System for and method of providing an opening for receiving a shipment in a loading space of a vehicle
AssigneesHyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
InventorsMichael Schreiber, Ingmar Langer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and a method for providing an opening for delivering a shipment into a loading space of a vehicle, as well as a corresponding vehicle and a method for delivering a shipment into a vehicle, include a controller arranged and configured to calculate a first length of the opening based on received and/or determined dimensions of the shipment and further based on an area of the opening configured to receive the shipment through the opening in the loading space of the vehicle. An actuator is arranged and configured to move a first element of the vehicle relative to a second element of the vehicle by the calculated first length of the opening in order to provide the exactly necessary opening.
Claims15
A system for providing an opening for receiving a shipment in a loading space of a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a receiver arranged and configured to receive dimensions of the shipment;
- and/or
- a determination unit, comprising at least one of a camera system and a laser scanner system, arranged and configured to determine the dimensions of the shipment;
- a controller communicatively connected with the receiver and/or with the determination unit, wherein the controller is arranged and configured to calculate a first length of the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and further based on an area of the opening configured to receive the shipment through the opening in the loading space of the vehicle;
- and
- an actuator communicatively connected with the controller, wherein the actuator is arranged and configured to move a first element of the vehicle relative to a second element of the vehicle by the calculated first length of the opening in order to provide the opening,
- wherein the area comprises a predetermined second length of the opening, and wherein the predetermined second length of the opening is perpendicular to the first length of the opening,
- wherein the controller is further arranged and configured to check whether a predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and based on the predetermined maximal area of the opening, and wherein the first element is moved by the calculated first length of the opening when the predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening,
- wherein the controller is further arranged and configured to determine a minimal dimension of the shipment and to set the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment, and
- wherein the controller is further arranged and configured
- to determine a second to minimal dimension of the shipment linearly independent from the minimal dimension of the shipment,
- to check whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- to check whether a predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- to set the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment,
- to check whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is not equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- to check whether the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment, and
- to set the first length of the opening equal to the determined second to minimal dimension when the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment.
A method of providing an opening for receiving a shipment in a loading space of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps:
- a1) receiving dimensions of the shipment;
- and/or
- a2) determining the dimensions of the shipment;
- b) calculating a first length of the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and further based on an area of the opening configured to receive the shipment through the opening in the loading space of the vehicle;
- and
- c) moving a first element of the vehicle relative to a second element of the vehicle by the calculated first length of the opening in order to provide the opening,
- wherein the area comprises a predetermined second length of the opening, and wherein the predetermined second length of the opening is perpendicular to the first length of the opening, and
- wherein the method further comprises the steps
- checking whether a predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and based on the predetermined maximal area of the opening, wherein the first element is moved by the calculated first length of the opening when the predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening,
- determining a minimal dimension of the shipment and to set the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment,
- determining a second to minimal dimension of the shipment linearly independent from the minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether a predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- setting the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is not equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment, and
- setting the first length of the opening equal to the determined second to minimal dimension when the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment.
A method of delivering a shipment into a vehicle, the method comprising the steps:
- A) initiating delivering of the shipment into a loading space of the vehicle;
- B) delivering the shipment to a vicinity of the vehicle;
- C) providing an opening for delivering the shipment into the loading space of the vehicle;
- D) checking whether the shipment was placed into the loading space of the vehicle via the provided opening;
- and
- E) closing the opening when the shipment was placed into the loading space of the vehicle,
- wherein providing the opening for delivering the shipment into the loading space of the vehicle comprises
- a1) receiving dimensions of the shipment, and/or
- a2) determining the dimensions of the shipment,
- b) calculating a first length of the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and further based on an area of the opening configured to receive the shipment through the opening in the loading space of the vehicle, and
- c) moving a first element of the vehicle relative to a second element of the vehicle by the calculated first length of the opening in order to provide the opening,
- wherein the area comprises a predetermined second length of the opening, and wherein the predetermined second length of the opening is perpendicular to the first length of the opening, and
- wherein providing the opening for delivering the shipment into the loading space of the vehicle further comprises
- checking whether a predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening based on the received dimensions and/or based on the determined dimensions of the shipment and based on the predetermined maximal area of the opening, wherein the first element is moved by the calculated first length of the opening when the predetermined maximal area of the opening is sufficient for the shipment to be delivered into the loading space of the vehicle through the opening,
- determining a minimal dimension of the shipment and to set the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment,
- determining a second to minimal dimension of the shipment linearly independent from the minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether a predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- setting the first length of the opening equal to the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is not equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment,
- checking whether the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment when the predetermined second length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined minimal dimension of the shipment, and
- setting the first length of the opening equal to the determined second to minimal dimension when the predetermined maximal first length of the opening is equal to or greater than the determined second to minimal dimension of the shipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.