Information processing apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US11531951B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Information processing apparatus",
  "abstract": "The location detection unit detects a destination location for delivery of an item by a drone. The release determination unit determines whether the drone transporting the item can release and place the item at the destination. Upon determination that the release and placement is not possible, a standby airspace determination unit determines a standby airspace within which the drone waits. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time for the drone in the determined standby airspace. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time by which the drone can arrive at a next destination by a scheduled arrival time following departure of the drone departs after standby. The standby instruction unit issues to the drone an instruction related to the standby.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a judging unit configured to determine whether an aerial vehicle transporting an item can release the item at a delivery destination; and a determination unit configured to determine a wait-time length for the aerial vehicle within a predetermined airspace at the delivery destination when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is not able to release the item at the delivery destination, wherein the wait-time length is based on at least one of a schedule of flight, an attribute of the item transported by the aerial vehicle, a remaining battery level, weather, a schedule of a recipient and whether there is a wait place that the aerial vehicle can land.",
    "2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the wait-time length such that the aerial vehicle can arrive at a next delivery destination for delivering another item by an arrival time set for the next delivery destination.",
    "3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein in a case when the aerial vehicle is scheduled originally to transport an item to each of a plurality of respective delivery destinations and when an alternative aerial vehicle is scheduled subsequently to transport for the aerial vehicle at least one of the items originally scheduled for delivery by the aerial vehicle, the determination unit determines a wait-time length of the aerial vehicle for delivery of the item scheduled to be delivered prior to the delivery by the alternative aerial vehicle based on an arrival time for the delivery of a next item for delivery by the aerial vehicle after the delivery by the alternative aerial vehicle.",
    "4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the aerial vehicle includes a battery for power storage; and the determination unit determines that a remaining amount of power stored in the battery is insufficient for the aerial vehicle to complete the wait-time length and following departure fly to a location for recharge of the battery.",
    "5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the determining unit determines the wait-time length taking into account an amount of power recharge at the delivery destination.",
    "6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle includes a weather acquisition unit configured to acquire information on weather in an area where the aerial vehicle flies, and upon forecast of a predetermined weather event by the weather acquisition unit the determination unit determines the wait-time length after completion of which the aerial vehicle is able to return.",
    "7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an upper limit of a transport time is provided in correspondence with an attribute of the item carried by the aerial vehicle, the determination unit determines the wait-time length for completion of transport of the item and departure of the aerial vehicle prior to elapse of the upper limit of the transport time.",
    "8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lifestyle information acquisition unit configured to acquire schedule information representative of a lifestyle pattern of a recipient of the item, wherein the determination unit determines the wait-time length based on the lifestyle pattern of the recipient that is equal to or less than a threshold value during which the recipient can receive the item.",
    "9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lifestyle information acquisition unit configured to acquire schedule information representative of a lifestyle pattern of a resident living with a recipient of the item, wherein the determination unit determines the wait-time length based on the lifestyle pattern of the resident that is equal to or less than a threshold value during which the resident can receive the item.",
    "10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a location detection unit configured to detect a wait location at which the aerial vehicle can land and wait, wherein upon detection of the wait location, the determination unit determines a wait-time length that is longer than that when a wait location is not detected."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a technique for transporting items by an aerial vehicle.\n\nKnown in the art are techniques for transporting items by an aerial vehicle. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2017-58937A discloses a technique whereby a destination site is marked for airborne delivery of an item, and an aerial vehicle (such as a drone) captures the marked delivery destination site and moves to the marked site for delivery of the item.\n\nThe disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2017-58937A assumes that an item is transported by an aerial vehicle such as a drone. However, consideration needs to be given to a case in which delivery of an item fails due to absence of a recipient, or another circumstance. Failure to deliver an item to a recipient by way of a single flight is undesirable since a load capacity of a drone is limited, as compared to that of a truck, for example.\n\nIt is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce instances of return of an aerial vehicle due to failure to deliver an item, and to avoid impeding delivery of other items by the aerial vehicle.\n\nTo achieve the above-stated object, the present invention provides an information processing apparatus including: a judging unit that is configured to determine whether an aerial vehicle carrying an item can release the carried item at a destination; and a determination unit configured to determine a wait-time length for the aerial vehicle within a predetermined airspace at the destination when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is not able to release the carried item.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06Q 10/083",
    "B60L 2200/10",
    "B60L 50/60",
    "B60L 58/12",
    "B64C 2201/027",
    "B64C 2201/042",
    "B64C 2201/128",
    "B64C 39/024",
    "B64D 1/12",
    "B64D 27/24",
    "B64U 10/13",
    "B64U 2101/30",
    "B64U 2101/64",
    "B64U 50/37",
    "B64U 60/50",
    "B64U 70/90",
    "B65G 61/00",
    "G05D 1/1062",
    "G06Q 10/08",
    "Y02T 10/70"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60L 50/60",
    "B60L 58/12",
    "B64C 39/02",
    "B64D 1/12",
    "B64D 27/24",
    "G05D 1/10",
    "G06Q 10/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "NTT Docomo Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Takefumi Yamada",
    "Ken KOUMOTO",
    "Hidetoshi Ebara",
    "Youhei OONO",
    "Yuichiro SEGAWA",
    "Yukiko Nakamura",
    "Shinya Hanano"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-22",
  "publication_date": "2022-12-20",
  "grant_date": "2022-12-20",
  "priority_date": "2018-01-23",
  "application_number": "US-201916771854-A",
  "family_id": "67395535",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20150069969A1",
    "CN104658291A",
    "JP2016210109A",
    "JP2017058937A",
    "WO2017115446A1",
    "US20190019141A1",
    "US20180144302A1",
    "US20180180444A1",
    "US20190193855A1"
  ]
}