Containment unit for facilitating parcel delivery by unmanned aerial vehicles
AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorJulio Gil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for facilitating parcel delivery is provided. They system comprises a delivery platform mounted to a structure and positioned at a first height. The delivery platform comprises a delivery surface. The delivery surface has an elevated surface, and in some embodiments, a stationary surface. The elevated surface is capable of raising and lowering via a lift cable. Further, the elevated surface is capable of receiving a parcel from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to transport and release the parcel. Upon receipt of the parcel, the elevated surface having the parcel is lowered to a second height that is less than the first height in which the delivery platform is positioned.
Claims17
A system for facilitating parcel delivery, the system comprising:
- a delivery platform mounted to a structure and positioned at a first height, the delivery platform comprising a delivery surface having:
- an elevating surface and a stationary surface at least partially surrounding the elevating surface, wherein an outer rim extends upward and away from a stationary edge of the stationary surface, the elevating surface is recessed below the stationary surface, and the elevating surface is configured to:
- raise and lower via a lift cable;
- receive a parcel from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to transport and release the parcel;
- and
- upon receipt of the parcel, lower the parcel to a second height that is less than the first height.
A method for facilitating parcel delivery, the method comprising:
- receiving, from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a parcel at an elevating surface of a delivery surface of a delivery platform that is mounted to a structure;
- and
- upon receipt of the parcel by the elevating surface, lowering, via a lift cable and a motorized unit configured with one or more threaded shafts connected to the elevating surface via one or more threaded portions, the elevating surface and the parcel to a first height that is less than a second height at which the delivery platform is positioned.
A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions thereon that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising:
- providing a first transmission indicating receipt of a parcel from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at an elevating surface of a delivery platform that is mounted to a structure;
- and
- providing a second transmission causing the elevating surface containing the parcel to lower, via a lift cable and a motorized unit configured with one or more threaded shafts connected to the elevating surface via one or more threaded portions, to a first height that is less than a second height at which the delivery platform is positioned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.