Unmanned aerial vehicle secure egress and ingress

• US 9,764,836 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Elzinga, Michael John, Paczan, Nathan Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/735,070
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

This disclosure provides egress and ingress for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from a fulfillment center (FC) to perform deliveries of products and return to the FC from such deliveries while providing minimal exposure of an interior of the FC. The UAV may be used to deliver the cargo from the FC to a destination, and then return to the FC to retrieve other cargo for another transport to another destination. In some embodiments, departing UAVs may be launched from the FC through a launch bay and returning UAVs may land upon a conveyance system to await being transported back into the FC. A flight coordinator may also provide assignments to the UAV based upon a current state of the UAV and other nearby UAVs and also based on a current order backlog of the FC and/or other considerations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a communication link with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to execute an automated egress from a fulfilment center (FC);

uploading to the UAV, via the communication link, an egress assignment including an instruction to exit the FC through a launch bay aperture between an interior of the FC and an exterior of the FC;

receiving an indication, via the communication link, that the UAV has entered an egress staging area within the FC, the egress staging area being proximate to the launch bay aperture;

in response to the indication, causing the launch bay aperture to change from a closed state to an open state to enable the UAV to egress the FC through the launch bay aperture;

determining that the UAV has egressed the FC through the launch bay aperture; and

in response to the determining, causing the launch bay aperture to return to the closed state to secure the FC.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the causing the launch bay aperture to change from the closed state to the open state, causing a shield to move from a first position to a second position to block viewing of the interior of the FC from one or more points of view from the exterior of the FC.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the launch bay aperture to change from the closed state to the open state occurs contemporaneously with at least one of:

the UAV being propelled toward the launch bay aperture by a force generated external to the UAV;

or

the UAV flying toward the launch bay aperture.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying, via the communication link, that the UAV has passed a pre-flight inspection to ensure that the UAV is currently capable of delivering the cargo;

determining, via the communication link, whether UAV has received delivery instructions associated with the cargo, the delivery instructions including at least a drop-off location for the cargo; and

in response to determining that the UAV has not received delivery instructions associated with the cargo, providing delivery instructions to the UAV.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a second communication link with a second UAV to execute an automated ingress into the FC, the automated ingress comprising verifying that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a notification, via the second communication link, that the second UAV has landed upon an ingress conveyance, at least a portion of the ingress conveyance being exterior to the FC; and

in response to the notification, causing the ingress conveyance to transport the second UAV from the exterior of the FC to the interior of the FC.

7. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight coordinator, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer readable media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

establishing a first communication link with a first UAV, the first UAV being loaded with a cargo to be transported to a delivery location;

causing a first launch bay aperture located between an interior of a fulfillment center (FC) and an exterior of the FC to change from a closed state to an open state;

providing, to the first UAV, an egress assignment including an instruction to exit the FC through the first launch bay aperture;

determining that the first UAV has completed the egress assignment;

in response to determining that the first UAV has completed the egress assignment, causing the first launch bay aperture to change from the open state to the closed state;

determining that a second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC;

in response to determining that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC, causing a second launch bay aperture located between the interior of the FC and the exterior of the FC to change from the closed state to the open state;

providing, to the second UAV, an ingress assignment including an entry instruction to enter the FC through the second launch bay aperture;

determining that the second UAV has completed the ingress assignment; and

in response to determining that the second UAV has completed the ingress assignment, causing the second launch bay aperture to return from the open state to the closed state.

8. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, further comprising a UAV identification module to receive at least one of identification information corresponding to the first UAV and identification information corresponding to the second UAV, wherein the act of determining that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC is based at least in part on the identification information corresponding to the second UAV.

9. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, wherein before causing the first launch bay aperture to change from the closed state to the open state the acts further comprise:

providing, to a plurality of UAVs including the first UAV, an egress staging assignment including an instruction to enter into an egress staging area;

determining that each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is standing by in the egress staging area in accordance with the egress staging assignment; and

in response to determining that each UAV is standing by in the egress staging area, providing a plurality of egress assignments to the plurality of UAVs including instructions to exit the FC.

10. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, the acts further comprising:

establishing a plurality communication links with a plurality of UAVs, the plurality of UAVs including at least one of UAVs executing the egress assignment and UAVs executing an ingress assignment;

determining a physical location and direction of travel associated with each of the plurality of UAVs; and

providing to at least some of the plurality of UAVs, via a corresponding communication link, information associated with a specific flight corridor to travel within.

11. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, the acts further comprising inspecting a reusable container, used for enclosing the cargo during delivery, for potential security risks.

12. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, the acts further comprising:

receiving retail order information associated with the cargo to be transported to the delivery location; and

providing, to the first UAV, a delivery assignment including a delivery instruction to deliver the cargo to particular geographical coordinates corresponding to the delivery location.

13. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 7, the acts further comprising:

receiving an indication that the second UAV has landed upon an ingress conveyance, at least a portion of the ingress conveyance being exterior to the FC, wherein the second UAV is returning from a delivery assignment;

verifying that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC;

based at least partially on the verifying, causing a second launch bay aperture, between the interior of the FC and the exterior of the FC, to change from an ingress closed state to an ingress open state;

causing the ingress conveyance to transport the second UAV from the exterior of the FC to the interior of the FC; and

causing the second launch bay aperture to return to the ingress closed state after the UAV has been transported to the interior of the FC.

14. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 13, wherein prior to landing on the ingress conveyance, the second UAV locates an available one of a plurality of designated landing locations, each of the plurality of designated landing locations being identifiable by the second UAV by use of one or more sensors.

15. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight coordinator, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer readable media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

establishing a first communication link with a first UAV, the first UAV being loaded with a cargo to be transported to a delivery location;

causing a first launch bay aperture located between an interior of a fulfillment center (FC) and an exterior of the FC to change from a closed state to an open state;

providing, to the first UAV, an egress assignment including an instruction to exit the FC through the first launch bay aperture;

determining that the first UAV has completed the egress assignment;

in response to determining that the first UAV has completed the egress assignment, causing the first launch bay aperture to change from the open state to the closed state;

establishing a plurality communication links with a plurality of UAVs, the plurality of UAVs including at least one of UAVs executing the egress assignment and UAVs executing an ingress assignment;

determining a physical location and direction of travel associated with each of the plurality of UAVs; and

providing to at least some of the plurality of UAVs, via a corresponding communication link, information associated with a specific flight corridor to travel within.

16. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 15, the acts further comprising determining that a second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC,

wherein the UAV flight coordinator further comprises a UAV identification module to receive at least one of identification information corresponding to the first UAV and identification information corresponding to the second UAV, and

wherein the act of determining that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC is based at least in part on the identification information corresponding to the second UAV.

17. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 15, wherein before causing the first launch bay aperture to change from the closed state to the open state the acts further comprise:

providing, to a plurality of UAVs including the first UAV, an egress staging assignment including an instruction to enter into an egress staging area;

determining that each UAV of the plurality of UAVs is standing by in the egress staging area in accordance with the egress staging assignment; and

in response to determining that each UAV is standing by in the egress staging area, providing a plurality of egress assignments to the plurality of UAVs including instructions to exit the FC.

18. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 15, the acts further comprising:

receiving retail order information associated with the cargo to be transported to the delivery location; and

providing, to the first UAV, a delivery assignment including a delivery instruction to deliver the cargo to particular geographical coordinates corresponding to the delivery location.

19. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 15, the acts further comprising:

receiving an indication that a second UAV has landed upon an ingress conveyance, at least a portion of the ingress conveyance being exterior to the FC, wherein the second UAV is returning from a delivery assignment;

verifying that the second UAV is permitted to access the interior of the FC;

based at least partially on the verifying, causing a second launch bay aperture, between the interior of the FC and the exterior of the FC, to change from the closed state to the open state;

causing the ingress conveyance to transport the second UAV from the exterior of the FC to the interior of the FC; and

causing the second launch bay aperture to return to the closed state after the UAV has been transported to the interior of the FC.

20. The UAV flight coordinator of claim 19, wherein prior to landing on the ingress conveyance, the second UAV locates an available one of a plurality of designated landing locations, each of the plurality of designated landing locations being identifiable by the second UAV by use of one or more sensors.