US 11,634,280 B2Granted

Autonomous mobile delivery robot and chain of custody system

AssigneeST Engineering Aethon, Inc.

InventorsAnthony Melanson, Ryan List, Spencer Allen, Scott E. Stropkay, Andres Chamorro, III, Mark C. Matthews, Ashley James Nye Legg

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed are a system and a method that includes a robotic unit configured to deliver items (e.g., medicine, foodstuff, linens, equipment, etc.) to sites (e.g., rooms, offices, etc.) and/or individuals (e.g., patients, pharmacists, technician, etc.) throughout a facility (e.g., hospital, office building, mailroom, manufacturing facility, etc.). The robotic unit is a mobile unit that operates autonomously to follow predetermined or programmed routes throughout the facility to deliver the items. The system is configured to maintain a chain of custody for the items. In addition, the robotic unit is configured to only allow designated items to be delivered to designated sites and/or to authorized individuals. This can be achieved by the robotic unit having a plurality of containers that are locked within a storage space of the robotic unit, and are only accessible upon successful completion of an authorization process.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A delivery and chain of custody system, comprising:

a robotic unit configured to follow a determined or predetermined route throughout a facility to deliver items, the robotic unit comprising a processor and a housing having an interior bottom, an interior top, an interior rear, an interior first side, and an interior second side conjoined together to form a cavity that defines a storage space, the storage space configured to receive a plurality of modular containers of different sizes;
a guide formed in the interior first side and the interior second side, the guide configured to slidably receive the modular containers and allow for slidable motion of the modular containers to and from the interior rear but to prevent motion of the modular containers to and from the interior bottom and the interior top;
and
a container lock configured to selectively permit and prevent the slidable motion of at least one of the modular containers to and from the interior rear;
wherein the processor is operatively associated with the container lock;
wherein the processor is configured to operate the container lock based on:
the robotic unit being within a designated site in accordance with a delivery schedule;
and
the robotic unit receiving validation information in the form of an access code or a token that an individual is an authorized individual.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/447,338Filed 10 Sep 2021 · continuation
Priority: 11 Jan 2019
Published: US 2022/0004979 A16 Jan 2022
Granted: 25 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B65G 1/1371
With arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed: with data records
B25J 5/007
Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages: mounted on wheels
B25J 11/008
Manipulators not otherwise provided for: manipulators for service tasks
B60P 3/00
Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or

Family

Application62/791,331Us provisional application · filed 11 Jan 2019
Application16/739,257Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jan 2020
US 2022/0004979 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 Jan 2022
US 11,142,401 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0223632 A1Published application
US 11,634,280 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.