Transportation network utilizing multiple autonomous vehicles to transport items between network locations
US10068486B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 6, 2017 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 6, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/0832
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A transportation network is provided that utilizes autonomous vehicles (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles) for identifying, acquiring, and transporting items between network locations without requiring human interaction. A travel path for an item through the transportation network may include multiple path segments and corresponding intermediate network locations, with a different autonomous vehicle utilized to transport the item along each path segment. Different possible next network locations for a travel path may selected based on transportation factors such as travel time, cost, safety, etc. (e.g., as may be related to distance, network congestion, inclement weather, etc.). Local processing (e.g., by a control system of an autonomous vehicle) may perform the selection of a next network location for a travel path (e.g., allowing multiple autonomous vehicles to simultaneously engage and depart with items or otherwise travel without having to contact and wait for instructions from centralized system components, etc.).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.