# US 12,182,754 B2 · Low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system that allows for the fast and massive delivery of e-commerce merchandise to high-population density urban areas

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- Number: US 12,182,754 B2
- Document ID: US12182754B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/466,957
- Filed: 2021-09-03
- Published: 2022-03-10
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-04
- Assignees: Crystal Lagoons Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Parachute Logistics, LLC
- Inventors: Fernando Benjamin Fischmann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182754B2

## CPC

- G06Q 10/0832: Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
- B64D 1/12: Releasing
- B64D 1/14: Absorbing landing shocks
- B64D 9/00: Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like
- B64F 1/32: for handling freight
- B64F 1/322: {Cargo loaders specially adapted for loading air freight containers or palletized cargo into or out of the aircraft}
- B65D 21/0213: {Containers presenting a continuous stacking profile along the upper or lower edge of at least two opposite side walls}
- G05D 1/0094: {involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target}
- G05D 1/105: {specially adapted for unpowered flight, e.g. glider, parachuting, forced landing (parachutes per se B64D17/00)}
- G05D 1/461: for unpowered vehicles, e.g. gliders or parachutes
- G05D 1/689: Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets (positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672)
- G06F 17/11: for solving equations {, e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems (optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)}
- G06Q 10/06315: {Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis}
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q 10/083: Shipping
- G06Q 10/08355: {Routing methods}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 30/0635: {replenishment orders; recurring orders}
- B64C 39/024: {of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV}
- B64U 2101/60: for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
- B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval
- B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
- G05B 2219/50391: Robot
- G06Q 10/0874: {Inventory fulfillment (shipping G06Q10/083)}
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- 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
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

The present invention discloses a disruptive low capital and operational cost logistics system and method that provides for fast and massive delivery of e-commerce merchandise, including same day delivery, of thousands of items and packages, reducing the need for building, operating, or using multiple fulfillment warehouses located near the consumers as in traditional e-commerce logistics. The systems and methods of the present invention facilitate the logistics for e-commerce delivery processes, and also may allow at the same time reducing the use of massive quantities of cardboard packages that are used for protection and containment for e-commerce orders, being sustainably beneficial. This is achieved by the use of multibox packages that are configured to contain a set of products including orders from different consumers and not necessarily having individual packages for individual consumers, where such multibox packages are sorted at the origin in a Central Fulfillment Center.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system for improved efficiency of fast and massive delivery of e-commerce merchandise to high-population density urban areas, the system comprising:
a computing system (3) configured to receive fulfillment information (23) of at least 1,000 orders per day placed from at least one of an online shopping platform or a consumer (22); where the computing system (3) is in network connection or in communication with the at least one Central Fulfillment Center (CFC) (2), in order to receive fulfillment information of the placed orders and to select and sort, based on the fulfillment information received, the e-commerce merchandise as at least one of a multibox package (41), an individual package, or combinations thereof;
at least one air-cargo (43) that carries the e-commerce merchandise that is to be delivered into a final logistics point (11) located within a high-density population urban area, the air-cargo (43) comprising the at least one of a multibox package (41), an individual package, or combinations thereof;
at least one sourcing location (17) for the e-commerce merchandise, where the sourcing location (17) comprises at least one of a CFC (2) that has a storage area of at least about 5,000 m2, a height of at least two meters between a floor and a top-most roof of the CFC (2) and configured to store at least 10,000 items of e-commerce merchandise, an outbound sorting center (14), a drop zone (8), or a transfer airport (12);
at least one designated urban delivery area (18), and at least one manned urban delivery aircraft (5a) configured to carry the at least one air-cargo (43), where the aircraft (5a) is capable of carrying a total air-cargo load of at least 200 kilograms in average and that allows to deliver the air-cargo (43) to the at least one urban delivery area (18), and wherein the delivery of the air-cargo (43) is performed through an aerial delivery into the designated urban delivery area (18), wherein performing the aerial delivery comprises affixing the at least one air-cargo (43) to pulley systems or cable systems attached to the manned urban delivery aircraft (5a), and using the pulley systems or cable systems to lower the at least one air cargo into a flexible net or a flexible sheet positioned within the urban delivery area (18); and
at least one delivery system arranged to deliver the e-commerce merchandise to consumers from the urban delivery area (18);
wherein the computing system is further configured to determine an efficiency of the system using an Urban Delivery Index and adjust operations of the system based on the efficiency determined using the Urban Delivery Index to maintain a positive value for the Urban Delivery Index, wherein the Urban Delivery Index is:
Urban
⁢
Delivery
⁢
Index
=
WI
UD
⁢
(
W
UD
-
5
)
W
UD
×
d
×
nC
where:
WUD is the average weight of the air-cargo (43) that is delivered to the urban delivery area in kilograms (kg)
WIUD is an index relating to the average weight of the air-cargo (43) that contains the e-commerce merchandise and that is delivered through the aircraft (5a) as part of the system and method of the present invention, and is a binary number, wherein the binary number is 0 when WUD is less than or equal to 5 kg and the binary number is 1 when WUD is greater than 5 kg
d is the average distance that the air-cargo (43) travels from the Sourcing location (17) to the final logistics point (11) or urban delivery area (18)
nC is the average number of different customers (22) that receive their e-commerce merchandise through the system and method of the present invention for urban deliveries, and
wherein the operations of the system comprise the average weight of the air cargo, the average distance the air-cargo travels, and the average number of different customers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one urban delivery area (18) is selected from the group comprising at least one of a roof of a building or facility, a roof of shopping malls or commercial/office buildings, stadiums, fields, parks, green areas.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one collection apparatus for the collection of the at least one air-cargo from the designated urban delivery area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, further comprising a loading system (6) for loading the air-cargo (43) into the at the least one aircraft (5a).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 4, wherein the loading system (6) comprises a device to read a label attached to the air-cargo (43), to send a signal to the computing system with a label information (3) and to process an instruction from the computing system (3) that, based on the fulfillment information, determines the position of the air-cargo (43) within the aircraft (5a).

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 4, wherein the loading system (6) comprises manual loading and/or conveying devices for conveying the air-cargo (43) onto a loading deck of the aircraft (5a).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery system comprises a last mile delivery system that is selected from the group comprising package carriers, traditional mail, manned vehicles, transport services, drones, autonomous vehicles, ride share services, in house services and combinations thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air-cargo (43) comprises at least one of an individual package, a multibox package (41), a container, a pallet, a platform that carries at least one package containing e-commerce merchandise, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one multibox package (41) denotes a box or package formed by one or more pieces or panels of a material selected from cardboard, paperboard, plastic or other suitable material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one multibox package (41) comprises e-commerce merchandise from an online order using only its primary packaging, whereby a multibox package (41) is used to transport the e-commerce merchandise without an individual package or additional protection for the merchandise within the same or different orders.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one multibox package (41) contains e-commerce merchandise that has at least two different final delivery addresses, and more preferably at least ten different final delivery addresses.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 9 wherein the at least one multibox package (41) or individual package are configured to be stackable.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one landing assisting system (9) selected from the group comprising a net receiving system (91), a landing surface cushion system, a speed reduction system, a shock absorption system, an air-cargo protection system and combinations thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the net receiving system (91) is positioned within the urban delivery area (18), is configured to receive the landing air-cargo (43) and comprises at least one of the flexible net, the flexible sheet, a poles system, an impact assist system or combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the flexible net or flexible sheet material is held by the poles system placed on the floor in the urban delivery area (18).

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the flexible net is a fabric, textile, or material that is looped, attached, knitted, twisted, or knotted so that it creates intersections and therefore creates a breathable mesh pattern.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the flexible net comprises at least one material selected from the group comprising fibers like silk, polyester, or nylon, or materials like fabrics, ropes, yarn, elastane, or plastics.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the flexible sheet comprises at least one material selected from the group comprising plastics, rubbers, fabrics, paper, among others.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the flexible sheet is a non-reticulated material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 14, wherein the impact assist system is used in connection with the net receiving system (91), and is selected from the group comprising height regulation systems that allow to adjust the height of the poles system, flexible net or flexible sheet depending on the velocity and weight of the impact, anchoring points, pulley systems, affixing systems, force dissipation devices, deceleration systems, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the net receiving system (91) has a receiving surface of at least 200 m2, or at least 1,000 m2, or at least 10,000 m2 or at least 40,000 m2.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the net receiving system (91) has an air-cargo receiving capacity of at least ten packages per hour, more preferably at least 100 packages per hour, and most preferable at least 200 packages per hour.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the landing surface cushion system is positioned within the urban delivery area (18), is configured to receive the landing air-cargo (43) and comprises materials selected from the group comprising rubber materials, plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials and configurations, bubble wraps or air pillows, pellet materials, polystyrene, foam materials and structures, fiberboard materials, inflated products, suspension cushions, rubberized fiber materials, cork materials, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the speed reduction system is affixed to the air-cargo (43) and is selected from the group comprising a balloon system, a parachute system, an unmanned drone system and others systems.

### Claim 25 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the shock-absorption system is affixed to the air-cargo (43) and comprises light materials, inflatable systems or mixtures thereof and may comprise systems selected from double-wall and double-bottom systems that can be hollow or that additionally can be filled with air or shock-absorption materials such as fabric, wool, cotton, cardboard, crushable fillings, fluids, soft pellets and materials, among others, thereby allowing absorbing at least part of the shock force that the air-cargo is subject to when it lands on the urban delivery area.

### Claim 26 (depends on 13)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 13, wherein the air-cargo protection system is affixed to the air-cargo the air-cargo (43) and comprises materials attached to at least part of the outer surfaces of the air-cargo (43), selected from the group comprising rubber materials, plastic materials, cardboard or paper materials, bubble wraps or air pillows, pellet materials, polystyrene, foam materials and structures, fiberboard materials, inflated products, suspension cushions, rubberized fiber materials, cork materials, among others.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a path guidance system (10) selected from the group comprising a guide system, a steering system and combinations thereof.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 27, wherein the guide system comprises systems affixed to the aircraft (5a), selected from the group comprising the pulley systems, the cable systems, tube systems, and combinations thereof, whereby guidance to the air cargos is provided so they fall within a specific area or range, or to decrease the dispersion of falling packages.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 27, wherein the steering system is affixed to the air-cargo (43) and is selected from the group comprising equipment that produces thrust, equipment that rotates, equipment that comprises fins, equipment that directs the air-cargo (43) to a specified location (102d) and combinations thereof, whereby deviations from a main falling path are minimized, the course of the air dropped air-cargo is adjusted, or the air dropped air-cargo is navigated so that it falls within the urban delivery area.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air-cargo (43) comprises an exterior that is impervious to at least one of rain, snow, condensation, or water landing conditions.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air-cargo (43) comprises temperature-controlled enclosures or systems.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one urban delivery area (18) is located in urban areas near consumers, on average not more than 30 kilometers from consumers, and preferably not more than 100 kilometers on average from consumers.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drop zone (8) is selected from the group comprising farms, green areas, underutilized land, vacant areas, aerodromes, aerodromes for light aircraft, and land extensions temporarily or permanently authorized for air-cargo landing.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one urban delivery area (18) is located over water, like lakes, lagoons, rivers, the sea, urban areas such as stadiums, arenas, rooftop surfaces, parks, racing fields, sport venues.

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air-cargo (43) includes at least one flotation affixing means to affix a flotation system.

### Claim 36 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air-cargo (43) has a weight of at least about 5 kgs in average, preferably at least about 50 kgs in average and more preferably at least about 100 kgs in average.

### Claim 37 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the air-cargo (43) is capable of carrying, on average, packages and/or orders of at least ten different customers with different final delivery addresses.

### Claim 38 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the Central Fulfillment Center (2) comprises an airport.

### Claim 39 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the fulfillment information includes the current inventory of the e-commerce merchandise that has been ordered through the online shopping platform, a location of the merchandise within the Central Fulfillment Center, and a consumer delivery information.

### Claim 40 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein a capital and operational cost associated to a delivery of an item of e-commerce merchandise is up to five times less than for leading de-centralized models that use a high number of fulfillment centers.

### Claim 41 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the e-commerce merchandise is selected from the group comprising entertainment products, electronics, clothing, accessories, home products, tools, fresh products, niche products, sporting goods, outdoor products, automotive equipment, products and accessories, industrial equipment and products, documents, printed material, among many others.

### Claim 42 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the computing system (3) is capable of receiving a high volume of online fulfillment orders, of at least 100,000 orders per day.

### Claim 43 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the computing system (3) comprises at least one of the following software of the type of ERP (Enterprise resource planning) software, OMS (Order management system) software for order entry and processing, WMS (Warehouse management systems) software for optimizing warehouse functionality and distribution center management, TMS (Transport management systems) software for managing planning of transport schemes, execution and follow-up, supply chain management software, or fulfillment/enabling systems and intelligence clouds.

### Claim 44 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the consumer (22) is selected from the group comprising a person, a business, a company, and an entity.

### Claim 45 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the consumer (22) is a business, whereby a Business-to-Business transaction is conducted.

### Claim 46 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein at least 20%, or 50%, or 90% less fulfillment centers or fulfillment center space than leading de-centralized model companies are required to achieve a short delivery of e-commerce merchandise.

### Claim 47 (depends on 1)

The low capital and operation cost e-commerce logistics system according to claim 1, wherein the Central Fulfillment Center is configured to store at least 100,000; preferably at least 1,000,000 items of e-commerce merchandise in inventory.