Patent · US10384692B2 · B2 · US

Demand-based distribution of items using intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

(11) Publication number

US10384692B2

(21) Application number

15/461,006

(22) Filing date

2017-03-16

(30) Priority date

2017-03-16

(43) Publication date

2019-08-20

(45) Date of grant

2019-08-20

(51) IPC

B25J 11/00; B61D 3/16; B61L 15/00; B61L 25/02; B61L 27/00; B65G 1/04; B65G 1/137; G06Q 10/08; G06Q 30/02

(52) CPC

B61D Body details or kinds of railway vehicles: 3/16, 3/18, 3/184, 39/006
B25J Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices: 11/00, 9/1679
B61L Guiding railway traffic; ensuring the safety of railway traffic: 15/0081, 25/021, 25/025, 27/0022, 27/14
B64C Aeroplanes; helicopters: 2201/128
B64U Unmanned aerial vehicles [uav]; equipment therefor: 2101/64, 70/90, 80/20, 80/70
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 1/0464, 1/1373
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: 10/083, 30/0202, 30/0205

(73) Assignee

AMAZON TECH INC

(72) Inventors

BECKMAN BRIAN C; Bjone Nicholas

(54) Title

Demand-based distribution of items using intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

(57) Abstract

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

Full text

View on Google Patents

Claims (13)

A method comprising: determining a level of demand for a first item in a first geographic area at a first time by at least one computer server; in response to determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time, selecting a first number of the first item based at least in part on the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time by the at least one computer server; loading at least the first number of the first item into at least a first compartment of a first intermodal carrier at a first location prior to the first time, wherein the first location is not in the first geographic area, and wherein the first intermodal carrier comprises an intermodal container frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section, a common height, and at least one automatic door at an upper surface of the intermodal container frame; loading at least a first aerial vehicle into at least the first compartment of the first intermodal carrier at the first location prior to the first time; coupling the first intermodal carrier to at least a first powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein the first powered vehicle is a locomotive; selecting a first route departing from the first location for the first intermodal carrier based at least in part on at least one attribute of the first powered vehicle and the first geographic area; causing, by at least the first powered vehicle, the first intermodal carrier to depart from the first location along the first route prior to the first time; upon arriving at a first departure point; operating the at least one automatic door to open the first compartment of the first intermodal carrier; and causing the first aerial vehicle to launch from the first intermodal carrier at the first departure point.
The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic door is a rollable door forming at least a portion of the upper surface of the intermodal container frame, and wherein the at least one automatic door is configured to translate along the upper surface of the intermodal container frame between an open position and a closed position.
The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining, by the at least one computer server, at least one of: purchases of the first item or a second item by customers in the first geographic area over a predetermined period of time, wherein the second item is one of a complement to the first item or a substitute for the first item, and wherein the first time follows the predetermined period of time; or deliveries of the first item or the second item to locations in the first geographic area over the predetermined period of time, wherein the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area is predicted based at least in part on at least one of the purchases or the deliveries.
The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: identifying an upcoming event occurring in at least the first geographic area at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first item is related to the upcoming event, and wherein the level of demand of the first item in the first geographic area is predicted based at least in part on the upcoming event.
The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining levels of demand for the first item in each of a plurality of geographic areas at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first geographic area is one of the plurality of geographic areas; and selecting one of the plurality of geographic areas having a highest one of the levels of demand for the first item at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first geographic area is the one of the plurality of geographic areas having the highest one of the levels of demand for the first item at the first time.
The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining a level of demand for a second item in the first geographic area at one of the first time or a second time by the at least one computer server; in response to determining the level of demand for the second item in the first geographic area at the one of the first time or the second time, selecting a second number of the second item based at least in part on the level of demand for the second item in the first geographic area at the one of the first time or the second time by the at least one computer server; selecting a first position for the first number of the first item within the first compartment based at least in part on the level of demand for the first item at the first time, wherein at least the first number of the first item is loaded into the first compartment at the first position; selecting a second position for the second number of the second item within the first compartment based at least in part on the level of demand for the second item at the one of the first time or the second time; and loading at least the second number of the second item into at least the second compartment at the first location prior to the one of the first time or the second time, wherein at least the second number of the second item is loaded into the first compartment at the second position.
The method of claim 1, further comprising: decoupling the first intermodal carrier from the first powered vehicle prior to the first time; and coupling the first intermodal carrier from at least a second powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein the second powered vehicle is one of: a container ship; or a road tractor.
The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the first intermodal carrier to at least the first powered vehicle prior to the first time comprises: placing the first intermodal carrier onto a well car prior to the first time; and coupling the well car to the first powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein each of the well car and the first powered vehicle is configured for travel on a common set of rails.
The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of sets of rails depart from the first location, and wherein selecting the first route departing from the first location further comprises: determining a minimum distance between at least some of the plurality of sets of rails and the first geographic area by the at least one computer server; and selecting one of the plurality of sets of rails having a shortest minimum distance between the selected one of the plurality of sets of rails and the first geographic area by the at least one computer server, wherein the first route is associated with the selected one of the plurality of sets of rails.
The method of claim 1, wherein the first intermodal carrier further comprises a launch system and an engagement system disposed within the first compartment, wherein the launch system is configured to launch at least one or more aerial vehicles from the first intermodal carrier, wherein the engagement system is configured to load items into or unload items from one or more aerial vehicles within the first compartment, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving an order for a delivery of one of the first item to a second location over a network after the first time; and in response to receiving the order for the delivery of the one of the first item to the second location, causing, by the engagement system, the one of the first item to be loaded onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier; causing, by the launch system, the first aerial vehicle to launch from the first intermodal carrier at the first departure point; causing the first aerial vehicle to travel from the first departure point to the second location; and causing the first aerial vehicle to deposit the item at the location.
The method of claim 10, wherein the intermodal container frame is formed from steel at least in part, wherein the intermodal container frame has a height of at least nine feet, a width of approximately eight-and-one-half feet and a length of approximately fifty-three feet.
The method of claim 10, further comprising: in response to receiving the order for the delivery of the one of the first item to the second location, determining the first departure point by the at least one computer server, wherein the first departure point is determined based at least in part on at least one of a speed of the first intermodal carrier, the second location, a second time at which the order was received or a third time at which the delivery of the one of the first item is requested; and determining a first distance between the first departure point and the second location by the at least one computer server, wherein the one of the first item is caused to be loaded onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier in response to determining the first distance.
The method of claim 12, further comprising: in response to determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time, loading at least a second number of the first item into at least a second compartment of a second intermodal carrier at one of the first location or a third location prior to the first time, wherein the third location is not in the first geographic area, and wherein the second intermodal carrier comprises an intermodal container frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section, a common height, and at least one automatic door at an upper surface of the intermodal container frame; loading at least a second aerial vehicle into at least the second compartment of the second intermodal carrier at the one of the first location or the third location prior to the first time; coupling the second intermodal carrier to at least a second powered vehicle prior to the first time; selecting a second route departing the one of the first location or the third location for the second intermodal carrier based at least in part on at least one attribute of the second powered vehicle and the first geographic area; causing, by at least the second powered vehicle, the second intermodal carrier to depart from the one of the first location or the third location along the second route prior to the first time; determining a second departure point by the at least one computer server, wherein the second departure point is determined based at least in part on at least one of a speed of the second intermodal carrier, the second location, the second time or the third time; determining a second distance between the second departure point and the second location by the at least one computer server; and selecting the first aerial vehicle for the one of the first item based at least in part on the first distance and the second distance.

Description

Online marketplaces enable customers to visit one or more network sites from any corner of the globe, to view and evaluate items, and to place orders for the purchase of such items over the Internet. Initially, orders for items that were placed at online marketplaces over the Internet were fulfilled at the original locations of vendors (or manufacturers, merchants or other sources of the items), from which the items would be shipped to customers via first-class mail or another common carrier. Today, however, many online marketplaces operate in association with one or more fulfillment centers. A fulfillment center is a facility, a warehouse or another like structure that is constructed in a distributed, centralized location and adapted to receive items from sources of the items (e.g., vendors or other fulfillment centers). Fulfillment centers may include stations for receiving shipments of items, for storing such items, and/or for preparing such items for delivery to customers. When an order for the purchase of one or more items stored in a fulfillment center is received from a customer, the ordered items may be retrieved from spaces or areas in which such items are stored, and prepared for delivery to the customer, e.g., by packing the ordered items into one or more appropriate containers with a sufficient type and amount of dunnage, and delivering the containers to a destination designated by the customer.

Aerial vehicles such as airplanes or helicopters are commonly used to transport people or cargo from an origin to one or more destinations by air.

Citations (60)

US10029787B1
US2002123930A1
US2005060164A1
US2006136237A1
US2006288902A1
US2007016496A1
US2007293978A1
US2008154659A1
US2008167817A1
US2008301009A1
US2010070342A1
US2012030133A1
US2012219397A1
US2013073477A1
US2013218799A1
US2013261792A1
US2014032034A1
US2014136282A1
US2015102154A1
US2015317597A1
US2015332206A1
US2015370251A1
US2016114488A1
US2016137404A1
US2016144734A1
US2016185466A1
US2016257401A1
US2016266578A1
US2016266579A1
US2016292798A1
US2016300174A1
US2016307155A1
US2016364678A1
US2016364989A1
US2017011333A1
US2017038780A1
US2017096222A1
US2017098378A1
US2017101017A1
US2017174091A1
US2017190260A1
US2017263131A1
US2017293884A1
US2017313421A1
US2017323257A1
US2017352003A1
US2018069650A1
US2018121876A1
US2018150798A1
US2018189725A1
US2018268428A1
US8732039B1
US8956100B2
US9033285B2
US9139310B1
US9434267B2
US9481458B2
US9545852B2
US9623760B2
US9718564B1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10384692B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Demand-based distribution of items using intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles",
  "abstract": "Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method comprising: determining a level of demand for a first item in a first geographic area at a first time by at least one computer server; in response to determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time, selecting a first number of the first item based at least in part on the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time by the at least one computer server; loading at least the first number of the first item into at least a first compartment of a first intermodal carrier at a first location prior to the first time, wherein the first location is not in the first geographic area, and wherein the first intermodal carrier comprises an intermodal container frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section, a common height, and at least one automatic door at an upper surface of the intermodal container frame; loading at least a first aerial vehicle into at least the first compartment of the first intermodal carrier at the first location prior to the first time; coupling the first intermodal carrier to at least a first powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein the first powered vehicle is a locomotive; selecting a first route departing from the first location for the first intermodal carrier based at least in part on at least one attribute of the first powered vehicle and the first geographic area; causing, by at least the first powered vehicle, the first intermodal carrier to depart from the first location along the first route prior to the first time; upon arriving at a first departure point; operating the at least one automatic door to open the first compartment of the first intermodal carrier; and causing the first aerial vehicle to launch from the first intermodal carrier at the first departure point.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic door is a rollable door forming at least a portion of the upper surface of the intermodal container frame, and wherein the at least one automatic door is configured to translate along the upper surface of the intermodal container frame between an open position and a closed position.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining, by the at least one computer server, at least one of: purchases of the first item or a second item by customers in the first geographic area over a predetermined period of time, wherein the second item is one of a complement to the first item or a substitute for the first item, and wherein the first time follows the predetermined period of time; or deliveries of the first item or the second item to locations in the first geographic area over the predetermined period of time, wherein the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area is predicted based at least in part on at least one of the purchases or the deliveries.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: identifying an upcoming event occurring in at least the first geographic area at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first item is related to the upcoming event, and wherein the level of demand of the first item in the first geographic area is predicted based at least in part on the upcoming event.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining levels of demand for the first item in each of a plurality of geographic areas at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first geographic area is one of the plurality of geographic areas; and selecting one of the plurality of geographic areas having a highest one of the levels of demand for the first item at the first time by the at least one computer server, wherein the first geographic area is the one of the plurality of geographic areas having the highest one of the levels of demand for the first item at the first time.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time comprises: determining a level of demand for a second item in the first geographic area at one of the first time or a second time by the at least one computer server; in response to determining the level of demand for the second item in the first geographic area at the one of the first time or the second time, selecting a second number of the second item based at least in part on the level of demand for the second item in the first geographic area at the one of the first time or the second time by the at least one computer server; selecting a first position for the first number of the first item within the first compartment based at least in part on the level of demand for the first item at the first time, wherein at least the first number of the first item is loaded into the first compartment at the first position; selecting a second position for the second number of the second item within the first compartment based at least in part on the level of demand for the second item at the one of the first time or the second time; and loading at least the second number of the second item into at least the second compartment at the first location prior to the one of the first time or the second time, wherein at least the second number of the second item is loaded into the first compartment at the second position.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: decoupling the first intermodal carrier from the first powered vehicle prior to the first time; and coupling the first intermodal carrier from at least a second powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein the second powered vehicle is one of: a container ship; or a road tractor.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the first intermodal carrier to at least the first powered vehicle prior to the first time comprises: placing the first intermodal carrier onto a well car prior to the first time; and coupling the well car to the first powered vehicle prior to the first time, wherein each of the well car and the first powered vehicle is configured for travel on a common set of rails.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of sets of rails depart from the first location, and wherein selecting the first route departing from the first location further comprises: determining a minimum distance between at least some of the plurality of sets of rails and the first geographic area by the at least one computer server; and selecting one of the plurality of sets of rails having a shortest minimum distance between the selected one of the plurality of sets of rails and the first geographic area by the at least one computer server, wherein the first route is associated with the selected one of the plurality of sets of rails.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first intermodal carrier further comprises a launch system and an engagement system disposed within the first compartment, wherein the launch system is configured to launch at least one or more aerial vehicles from the first intermodal carrier, wherein the engagement system is configured to load items into or unload items from one or more aerial vehicles within the first compartment, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving an order for a delivery of one of the first item to a second location over a network after the first time; and in response to receiving the order for the delivery of the one of the first item to the second location, causing, by the engagement system, the one of the first item to be loaded onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier; causing, by the launch system, the first aerial vehicle to launch from the first intermodal carrier at the first departure point; causing the first aerial vehicle to travel from the first departure point to the second location; and causing the first aerial vehicle to deposit the item at the location.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein the intermodal container frame is formed from steel at least in part, wherein the intermodal container frame has a height of at least nine feet, a width of approximately eight-and-one-half feet and a length of approximately fifty-three feet.",
    "12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: in response to receiving the order for the delivery of the one of the first item to the second location, determining the first departure point by the at least one computer server, wherein the first departure point is determined based at least in part on at least one of a speed of the first intermodal carrier, the second location, a second time at which the order was received or a third time at which the delivery of the one of the first item is requested; and determining a first distance between the first departure point and the second location by the at least one computer server, wherein the one of the first item is caused to be loaded onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier in response to determining the first distance.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: in response to determining the level of demand for the first item in the first geographic area at the first time, loading at least a second number of the first item into at least a second compartment of a second intermodal carrier at one of the first location or a third location prior to the first time, wherein the third location is not in the first geographic area, and wherein the second intermodal carrier comprises an intermodal container frame having a substantially rectangular cross-section, a common height, and at least one automatic door at an upper surface of the intermodal container frame; loading at least a second aerial vehicle into at least the second compartment of the second intermodal carrier at the one of the first location or the third location prior to the first time; coupling the second intermodal carrier to at least a second powered vehicle prior to the first time; selecting a second route departing the one of the first location or the third location for the second intermodal carrier based at least in part on at least one attribute of the second powered vehicle and the first geographic area; causing, by at least the second powered vehicle, the second intermodal carrier to depart from the one of the first location or the third location along the second route prior to the first time; determining a second departure point by the at least one computer server, wherein the second departure point is determined based at least in part on at least one of a speed of the second intermodal carrier, the second location, the second time or the third time; determining a second distance between the second departure point and the second location by the at least one computer server; and selecting the first aerial vehicle for the one of the first item based at least in part on the first distance and the second distance."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Online marketplaces enable customers to visit one or more network sites from any corner of the globe, to view and evaluate items, and to place orders for the purchase of such items over the Internet. Initially, orders for items that were placed at online marketplaces over the Internet were fulfilled at the original locations of vendors (or manufacturers, merchants or other sources of the items), from which the items would be shipped to customers via first-class mail or another common carrier. Today, however, many online marketplaces operate in association with one or more fulfillment centers. A fulfillment center is a facility, a warehouse or another like structure that is constructed in a distributed, centralized location and adapted to receive items from sources of the items (e.g., vendors or other fulfillment centers). Fulfillment centers may include stations for receiving shipments of items, for storing such items, and/or for preparing such items for delivery to customers. When an order for the purchase of one or more items stored in a fulfillment center is received from a customer, the ordered items may be retrieved from spaces or areas in which such items are stored, and prepared for delivery to the customer, e.g., by packing the ordered items into one or more appropriate containers with a sufficient type and amount of dunnage, and delivering the containers to a destination designated by the customer.\n\nAerial vehicles such as airplanes or helicopters are commonly used to transport people or cargo from an origin to one or more destinations by air.",
  "cpc": [
    "B61D 3/16",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 9/1679",
    "B61D 3/18",
    "B61D 3/184",
    "B61D 39/006",
    "B61L 15/0081",
    "B61L 25/021",
    "B61L 25/025",
    "B61L 27/0022",
    "B61L 27/14",
    "B64C 2201/128",
    "B64U 2101/64",
    "B64U 70/90",
    "B64U 80/20",
    "B64U 80/70",
    "B65G 1/0464",
    "B65G 1/1373",
    "G06Q 10/083",
    "G06Q 30/0202",
    "G06Q 30/0205"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B61D 3/16",
    "B61L 15/00",
    "B61L 25/02",
    "B61L 27/00",
    "B65G 1/04",
    "B65G 1/137",
    "G06Q 10/08",
    "G06Q 30/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "AMAZON TECH INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "BECKMAN BRIAN C",
    "Bjone Nicholas"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-03-16",
  "publication_date": "2019-08-20",
  "grant_date": "2019-08-20",
  "priority_date": "2017-03-16",
  "application_number": "US-201715461006-A",
  "family_id": "63521568",
  "citations": [
    "US10029787B1",
    "US2002123930A1",
    "US2005060164A1",
    "US2006136237A1",
    "US2006288902A1",
    "US2007016496A1",
    "US2007293978A1",
    "US2008154659A1",
    "US2008167817A1",
    "US2008301009A1",
    "US2010070342A1",
    "US2012030133A1",
    "US2012219397A1",
    "US2013073477A1",
    "US2013218799A1",
    "US2013261792A1",
    "US2014032034A1",
    "US2014136282A1",
    "US2015102154A1",
    "US2015317597A1",
    "US2015332206A1",
    "US2015370251A1",
    "US2016114488A1",
    "US2016137404A1",
    "US2016144734A1",
    "US2016185466A1",
    "US2016257401A1",
    "US2016266578A1",
    "US2016266579A1",
    "US2016292798A1",
    "US2016300174A1",
    "US2016307155A1",
    "US2016364678A1",
    "US2016364989A1",
    "US2017011333A1",
    "US2017038780A1",
    "US2017096222A1",
    "US2017098378A1",
    "US2017101017A1",
    "US2017174091A1",
    "US2017190260A1",
    "US2017263131A1",
    "US2017293884A1",
    "US2017313421A1",
    "US2017323257A1",
    "US2017352003A1",
    "US2018069650A1",
    "US2018121876A1",
    "US2018150798A1",
    "US2018189725A1",
    "US2018268428A1",
    "US8732039B1",
    "US8956100B2",
    "US9033285B2",
    "US9139310B1",
    "US9434267B2",
    "US9481458B2",
    "US9545852B2",
    "US9623760B2",
    "US9718564B1"
  ]
}

Record 1,063 of 5,000 in Patents full text (MLC-0201). Request the full dataset.