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Patent · US10239544B1 · B1 · US

Guided delivery vehicle

(11) Publication number
US10239544B1
(21) Application number
15/262,296
(22) Filing date
2016-09-12
(30) Priority date
2015-09-10
(43) Publication date
2019-03-26
(45) Date of grant
2019-03-26
(51) IPC
B61B 13/00; B61C 3/00; B61L 25/02; B61L 27/00; G05D 1/00; G05D 1/02
(52) CPC
  • B61L Guiding railway traffic; ensuring the safety of railway traffic: 27/0005, 2201/00, 2205/00, 25/02, 25/025, 27/0077, 27/40, 27/70
  • B60L Propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles; supplying electric power for auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles; electrodynamic brake systems for vehicles in general; magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles; monitoring operating variables of electrically-propelled vehicles; electric safety devices for electrically-propelled vehicles: 11/1816, 53/14
  • B61B Railway systems; equipment therefor not otherwise provided for: 13/00
  • B61C Locomotives; motor railcars: 3/00
  • G05D Systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables: 1/0011, 1/0088
  • Y02T Climate change mitigation technologies related to transportation: 10/70, 10/7072, 90/14
(73) Assignee
888 Brands LLC
(72) Inventors
Daniel R. DeMartine; John J. Douglas
(54) Title
Guided delivery vehicle
(57) Abstract

A guided delivery vehicle having one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein the at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track; and a controller that receives and processes input from at least the receiver and the at least one junction detection sensor, and, in response to a received and processed input, executes an initial command step and sequentially executes subsequent command steps upon detection of a subsequent junction identifier.

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Claims (20)

  1. A guided delivery vehicle, comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a discrete junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor, and wherein said controller, in response to a received and processed input, executes at least one command step and continues to execute said at least one command step until detection of a subsequent, discrete junction identifier and sequentially executes one or more subsequent command steps upon detection of said at least one subsequent, discrete junction identifier, wherein at least certain of said command steps includes actuation of said one or more powered servo motors to control said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction along said guide track.
  2. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle.
  3. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is able to turn and move in any direction along said guide track.
  4. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track, and wherein said guided delivery vehicle is capable of maneuvering within said guide track.
  5. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more selectable elements, wherein said one or more selectable elements provide additional input to said controller and allow said guided delivery vehicle to receive commands or input from a user.
  6. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein each discrete junction identifier comprises at least one of a magnetic strip or an optically identifiable indicia or element.
  7. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said one or more transmitted signals includes said command steps to execute said task.
  8. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said controller contains one or more tables of command steps, and wherein said input identifies a discreet table of command steps from said one or more tables of command steps.
  9. A method for controlling a guided delivery vehicle to execute a task, said guided delivery vehicle comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor, and wherein said controller is capable of actuating said one or more powered servo motors to rotate said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction; said method comprising: receiving, via said receiver, a transmitted signal; providing an input to said controller in response to receiving said transmitted signal; processing, via said controller, said input to determine one or more command steps to execute said task; performing a first command step until a junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor; and performing a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor.
  10. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle further comprises a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle.
  11. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is able to turn and move in any direction along said guide track.
  12. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is capable of adjusting motion to maneuver along said guide track.
  13. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle further comprises one or more selectable elements, wherein said one or more selectable elements provide additional input to said controller and allow said guided delivery vehicle to receive commands or input from a user.
  14. The method of claim 9, wherein each junction identifier comprises at least one of a magnetic strip or an optically identifiable indicia or element.
  15. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of performing a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor comprises performing a subsequent command step at each of said subsequent junction identifiers along said guide track.
  16. The method of claim 9, wherein said transmitted signal includes said command steps to execute said task.
  17. The method of claim 9, wherein said controller contains one or more tables of command steps, and wherein said input identifies a discreet table of command steps from said one or more tables of command steps.
  18. The method of claim 9, wherein at least certain of said command steps includes actuation of said one or more powered servo motors to rotate said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction.
  19. A method for controlling a guided delivery vehicle to deliver an item to a customer, said guided delivery vehicle comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor; said method comprising: receiving, via said receiver, a transmitted signal, wherein said transmitted signal identifies a location proximate said customer for delivery of said item; providing an input to said controller in response to receiving said transmitted signal; processing, via said controller, said input to determine one or more command steps to retrieve said item and deliver said item to said location proximate said customer; controlling said guided delivery vehicle to travel along a portion of said guide track until a junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor; determining whether said junction identifier identifies a location proximate said location of said customer; and continuing to perform, if said junction identifier does not identify a present location as said location proximate said location of said customer, a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor, and if said junction identifier identifies a present location as said location proximate said location of said consumer, allowing said consumer to remove said item from said guided delivery vehicle.
  20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle.

Description

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

The disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Unless otherwise noted, all trademarks and service marks identified herein are owned by the applicant.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of guided delivery vehicles. More specifically, the presently disclosed systems, methods, and/or apparatuses relate to a guided delivery vehicle and guided delivery vehicle system adaptable to be used to deliver items to a determined destination.

It is generally known to utilize certain types of carriers in industrial applications, such as, for example, material handling around a factory. These carriers have been used to transport loads from one point to another and to carry or transfer loads that a normal person would be unable to lift or carry. These carriers can be controlled via remote control and can be programmed to perform certain transportation tasks automatically. However, these carriers are large and bulky and would not be suitable outside of a warehouse or industrial setting.

Another type of known delivery carrier travels on a track, akin to a railroad track, to deliver items to an end user.

Citations (2)

  • US5111401A
  • US20150006005A1
Record as JSON 
{
  "publication_number": "US10239544B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Guided delivery vehicle",
  "abstract": "A guided delivery vehicle having one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein the at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track; and a controller that receives and processes input from at least the receiver and the at least one junction detection sensor, and, in response to a received and processed input, executes an initial command step and sequentially executes subsequent command steps upon detection of a subsequent junction identifier.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A guided delivery vehicle, comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a discrete junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor, and wherein said controller, in response to a received and processed input, executes at least one command step and continues to execute said at least one command step until detection of a subsequent, discrete junction identifier and sequentially executes one or more subsequent command steps upon detection of said at least one subsequent, discrete junction identifier, wherein at least certain of said command steps includes actuation of said one or more powered servo motors to control said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction along said guide track.",
    "2. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle.",
    "3. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is able to turn and move in any direction along said guide track.",
    "4. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track, and wherein said guided delivery vehicle is capable of maneuvering within said guide track.",
    "5. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more selectable elements, wherein said one or more selectable elements provide additional input to said controller and allow said guided delivery vehicle to receive commands or input from a user.",
    "6. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein each discrete junction identifier comprises at least one of a magnetic strip or an optically identifiable indicia or element.",
    "7. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said one or more transmitted signals includes said command steps to execute said task.",
    "8. The guided delivery vehicle of claim 1, wherein said controller contains one or more tables of command steps, and wherein said input identifies a discreet table of command steps from said one or more tables of command steps.",
    "9. A method for controlling a guided delivery vehicle to execute a task, said guided delivery vehicle comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor, and wherein said controller is capable of actuating said one or more powered servo motors to rotate said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction; said method comprising: receiving, via said receiver, a transmitted signal; providing an input to said controller in response to receiving said transmitted signal; processing, via said controller, said input to determine one or more command steps to execute said task; performing a first command step until a junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor; and performing a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle further comprises a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is able to turn and move in any direction along said guide track.",
    "12. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is capable of adjusting motion to maneuver along said guide track.",
    "13. The method of claim 9, wherein said guided delivery vehicle further comprises one or more selectable elements, wherein said one or more selectable elements provide additional input to said controller and allow said guided delivery vehicle to receive commands or input from a user.",
    "14. The method of claim 9, wherein each junction identifier comprises at least one of a magnetic strip or an optically identifiable indicia or element.",
    "15. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of performing a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor comprises performing a subsequent command step at each of said subsequent junction identifiers along said guide track.",
    "16. The method of claim 9, wherein said transmitted signal includes said command steps to execute said task.",
    "17. The method of claim 9, wherein said controller contains one or more tables of command steps, and wherein said input identifies a discreet table of command steps from said one or more tables of command steps.",
    "18. The method of claim 9, wherein at least certain of said command steps includes actuation of said one or more powered servo motors to rotate said one or more drive wheels to cause said guided delivery vehicle to move in a desired direction.",
    "19. A method for controlling a guided delivery vehicle to deliver an item to a customer, said guided delivery vehicle comprising: one or more item support regions atop a carrier body; one or more drive wheels attached or coupled to one or more powered servo motors; a receiver for receiving one or more transmitted signals; at least one junction detection sensor, wherein said at least one junction detection sensor is capable of detecting a junction identifier associated with a determined position along a guide track, wherein said guided delivery vehicle is physically confined to said guide track via one or more sidewalls of said guide track; and a controller, wherein said controller receives and processes input from at least said receiver and said at least one junction detection sensor; said method comprising: receiving, via said receiver, a transmitted signal, wherein said transmitted signal identifies a location proximate said customer for delivery of said item; providing an input to said controller in response to receiving said transmitted signal; processing, via said controller, said input to determine one or more command steps to retrieve said item and deliver said item to said location proximate said customer; controlling said guided delivery vehicle to travel along a portion of said guide track until a junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor; determining whether said junction identifier identifies a location proximate said location of said customer; and continuing to perform, if said junction identifier does not identify a present location as said location proximate said location of said customer, a subsequent command step until a subsequent junction identifier is detected by said at least one junction detection sensor, and if said junction identifier identifies a present location as said location proximate said location of said consumer, allowing said consumer to remove said item from said guided delivery vehicle.",
    "20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a mobile device or computer that establishes a wireless connection to said guided delivery vehicle to transmit said one or more transmitted signals to said receiver of said guided delivery vehicle."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Not Applicable.\n\nNot Applicable.\n\nThe disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Unless otherwise noted, all trademarks and service marks identified herein are owned by the applicant.\n\nThe present disclosure relates generally to the field of guided delivery vehicles. More specifically, the presently disclosed systems, methods, and/or apparatuses relate to a guided delivery vehicle and guided delivery vehicle system adaptable to be used to deliver items to a determined destination.\n\nIt is generally known to utilize certain types of carriers in industrial applications, such as, for example, material handling around a factory. These carriers have been used to transport loads from one point to another and to carry or transfer loads that a normal person would be unable to lift or carry. These carriers can be controlled via remote control and can be programmed to perform certain transportation tasks automatically. However, these carriers are large and bulky and would not be suitable outside of a warehouse or industrial setting.\n\nAnother type of known delivery carrier travels on a track, akin to a railroad track, to deliver items to an end user.",
  "cpc": [
    "B61L 27/0005",
    "B60L 11/1816",
    "B60L 53/14",
    "B61B 13/00",
    "B61C 3/00",
    "B61L 2201/00",
    "B61L 2205/00",
    "B61L 25/02",
    "B61L 25/025",
    "B61L 27/0077",
    "B61L 27/40",
    "B61L 27/70",
    "G05D 1/0011",
    "G05D 1/0088",
    "Y02T 10/70",
    "Y02T 10/7072",
    "Y02T 90/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B61B 13/00",
    "B61C 3/00",
    "B61L 25/02",
    "B61L 27/00",
    "G05D 1/00",
    "G05D 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "888 Brands LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Daniel R. DeMartine",
    "John J. Douglas"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-09-12",
  "publication_date": "2019-03-26",
  "grant_date": "2019-03-26",
  "priority_date": "2015-09-10",
  "application_number": "US-201615262296-A",
  "family_id": "65811573",
  "cited_by_count": 12,
  "citations": [
    "US5111401A",
    "US20150006005A1"
  ]
}

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