# US 2019/0378085 A1 · Autonomous merchandise delivery system

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- Number: US 2019/0378085 A1
- Document ID: US20190378085A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/001,421
- Filed: 2018-06-06
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-06
- Inventors: Keith R. Sipes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378085A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/0833: Tracking
- B60W 60/00256: {Delivery operations}
- 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
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

## Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for delivering a package from a first site to a second site includes predetermining a precise location at the second site to which the package is to be delivered; placing the package to be delivered into a vault equipped with an audible tamper alarm and a wireless communication system; placing the vault onto an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV); causing the ADV to drive the package to be delivered from the first site to the second site; delivering the vault to the precise location using a robotic movement device mounted to the ADV to transfer the vault from the ADV to the precise location; causing the ADV to depart the second site after transfer of the vault; and in response to reported acceptance of the package, causing an ADV to return to the second site to retrieve the vault.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for delivering a package from a first site to a second site, the method comprising:
predetermining a precise location at the second site to which the package is to be delivered;
placing the package to be delivered into a vault, the vault being equipped with an audible tamper alarm and a wireless communication system to advise a central monitoring station of tampering and/or package acceptance;
placing the vault onto an autonomous driving vehicle;
causing the autonomous driving vehicle to drive the package to be delivered from the first site to the second site;
delivering the vault to the precise location at the second site using a robotic movement device mounted to the autonomous driving vehicle to transfer the vault from the autonomous driving vehicle to the precise location at the second site;
causing the autonomous driving vehicle to depart the second site after transfer of the vault to the precise location at the second site; and
in response to reported acceptance of the package, causing an autonomous driving vehicle to return to the second site and to retrieve the vault.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the precise location is equipped with a receiver device to which the vault may be locked; and
the vault is locked to the receiver device during the delivering step.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing an anti-tipping weight at the bottom of the vault to resist tip-over vandalism.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises sand.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises cement and/or concrete.

### Claim 6

A system for delivering a package from a first site to a second site, the system comprising:
a computer system configured to receive a precise location at the second site to which a vault containing the package is to be delivered;
the computer system configured to identify the package to be placed into the vault;
equipment for automatically placing the package to be delivered into the vault;
the vault equipped with an audible tamper alarm and a wireless communication system to advise a central monitoring station of tampering and/or package acceptance;
equipment for placing the vault onto an autonomous driving vehicle;
the computer system configured to cause the autonomous driving vehicle to drive the package to be delivered from the first site to the second site;
the autonomous driving vehicle equipped with a robotic movement device mounted to the autonomous delivery vehicle for transferring the vault to the precise location at the second site;
the computer system configured to cause the autonomous driving vehicle to depart the second site after transfer of the vault to the precise location at the second site; and
the computer system configured to cause an autonomous driving vehicle to return to the second site to retrieve the vault in response to reported acceptance of the package.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein:
the precise location is equipped with a receiver device to which the vault may be locked; and
the vault is locked to the receiver device during the delivering step.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
providing an anti-tipping weight at the bottom of the vault to resist tip-over vandalism.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises sand.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises metal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein:
the anti-tipping weight comprises cement and/or concrete.