# US 11,897,308 B2 · Temperature regulation for autonomous vehicle delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,308 B2 - Document ID: US11897308B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/152,250 - Filed: 2023-01-10 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-18 - Assignees: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Applicants: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Inventors: Timothy Jon Meador - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897308B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00014: {for load cargos on load transporting vehicles} - B60H 1/00271: {HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit} - B60H 1/00657: {Remote control devices} - B60H 1/00771: {the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel} - G05D 1/0293: {Convoy travelling} - G05D 1/695: for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight - G05D 23/1925: {using a combination of auxiliary electric and non-electric power} - G06Q 10/0832: Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for temperature regulation in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, systems and methods are provided for regulating the interior temperature of a delivery container in an autonomous vehicle. In various implementations, the delivery container includes one or more compartments, and a thermal management system is provided for regulating the temperature of each of the compartments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for regulating temperature for autonomous vehicle delivery, comprising: receiving a delivery request including a selected temperature; selecting an autonomous vehicle to fulfill the delivery request, wherein the autonomous vehicle has a delivery container; measuring a delivery container temperature at a thermal management system; determining, at the thermal management system, external temperatures external to the delivery container, including: determining a surrounding environment air temperature, wherein a surrounding environment is an area adjacent to an exterior of the delivery container inside the autonomous vehicle, and determining an outside air temperature, wherein outside air is exterior to the autonomous vehicle; and determining, at the thermal management system, that at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air can be used to adjust the delivery container temperature closer to the selected temperature; adjusting, by the thermal management system, the delivery container temperature to correspond to the selected temperature, wherein adjusting the delivery container temperature includes: inputting to the delivery container, via an input line, at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the input line is to connect the delivery container with at least one of: air from the surrounding environment and outside air. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selected temperature includes a temperature range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the delivery container temperature includes receiving an input from an HVAC system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the delivery container temperature corresponds to the selected temperature and outputting a determination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting a delivery container temperature is based at least in part on the determination. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting, by the thermal management system, further comprises utilizing heat generated by an onboard computer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting, by the thermal management system, further comprises utilizing heat generated by a vehicle battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting, by the thermal management system, further comprises sending instructions that cause one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air to enter the delivery container via the input line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery container includes a first compartment and a second compartment, and wherein adjusting the delivery container temperature further comprises: adjusting a first temperature of the first compartment, and adjusting a second temperature of the second compartment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first temperature is different from the second temperature. ### Claim 12 A system for autonomous vehicle delivery, comprising: a plurality of autonomous vehicles each having a respective delivery container, each delivery container having an input line configured to connect the delivery container with at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air; and a remote computing system configured to: receive a package delivery request including a selected temperature, and select an autonomous vehicle from the plurality of autonomous vehicles to fulfill the package delivery request, wherein each of the plurality of autonomous vehicles is configured to: measure a delivery container temperature of the respective delivery container; determine external temperatures external to the respective delivery container, including: determine a surrounding environment air temperature, wherein a surrounding environment is an area adjacent to an exterior of the respective delivery container inside the respective autonomous vehicle, determine an outside air temperature, wherein outside air is exterior to the respective autonomous vehicle; and determine that at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air can be used to adjust the delivery container temperature closer to the selected temperature; adjust a delivery container temperature of the respective delivery container to correspond to the selected temperature, wherein adjusting the delivery container temperature includes: inputting to the delivery container, via the input line at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the respective delivery container includes a first compartment and a second compartment, and wherein each of the plurality of autonomous vehicles is configured to adjust the delivery container temperature of the respective delivery container by adjusting a first temperature of the first compartment and adjusting a second temperature of the second compartment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of autonomous vehicles includes a thermal management system, and wherein the thermal management system adjusts the delivery container temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the thermal management system uses heat generated by an onboard computer to adjust the delivery container temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the thermal management system uses heat generated by a vehicle battery to adjust the delivery container temperature. ### Claim 17 A vehicle for delivering packages, comprising: a delivery container including an input line configured to connect the delivery container with at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air, wherein an inside of the delivery container is temperature regulated; a processor for receiving a routing instruction including a selected temperature for the delivery container and monitoring a delivery container temperature; and a thermal management system for adjusting the delivery container temperature, wherein the thermal management system is configured to: determine a surrounding environment air temperature, wherein a surrounding environment is an area adjacent to an exterior of the delivery container inside the autonomous vehicle, determine an outside air temperature, wherein outside air is exterior to the autonomous vehicle, determine that at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air can be used to adjust the delivery container temperature closer to the selected temperature; adjust the delivery container temperature to correspond to the selected temperature by inputting, via the input line, at least one of air from the surrounding environment and outside air. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the thermal management system is further configured to determine whether the delivery container temperature corresponds to the selected temperature and output a determination. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the thermal management system uses heat generated by an onboard computer to adjust the delivery container temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the thermal management system uses heat generated by a vehicle battery to adjust the delivery container temperature.