Systems and methods for facilitating a final leg of a journey

{
  "publication_number": "US11879745B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for facilitating a final leg of a journey",
  "abstract": "The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for facilitating travel over a last leg of a journey. In one example embodiment, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) captures an image of an area to be traversed by an individual during the final leg of the journey. The image is evaluated to identify a hindrance that may be encountered by the individual in the area. A pre-emptive action may be taken to address the hindrance before reaching the area. The pre-emptive action, may, for example, include using the UAV and/or a terrestrial robot to assist the individual traverse the area. The assistance may be provided in various ways such as by use of the terrestrial robot to transport the individual and/or a personal item of the individual through the area, and/or by use of the UAV to provide instructions to guide the individual through the area.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method comprising: capturing, with a user device, a first image of an area to be traversed by an individual with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a terrestrial robot during a final leg of a journey of the individual; evaluating the first image with the user device to identify a hindrance; determining a pre-emptive action to be carried out for overcoming the hindrance; executing the pre-emptive action prior to reaching an intermediate location within the area; receiving, by the UAV or the terrestrial robot, a summoning command from a device of the individual, the summoning command indicating that the UAV or the terrestrial robot should traverse to the intermediate location; evaluating one or more characteristics of an item from the individual that is to be transported by the UAV or the terrestrial robot over the area during the final leg of the journey of the individual, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a weight and a size of the item; determining that the item is a package; executing the pre-emptive action to either: a) select the UAV or the terrestrial robot from a plurality of UAVs and a plurality of terrestrial robots because the UAV or the terrestrial robot is particularly configured for the package and the other of the plurality of UAVs and the plurality of the terrestrial robots are not configured for the package because the weight of the package is too heavy, or b) decline to use the UAV or the terrestrial robot because the weight of the package is too heavy for the UAV or the terrestrial robot; and if executing the pre-emptive action is a): securing the package from the individual to the UAV or the terrestrial robot; and traversing, by the UAV or the terrestrial robot, the final leg of the journey of the individual along with the individual starting from the intermediate location, wherein the package is transported by the UAV or the terrestrial robot during the final leg of the journey of the individual.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the area is an urban area comprising a man-made object, and wherein the first image is captured by the UAV or the terrestrial robot equipped with a camera.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein the UAV or the terrestrial robot is a drone aircraft and the man-made object is one of a wheelchair ramp, a stairway, a part of a building, or a pedestrian walkway.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the area to be traversed by the individual is in darkness; and illuminating, by the UAV or the terrestrial robot, the area to be traversed by the individual.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the package is one of a personal transportation vehicle, an infant stroller, or a wheelchair, wherein executing the pre-emptive action is a), and further comprises selecting a travel path through the area based on the one of the personal transportation vehicle, the infant stroller, or the wheelchair.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: communicating with the UAV or the terrestrial robot upon reaching the area; and obtaining assistance from the UAV or the terrestrial robot to traverse the area.",
    "7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communicating is carried out by operating the smartphone, and wherein the UAV or the terrestrial robot is a collaborative robot (cobot).",
    "8. The method of claim 6, wherein the UAV or the terrestrial robot is a drone aircraft configured to assist an individual traverse the area.",
    "9. A method comprising: providing a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a first terrestrial robot; providing a smartphone of an individual; reaching, by the individual, an area to be traversed during a final leg of a journey of the individual, wherein reaching the area comprises the individual exiting a mode of transportation; transmitting, by operating the smartphone, a summoning command for the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot to traverse to the area; evaluating one or more characteristics of an item from the individual that is to be transported by the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot over the area during the final leg of the journey of the individual, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a weight and a size of the item; determining that the item is a heavy package; either selecting the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot from a plurality of UAVs and a plurality of terrestrial robots because the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot is particularly configured for the heavy package and the other of the plurality of UAVs and the plurality of the terrestrial robots are not configured for the heavy package because the weight of the heavy package is too heavy, or declining to use the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot because the weight of the heavy package is too heavy for the UAV or the terrestrial robot; and if the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot is selected because the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot is particularly configured for the heavy package, securing the heavy package from the individual to the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot; and accompanying, by the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot, the individual as the individual traverses the final leg of the journey of the individual, wherein the heavy package is transported by the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first UAV or the first terrestrial robot is a collaborative robot (cobot) configured to one of transport or guide an individual across the area.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: capturing a first image of the area; examining the first image to identify a pre-emptive action to be carried out for traversing the area; and executing the pre-emptive action prior to reaching the area.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein the area is an urban area comprising a man-made object, and wherein the first image is captured by a second robotic vehicle equipped with a camera.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second robotic vehicle is a drone aircraft and the man-made object is one of a wheelchair ramp, a stairway, a part of a building, or a pedestrian walkway.",
    "14. A system comprising: a smartphone; and a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a terrestrial robot wirelessly connected to the smartphone, the UAV or the terrestrial robot comprising: a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least: receive, by the processor, a summoning command from the smartphone, the summoning command indicating that the UAV or the terrestrial robot should traverse to an intermediate location within an area to meet the individual, wherein the individual arrived at the intermediate location by exiting a mode of transportation, and wherein the intermediate location is a starting point of a final leg of a journey of the individual; traverse to the intermediate location in response to the summoning command; evaluate one or more characteristics of the item that is to be transported over the area during the final leg of the journey of the individual, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a weight and a size of the item; determine that the item is a heavy package; and execute the pre-emptive action to either: a) select the UAV or the terrestrial robot from a plurality of UAVs and a plurality of terrestrial robots because the UAV or the terrestrial robot is particularly configured for the heavy package and the other of the plurality of UAVs and the plurality of the terrestrial robots are not configured for the heavy package because the weight of the heavy package is too heavy, or b) decline to use the UAV or the terrestrial robot because the weight of the heavy package is too heavy for the UAV or the terrestrial robot; and if execute the pre-emptive action is a): provide travel assistance in response to the summoning command, the travel assistance comprising guidance instructions for the individual to reach a destination, transportation of the heavy package through the area to the destination, and accompanying the individual through the area from the intermediate location to the destination.",
    "15. The system of claim 14, wherein the area is an urban area comprising a man-made object, and wherein the UAV or the terrestrial robot is one of a drone aircraft configured to guide an individual across the area or a collaborative robot (cobot) configured to transport the heavy package across the area.",
    "16. The system of claim 15, wherein the man-made object is one of a wheelchair ramp, a stairway, a part of a building, or a pedestrian walkway.",
    "17. The system of claim 15, wherein the drone aircraft is configured to provide guidance to the individual by transmitting messages to a smartphone.",
    "18. The system of claim 15, wherein the item transported by the collaborative robot comprises a baggage or a package."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This disclosure generally relates to the use of robotic vehicles to facilitate travel over a final leg of a journey.\n\nThe phrase “last mile” generally refers to a relatively short distance that must be traversed as a final leg of a journey. For example, the last mile can refer to a walking distance from a subway station to a house, or a bicycle ride from a bus depot to an office. In some cases, the last mile can be a final leg of a journey through an unfamiliar area, such as may be encountered by a tourist in a foreign country. As such, the last mile can pose various types of challenges, including a lack of knowledge of an area, lack of appropriate transport, and/or encountering route changes due to road work, construction, or a traffic accident. These challenges may be compounded when an individual, such as a mother carrying an infant, or a tourist hauling a suitcase, has to traverse the last mile to reach his/her destination. Some makeshift solutions, such as hailing a taxi or calling a friend to provide a ride, may be used in some cases. However, such solutions may be unreliable, inconvenient, and/or expensive at times. It is therefore desirable to provide better solutions.\n\nA detailed description is set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01C 21/3602",
    "B25J 11/008",
    "B64C 39/024",
    "B64U 10/13",
    "B64U 2101/20",
    "B64U 2101/30",
    "B64U 2101/31",
    "B64U 2101/64",
    "G01C 21/3407",
    "G06Q 10/047",
    "G06Q 50/40",
    "G06V 20/17",
    "G06V 20/176",
    "G08G 1/005",
    "G08G 1/04",
    "H04W 4/46"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B64C 39/02",
    "B64U 101/30",
    "G01C 21/34",
    "G01C 21/36",
    "G06V 20/10",
    "H04W 4/46"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ford Global Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Aed M. Dudar",
    "Fling Finn Tseng"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-07-20",
  "publication_date": "2024-01-23",
  "grant_date": "2024-01-23",
  "priority_date": "2020-07-20",
  "application_number": "US-202016933039-A",
  "family_id": "79021333",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
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}