Bystander interaction during delivery from aerial vehicle

• US 9,321,531 B1
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Leila, Cohen, Joanna, Graves, Roger William, Fleck, Mathias Samuel, Burgess, James Ryan, Shannon, Trevor, Ball, Matthew, Lambert, Andrew, Komarek, Paul Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Benedik, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/325,994
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 244/137.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/06 for indicating aircraft presence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a retractable delivery system comprising;

(i) a tether coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an assembly, and (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to lower, from the UAV, the assembly and a payload secured by the assembly, wherein the assembly comprises one or more electromechanical components configured to selectively secure the payload and release the payload;

a bystander communication module situated on the assembly, wherein the bystander communication module is configured to generate an avoidance cue for bystander perception; and

a control system configured to;

while the UAV hovers over a delivery location, use the retractable delivery system to initiate delivery, wherein initiating delivery comprises lowering the assembly and the payload secured thereby toward the ground such that the payload descends from the UAV;

while the payload is descending from the UAV, cause the bystander communication module to generate the avoidance cue;

determine that the payload is at or near the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is at or near the ground, cause the assembly to release the payload.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bystander communication module is further configured to generate a retrieval cue for bystander perception, and wherein the control system is further configured to cause the bystander communication module to generate the retrieval cue in response to causing the assembly to release the payload.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the avoidance cue is configured to discourage a bystander from making contact with the assembly, and wherein the bystander communication module comprises one or more of:

(i) an audio transducer configured to emit an audible signal for bystander perception, and (ii) a light source configured to emit a visible signal for bystander perception.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises one or more sensors, wherein the control system is further configured to, while the assembly and the payload secured thereby are descending from the UAV, receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, and wherein the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground based at least in part on the received sensor data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer, and wherein the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises the control system determining, based on sensor data from the accelerometer, that one or both of the assembly and the payload secured thereby underwent an impact with the ground.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to use the retraction system to cause the assembly to retract back to the UAV in response to causing the assembly to release the payload.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control system using the retraction system to cause the assembly to retract back to the UAV comprises:

(i) using the retraction system to cause the assembly to ascend to the UAV at a first rate of ascent;

(ii) receiving sensor data from one or more sensors situated on the assembly;

(iii) determining, based at least in part on the received sensor data, that the assembly is a particular distance from the ground; and

(iv) in response to determining that the assembly is the particular distance from the ground, using the retraction system to cause the rate of ascent of the assembly to change from the first rate to a second rate faster than the first rate.

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

while the payload is descending, determine that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, cause a rate of descent of the payload to change from a first rate to a second rate slower than the first rate.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to:

while the payload is descending, determine that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, cause the bystander communication module to generate the avoidance cue.

10. A method comprising:

while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hovers over a delivery location, initiating delivery using a retractable delivery system, wherein the retractable delivery system comprises;

(i) a tether coupled to the UAV and an assembly, and (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to lower, from the UAV, the assembly and a payload secured by the assembly, wherein the assembly comprises one or more electromechanical components configured to selectively secure the payload and release the payload, and wherein initiating delivery comprises lowering the assembly toward the ground such that the payload descends from the UAV;

while the payload is descending from the UAV, causing a bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue for bystander perception, wherein the bystander communication module is situated on the assembly;

determining that the payload is at or near the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is at or near the ground, causing the assembly to release the payload.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the bystander communication module is further configured to generate a retrieval cue for bystander perception, and wherein the method further comprises causing the bystander communication module to generate the retrieval cue in response to causing the assembly to release the payload.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the bystander communication module comprises one or more of an audio transducer configured to emit an audible signal for bystander perception and a light source configured to emit a visible signal for bystander perception, and wherein the avoidance cue is configured to discourage a bystander from making contact with the payload.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

while the payload is descending, determining that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, causing the bystander communication module to generate the avoidance cue.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

while the payload is descending, determining that the payload is within a particular distance of the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is within the particular distance of the ground, using the retraction system to cause a rate of descent of the payload to change from a first rate to a second rate slower than the first rate.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using the retraction system to cause the assembly to retract back to the UAV in response to causing the assembly to release the payload.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein using the retraction system to cause the assembly to retract back to the UAV comprises:

(i) using the retraction system to cause the assembly to ascend to the UAV at a first rate of ascent;

(ii) receiving sensor data from one or more sensors situated on the assembly;

(iii) determining, based at least in part on the received sensor data, that the assembly is a particular distance from the ground; and

(iv) in response to determining that the assembly is the particular distance from the ground, using the retraction system to cause the rate of ascent of the assembly to change from the first rate to a second rate faster than the first rate.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving sensor data from one or more sensors situated on the assembly, and wherein determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises determining that the payload is at or near the ground based at least in part on the received sensor data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer, and wherein determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises determining, based on sensor data from the accelerometer, that one or both of the assembly and the payload secured thereby underwent an impact with the ground.

19. A system comprising:

a retractable delivery system comprising;

(i) a tether coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and releasably coupled to a payload, and (ii) a refraction system coupled to the tether and operable to lower the payload from the UAV;

a bystander communication module situated on the payload, wherein the bystander communication module is configured to generate an avoidance cue for bystander perception; and

a control system configured to;

while the UAV hovers over a delivery location, use the retractable delivery system to initiate delivery, wherein initiating delivery comprises lowering the payload toward the ground such that the payload descends from the UAV;

while the payload is descending from the UAV, cause the bystander communication module to generate the avoidance cue;

determine that the payload is at or near the ground; and

in response to determining that the payload is at or near the ground, cause the retractable delivery system to release the payload.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the payload further comprises one or more sensors, wherein the control system is further configured to, while the payload is descending from the UAV, receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, and wherein the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground comprises the control system determining that the payload is at or near the ground based at least in part on the received sensor data.