System and method for automated loading and unloading of delivery vehicles

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for automated loading and unloading of a delivery vehicle. A vehicle including a plurality of first motorized modules and a vehicle elevator is disclosed. The plurality of first motorized modules may be disposed in the vehicle interior portion. The plurality of first motorized modules may be configured to move and secure a first bin of a first size and a second bin of a second size. The elevator may include a second motorized module and a set of third motorized modules. The second motorized module may be configured to receive the second bin from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the second bin. The second motorized module may have a third size. Further, each third motorized module may be configured to receive the first bin from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the first bin. Each third motorized module may have a fourth size.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for facilitating automated loading and unloading of delivery vehicles, and more particularly to systems and methods for facilitating loading / unloading of boxes of varying sizes and types onto / from delivery vehicles. Background Art

[0002] As Internet-based commerce continues to grow, package delivery is increasingly used to deliver goods to customers. However, the rapid growth also brings challenges to supply chain operations. E-commerce companies and their delivery partners deliver an increasing number of packages every day while reducing resource consumption (e.g., labor, fuel consumption, etc.).

[0003] Various methods are currently used to optimize the process of loading / unloading delivery packages onto / from delivery vehicles and the process of delivering packages to corresponding delivery locations. For example, e-commerce companies load packages with similar delivery addresses that are close to each other into delivery vehicles to improve the efficiency of unloading packages. In addition, e-commerce companies use centralized inventory management systems to monitor the movement of their delivery vehicles to improve efficiency and reduce the chance of human errors during transportation.

[0004] Although conventional methods performed by e-commerce companies are effective in improving efficiency, challenges still exist. For example, loading / unloading delivery packages onto / from delivery vehicles remains a manual process and thus requires resources that may be unavailable or expensive. Furthermore, manually loading / unloading delivery packages of different sizes may be challenging and may result in a loss of operational efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure describes a delivery vehicle configured to deliver multiple packages to corresponding delivery locations. The vehicle may include multiple first motorized tiles arranged in an interior portion of the vehicle, and multiple boxes of different sizes may be moved and / or fixed on the multiple first motorized tiles. In an exemplary aspect, the multiple boxes may include a first box of a small size (e.g., a first size), a second box of a medium size (e.g., a second size), and a third box of a large size (e.g., a third size). Each box may be configured to store one or more delivery packages. The vehicle may also include a lift, which may be configured to move vertically up and down along the height of the vehicle and receive the box from the multiple first motorized modules. In some aspects, the lift may be configured to move the box from the multiple first motorized modules to the vicinity of the vehicle cargo compartment, and the vehicle operator or delivery drone / robot may pick up the box / package from the cargo compartment for unloading or last mile delivery.

[0006] In some aspects, the lift can include a second motorized module and a set of third motorized modules. The second motorized module can have a fourth size and can be configured to receive the second box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the second box. Each third motorized module can have a fifth size and can be configured to receive and secure the first box. The fifth size can be equal to the first size. In addition, the set of third motorized modules can collectively receive and secure the third box.

[0007] The vehicle may also include a processor that can control the operation of each of the plurality of first motorized modules, the second motorized module, and the group of third motorized modules to enable autonomous box loading / unloading to / from the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle arrives at a delivery location for a specific delivery package, the processor may cause the plurality of first motorized modules to move the box storing the specific delivery package toward the elevator. Based on the box size, the processor may then cause the second motorized module, the third motorized module, or the group of third motorized modules to collectively receive the box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the box. The processor may then cause the vertical elevator to move to enable autonomous box unloading from the vehicle. In a similar (and inverse) manner, the processor may enable autonomous loading of boxes of different sizes by using the motorized modules and the plurality of first motorized modules included in the elevator.

[0008] In some aspects, each of the multiple boxes may include a base and a side panel. In an exemplary aspect, the side panel edge may be pivotally attached to the base edge, which may enable the side panel to move between a closed position and an open position. In a further aspect, the lift may be configured to tilt the box when the box may be placed on the lift and the lift may be arranged near the vehicle cargo compartment. In some aspects, the box tilt may cause the delivery parcel stored in the box to slide in the box interior portion, thereby pushing and moving the side panel from the closed position to the open position. When the delivery parcel slides off the box through the side panel in the open position, the delivery robot may keep the delivery parcel, thereby achieving autonomous delivery parcel unloading. In a similar (and reverse) manner, the delivery parcel may be autonomously loaded into the box via the side panel.

[0009] In an additional aspect, the vehicle may include a box gripper that may be configured to engage with the box to enable autonomous box loading / unloading. In this case, the box gripper may include a gripping device, such as a cleat or hook, and each box may include a corresponding box receiver or cavity that can be engaged or locked with the gripping device. The box gripper may also be configured to move in a 3-dimensional space within the interior portion of the vehicle. In an exemplary aspect, when it may be necessary to unload a box from the vehicle, the plurality of first motorized modules may move the box to the vicinity of the box gripper. The box gripper may engage the gripping device with the box receiver to secure the box with the box gripper. The box gripper may then move the box to the vicinity of the vehicle cargo compartment, thereby enabling autonomous box unloading. In a similar (and reverse) manner, the box gripper may enable autonomous loading of boxes into the vehicle.

[0010] The present disclosure discloses a vehicle that enables autonomous loading / unloading of boxes into / from the vehicle. Since the vehicle autonomously loads and unloads boxes, minimal or no human intervention is required, thereby saving resources and eliminating human error. In addition, the vehicle does not require external hardware to achieve autonomous box loading and unloading.

[0011] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Detailed description is set forth 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 shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular terms and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0013] Figure 1 Depicted are exemplary delivery vehicles in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0014] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Depicted is a top view of an exemplary vehicle lift and multiple boxes according to the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 Depicted is a top view of another exemplary vehicle lift according to the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 4 Depicted is a top view of an exemplary vehicle lift and a plurality of motorized vehicle modules according to the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Depicted are views of an exemplary first system for unloading bins according to the present disclosure.

[0018] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Depicted are views of an exemplary second system for unloading bins according to the present disclosure.

[0019] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B Depicted is a diagram of an exemplary third system for unloading bins according to the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 8 An exemplary case gripping system according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0021] 9A to 9C Describes the present disclosure Figure 8 A view of the use of a box handling system.

[0022] Fig.10 A flow chart is depicted of an exemplary method for facilitating box movement within an interior portion of a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0024] Figure 1 An exemplary delivery vehicle 100 (or vehicle 100) is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. The vehicle 100 may be a truck, a van (including a walk-in van), a truck trailer, etc. In some aspects, the vehicle 100 may be an autonomous vehicle. In other aspects, a driver (not shown) may operate the vehicle 100. In addition, the vehicle 100 may include any powertrain, such as, for example, a gasoline engine, one or more electrically actuated motors, a hybrid powertrain, etc.

[0025] The vehicle 100 may include one or more layers or arrays of a plurality of motorized modules 102 disposed within an interior portion of the vehicle. Figure 1 In the exemplary aspect depicted in FIG. 1 , the vehicle 100 includes three arrays or layers (upper layer “A”, middle layer “B”, and lower layer “C”) of a plurality of motorized modules 102 disposed one above the other in an interior portion of the vehicle. The present disclosure is not limited to Figure 1 Aspects of the vehicle 100 shown have three levels of motorized modules. The vehicle 100 may include more or less than three levels without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0026] In an exemplary aspect, each motorized module 102 may be rectangular or square in shape (eg, Figure 1 102a to 102d. Each edge 102a to 102d may include one or more doors 104 that may be configured to move / slide along the length of the corresponding edge 102a to 102d. Each motorized module 102 may also include a first set of wheels 106 that may be configured to rotate in one direction (e.g., a first direction) and a second set of wheels 108 that may be configured to rotate in another direction (e.g., a second direction). In some aspects, the first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction. In addition, in an exemplary aspect, the rotational speed of each wheel in the wheel set 106 may be the same, and the rotational speed of each wheel in the wheel set 108 may be the same.

[0027] Each motorized module 102 may be configured to hold / store a box 110, and / or to move the box 110 from one location in the interior portion of the vehicle to another location by using the wheels 106 or 108 based on a command signal obtained from the vehicle processor 112 (or processor 112). Specifically, in response to receiving a command signal from the processor 112, a set of wheels from the first set of wheels 106 and the second set of wheels 108 may rotate at a preset wheel speed, and the doors 104 on the corresponding edges 102a to 102d may "slide away" from each other to be positioned at the corners of the motorized module 102. In this arrangement, when a box (e.g., box 110) is placed on the motorized module 102 or in contact with the moving wheels 106 or 108, the box 110 may be moved on the motorized module 102. For example, if the second wheel 108 rotates in a clockwise direction and the box 110 is in contact with the rotating second wheel 108, the box 110 may slide or move from edge 102a toward edge 102c. In this manner, the motorized module 102 may effectuate movement of the bin on the motorized module 102 in response to receiving a command signal from the processor 112 .

[0028] In further aspects, in response to receiving another command signal from the processor 112, the motorized module 102 can stop wheel movement (e.g., stop the second wheel movement) and slide the doors 104 on the respective edges 102a-102d toward each other. In this arrangement, the box 110 can be stored or secured on the motorized module 102. In some aspects, in this arrangement, the doors 104 can slide toward each other to prevent the box from sliding off the motorized module 102. This arrangement can be used when it may be necessary to transport or securely hold the box 110 in the vehicle 100.

[0029] In some aspects, multiple motorized modules 102 can be configured to move and / or secure boxes of different sizes, such as small-sized boxes, medium-sized boxes, and large-sized boxes. In an exemplary aspect, each layer of motorized modules 102 in vehicle 100 can be configured to move and / or secure boxes of different sizes. For example, the upper layer "A" of motorized modules can be configured to move / store small-sized boxes, the middle layer "B" of motorized modules can be configured to move / store medium-sized boxes, and the lower layer "C" of motorized modules can be configured to move / store large-sized boxes, etc.

[0030] In some aspects, each box 110 can be configured to accommodate one or more packages 114. In an exemplary aspect, the location of each box in the vehicle 100 and the allocation of each package in each box can be optimally pre-planned or preset so that unloading each package from the vehicle 100 can be convenient (e.g., when the vehicle 100 arrives at the package delivery location). In some aspects, information associated with the allocation of each package in each box and the location of each box in the vehicle 100 can be received by the vehicle transceiver 116 (or transceivers 116) from a server (not shown) via one or more networks.

[0031] The network may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.

[0032] In an exemplary aspect, the above-mentioned server may be associated with an e-commerce company or a delivery partner that can remotely monitor and / or control the movement of multiple vehicles operating as part of a vehicle fleet (including the vehicle 100), the loading / unloading operations of each vehicle in a warehouse or during transportation, etc. The server may transmit the above-mentioned information to the transceiver 116 at a predefined frequency during the transportation of the vehicle on the delivery route or when the vehicle 100 begins the delivery route from the warehouse. In response to receiving the information from the server, the transceiver 116 may send the information to the vehicle memory 118 (or memory 118) for storage purposes.

[0033] The processor 112 may be configured to obtain information from the memory 118 during transportation on the delivery route and transmit command signals (as described above) to activate movement of one or more motorized modules 102 based on the obtained information to control box movement in the interior portion of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle 100 arrives at a delivery location associated with a particular package, the processor 112 may activate one or more motorized modules 102 to enable the box containing the particular package to move from its storage location in the vehicle 100 (as determined by using the information obtained from the server) to a package pickup zone / area in the vehicle 100, from which a vehicle operator or drone may pick up the package for last mile delivery.

[0034] The processor 112 as described above may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (eg, memory 118 and / or Figure 1 The processor 112 may utilize the memory 118 to store programs in code and / or store data to perform various aspects of the present disclosure. The memory 118 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores delivery package management program code or instructions. The memory 118 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0035] While the above description describes aspects of processor 112 controlling box movement within vehicle 100 by activating one or more motorized modules 102 , in some aspects, activation of motorized modules 102 and box movement may be controlled remotely by a server.

[0036] In another aspect, the processor 112 can be configured to implement and control the loading / unloading of the box to / from the vehicle 100 (specifically, to / from the plurality of motorized modules 102) based on the information obtained from the server. Specifically, the vehicle 100 can further include a vehicle lift 120 (lift 120) that enables the loading and unloading of the box to / from the motorized module 102 based on the command signal received from the processor 112.

[0037] The elevator 120 may be configured to move vertically up and down along the height of the vehicle sidewall to load / unload the box 110 to / from the upper level "A", the middle level "B", and / or the lower level "C". In some aspects, the elevator 120 may include one or more elevator modules ( Figure 1 102). The elevator module may be configured to receive boxes to be unloaded from one or more motorized modules 102 and to secure the boxes. In response to the boxes being secured to the elevator module, the elevator 120 may move vertically "downward" to the vicinity of the vehicle cargo bed based on a command signal received from the processor 112. In an exemplary aspect, when the elevator 120 may be in the vicinity of the vehicle cargo bed, the vehicle operator may pick up the boxes (or packages stored in the boxes for last mile delivery). In additional aspects, the elevator module may be configured to unload the boxes to a box holding unit or delivery robot ( Figure 1 not shown).

[0038] In other aspects, the lift 120 may be configured to "tilt" the box when the lift 120 may be near a vehicle bed to enable a box holding unit or vehicle operator to conveniently grab or pick up packages stored in the box for last mile delivery or for storage purposes in a warehouse.

[0039] Combine the following Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structural details of the lift 120 are described in detail. In addition, aspects of tilting the box and enabling the box holding unit to conveniently grab or pick up the parcels stored in the box are described in detail below in conjunction with FIGS. 5 , 6 , and 7 .

[0040] The vehicle 100 and the vehicle operator implement and / or perform operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the vehicle owner's manual and safety guidelines.

[0041] Figure 2A and Figure 2B A top view of a lift 120 and a plurality of boxes according to the present disclosure is depicted. The plurality of boxes may be disposed within a plurality of motorized modules 102 ( Figure 2A and Figure 2B As described above, the plurality of motorized modules 102 may be configured to move and secure a plurality of boxes.

[0042] In some aspects, each box in the plurality of boxes can be square in shape (eg, Figure 2A and Figure 2B) or rectangular. In addition, the plurality of boxes may include boxes of different sizes. For example, the plurality of boxes may include a first box 202 of a first size, a second box 204 of a second size, and a third box 206 of a third size. In an exemplary aspect, the first box 202 may be a small size box, the second box 204 may be a medium size box, and the third box 206 may be a large size box. The first size, the second size, and the third size may be different from each other. In some aspects, the "first size" may indicate the size of the area of ​​the first box base or the edge of the first box base, the "second size" may indicate the area of ​​the second box base or the edge of the second box base, and the "third size" may indicate the area of ​​the third box base or the edge of the third box base. In other aspects, the "first size" may indicate the first box volume, the "second size" may indicate the second box volume, and the "third size" may indicate the third box volume.

[0043] In some aspects, each layer of the motorized module 102 (e.g., Figure 1 The upper layer "A", middle layer "B" and lower layer "C" described above can be configured to hold boxes of different sizes. For example, Figure 2A A top view of a layer (e.g., upper layer "A") to which the first box 202 and the second box 204 may be secured is depicted. Figure 2B A top view of a layer (e.g., lower layer "C") that can hold the second box 204 and the third box 206 is depicted. In other aspects, each layer can be configured to hold boxes of the same size. For example, the upper layer "A" can be configured to hold small-sized boxes, the middle layer "B" can be configured to hold medium-sized boxes, and the lower layer "C" can be configured to hold large-sized boxes, etc.

[0044] The shape of the lift 120 can be rectangular and can include four edges 208a, 208b, 208c, and 208d. Edges 208a and 208c can be parallel to each other and perpendicular to edges 208b and 208d. In addition, edges 208b and 208d can be parallel to each other. In some aspects, edge 208a can be near a vehicle exit door (e.g., a vehicle rear door or side door, not shown), and edge 208c can be near multiple motorized modules 102 or first box 202, second box 204, and third box 206.

[0045] As above combined Figure 1As described, the elevator 120 can include a plurality of elevator modules. The elevator modules can be similar in structure and function to the plurality of motorized modules 102, and can include similar components (e.g., wheels, doors, etc.); however, the elevator modules can have different sizes than the plurality of motorized modules 102. In some aspects, the plurality of elevator modules can include a set of first modules 210a, 210b, 210c, and 210d (collectively referred to as a set of first modules 210) and a second module 212.

[0046] The shape of each first module 210 may be square and may have a fourth dimension. In some aspects, the "fourth dimension" may indicate the area of ​​each first module 210 or the size of each first module edge. In addition, the group of first modules 210 may be arranged in a "square" layout or configuration. Specifically, one edge (e.g., the first edge) of the first module 210a may be arranged to be parallel to and adjacent to one edge (e.g., the first edge) of the first module 210b, another edge (e.g., the second edge perpendicular to the first edge) of the first module 210a may be arranged to be parallel to and adjacent to one edge (e.g., the first edge) of the first module 210c, and so on, so that the group of first modules 210 can be arranged in a square layout. In addition, the first modules 210a and 210c may be arranged near the edge 208a, and the first modules 210b and 210d may be arranged near the edge 208c.

[0047] The shape of the second module 212 can be rectangular and can have four edges 212a, 212b, 212c and 212d. Edge 212a can be set to be parallel to and adjacent to edge 208a, edge 212b can be set to be parallel to and adjacent to edge 208b, edge 212c can be set to be parallel to and adjacent to edge 208c, and edge 212d can be set to be parallel to and adjacent to edge 208d. Edges 212a and 212c can have the same length, and edges 212b and 212d can have the same length. In addition, edges 212a and 212c can be shorter than edges 212b and 212d. In some aspects, the second module 212 can have a fifth size. In some aspects, the "fifth size" can indicate the area of ​​the second module 212.

[0048] In an exemplary aspect, the first dimension can be equal to or substantially similar to the fourth dimension (e.g., within a range of 1% to 10% of the fourth dimension). Additionally, the fifth dimension can be different from the fourth dimension. In an exemplary aspect, the fifth dimension can be twice the fourth dimension or substantially equal to twice the fourth dimension (e.g., within a range of 1% to 10% of twice the fourth dimension).

[0049] Since the first dimension is equal to the fourth dimension, each first module 210 can be configured to receive (via edge 208c) and secure the first box 202 from the plurality of motorized modules 102. An exemplary position of the first box 202 on the first modules 210a, 210c is Figure 2A 208c). Similarly, the second module 212 can be configured to receive the second box 204 from the plurality of motorized modules 102 (via the edge 208c) and secure the second box 204. The exemplary position of the second box 204 on the second module 212 is Figure 2A and Figure 2B In this manner, a single lift (e.g., lift 120) can be configured to receive and secure boxes of different sizes, e.g., a first box 202 of small size and a second box 204 of medium size, such as Figure 2A shown.

[0050] In some aspects, the set of first modules 210 can be collectively configured to receive the third box 206 from the plurality of motorized modules 102 (via the edge 208c) and secure the third box 206, such as Figure 2B The exemplary position of the third box 206 on the set of first modules 210 is Figure 2B 206 is shown as position "L4". In an exemplary aspect, in order to enable the third box 206 to be moved and securely placed on the set of first modules 210, the third box 206 may include a longitudinal slot 214 disposed at the bottom portion of the third box. The longitudinal slot 214 may be disposed along the entire length of the third box base, and may enable the third box 206 to pass over a door 216 disposed at the intersection of the set of first modules 210 when the third box 206 is moved (e.g., Figure 2B as shown) or securely placed on the set of first modules 210.

[0051] In this manner, a single lift (e.g., lift 120) can be configured to receive and secure small size boxes, medium size boxes, and large size boxes, as described above and as described above. Figure 2A and 2B shown.

[0052] In operation, processor 112 (which may be communicatively coupled to plurality of motorized modules 102 and lift 120) may obtain a first trigger signal via transceiver 116. In some aspects, processor 112 may be coupled from above Figure 1The server described, a user device that may be associated with the vehicle operator, or a vehicle information system (not shown) obtains a first trigger signal. The first trigger signal may indicate to the processor 112 that the vehicle 100 may have arrived at a package delivery location or warehouse and that a box (e.g., box 110) may need to be unloaded from the vehicle 100.

[0053] In response to obtaining the first trigger signal, the processor 112 may obtain information associated with the box 110 that may be stored in the memory 118, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 As described. The processor 112 may determine the location of the box in the vehicle 100 (specifically, the location on the plurality of motorized modules 102) based on the acquired information. In response to determining the location of the box, the processor 112 may transmit a command signal to the plurality of motorized modules 102 to cause the box to move and enable the box 110 to move to the elevator 120. Specifically, if the box 110 is the first box 202, the processor 112 may move the box from the plurality of motorized modules 102 to the first module 210b or 210d. The processor 112 may then send another command signal to the elevator 120 to move the box from the first module 210b or 210d to the first module 210a or 210c. In response to the box 110 arriving at the first module 210a or 210c, the vehicle operator or drone may pick up the box 110 (or a delivery package set in the box) for unloading or last mile delivery. In some aspects, if the elevator 120 is set near the upper level "A" or the middle level "B" when the box 110 arrives at the first module 210a or 210c, the processor 112 can also move the elevator 120 "downward" toward the lower level "C" or the vehicle cargo box so that the vehicle operator can easily pick up the box 110.

[0054] In some aspects, if bin 110 is third bin 206, processor 112 may move the bin from plurality of motorized modules 102 to group of first modules 210. In response to bin 110 arriving at group of first modules 210, a vehicle operator or drone may pick up bin 110, as described above.

[0055] On the other hand, if the box 110 is the second box 204, the processor 112 may move the box from the plurality of motorized modules 102 via the edge 212c to the second module 212. In response to the box 110 reaching the second module 212, the processor 112 may send another command signal to the elevator 120 to move the box on the second module 212 and cause the box 110 to reach the position "L3". When the box 110 reaches the position "L3", the vehicle operator or drone may pick up the box 110 from the elevator 120, as described above.

[0056] Figure 3A top view of another exemplary vehicle lift 300 (or lift 300) according to the present disclosure is depicted. Lift 300 may be configured to load / unload small-sized boxes and large-sized boxes. Lift 300 may be similar to lift 120 and may be disposed in an interior portion of a vehicle; however, a lift module included in lift 300 may be different from a lift module included in lift 120 described above.

[0057] In some aspects, the elevator modules included in the elevator 300 may include a first module 302 and one or more second modules 304. The shape of the first module 302 can be similar to the second module 212; however, in some aspects, the length of the first module 302 can be less than the length of the second module 212. The first module 302 can be configured to move and secure the first box 202 (i.e., a small size box) in a manner similar to that described above. An exemplary position of the first box 202 on the first module 302 is shown as position "L4" in FIG.

[0058] In other aspects (not shown), the length of the first module 302 can be equal to the length of the second module 212. In this case, the first module 302 can be configured to move and secure the second box 204 (ie, a medium-sized box, not shown).

[0059] The second module 304 may be a square module, and the size of each second module edge may be equal to the length of the first module 302. The second module size (e.g., size and area) may be equal to the large box size (e.g., the size and area of ​​the box base of the large size box), and the second module 304 may be configured to move and fix the large size box 306 (or the second box 306). An exemplary position of the second box 306 on the second module 304 is shown as position "L5" in FIG. In an exemplary aspect, the second box 306 may not include the longitudinal slot 214 described above in conjunction with FIG. 2. Because the second box 306 may not need to be moved and fixed to the set of first modules 210 including the door 216. In contrast, since the elevator 300 includes one or more large size modules (e.g., the second module 304), the second box 306 can be conveniently moved and fixed to the second module 304 without the longitudinal slot 214.

[0060] The functions of the first module 302 and the second module 304 are similar to the functions of the set of first modules 210 and second modules 212 and are therefore not described here for the sake of simplicity and conciseness.

[0061] Figure 4 A top view of a lift 120 and a plurality of motorized vehicle modules 402 (or modules 402) according to the present disclosure is depicted. Modules 402 may be functionally similar to the above combined Figure 1A plurality of motorized modules 102 are depicted; however, modules 402 may have dimensions that differ from dimensions associated with motorized modules 102 .

[0062] In some aspects, each module 402 can be configured to move and secure a large size box, such as the third box 306 (which includes the longitudinal slot 214). Each module 402 can be square, such as Figure 4 As shown, the size of each edge of the module 402 can be equal to the size of each edge of the base of the third box 306. Figure 4 As shown, when the third box 306 may be movable or fixed to the module 402, the module 402 may not include any doors or wheels at the portion 404 where the longitudinal slot 214 may be located.

[0063] The movement of the box on the module 402 and / or the elevator 120 is similar to the above combined Figure 1 The process of box movement described in Figure 2 and therefore will not be described here for the sake of simplicity and conciseness.

[0064] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Depicted is a view (eg, side view) of an exemplary first system for unloading a bin 502 according to the present disclosure. Figure 5A and Figure 5B Specifically depicted is a system for autonomously unloading a box 502 from a vehicle 100 when the box 502 may be secured to one or more elevator modules associated with an elevator 120 and the elevator 120 may be positioned proximate to a vehicle bed 504 .

[0065] The box 502 can be the same as the first box 202, the second box 204, or the third box 206 described above. In some aspects, the box 502 can be a hollow cube or a cuboid, and can include a base 506, side walls 508, and a side panel 510 disposed in any one of the box side walls. In an exemplary aspect, the bottom edge of the side panel can be pivotally attached to the edge of the base 506 via a pivot attachment mechanism 512. The pivot attachment mechanism 512 can be a spring or any other similar pivot attachment mechanism that can enable the side panel 510 to rotate axially relative to the base 506. In some aspects, the pivot attachment mechanism 512 can enable the side panel 510 to move between a closed position and an open position. The side panel 510 in the closed position is in the closed position. Figure 5A , and the side panel 510 in the open position is shown in Figure 5B Shown in.

[0066] In some aspects, the sidewalls 507 and side panels 510 can partially define an enclosure within the box interior in which delivery packages 514 can be stored / secured. The side panels 510 can enable automated unloading (and loading) of delivery packages 514 from (to) the box 502, as described below.

[0067] In some aspects, when the box 502 may be disposed on the lift 120 (or lift module) and the lift 120 may be disposed proximate to the vehicle bed 504, the lift 120 may be configured to move or tilt (or "tip") the box 502 from a first position to a second position. In an exemplary aspect, when the box 502 may be in the first position, the base 506 may be coplanar with the vehicle bed 504. On the other hand, when the box 502 may be in the second position, the base 506 may not be coplanar with the vehicle bed 504. In other words, the plane of the base 506 may be disposed parallel to the vehicle bed 504 when the box 502 may be in the first position, and may be disposed at a predefined non-zero angle relative to the vehicle bed 504 when the box 502 may be in the second position. Figure 5A An exemplary box first position is depicted in Figure 5B An exemplary box second position is depicted in .

[0068] In some aspects, when the box 502 moves from the first position to the second position, the delivery package 514 can slide in the enclosure, and the weight associated with the delivery package 514 and the side panel 510 can overcome the spring force of the pivot attachment mechanism 512 to automatically move the side panel 510 from the closed position to the open position. When the side panel 510 moves to the open position, the delivery package 514 can slide out of the enclosure through the side panel 510 and can be secured or picked up by the package holding unit 516, which can be disposed near the lift 120 or the vehicle bed 504, such as Figure 5B In an exemplary aspect, the package holding unit 516 can be a delivery or warehouse robot that can be configured to move the delivery package 514 to a package storage area in the warehouse when the delivery package 514 can be secured on the package holding unit 516.

[0069] In operation, the processor 112 may obtain a second trigger signal via the transceiver 116 to implement autonomous box unloading. In some aspects, the processor 112 may be combined with the above Figure 1The second trigger signal is obtained by the processor 112 from a server described above, a user device associated with a vehicle operator, a vehicle information system, one or more vehicle proximity and / or weight sensors, a vehicle camera, and / or one or more sensors disposed in a warehouse where the vehicle 100 may be unloading a package (e.g., delivering the package 514). In some aspects, the processor 112 may obtain the second trigger signal when the box 502 may be fixed to the elevator module and the elevator 120 may be disposed near the vehicle cargo box 504. In other aspects, the processor 112 may obtain the second trigger signal when the package holding unit 516 may be disposed near the elevator 120 or the vehicle cargo box 504.

[0070] In response to obtaining the second trigger signal, the processor 112 can cause the lift 120 to move the box 502 from the first position to the second position, thereby enabling the delivery package 514 to slide in the enclosure and causing the side panel 510 to move from the closed position to the open position. When the delivery package 514 slides out of the enclosure, the package holding unit 516 can secure or pick up the delivery package 514, as described above. In this way, the vehicle 100 achieves autonomous box unloading.

[0071] The box loading process can be similar (and reverse) to the above unloading process. Specifically, the elevator 120 can move (or tilt) the box 502 to the second position during the loading process, and the package holding unit 516 can push or drop the delivery package into the enclosure, thereby achieving autonomous box loading.

[0072] Although the above description describes the aspect that the lift 120 moves the box 502 from the first position to the second position, the present disclosure is not limited to the described aspect. In some aspects, the vehicle 100 can include any other movement / actuation mechanism that can enable the box 502 to move between the first position and the second position.

[0073] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B A view (eg, side view) of an exemplary second system for unloading bin 602 according to the present disclosure is depicted. Bin 602 may be identical to bin 502. Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Specifically described is a system for box unloading / loading in which the elevator 120 may not be configured to move or tilt the box 602 from a first position to a second position.

[0074] In this case, the lift 120 may include a robotic arm 606 that may engage with a box side panel 604 (same as the side panel 510) when the box 602 may be positioned on the lift 120 and near the vehicle bed 504 and may need to be unloaded, such as Fig. 6AIn response to engaging the box side panel 604, the mechanical arm 606 can "pull" the box side panel 604 to overcome the spring force of the box pivot attachment mechanism 608 (same as the pivot attachment mechanism 512) to move the box side panel 604 to the open position / state, as shown. Figure 6B shown.

[0075] When the box side panel 604 can be set to be substantially parallel to the vehicle cargo box 504 (or when the box side panel 604 can be fully opened), the mechanical fork 610 can slide under the delivery package 514 to lift and pull the delivery package 514 toward the package holding unit 516, thereby achieving autonomous unloading of the box from the vehicle 100 and loading of the box into the package holding unit 516.

[0076] The process of loading the box into the vehicle 100 can be similar to the unloading process described above (and reversed). Specifically, in this case, the mechanical arm 606 can open the box side panel 604, and the mechanical fork 610 can push the package to be loaded into the box 602 via the opened box side panel 604.

[0077] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B A view (eg, a side view) of an exemplary third system for unloading a bin 702 according to the present disclosure is depicted. The bin 702 may be similar to the bin 502; however, the bin 702 may not include the side panels 510. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B In the system depicted in FIG. 1 , the lift 120 may be configured to move the box 702 from a first position (eg, Fig. 7A ) to a second position (as shown) Figure 7B shown).

[0078] In this case, the package holding unit 516 may include a suction mechanism 704 that can pick up the delivery package 514 from the box enclosure when the box 702 is in the second position. Figure 7B As shown, to unload the tank 702 from the tank 702 / vehicle 100 .

[0079] The process of loading the box into the vehicle 100 can be similar to the unloading process described above (and reverse). Specifically, in this case, when the box 702 can be in the second position, the suction mechanism 704 can place the package to be loaded into the box 702.

[0080] Figure 8 An example box grasping system 800 (or system 800) is depicted in accordance with the present disclosure. Figure 8 , references to the view that describes the system usage Fig.9A , Fig. 9B and Fig. 9C .

[0081] The system 800 may be similar to a gantry system and may be disposed in an interior portion of a vehicle. The system 800 may be configured to load / unload boxes 110 to / from an upper level "A", a middle level "B", and a lower level "C" of a motorized module 102. In some aspects, the system 800 may be installed in a vehicle 100 in addition to the lift 120 described above. In other aspects, the vehicle 100 may include the system 800 and may not include the lift 120.

[0082] In an exemplary aspect, system 800 may include a first elongated structure 802 and a second elongated structure 804. The first elongated structure 802 may be connected between the vehicle sidewalls, and the second elongated structure 804 may be connected between the top portion of the vehicle and the vehicle cargo box (e.g., vehicle cargo box 504). In some aspects, the second elongated structure 804 may be configured to move horizontally along the vehicle width "W". In other aspects, the first elongated structure 802 may be configured to move vertically up and down along the vehicle / sidewall height "H". In additional aspects, the first elongated structure 802 and the second elongated structure 804 may be configured to move along the sidewall or vehicle length "L".

[0083] The system 800 may also include a box gripper 806, which may include one or more gripping mechanisms 808. The gripping mechanism 808 may be, for example, a cleat or a hook. The box gripper 806 may be slidably attached to the first elongated structure 802 and the second elongated structure 804, such that the box gripper 806 may slide along the length of the first elongated structure 802 and the second elongated structure 804. The box gripper 806 may be configured to move in a 3-dimensional space (e.g., in an X, Y, or Z direction) in the interior portion of the vehicle via the first elongated structure 802 and the second elongated structure 804. In some aspects, the processor 112 may be communicatively coupled to the box gripper 806 and / or the first elongated structure 802 and the second elongated structure 804, and may be configured to control their movement in the interior portion of the vehicle.

[0084] In an exemplary aspect, one or more side walls of each tank 110 may include one or more receptacles or cavities 902, such as 9A to 9C As shown. The shape of each receiver 902 can correspond to the shape of each gripping mechanism 808, so that the gripping mechanism 808 can be easily inserted into the receiver 902 and the gripping mechanism 808 can be locked / fixed together with the receiver. In some aspects, the receiver 902 can be arranged to be flush with the surface of the box side wall to prevent hooking of adjacent boxes when the box 110 can be moved across multiple modules 102. In addition, all boxes 110 can have receivers of the same shape and size. In addition, each receiver 902 can be narrow enough to fit the smallest size box and large enough to provide stability when lifting the largest size box by using the box gripper 806.

[0085] In operation, when it may be necessary to unload the box 110 from the vehicle 100, the processor 112 may cause the plurality of motorized modules 102 to move the box 110 to the vicinity of the box gripper 806, such as Fig.9A In response to the box 110 being in the vicinity of the box 110, the processor 112 may transmit a command signal to the box gripper 806 to position the gripper mechanism 808 in the vicinity of the receiver 902 and mechanically insert / engage the gripper mechanism 808 into / with the receiver 902, as shown. Fig. 9B The processor 112 may then transmit another command signal to the box grabber 806 to pull the box 110 from the motorized module 102 on which the box 110 may be placed, as shown. Fig. 9C In this case, the wheels 106 , 108 associated with the motorized module 102 may move and the doors 104 may “slide” away from each other to enable the bin grabber 806 to pull the bin 110 from the motorized module 102 .

[0086] In response to pulling the box 110 from the motorized module 102, the processor 112 may transmit another command signal to the box gripper 806 to move the box gripper 806 (with the box 110 engaged with the gripping mechanism 808) proximate to the vehicle bed 504. When the box gripper 806 may be disposed proximate to the vehicle bed 504, the box gripper 806 may disengage the gripping mechanism 808 from the receiver 902. Thereafter, the vehicle operator, drone, or package holding unit 516 may pick up the box 110 for the vehicle bed 504.

[0087] The box loading process using the box gripper 806 can be similar to (and reverse of) the unloading process described above. Specifically, the box to be loaded is first placed on the vehicle bed 504. The box gripper 806 can then engage the gripping mechanism 808 with the receiver 902 to lift the box from the vehicle bed 504. In response to lifting the box, the box gripper 806 can move the box to a motorized module that can be near the destination motorized module of the box. When the box can be near or on the motorized module, the box gripper 806 can disengage the gripping mechanism 808 from the receiver 902 so that the box can be loaded into the vehicle 100.

[0088] Those of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate from the above description that the box gripper 806 can be configured to load and unload boxes of different sizes to / from the vehicle 100 without the need for the lift 120 .

[0089] Fig.10 A flow chart depicts an exemplary method 1000 for facilitating box movement in an interior portion of a vehicle according to the present disclosure. Fig.10The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0090] The method 1000 begins at step 1002. At step 1004, the method 1000 may include obtaining a first trigger signal by the processor 112. The processor 112 may obtain the trigger signal when the vehicle 100 may have arrived at a package delivery location or warehouse and a box (e.g., box 110) may need to be unloaded from the vehicle 100.

[0091] At step 1006, method 1000 may include, in response to obtaining the first trigger signal, transmitting, by processor 112, a command signal to one or more of the plurality of motorized modules 102 to cause the box to move and enable the box 110 to move to elevator 120 (e.g., to one of the above-mentioned elevator modules), as described above in conjunction with FIG. 2 .

[0092] Method 1000 ends at step 1008 .

[0093] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific embodiments in which the present disclosure can be practiced. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "one embodiment", "embodiment", "exemplary embodiment" and the like in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when features, structures or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0094] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0095] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the specific example described.

[0096] Computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0097] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0098] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and change.

[0099] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary in this article, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless the claims state an explicit limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the indicated elements. Unless otherwise specifically stated or understood in other ways within the context when used, conditional language such as, in particular, "can", "may", "can" or "may" is generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element and / or step in any way.

[0100] According to the present invention, a method for facilitating movement of a box in an interior portion of a vehicle includes: obtaining a trigger signal by a processor; and in response to obtaining the trigger signal, transmitting by the processor at least one of the following: transmitting a first command signal to a plurality of first motorized modules in the interior portion of the vehicle to move a first box of a first size to a third motorized module in a group of third motorized modules of a vehicle lift; and transmitting a second command signal to the plurality of first motorized modules to move a second box of a second size to a second motorized module of the vehicle lift, wherein: the first box and the second box are arranged on the plurality of first motorized modules and the second motorized module has a third size, and each third motorized module in the group of third motorized modules has a fourth size.

[0101] In one aspect of the invention, the first size is different from the second size, and wherein the fourth size is different from the third size.

[0102] In one aspect of the invention, said fourth dimension is equal to said first dimension.

[0103] In one aspect of the present invention, the plurality of first motorized modules are further configured to secure a third box of a fifth size, wherein the fifth size is greater than the first size, and wherein the set of third motorized modules is configured to receive the third box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the third box.

[0104] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon is provided, wherein when executed by a processor, the instructions cause the processor to: obtain a trigger signal; and in response to obtaining the trigger signal, perform at least one of the following: transmit a first command signal to a plurality of first motorized modules in an interior portion of a vehicle to move a first box of a first size to a third motorized module in a group of third motorized modules of a vehicle lift; and transmit a second command signal to the plurality of first motorized modules to move a second box of a second size to a second motorized module of the vehicle lift, wherein: the first box and the second box are disposed on the plurality of first motorized modules and the second motorized module has a third size, and each third motorized module in the group of third motorized modules has a fourth size.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a plurality of first motorized modules disposed in an interior portion of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of first motorized modules are configured to move and secure a first box of a first size and a second box of a second size; as well as A vehicle lift, comprising: a second motorized module configured to receive the second box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the second box, wherein the second motorized module has a third size; and A set of third motorized modules, wherein each third motorized module is configured to receive the first box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the first box, and wherein each third motorized module has a fourth size. 2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first dimension is different from the second dimension, and wherein the fourth dimension is different from the third dimension. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the fourth dimension is equal to the first dimension.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first motorized modules are further configured to secure a third box of a fifth size.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the fifth dimension is greater than the first dimension, and wherein the set of third motorized modules is configured to receive the third box from the plurality of first motorized modules and secure the third box.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of first motorized modules and the vehicle lift, wherein the processor is configured to: obtaining a first trigger signal; and In response to obtaining the first trigger signal, at least one of the following is performed: transmitting a first command signal to the plurality of first motorized modules to cause the first bin to move to a third motorized module in the set of third motorized modules; and A second command signal is transmitted to the plurality of first motorized modules to cause the second bin to move to the second motorized module.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first box is configured to store a delivery package, wherein the first box includes a base and a side panel, and wherein the side panel is configured to move between an open position and a closed position.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the vehicle lift is configured to move the first box between a first position and a second position when the first box is secured to the third motorized module, and wherein the base is coplanar with the vehicle bed in the first position and non-coplanar with the vehicle bed in the second position.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtaining a second trigger signal; and The vehicle lift is caused to move the first box from the first position to the second position in response to obtaining the second trigger signal, wherein the side panel moves from the closed position to the open position when the first box moves from the first position to the second position.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processor obtains the second trigger signal when the first box is secured to the third motorized module.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first box further comprises side walls defining an enclosure within the first box interior portion, and wherein the first box is configured to store the delivery package within the enclosure.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein in response to the first box moving from the first position to the second position, the side panel moves from the closed position to the open position as the delivery package slides within the enclosure.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the delivery package is secured in the package retaining unit as the delivery package slides away from the enclosure through the side panel when the side panel moves from the closed position to the open position.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processor obtains the second trigger signal when the package holding unit is disposed in the vicinity of the vehicle lift.

15. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein an edge of the side panel is pivotally connected to an edge of the base to enable the side panel to move between the open position and the closed position.

Images