# US 12,118,502 B2 · Delivery port management system, delivery port management method, and program

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- Number: US 12,118,502 B2
- Document ID: US12118502B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/976,760
- Filed: 2019-09-18
- Published: 2022-01-20
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18
- Assignees: Rakuten Group, Inc.
- Applicants: Rakuten Group, Inc.
- Inventors: Toshiaki Tazume
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118502B2

## CPC

- G06Q 10/08355: {Routing methods}
- A47G 29/12: Mail or newspaper receptacles, e.g. letter-boxes; Openings in doors or the like for delivering mail or newspapers (A47G29/14 takes precedence {; for desktop use B42F7/10}; chutes for mail in buildings B65G11/04)
- B65G 61/00: Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for
- G08G 5/22: located on the ground
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G08G 5/54: for approach or landing
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- H04W 4/024: Guidance services
- H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters}
- H04W 4/35: for the management of goods or merchandise
- H04W 4/44: for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
- B64U 10/16: with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
- B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval
- G08G 5/59: in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
- 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
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

To improve utilization efficiency of a delivery port and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a delivery port management system includes obtaining means for obtaining a delivery destination of a package that is transported by a UAV approaching a facility having a plurality of delivery ports and a plurality of delivery destinations, the delivery ports receiving packages, port selecting means for selecting a delivery port to which the UAV delivers the package among the plurality of delivery ports based on the delivery destination of the package after the UAV has departed for the facility, and guiding means for sending information for guiding the UAV to the selected delivery port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A delivery port management system, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
obtain a delivery destination of a package that is transported by an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) approaching a facility having a plurality of delivery ports and a plurality of delivery destinations, the delivery ports receiving packages;
calculate an evaluation score for each of the plurality of delivery ports;
wherein the evaluation score is based on three elements;
wherein a first element is based on a port restriction information and a delivery port information;
wherein a second element is based on a current location of the autonomous UAV and a location of the delivery destination;
wherein a third element is based on an estimate of a required time by the autonomous UAV based on the current position of the autonomous UAV and an arrangement of the delivery ports;
select a delivery port to which the autonomous UAV autonomously delivers the package among the plurality of delivery ports based on the delivery destination of the package after the autonomous UAV has departed for the facility based on the evaluation scores;
send information for guiding the autonomous UAV to the selected delivery port;
wherein the autonomous UAV autonomously travels according to the information and autonomously delivers the package to the delivery destination;
wherein each of the plurality of delivery ports are each of one of there are a plurality of port types;
wherein a first port type has one entrance; and
wherein a second port type has two entrances.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1, wherein
the selection is executed after the autonomous UAV has reached an area that is set according to the facility.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to generate a flight route for the autonomous UAV to reach the selected delivery port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The delivery port management system according to claim 3, wherein
the flight route generation is based on a current position of the autonomous UAV and the selected delivery port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The delivery port management system according to claim 3, wherein
the generated flight route avoids an obstacle in the facility and reaches the selected delivery port.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1, wherein
after the autonomous UAV has departed for the facility, the port selection is executed based on the delivery destination of the package and the current position of the autonomous UAV from the plurality of delivery ports.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1,
wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate to obtain a position of a delivery vehicle that delivers a package received at one of the plurality of delivery ports to a delivery destination,
wherein the selection is based on the delivery destination of the package and the position of the delivery vehicle from the plurality of delivery ports;
wherein the delivery vehicle is an unmanned delivery vehicle which can travel in the facility.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The delivery port management system according to claim 7,
wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to evaluate a route for the delivery vehicle to reach the delivery destination through each of the plurality of delivery ports, and
wherein the selection is based on the evaluation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1,
wherein the three elements each have a weight value; and
wherein the evaluation score is a sum of the first element multiplied by a first weight value, the second element multiplied by a second weight value, and the third element multiplied by a third weight value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1,
wherein there is a connection area around the facility; and
wherein the processor is configured to select the delivery port after the autonomous UAV has reached the connection area.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1,
wherein when the autonomous UAV reaches the connection area, control of the autonomous UAV is transferred to a facility management system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1,
wherein the first port type is located within a building; and
wherein the second port type is located on a rooftop.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The delivery port management system according to claim 1, wherein the first element is further based on the port type.

### Claim 14

A delivery port management method, comprising:
obtaining, with at least one processor operating with a memory device, a delivery destination of a package that is transported by an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) approaching a facility having a plurality of delivery ports and a plurality of delivery destinations, the delivery ports receiving packages;
calculating an evaluation score for each of the plurality of delivery ports;
wherein the evaluation score is based on three elements;
wherein a first element is based on a port restriction information and a delivery port information;
wherein a second element is based on a current location of the autonomous UAV and a location of the delivery destination;
wherein a third element is based on an estimate of a required time by the autonomous UAV based on the current position of the autonomous UAV and an arrangement of the delivery ports;
selecting, with at least one processor operating with a memory device, a delivery port to which the autonomous UAV autonomously delivers the package among the plurality of delivery ports based on the delivery destination of the package after the autonomous UAV has departed for the facility based on the evaluation scores;
sending, with at least one processor operating with a memory device, information for guiding the autonomous UAV to the selected delivery port; and
wherein the autonomous UAV autonomously travels according to the information and autonomously delivers the package to the delivery destination
wherein each of the plurality of delivery ports are each of one of a plurality of port types;
wherein a first port type has one entrance; and
wherein a second port type has two entrances.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions, and when executed by at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to:
obtain a delivery destination of a package that is transported by an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) approaching a facility having a plurality of delivery ports and a plurality of delivery destinations, the delivery ports receiving packages;
calculate an evaluation score for each of the plurality of delivery ports;
wherein the evaluation score is based on three elements;
wherein a first element is based on a port restriction information and a delivery port information;
wherein a second element is based on a current location of the autonomous UAV and a location of the delivery destination;
wherein a third element is based on an estimate of a required time by the autonomous UAV based on the current position of the autonomous UAV and an arrangement of the delivery ports;
select a delivery port to which the autonomous UAV autonomously delivers the package among the plurality of delivery ports based on the delivery destination of the package after the autonomous UAV has departed for the facility based on the evaluation scores;
send information for guiding the autonomous UAV to the selected delivery port; and
wherein the autonomous UAV autonomously travels according to the information and delivers the package to the delivery destination
wherein each of the plurality of delivery ports are each of one of a plurality of port types;
wherein a first port type has one entrance; and
wherein a second port type has two entrances.