Apparatus and method for providing package release to unmanned aerial system

• US 10,059,451 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: High, Donald R., Atchley, Michael D., Thompson, John P., Natarajan, Chandrashekar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US15/337,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20170121023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• 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 2101/66 for retrieving parcels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing package release for an unmanned aerial system. An apparatus for releasing packages for retrieval by an unmanned aerial system comprises a plurality of arms configured to surround a plurality of packages stacked vertically in an extended position, a plurality of powered hinges at a base of each of the plurality of arms, and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of powered hinges. The control circuit being configured to: determine a height for a first lowered position for the plurality of arms at which the plurality arms do not obstruct an unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a first package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages, and cause the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms from the extended position to the first lowered position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for releasing packages for retrieval by an unmanned aerial system comprising:

a plurality of arms configured to surround a plurality of packages stacked vertically in an extended position;

a plurality of powered hinges at a base of each of the plurality of arms; and

a control circuit coupled to the plurality of powered hinges and configured to;

determine a height for a first lowered position for the plurality of arms at which the plurality of arms do not obstruct an unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a first package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages; and

cause the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms from the extended position to the first lowered position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arms comprises two pairs of arms and the plurality of powered hinges that causes arms in each pair of arms to pivot in the same plane toward each other and cross each other as tops of the arms are lowered with the pivot.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the first lowered position, a top tip of each of the plurality of arms are lower than a plane of a top surface of the first package.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at the first lowered position, each arm intersects a plane of a top surface of the first package at a location a predetermined distance away from the first package.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more of an optical sensor, a range sensor, and a laser distance sensor for determining the height of the plurality of packages.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the extended position, the plurality of arms are generally vertical from a ground.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arms are coupled to a delivery vehicle.

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

cause the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms from the first lowered position to a second lowered position at which height the plurality of arms do not obstruct the unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a second package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages after the first package is removed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

determine that the first package has been removed from the plurality of packages prior to causing the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms to the second lowered position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

one or more of a weight sensor, a wireless receiver, an optical sensor, and a range sensor for detecting that the first package has been removed.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory device storing height information for the plurality of packages surrounded by the plurality of arms, wherein the first lowered position is determined based on the height information of the plurality of packages.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an optical scanner for scanning an identifier on each of the plurality of packages, wherein the control circuit is configured to obtain package dimension information based on the identifier on each of the plurality of packages.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base frame, wherein the plurality of hinges couple the plurality of arms to the base frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the base frame comprises extendable bars for adjusting positions of the plurality of arms.

15. A method for releasing packages for retrieval by an unmanned aerial system comprising:

determining a height of a plurality of packages stacked vertically;

determining a first lowered position for a plurality of arms surrounding the plurality of packages based on the height of the plurality of packages, wherein in the first lowered position, the plurality of arms do not obstruct an unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a first package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages; and

causing a plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms to the first lowered position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining of the height of the plurality of packages comprises retrieving height information for each of the plurality of packages and determining a total height of the plurality of packages stacked vertically.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein at the first lowered position, a top tip of each of the plurality of arms are lower than the height of the plurality of packages.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

causing the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms to a second lowered position at which the plurality of arms do not obstruct the unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a second package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages after the first package is removed.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining that the first package has been removed from the plurality of packages prior to causing the cause the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms to the second lowered position.

20. A system for package delivery comprising:

a plurality of packages stacked vertically, each package having a coupling structure extending upwards from the package;

an unmanned aerial system having a lift structure configured to become coupled with the coupling structure while in flight; and

a release system comprising;

a plurality of arms surrounding the plurality of packages; and

a control circuit coupled to the plurality of arms and configured to pivot the plurality of arms such that the plurality of arms do not obstruct the unmanned aerial system from coupling with the coupling structure on a first package of the plurality of packages while securing at least a second package of the plurality of packages positioned under the first package.