SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES TO REACT TO HOSTILE THIRD PARTIES WHEN MAKING PRODUCT DELIVERIES
First Claim
1. An autonomous product delivery system to enable delivery of retail products along product delivery routes to recipients, the system comprising:
- an autonomous ground vehicle (“
AGV”
) on a product delivery route, configured to transport a retail product to a delivery location to a recipient via the product delivery route, comprising;
a control circuit;
a sensor in electrical communication with the control circuit and configured to communicate sensor data to the control circuit;
an emitter in electrical communication with the control circuit and configured to emit an irritant; and
wherein the control circuit is configured to;
detect, based on the sensor data, an object having a threshold relationship to predefined parameters defining a known hostile third party;
detect, based on the sensor data, the presence of a hostile third party positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV on the product delivery route, wherein the hostile third party is not the recipient;
determine, based sensor data indicating an acceleration of the AGV, that the hostile third party is interfering with an operation of the AGV; and
when the presence of the hostile third party is detected and interfering with the operation of the AGV, activate the emitter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided herein useful to enable delivery of retail products along product delivery routes to recipients. In some embodiments, autonomous product delivery systems are provided to enable delivery of retail products, and comprises: an autonomous ground vehicle (“AGV”) on a product delivery route. The AGV includes control circuits, sensors in electrical communication with the control circuits and configured to communicate sensor data to the control circuits, and emitters in electrical communication with the control circuits and configured to emit irritants. The control circuits use sensor data to detect the presence of an object having a relationship to parameters defining a known hostile third party, detect the presence of a hostile third party positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV, determine that the hostile third party is interfering with an operation of the AGV, and activate the emitter in response to the determination.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An autonomous product delivery system to enable delivery of retail products along product delivery routes to recipients, the system comprising:
an autonomous ground vehicle (“
AGV”
) on a product delivery route, configured to transport a retail product to a delivery location to a recipient via the product delivery route, comprising;a control circuit; a sensor in electrical communication with the control circuit and configured to communicate sensor data to the control circuit; an emitter in electrical communication with the control circuit and configured to emit an irritant; and wherein the control circuit is configured to; detect, based on the sensor data, an object having a threshold relationship to predefined parameters defining a known hostile third party; detect, based on the sensor data, the presence of a hostile third party positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV on the product delivery route, wherein the hostile third party is not the recipient; determine, based sensor data indicating an acceleration of the AGV, that the hostile third party is interfering with an operation of the AGV; and when the presence of the hostile third party is detected and interfering with the operation of the AGV, activate the emitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of enabling autonomous product delivery along product delivery routes to recipients, the method comprising:
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detecting, through an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) on a delivery route and configured to transport a retail product to a delivery location to a recipient via the product delivery route, an object having a threshold relationship to predefined parameters defining a known hostile third party; detecting, through the AGV, the presence of a hostile third party positioned within a threshold distance of the AGV on the product delivery route, wherein the hostile third party is not the recipient; determining, through the AGV using sensor data indicating an acceleration of the AGV, that the hostile third party is interfering with an operation of the AGV; and when the presence of the hostile third party is detected and interfering with the operation of the AGV, emitting, from the AGV, an irritant proximate to the hostile third party. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification