METHOD FOR DELIVERING A SHIPMENT BY AN UNMANNED TRANSPORT DEVICE

• US 20170039510A1
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Pruski, Matthus, Ogilvie, Thomas, Benz, Ramin
• Granted Patent: US 9,811,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/145 the receptacle comprising means for identifying a deposit; Deposits carrying identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/149 with central server link
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/14 Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk , or large parcels; Similar receptacles for food or large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles , i.e. food or large parcels
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/57 Charging stations without connection to power networks
• 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 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• 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 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/00 Loading or unloading vehicles by means incorporated in the vehicles B60-B64, e.g., B60P1/00, B61D9/00, B63B27/00, B64D9/00; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for aircraft B64F1/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/02 by suction means suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/02 Stationary loaders or unloaders, e.g. for sacks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 : Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 : the containers being a postal pick-up locker
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for delivering a shipment by an unmanned transport device to a receiving container for said shipment, the method comprising the following and additional steps: moving the unmanned transport device into a destination area associated with the receiving container, on the basis of geographical co-ordinates; once the unmanned transport device has reached the destination area, pairing of the transport device with the receiving container and exchanging electronic authorisation information between the receiving container and the unmanned transport device.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a shipment by an unmanned transport device to a receiving container for said shipment, the method comprising the following steps:

moving the unmanned transport device into a destination area associated with the receiving container, on the basis of geographical co-ordinates;

once the unmanned transport device has reached the destination area, pairing of the transport device with the receiving container,

exchanging an electronic authorisation information between the receiving container and the unmanned transport device,

checking of the authorisation information by the receiving container in respect of an authorisation,

if the authorisation exists, activating a transfer device for the shipment by the receiving container, and

transferring the shipment from the unmanned transport device to the transfer device and/or from the transfer device to the unmanned transport device by the unmanned transport device, by the transfer device and/or by the receiving container.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

moving the unmanned transport device away from the receiving container, and/or

deactivating the transfer device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of pairing of the transport device with the receiving container comprises a detection of a locating signal emitted by the receiving container by the unmanned transport device, the method also comprising the step of the unmanned transport device approaching the receiving container on the basis of the locating signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

informing the receiving container that the unmanned transport device has moved into the destination area, and

in response to the information, pairing the transport device with the receiving container.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is self-mobile.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of the unmanned transport device approaching the receiving container comprises a position-specific connecting, in particular docking, of the unmanned transport device on the receiving container.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic authorisation information comprises a Bluetooth, WLAN, GSM, NFC, RFID and/or an electronic radio signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exchange of the electronic authorisation information comprises an emission of the electronic authorisation information by the unmanned transport device to the receiving container.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authorisation information is stored on a portable electronic device on the unmanned transport device, in particular on an RFID or NFC tag.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authorisation information has a limited period of validity and/or becomes invalid after a predefined number of uses for proof of authorisation.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the provision of the transfer device comprises an opening of an opening in a roof or a side wall of the receiving container in order to place and/or collect a shipment in/from the receiving container and/or comprises an extension and/or deployment of a docking device for the unmanned transport device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer of the shipment comprises a lowering of the shipment from the unmanned transport device and/or a lifting of the transfer device and/or of the shipment by the receiving container and/or by the transfer device.

13. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

gripping, hooking and/or suctioning of the shipment by the unmanned transport device and/or the receiving container in order to transfer the shipment.

14. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

detecting, documenting, photographing, filming and/or scanning the transfer of the shipment between the unmanned transport device and the receiving container and/or detecting, documenting, photographing, filming and/or scanning the shipment as the shipment is transferred.

15. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

electronically transmitting a message to the receiving container informing that the unmanned transport device is moving towards the receiving container, and/or electronically transmitting a transfer message once the shipment has been transferred by the receiving container.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the locating signal is embodied as a beam, by an instrument landing system and/or as a horizontal and vertical guide signal.

17. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising the following step

charging of a rechargeable battery of the unmanned transport device by the receiving container and/or the transfer device.

18. An unmanned transport device, designed to carry out a method according to claim 1 and embodied as a flying machine, in particular as an aircraft, as a UAV, as a drone, as a parcelcopter, as a helicopter, as a multicopter, as a quadcopter, as a tiltwing aircraft, as a vehicle, or as a floating object.

19. A receiving container, designed for carrying out a method according to claim 1 and embodied as a letterbox, parcel box, letter and parcel box and/or as a parcel drop-off and pickup station for receiving the shipment.