SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING A BACKUP NAVIGATIONAL TOOL FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES DELIVERING MERCHANDISE

• US 20180373269A1
• Filed: 06/22/2018
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Cantrell, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US16/015,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20180373269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• 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 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/485 whereby the further system is an optical system or imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/01 Determining conditions which influence positioning, e.g. radio environment, state of motion or energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to delivering merchandise using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In some embodiments, there is provided a system including: a UAV having a motorized flight system, a storage area, a transceiver, an imaging, and a GPS tracking device; a memory device for storing position coordinates of the UAV; a flight simulator database including storing geographic and landscape features along the UAV'"'"'s flight path; and a control circuit configured to: navigate the UAV using GPS, store position coordinates, capture image sequences of the geographic and landscape features, and if the GPS fails to provide accurate position information, communicate with the flight simulator database, calculate a predicted position for the UAV, compare the image sequences with images from the flight simulator database, and determine the actual position of the UAV if individual images in the image sequences match images from the flight simulator database.

Claims

1. A system for delivery of merchandise using unmanned aerial vehicles, the system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising;

a motorized flight system configured to facilitate flight of the UAV along a flight path from a starting location to a delivery location;

a storage area configured to hold merchandise for delivery;

a transceiver configured for wireless communication;

an imaging sensor configured to capture a plurality of images;

a GPS tracking device configured to determine position coordinates of the UAV to navigate to the delivery location;

a memory device configured to store the position coordinates of the UAV;

a flight simulator database configured for storing geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path;

a control circuit configured to;

navigate the UAV from the starting location along the flight path to the delivery location using the GPS tracking device as a first navigation mechanism;

store the position coordinates of the UAV at predetermined time intervals;

capture image sequences of geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path using the imaging sensor;

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

communicate with the flight simulator database to access the geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path;

calculate a predicted position for the UAV based on the position coordinates of the UAV;

compare the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database within a predetermined area about the predicted position; and

determine the actual position of the UAV if individual images in the image sequences match geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

compare the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database; and

navigate the UAV toward the delivery location based on matching individual images in the image sequences with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database as a second navigation system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

compare the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database not to exceed a predetermined maximum length of time; and

if no match is determined, navigate the UAV back along the flight path to the starting location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

compare the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database not to exceed a predetermined maximum length of time; and

if no match is determined, communicate with and await instructions from a human pilot at a remote navigational control center for navigating the UAV.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path and no match is determined;

await instructions from the human pilot for navigating the UAV for a predetermined time interval; and

if instructions are not received within the predetermined time interval;

capture a plurality of images of the geographic and landscape features about the UAV;

determine if a subset of images matches predetermined conditions indicating level terrain suitable for landing the UAV; and

navigate the UAV to a landing location corresponding to one of the subset of images.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined conditions comprise a flat green zone or flat brown zone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a match when a predetermined number of features of the image sequences from the imaging sensor correspond to geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path and no match is determined,

identify a landmark within a predetermined area of the predicted position of the UAV;

navigate the UAV in the direction of the landmark from the predicted position;

compare the image sequences from the imaging sensor with a known image of the landmark to determine the actual position.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database corresponding to the UAV'"'"'s position to a device of a user receiving delivery of merchandise transported by the UAV.

10. A method of delivering merchandise using unmanned aerial vehicles, the method comprising:

providing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising;

a motorized flight system configured to facilitate flight of the UAV along a flight path from a starting location to a delivery location;

a storage area configured to hold merchandise for delivery;

a transceiver configured for wireless communication;

an imaging sensor configured to capture a plurality of images;

a GPS tracking device configured to determine position coordinates of the UAV to navigate to the delivery location;

providing a flight simulator database containing stored geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path;

by a control circuit;

navigating the UAV from the starting location along the flight path to the delivery location using the GPS tracking device as a first navigation mechanism;

storing the position coordinates of the UAV at predetermined time intervals;

capturing image sequences of geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path using the imaging sensor;

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

communicating with the flight simulator database to access the geographic and landscape features along at least a portion of the UAV'"'"'s flight path;

calculating a predicted position for the UAV based on the position coordinates of the UAV;

comparing the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database within a predetermined area about the predicted position; and

determining the actual position of the UAV if individual images in the image sequences match geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

comparing the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database; and

navigating the UAV toward the delivery location based on matching individual images in the image sequences with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database as a second navigation system.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

comparing the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database not to exceed a predetermined maximum length of time; and

if no match is determined, navigating the UAV back along the flight path to the starting location.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path;

comparing the image sequences from the imaging sensor with geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database not to exceed a predetermined maximum length of time; and

if no match is determined, communicating with and await instructions from a human pilot at a remote navigational control center for navigating the UAV.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, by the control circuit:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path and no match is determined;

awaiting instructions from the human pilot for navigating the UAV for a predetermined time interval; and

if instructions are not received within the predetermined time interval;

capturing a plurality of images of the geographic and landscape features about the UAV;

determining if a subset of images matches predetermined conditions indicating level terrain suitable for landing the UAV; and

navigating the UAV to a landing location corresponding to one of the subset of images.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined conditions comprise a flat green zone or flat brown zone.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

determining a match when a predetermined number of features of the image sequences from the imaging sensor correspond to geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

if the GPS tracking device is not determining position coordinates along the flight path and no match is determined,

identifying a landmark within a predetermined area of the predicted position of the UAV;

navigating the UAV in the direction of the landmark from the predicted position;

comparing the image sequences from the imaging sensor with a known image of the landmark to determine the actual position.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising, by the control circuit:

transmitting geographic and landscape features from the flight simulator database corresponding to the UAV'"'"'s position to a device of a user receiving delivery of merchandise transported by the UAV.