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US 10,949,792 B2Granted
System and method for delivering items using autonomous vehicles and receptacle targets
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorDonald E. Crone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autonomous vehicle for delivery of items can detect its location and the location of targets on item receptacles in order to position the vehicle at a receptacle. The vehicle, in an autonomous mode, can automatically travel between delivery points along a delivery route. A presence sensor on the vehicle can detect ingress and egress from the vehicle to determine when the vehicle is ready to travel to the next delivery point.
Claims18
An autonomous delivery vehicle comprising:
- a mode control circuit, the mode control circuit configured to switch the autonomous delivery vehicle from a manual mode to an automatic mode;
- a processor configured to receive a plurality of delivery points and geographic location information for each of the plurality of delivery points along a delivery route;
- a location sensor configured to detect the location of the delivery vehicle to determine when the autonomous delivery vehicle is within a geofence corresponding to a first receptacle of a plurality of receptacles along the delivery route;
- a target sensor on the vehicle configured to detect a target associated with the receptacle and to receive a signal in response to detecting the target;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- cause the mode control circuit to switch to the autonomous mode when the vehicle is determined to be within the geofence corresponding to the first receptacle;
- determine the location of the receptacle based on the received signal;
- and
- automatically move the vehicle to the determined location.
7 more elements
A method of delivering an item comprising:
- receiving, in a processor, a plurality of delivery points and geofence information for each of the plurality of delivery points along a delivery route;
- placing an autonomous vehicle in a manual operation mode;
- moving the autonomous vehicle in a manual operation mode to a first location along the delivery route;
- determining a location of the autonomous vehicle using a location sensor;
- determining, by the processor, that the autonomous vehicle is within a geofence for the first delivery point;
- placing, by the processor, the autonomous vehicle in an autonomous operation mode in response to determining that the vehicle is within the geofence for the first delivery point;
- moving the autonomous delivery vehicle in the autonomous mode in proximity to a delivery receptacle at the first delivery point;
- interrogating, using a target sensor, a target associated with a delivery receptacle associated with the first delivery point;
- receiving a signal from the target in response to the interrogating;
- determining the location of the receptacle based on the received signal;
- and
- automatically moving the autonomous vehicle to the determined location.
9 more elements
A method of delivering items comprising:
- receiving, in a processor, a plurality of delivery points and geofence information for each of the plurality of delivery points along a delivery route;
- moving, by an operator, an autonomous delivery vehicle in a manual operation mode to a first location along the delivery route;
- determining, by the processor, that the autonomous delivery vehicle is within a geofence for a first delivery point along the delivery route;
- when the vehicle is determined to be within a geofence for the first delivery point, placing, by the processor, the autonomous delivery vehicle in an autonomous operation mode;
- determining a location of a first delivery receptacle at the first delivery point based on a detected signal from a target located on the first delivery receptacle;
- automatically aligning the autonomous delivery vehicle with the first delivery receptacle based on the determined location of the first delivery receptacle;
- delivering one or more items from the plurality of items to the first delivery receptacle;
- receiving a confirmation of item delivery to the first delivery receptacle from the operator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.