Interaction during delivery from aerial vehicle

• US 9,783,295 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Leila, Ball, Matthew, Cohen, Joanna, Graves, Roger William, Fleck, Mathias Samuel, Lambert, Andrew, Burgess, James Ryan, Komarek, Paul Richard, Shannon, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US15/470,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20170253334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• 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 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 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 configured to selectively secure a payload at a distal end of the tether, and (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to raise the distal end of the tether towards the UAV from below, and to lower the distal end of the tether from the UAV towards a ground;

a bystander communication module, wherein the bystander communication module is configured to generate a pick-up cue for bystander perception; and

a control system configured to;

while the UAV hovers over a first location and the payload is at a ground location separate from the tether, use the retractable delivery system to lower the first end of the tether from the UAV towards a ground;

determine that the first end of the tether is at or near the ground;

in response to determining that the distal end of the tether is at or near the ground, cause the bystander communication module to generate a pick-up cue indicating readiness to pick up the payload;

after the payload is coupled to the distal end of the tether, initiating retraction of the tether such that the distal end ascends at a first ascent rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to, before initiating the retraction of the tether, cause the bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue for bystander perception.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control system is further configured to:

cause the bystander communication module to continue to generate the avoidance cue after initiating retraction of the tether;

after the payload is coupled to the distal end of the tether and retraction of the tether has been initiated, determine that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height from the ground; and

responsive to the determination that the payload has ascended to at least the threshold height, cease generation of the avoidance cue.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the payload further comprises one or more sensors, wherein the control system is further configured to, while the payload is secured and being raised towards the UAV, receive sensor data from the one or more sensors, wherein the determination that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height from the ground is based at least in part on the received sensor data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pick-up cue comprises an audible signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pick-up cue comprises display of visual content pre-associated with readiness for payload pick-up.

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

while the distal end of the tether is being lowered from the UAV, cause the bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the avoidance cue is configured to discourage a bystander from making contact with the tether.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the bystander communication module comprises one or more of the following components:

(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.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system if further configured to control the retraction of the tether with the payload coupled thereto.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system controls the retraction of the tether by:

(i) using the retraction system to cause the tether to retract towards the UAV at the first ascent rate;

(ii) determining, based at least in part on received sensor data, that a distal end of the tether is a particular distance from the ground; and

(iii) in response to determining that that the distal end of the tether is the particular distance from the ground, using the retraction system to cause the retraction of the tether to increase from the first ascent rate to a second ascent rate faster than the first ascent rate.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the retractable delivery system comprises one or more electromechanical components located at the distal end of the tether and configured to selectively secure the payload and release the payload.

13. A method comprising:

while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hovers over a first ground location, using a retractable delivery system to lower a distal end of a tether from the UAV towards ground, wherein the retractable delivery system comprises;

(i) the tether coupled to the UAV, (ii) a retraction system coupled to the tether and operable to raise a distal end of the tether with the payload coupled thereto towards the UAV, and to lower the distal end from the UAV towards a ground;

determining that the distal end of the tether is at or near the ground;

in response to determining that the distal end of the tether is at or near the ground, cause the bystander communication module to generate a pick-up cue indicating readiness to pick up the payload; and

after the payload is coupled to the distal end of the tether, initiating retraction of the tether such that the distal end ascends at a first ascent rate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, before initiating the retraction of the tether, causing the bystander communication module to generate an avoidance cue for bystander perception.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

causing the bystander communication module to continue to generate the avoidance cue after initiating retraction of the tether;

after initiating the retraction of the tether with the payload coupled thereto, determining that the payload has ascended to at least a threshold height from the ground; and

responsive to the determination that the payload has ascended to at least the threshold height, ceasing generation of the avoidance cue.

16. 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 raise, towards 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 or release the payload;

a bystander communication module, wherein the bystander communication module is configured to generate a pick-up cue for bystander perception; and

a control system configured to;

while the UAV hovers over a first location and the payload is at a ground location separate from the tether, use the retractable delivery system use the retraction system to lower the assembly from the UAV towards a ground;

determine that the assembly is at or near the ground;

in response to determining that the assembly is at or near the ground, cause the bystander communication module to generate a pick-up cue indicating readiness to pick up the payload; and

after the payload is coupled to the assembly, initiating retraction of the tether such that the payload ascends at a first ascent rate.