US 10,310,499 B1Granted

Distributed production of items from locally sourced materials using autonomous vehicles

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsTye Michael Brady, Darren Ernest Canavor, Ethan Zane Evans, Pragyana K. Mishra, Hilliard Bruce Siegel

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Abstract

Autonomous vehicles may be deployed to areas where an item is in demand, and configured to fulfill orders for the item received from the areas. The autonomous vehicles are loaded with the item and dispatched to the area under their own power or in a carrier. When an order for the item is received, an autonomous vehicle delivers the item to a location in the area. Autonomous vehicles may also be equipped with a 3D printer or other equipment and loaded with materials for manufacturing the item. When an order for the item is received, the autonomous vehicle manufactures the item from such materials, and delivers the item. Autonomous vehicles may be configured for collaboration, such as to deliver or manufacture items in multiple stages and to transfer the items between vehicles. Autonomous vehicles may also be configured to automatically access locations in the area, e.g., using wireless access codes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A distribution system comprising:

a plurality of autonomous ground vehicles;
at least one carrier vehicle;
and
at least one computer system in communication with at least some of the plurality of autonomous ground vehicles and the at least one item carrier, wherein the at least one computer system is configured to execute a method comprising:
predicting that demand for a first item in a first geographic area exceeds a predetermined threshold;
determining at least one instruction for producing the first item, wherein the at least one instruction comprises combining a first quantity of a first material and a second quantity of the second material by at least one tooling apparatus;
determining that at least the first quantity of the first material is available at at least a first location within the first geographic area;
loading at least the second quantity of the second material onto at least a first one of the plurality of autonomous ground vehicles, wherein the first autonomous ground vehicle comprises the at least one tooling apparatus;
causing at least the first autonomous ground vehicle to be loaded onto the at least one carrier vehicle in a second geographic area;
causing the at least one carrier vehicle to travel from the second geographic area to the first geographic area;
causing the first autonomous ground vehicle to disembark from the at least one carrier vehicle in the first geographic area;
receiving an order for a delivery of one of the first item to a second location in the first geographic area;
causing the first autonomous ground vehicle to retrieve the first quantity of the first material from the first location;
causing the first autonomous ground vehicle to produce the first item according to the at least one instruction by the at least one tooling apparatus;
and
causing the first autonomous ground vehicle to deliver the first item to the second location.

13 more elements

A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an order for a delivery of one of a first item to a first location within a first geographic area over a network, wherein the first item is manufactured from at least a first material and a second material by a first procedure;
determining, by at least one computer server, that a first autonomous ground vehicle having access to the first material is located at a second location within the first geographic area, wherein the first autonomous ground vehicle is configured to execute at least a portion of the first procedure using the first material and the second material;
determining, by the at least one computer server, that the second material is available at a third location within the first geographic area;
causing, by the at least one computer server, the first autonomous ground vehicle to travel to the third location to retrieve the second material;
causing, by the at least one computer server, at least the first autonomous ground vehicle to manufacture the first item from at least the first material and the second material by the first procedure;
and
causing, by the at least one computer server, the first item to be delivered to the first location.

4 more elements

A computer-implemented method comprising:

loading a predetermined quantity of at least one material into at least one storage compartment of each of a plurality of autonomous vehicles, wherein each of the plurality of autonomous vehicles comprises:
the at least one storage compartment;
a plurality of wheels;
an electric motor;
at least one wireless transceiver;
a Global Positioning System receiver;
and
at least one computer processor;
causing, by at least one computer server, the plurality of autonomous vehicles to travel to locations within a geographic area;
receiving an order for delivery of a first item to a first location within the geographic area from a customer over a network;
determining, by the at least one computer server, that the first item may be manufactured from at least a first quantity of a first material and a second quantity of a second material according to a first procedure using at least one tooling apparatus;
determining, by the at least one computer server, that a second item comprising at least the second quantity of the second material is available at a second location in the geographic area;
determining, by the at least one computer server, that the second quantity of the second material may be extracted from the second item according to a second procedure using the at least one tooling apparatus;
selecting, by the at least one computer server, at least a first one of the plurality of autonomous vehicles, wherein the first autonomous vehicle comprises the at least one tooling apparatus and includes at least the first quantity of the first material in at least a first storage compartment;
causing, by the at least one computer server, the selected autonomous vehicle to retrieve the second item from the second location;
causing, by the at least one computer server, the first autonomous vehicle to extract at least the second quantity of the second material from the second item according to the second procedure using the at least one tooling apparatus;
causing, by the at least one computer server, at least the first autonomous vehicle to manufacture the first item from at least the first quantity of the first material and at least the second quantity of the second material according to the first procedure using the at least one tooling apparatus;
and
causing, by the at least one computer server, at least the first autonomous vehicle to deliver the first item to the customer at the first location.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/389,963Filed 23 Dec 2016
Granted: 4 Jun 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G05D 1/0027
Associated with a remote control arrangement: involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling
B60W 60/00256
Specially adapted for specific operations: delivery operations
G05B 19/042
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: using digital processors
G05D 1/00
Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or

Family

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