, robotic, etc.) A parking location that is selected may be along a public street or any other available parking space, such that parking locations may be selected on a daily basis that are convenient for the users who will be utilizing the mobile pickup unit (e.g., for retrieving ordered items, dropping off returned items, etc.).

Claims

1. A system to transport ordered items for retrieval by users, the system comprising:

a mobile pickup unit comprising;

a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment having a locking mechanism; and

a control station configured to control each of the locking mechanisms; and

a computing system, comprising;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

receive orders for items that are to be retrieved by a plurality of users from the mobile pickup unit;

receive travel-related data that indicates at least one of a maximum time or a maximum distance for each user to travel to the mobile pickup unit;

determine a user travel area for each user that is defined at least in part by the travel-related data;

determine a user pickup area where the user travel areas overlap; and

provide travel instructions for the mobile pickup unit to travel to the user pickup area and to park in the user pickup area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to provide instructions for placing the ordered items in storage compartments of the mobile pickup unit while the mobile pickup unit is at a materials handling facility before the mobile pickup unit travels to the user pickup area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile pickup unit further comprises a mobile machine that transports the mobile pickup unit and that is at least one of manually controlled or automated.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to determine when the mobile pickup unit is parked within the user pickup area and to send a notification that indicates a parking location where the mobile pickup unit is parked.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to determine a time window during which the mobile pickup unit will be parked in the user pickup area.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to make a determination that at the end of the time window the mobile pickup unit will be at least one of:

returned to a materials handing facility;

or

relocated to be closer to one or more of the users who have not yet retrieved ordered items from the mobile pickup unit.

7. A mobile pickup unit comprising:

first and second storage compartments; and

a computing system comprising;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

receive instructions to park in a user pickup area where first and second user travel areas overlap, wherein the first and second user travel areas correspond to travel limits for first and second users for retrieving first and second ordered items, respectively, that are stored in the first and second storage compartments of the mobile pickup unit;

send a notification that indicates that the mobile pickup unit has parked at a parking location within the user pickup area;

receive an input that indicates the first user has arrived at the mobile pickup unit to retrieve the first item that is stored in the first storage compartment; and

execute a pickup unit function to enable the first user to retrieve the first item.

8. The mobile pickup unit of claim 7, wherein the pickup unit function comprises unlocking the first storage compartment.

9. The mobile pickup unit of claim 7, wherein the first storage compartment is accessible from first and second sides, respectively, of the mobile pickup unit, so as to enable the first user to retrieve the first item from either the first or second side of the mobile pickup unit.

10. The mobile pickup unit of claim 7, further comprising a mobile machine to transport the mobile pickup unit, wherein the mobile machine comprises at least one of a car, truck, watercraft, aircraft, mobile drive unit, mobile vehicle or unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The mobile pickup unit of claim 10, wherein control of the mobile machine is automated.

12. The mobile pickup unit of claim 7, further comprising an imaging sensor, wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to utilize the imaging sensor to determine if a parking location is currently occupied by another vehicle.

13. The mobile pickup unit of claim 7, further comprising a locator device that is configured to assist a user with locating the mobile pickup unit.

14. A computer-implemented method to determine an area where a mobile pickup unit is to be parked, the method comprising:

under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,

receiving first travel-related data indicating a travel limit for a first user for travelling to a mobile pickup unit to perform a first pickup unit activity;

receiving second travel-related data indicating a travel limit for a second user for travelling to the mobile pickup unit to perform a second pickup unit activity; and

determining a user pickup area in which the mobile pickup unit is to be parked, wherein the mobile pickup unit is to be parked at a parking location within the user pickup area to enable the first and second users to travel to the mobile pickup unit without exceeding the travel limits indicated by the first and second travel-related data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first pickup unit activity includes at least one of retrieving an ordered item from the mobile pickup unit or placing an item in a storage compartment of the mobile pickup unit as part of a return process for the item.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing an access code to the first user, when the first pickup unit activity includes the first user entering the access code at the mobile pickup unit to gain access to a first storage compartment of the mobile pickup unit.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing information regarding the user pickup area to the mobile pickup unit to enable the mobile pickup unit to autonomously navigate to the user pickup area.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a preferred location within the user pickup area and providing instructions for the mobile pickup unit to park as close as possible to the preferred location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the preferred location is determined according to at least one of a center of the user pickup area or an average of coordinates of user locations.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a notification to the first user that includes information regarding the parking location where the mobile pickup unit is parked.