Peer-to-peer neighborhood delivery multi-copter and method

• US 9,070,101 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raj Abhyanker
• Original Assignee: Fatdoor Incorporated
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/207,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 1/00 Measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• 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: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4015 using location information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A method, device and system of an autonomous neighborhood multi-copter commerce network in a community are disclosed. In one embodiment, an autonomous neighborhood multi-copter includes a storage compartment of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter in which items are storable, a computer system of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter that is communicatively coupled to a commerce server of a neighborhood communication system through a wireless network to autonomously navigate the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to a destination in the neighborhood specified by the commerce server using a peer-to-peer network of client side devices in the neighborhood that are geo-constrained to a location of a defined neighborhood, and a navigation server of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to provide a remote sensing capability to the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter such that the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter is autonomously navigable to the destination using the peer-to-peer network.

Claims

1. An autonomous neighborhood multi-copter comprising:

a set of propellers aligned in a pattern to provide the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter stability when traveling along a flight path;

a storage compartment of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter in which items are storable;

a computer system of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter that is communicatively coupled to a commerce server of a neighborhood communication system through a wireless network to autonomously navigate the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to a destination in the neighborhood specified by the commerce server using a peer-to-peer network of client side devices in the neighborhood that are geo-constrained to a location of a defined neighborhood; and

a navigation server of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to provide a remote sensing capability to the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter such that the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter is autonomously navigable to the destination using the peer-to-peer network.

2. The autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter utilizes a sensory fusion algorithm through which at least some of an ultrasound s, a radar unit, a light sensor, a LIDAR unit, a propeller/wheel encoding sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a compass sensor, and a stereo optical sensor operate in concert to provide a three dimensional environmental view of an environment surrounding the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter.

3. The autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 2 to periodically transmit a heartbeat message to the commerce server having a set of current geo-spatial coordinates of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, a time stamp, a date stamp, and an operational status of the vehicle.

4. The autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 3 wherein the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter automatically generates an emergency broadcast message to a set of neighbors in a geo-spatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter when the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter detects a failure condition comprising at least one of an impact, a mechanical failure, an electrical failure, and a damage condition, wherein the emergency broadcast message includes at least one of a photo data, a geo-spatial coordinates data, a video data, an audio data, a timeout condition of a heartbeat message receipt at the commerce server, and a textual data associated with the failure condition.

5. The autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 4 wherein the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter automatically parks itself in a garage structure associated with an operator of the neighborhood vehicle adjacent to a passenger vehicle, wherein the operator is at least one an individual, a family, a business, an owner, and a lessee.

6. The autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 5 wherein the storage compartment is temperature regulated to maintain a temperature of an item in transit between a starting address associated with at least one of a merchant and a neighbor in a neighborhood in a geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and a destination address associated with a recipient of the item in the neighborhood in the geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein a neighborhood boundary is defined through a neighborhood boundary data provider, wherein the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter is in a form of an autonomous neighborhood aerial vehicle having a detachable storage compartment thereon, and having an ability to pilotlessly traverse through flight path based on commands from the commerce server.

7. A method of an autonomous neighborhood multi-copter comprising:

associating the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter with a non-transient location;

determining, through a commerce server of a neighborhood communication system, that a destination, which is in a neighborhood specified by the commerce server using a peer-to-peer network of client side devices in the neighborhood that are geo-constrained to a location of a defined neighborhood and which is in a threshold radial distance from the non-transient location, is received by the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter through the peer-to-peer wireless network;

determining an optimal route from a current location of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to the destination;

traveling autonomously on the optimal route to the destination;

periodically determining, through a processor, the current location of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter;

communicating the current location of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to the commerce server; and

automatically activating a set of light emitting diodes encompassing the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter when a light sensor detects that an environmental brightness is below a threshold luminosity.

8. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 7 further comprising:

creating an envelope around the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein the envelope includes a set of minimum ranges, wherein the set of minimum ranges includes at least one of a minimum distance that must be kept in at least one of a direction in front, behind, to a left, to a right, above, and below the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter;

establishing at least one of a range of a speed the autonomous vehicle may reach;

establishing at least one of a minimum and a maximum distance traveled by the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein the minimum and the maximum distance traveled by the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter is set for at least one of a per trip, a per day and a per delivery distance traveled;

establishing a maximum magnitude of deceleration, wherein the maximum magnitude of deceleration is measured in feet per second squared; and

establishing a minimum crosswalk proximity at which the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter is permitted to stop.

9. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 8 further comprising:

determining at a predetermined interval if a different route that is more efficient than the optimal route exists based on at least one of a delivery time, a pendency of time, and a minimal travel distance,

wherein the predetermined interval for determining if the different route is more efficient than the optimal route exists includes at least one of constantly determining, determining every minute, determining every one hundred yard, when the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter encounters traffic, when the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter encounters the object;

calculating the different route; and

traveling along the different route as long as the different route remains a most efficient route;

determining when an alternate field of view is needed;

prioritizing established constraints of at least one of the envelope, the speed, the distance traveled, a magnitude of deceleration and a minimum crosswalk proximity in respect to the need to establish the alternate field of view;

determining an optimal alternate field of view that does not violate established constraints prioritized above obtaining the alternate field of view; and

obtaining the optimal alternate field of view without violating constraints prioritized above obtaining the alternate field of view,

wherein obtaining the optimal alternate field of view without violating constraints prioritized above obtaining the alternate field of view involves at least one of switching sensors, moving the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter and moving sensors, and wherein the set of minimum ranges of the envelope depends on at least one of the speed of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, a set of weather conditions, an environment of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, the item, and a nature of the object that is in close proximity with the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter,

wherein the storage compartment is temperature regulated to maintain at least one of a temperature and a humidity of an item in transit between a starting address associated with at least one of a merchant and a neighbor in a neighborhood in a geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and a destination location associated with a recipient of the item in the neighborhood in the geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein a neighborhood boundary is defined through a neighborhood boundary data provider, and wherein the storage compartment is equipped with a suspension device to protect the item in the storage compartment while in transit.

10. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 9 further comprising:

automatically generating an emergency broadcast message to a set of neighbors in a geo-spatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter when the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter detects a failure condition comprising at least one of an impact, a mechanical failure, an electrical failure, and a damage condition, wherein the emergency broadcast message includes at least one of a photo data, a geo-spatial coordinates data, a video data, an audio data, a timeout condition of a heartbeat message receipt at the commerce server, and a textual data associated with the failure condition; and

periodically transmitting a heartbeat message to the commerce server having a set of current geo-spatial coordinates of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, a time stamp, a date stamp, and an operational status of the vehicle;

automatically contacting emergency response services when the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter detects at least one of a crime, an accident involving third parties and an attempted tampering with the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein the contacting includes at least one of the time stamp, the geo-spatial coordinates data, the photo data, the video data, the audio data, and the textual data, and wherein emergency response services include at least one of a police station, a fire station and a medical responder;

calculating a set of predicted behaviors of detected objects within a threshold distance from the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter;

determining confidence levels for the predicted behaviors, wherein the confidence levels are at least one of a number and a percentage of the probability of each predicted behavior occurring; and

adjusting confidence levels for the predicted behaviors based on at least one of a change in location, a change in the speed, a change of direction, a change in angle and observed behavior.

11. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 10 further comprising:

vending the item from the storage compartment;

ejecting the item from an ejection module, wherein the item is ejected through an air based propulsion system aligned through a camera adjacent to the ejection module;

detecting a stop sign and automatically stopping the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter at the appropriate point when the stop sign is detected;

detecting a yield sign and automatically monitoring and yielding to a traffic flow at an intersection in the neighborhood;

detecting when at least one of a pedestrian is walking and an entity is air born in a path proximate to the neighborhood vehicle;

detecting when a bicyclist is biking in the path proximate to the neighborhood vehicle; and

accepting a credit payment using at least one of a magnetic card reader of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, a near-field credit scanner of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and a biometric payment reader of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter.

12. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 11:

wherein the commerce server is in a privacy server of the neighborhood communication system that is wirelessly coupled with the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and wherein the privacy server is a community network comprising;

verifying that each user of the community network lives at a residence associated with a claimable residential address of the community network formed through a social community module of the privacy server using the processor and a memory,

obtaining from each user of the community network, using the processor of a data processing system, a member data associated with each user, the member data including an address,

associating an address with a profile of each user,

determining a location of each user based on the member data,

storing the member data in a database, and

obtaining a personal address privacy preference from each user, the personal address privacy preference specifying if the address should be displayed to other users.

13. The method of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of claim 12 further comprising:

generating, using a mapping server associated with the privacy server through a network, a geospatial representation of a set of points on a map defining residences associated with each user of the community network having the member data; and

authenticating, using a verify module of the privacy server, a particular user of a third-party application as being a verified user of the neighborhood communication system having a verified residential address in the neighborhood communication system;

communicating, using the verify module of the privacy server a social graph of the particular user based on the personal address privacy preference of the particular user to the third-party application;

providing, using the verify module of the privacy server, the verified residential address to the third-party application based on the authentication of the particular user of the third-party application as being the verified user of the neighborhood communication system,

wherein the privacy server communicatively coupled with the mapping server through the network is configured to apply an address verification algorithm associated with each user of an online community to verify that each user lives at the residence associated with the claimable residential address of the online community formed through the social community module of the privacy server using the processor and the memory,

wherein the mapping server is configured to generate a latitudinal data and a longitudinal data associated with each claimable residential address of the online community associated with each user of the online community,

wherein the privacy server is configured to automatically determine a set of access privileges in the online community associated with each user of the online community by constraining access in the online community based on a neighborhood boundary determined using a Bezier curve algorithm of the privacy server,

wherein the privacy server is configured to transform the claimable residential address into a claimed address upon an occurrence of an event,

wherein the privacy server is configured to instantiate the event when the particular user is associated with the claimable residential address based on a verification of the particular user as living at a particular residential address associated with the claimable residential address using the privacy server,

wherein the privacy server is configured to constrain the particular user to communicate through the online community only with a set of neighbors having verified residential addresses using the privacy server, and

wherein the privacy server is configured to define the set of neighbors as other users of the online community that have each verified their addresses in the online community using the privacy server and which have each claimed residential addresses that are in the threshold radial distance from the claimed address of the particular user.

14. A neighborhood communication system comprising:

a commerce server;

a wireless network operating in a peer-to-peer networking fashion; and

a set of autonomous neighborhood multi-copters that are communicatively coupled to the commerce server of the neighborhood communication system through the wireless network to autonomously travel to destinations, which are in a neighborhood specified by the commerce server using the peer-to-peer wireless network of client side devices in the neighborhood that are geo-constrained to a location of a defined neighborhood and which are specified by the commerce server,

wherein each of the set of autonomous neighborhood multi-copters to periodically transmit heartbeat messages to the commerce server having a set of current geo-spatial coordinates of each of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copters, a time stamp, a date stamp, and an operational status of each of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copters, and

wherein at least some of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copters are in a form of autonomous neighborhood aerial vehicles each having a detachable storage compartment thereon, and having an ability to autonomously traverse through flight paths based on commands from the commerce server.

15. The neighborhood communication system of claim 14

wherein each of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter utilizes a sensory fusion algorithm through which at least some of an ultrasound unit, a radar unit, a light sensor, a LIDAR unit, a wheel encoding sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a compass sensor, and a stereo optical sensor operate in concert to provide a three dimensional environmental view to the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter of an environment surrounding each of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and

wherein a particular autonomous neighborhood multi-copter to automatically generate an emergency broadcast message to a set of neighbors in a geo-spatial vicinity of the particular autonomous neighborhood multi-copter when the particular autonomous neighborhood multi-copter detects a failure condition comprising at least one of an impact, a mechanical failure, an electrical failure, and a damage condition, wherein the emergency broadcast message includes at least one of a photo data, a geo-spatial coordinates data, a video data, an audio data, a timeout condition of the heartbeat message receipt at the commerce server, and a textual data associated with the failure condition.

16. The neighborhood communication system of claim 15

wherein each of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copters automatically park themselves in a garage structure associated with an operator of the neighborhood vehicle adjacent to a passenger vehicle, wherein the operator is at least one an individual, a family, a business, an owner, and a lessee,

wherein the storage compartment is temperature regulated to maintain a temperature of an item in transit between a starting address associated with at least one of a merchant and a neighbor in a neighborhood in a geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, and a destination address associated with a recipient of the item in the neighborhood in the geospatial vicinity of the autonomous neighborhood multi-copter, wherein the neighborhood boundary is defined through a neighborhood boundary data provider.

17. The neighborhood communication system of claim 16 wherein the commerce server:

to generate, using a mapping server associated with the privacy server through the wireless network, a geospatial representation of a set of points on a map defining residences associated with each user of a community network having the member data,

to authenticate, using a verify module of the privacy server, a particular user of a third-party application as being a verified user of the neighborhood communication system having a verified residential address in the neighborhood communication system,

to communicate, using the verify module of the privacy server a social graph of the particular user based on the personal address privacy preference of the particular user to the third-party application,

to provide, using the verify module of the privacy server, the verified residential address to the third-party application based on the authentication of the particular user of the third-party application as being the verified user of the neighborhood communication system.

18. The neighborhood communication system of claim 17

wherein the privacy server communicatively coupled with the mapping server through a network to apply an address verification algorithm associated with each user of the online community to verify that each user lives at a residence associated with a claimable residential address of an online community formed through a social community module of the privacy server using the processor and the memory;

wherein the mapping server to generate a latitudinal data and a longitudinal data associated with each claimable residential address of the online community associated with each user of the online community,

wherein the privacy server to automatically determine a set of access privileges in the online community associated with each user of the online community by constraining access in the online community based on a neighborhood boundary determined using a Bezier curve algorithm of the privacy server.

19. The neighborhood communication system of claim 18:

wherein the privacy server to transform the claimable residential address into a claimed address upon an occurrence of an event,

wherein the privacy server to instantiate the event when the particular user is associated with the claimable residential address based on a verification of the particular user as living at a particular residential address associated with the claimable residential address using the privacy server,

wherein the privacy server to constrain the particular user to communicate through the online community only with the set of neighbors having verified residential addresses using the privacy server.

20. The neighborhood communication system of claim 19:

wherein the privacy server to define the set of neighbors as other users of the online community that have each verified their addresses in the online community using the privacy server and which have each claimed residential addresses that are in a threshold radial distance from the claimed address of the particular user.