Method for delivering a product, and autonomous vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for delivering a product, wherein the product is transported by means of a first autonomous vehicle (10) to a parking space (12) that is at a predetermined distance from a delivery location (14), wherein a second autonomous vehicle (16), which is transported by the first autonomous vehicle (10) to the parking space (12), transports the product from the parking space (12) to the delivery location (14). In a method in which products can be delivered reliably and efficiently, provision is made for a suitable parking space (12) for the first autonomous vehicle (10) to be determined using swarm data relating to a vehicle fleet.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Method for delivering goods and autonomous vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to a method for delivering goods, wherein the goods are transported by means of a first autonomous vehicle to a parking space located at a predetermined distance from a delivery location, wherein a second autonomous vehicle, which is transported to the parking space by the first autonomous vehicle, transports the goods from the parking space to the delivery location.

[0004] In addition, the invention relates to an autonomous vehicle, with a device for holding a second autonomous vehicle and with at least one lighting system.

[0005] Autonomous drones or delivery robots can significantly shorten delivery times and improve customer convenience in freight transport. This could become increasingly important in the future, especially for food, medicines, relief supplies, and perishable goods.

[0006] DE 102022 112 121 A1 is generally directed to generating route information interpretable by a delivery robot to complete a final mile of a delivery. In one exemplary embodiment, a person records a video clip while moving along a route to be used by the delivery robot according to the person's preferences. The video clip is converted into a digital route map that the delivery robot uses to reach a package drop-off location on the property. In another exemplary embodiment, a person records a picture of a portion of the property and adds verbal instructions for reaching the package drop-off location. The picture and verbal instructions are converted into a digital route map for use by the delivery robot.In yet another exemplary embodiment, markers attached to a surface of a drivable area on the property are used by the delivery robot to reach the package drop-off location.

[0007] US 2021 / 0 174 301 A1 describes the procedure for delivering goods via drone in an apartment building with balconies on multiple levels. US 11 495 135 B2 describes a procedure for the collaborative joint movement of a drone and a vehicle.

[0008] DE 102016 010690 A1 relates to a vehicle, a system comprising such a vehicle, and a method for operating an autonomously free-flying drone in a system. The proposed vehicle comprises: a platform arranged on the roof of the vehicle for landing / taking off an autonomously free-flying drone, wherein the drone is configured and designed to pick up / drop off and transport an object; a first device that determines a current position of the platform and / or the vehicle; and a communication means for directly or indirectly transmitting data from the vehicle to the drone. The communication means transmits at least the current position of the platform / vehicle to the drone.

[0009] The invention is based on the object of specifying a method for delivering goods and an autonomous vehicle in which the delivery of goods can be carried out safely and efficiently.

[0010] This object is initially achieved in the present invention by the features of patent claim 1 in that a suitable parking space for the first autonomous vehicle is determined using swarm data of a vehicle fleet.

[0011] This invention assumes that an autonomous vehicle transports a product and an autonomous drone or an autonomous delivery robot to a parking space near a delivery location, for example, a balcony. From this parking space, the drone or delivery robot can bring the product to the delivery location and then return to an autonomous vehicle.

[0012] In this invention, the parking space for the autonomous vehicle is to be determined based on swarm data from a vehicle fleet. Swarm data from an autonomous vehicle fleet, determined in advance, is to be used to link potential delivery locations with potential parking spaces for autonomous vehicles, so that the safest and / or fastest possible delivery can be carried out from these parking spaces via a drone or a delivery robot on the last mile. Of course, these parking spaces are to be selected so that they can be used at least temporarily in accordance with traffic regulations. Further preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the remaining features mentioned in the subclaims.

[0013] In a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, the parking space is selected such that the largest possible portion of the route between the parking space and the delivery location is visible from the first autonomous vehicle. Ideally, these parking spaces are selected so that they provide the first autonomous vehicle with the best possible view of the potential delivery locations and / or the first autonomous vehicle can see the largest possible sections of the delivery route that still have to be covered by the second autonomous vehicle in the form of a drone or delivery robot. For example, possible parking spaces with regard to possible delivery locations can already have been determined in advance by an autonomous vehicle fleet in such a way that vehicles from different locations have determined the extent to which they have a view of the surroundings of potential delivery locations from there.For example, it may have been determined that an autonomous vehicle B can continuously track the delivery from a specific parking space B via a drone B or a delivery robot by means of a camera system through visual contact with the planned delivery location B (for example, a balcony).

[0014] In other words, autonomous vehicles in a vehicle fleet can use their vehicle environment sensors, in particular vehicle cameras for environment recognition, to classify and / or evaluate potential parking spaces for potential delivery locations with regard to the extent to which the vehicles have a view of potential delivery locations and / or at least sections for flight paths or routes of the drones or delivery robots.

[0015] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that consideration is given to changes in current conditions at planned parking spaces and / or delivery locations, and that an alternative parking space and / or delivery location is determined. For example, using current swarm data from an autonomous vehicle fleet, a timely response can be made if changes in current conditions at planned delivery locations, where goods are to be delivered by drones or delivery robots, have occurred. For example, early detection is possible that renovation work is currently taking place at the planned delivery location, and that, for example, scaffolding has been erected in front of a balcony as a delivery location, making the delivery location currently inaccessible by drone.This allows a "last-mile delivery" strategy to be adjusted early on for a planned delivery location, and a customer can be informed of this in advance. If necessary, a different delivery location, delivery method, or delivery time can be agreed upon with the customer. In addition to data on accessibility to delivery locations, the vehicles of an autonomous vehicle fleet can also provide data on general and / or current visibility conditions, ground conditions for drones (for takeoff or landing) and / or delivery robots at the delivery locations. This can be provided for different times of day, days of the week, seasons, under different weather conditions (such as wind conditions), or solar positions.

[0016] This means that, in advance of the start of delivery of goods, the delivery method can be changed from, for example, drone delivery to delivery via delivery robot, depending on the local conditions at the delivery location, and the customer can be informed in a timely manner. This means that, if necessary, a different vehicle can be used for delivery that allows delivery via a delivery robot.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the parking space is selected in such a way that a targeted illumination of a section of the route from the parking space to the delivery location is enabled by a lighting system of the first autonomous vehicle. In this way, for a last-mile delivery via a drone or delivery robot, a parking space of the associated autonomous vehicle can be selected in such a way that (additional) targeted illumination of as large a section as possible of the planned flight path of the drone or the route of the delivery robot and / or the delivery location can be achieved by the vehicle's lighting systems (e.g., a headlight system).For example, the parking space can also be selected so that at least as large a section as possible of the take-off and landing areas of a drone near the autonomous vehicle and / or the delivery location can be illuminated.

[0018] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the first autonomous vehicle optically marks the delivery location. Thus, from suitable identified parking locations, the vehicle's lighting system can create light markings (e.g., using a laser) at delivery locations (e.g., on a balcony) using, for example, light points, light symbols, or light patterns in the visible or invisible infrared light range, in order to make the approach of a drone safer by incorporating a drone camera system and capturing these light markings. For example, if a drone has a large number of balconies in an apartment building, it can be optically marked which balcony it should fly to for delivering goods. This ensures that it does not fly to the wrong balcony.However, optical markers can also be placed at suitable prominent locations along the flight path or route so that a drone or delivery robot can perform improved positioning along a flight path or route (particularly in poor visibility conditions).

[0019] Furthermore, in a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that potential parking spaces and / or delivery locations are specifically approached by autonomous vehicles of the vehicle fleet in order to collect data about the potential parking space and / or delivery location. Consequently, with regard to potential delivery locations, vehicles of a vehicle fleet are specifically deployed to determine suitable parking spaces in such a way that they specifically approach potential delivery locations or their surroundings in advance in order to collect data in order to create a sufficiently good database using, for example, environmental cameras to determine suitable parking spaces. In this way, potentially suitable parking spaces for delivery locations can be determined by autonomous vehicles of a vehicle fleet so that drone or delivery robot deliveries can be carried out as safely as possible.If necessary, route changes can be made for autonomous vehicles in a fleet in order to capture current images and further data from potential delivery locations and their surroundings in order to identify suitable parking spaces. This data is sent to a backend for further analysis. The delivery location images can be evaluated on the backend, and preferred delivery methods can be adjusted if necessary. For example, it can be determined (for example, through data analysis with artificial intelligence) whether a delivery of goods to a specific location (e.g., a balcony) can currently be carried out by a drone or whether the goods must be transported by another method (e.g., via a delivery robot).However, it may also be determined that a special drone that meets specific requirements (e.g., specific flight characteristics) is required and can fly around certain obstacles with the goods on the delivery route. Likewise, special delivery robots may be required for a delivery location that can overcome specific obstacles if necessary.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that the first autonomous vehicle travels to several parking spaces during a delivery process. Consequently, an autonomous vehicle will then not use just one parking space for a delivery location during a goods delivery. The autonomous delivery vehicle should then locate a particularly suitable first parking space for the delivery of goods, from which, for example, a drone can take off with the goods particularly safely. The autonomous delivery vehicle can then locate a second parking space where it has a particularly good view of the delivery location and can, for example, illuminate this delivery location particularly well for the drone's approach.It can then go to a third location where the drone (without the goods) can land particularly well on the vehicle or near the vehicle, and then be loaded back into the vehicle (for example with a robot arm on the vehicle).

[0021] Accordingly, in a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, it can be provided that at least two first autonomous vehicles are used. In this case, during a delivery process near the delivery location, in addition to the delivering autonomous vehicle, further vehicles of an autonomous vehicle fleet are integrated. For example, a first autonomous vehicle can bring a drone and the goods to a first parking space from which the drone with the goods can take off particularly well and, if necessary, lighting support can be provided there for a section of the flight path. A second autonomous vehicle in the vehicle fleet is located at a second parking space (or has driven there specifically) and from there has a particularly good view of the delivery location and can, for example, provide particularly good lighting to assist the landing and takeoff of the drone or during the delivery.After delivery, the drone can, if necessary, fly to a third vehicle at a third parking location (which may have been driven there solely for this purpose), where the drone (without the goods) can land particularly well on or near the vehicle and then be loaded into the third vehicle (for example, with a robot arm attached to the vehicle). If necessary, even other vehicles in the fleet can be included, which have particularly good visibility from their respective parking locations (possibly even during a journey) of sections of the drone's flight path (or the route of a delivery robot) during the delivery process.These additional vehicles can also, for example, set light markers for the drone or the delivery robot or detect dangerous objects, which lead to adjustments to the drone's flight path or adjustments to the delivery robot's route in order to increase safety for the drone, the goods and / or other people involved, road users, etc. To this end, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the autonomous vehicles are connected to a central processing unit that determines suitable parking spaces using object recognition methods based on sensor data from the autonomous vehicles. To implement the invention, image processing with object recognition methods, for example with artificial intelligence, can be used. This data processing can, for example, take place on a backend with which vehicles in a vehicle fleet exchange data.

[0022] The aforementioned object is also achieved by an autonomous vehicle, having a device for holding a second autonomous vehicle and having at least one lighting system. It is provided that a method according to the invention can be carried out by the autonomous vehicle. The above statements regarding the method according to the invention also apply accordingly to the autonomous vehicle according to the invention. The autonomous vehicle with its lighting systems can also be characterized in that the light radiation from one or more image generators is split by means of an optical device in such a way that part of the light radiation serves only to generate a symbol and another part of the light radiation serves only to generate a light pattern or a homogeneous surface.The optical device thus enables separate treatment of the light radiation generated by the imager depending on whether a symbol, a light pattern, or a homogeneous surface is being displayed. This makes it easy to accommodate different requirements when generating a symbol, a light pattern, or a homogeneous surface.

[0023] Particularly detailed and clearly visible light markings or light patterns can be created, for example, using matrix LED headlights in a motor vehicle's exterior lighting system. Matrix LED technology is becoming increasingly widespread in motor vehicles today because exterior lighting systems featuring matrix LED headlights are particularly powerful, particularly with regard to adaptive lighting functions. If the corresponding matrix LED headlight has a particularly high number of individual LEDs, a particularly high resolution of the objects projected onto the projection surface by the exterior lighting system is possible for displaying information. With LEDs, the electrical power required to operate the protective device is particularly low, so that fuel consumption is not significantly increased by operating the protective device. Additionally or alternatively, one or more lasers can also be provided as the light source.This allows the luminous power density of the light projection to be adjusted to a particularly high value. Digital imagers with imaging surfaces can also be used if necessary. For example, the digital imager can comprise an LCD display (LCD = Liquid Crystal Display) and / or an LED display (LED = Light Emitting Diode) and / or an OLED display (OELD = Organic Light Emitting Diode) and / or a DMD imager (DMD = Digital Mirror Device). A DMD imager contains a DMD device in the form of an array of a plurality of micromirrors that are moved via an actuator to deflect light radiation in different directions, thereby generating image information.

[0024] Electronic or electrical devices and / or other relevant devices or components according to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be implemented using any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, the various components of these devices may be packaged on an integrated circuit (IC) or on separate IC chips. Furthermore, the various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit board, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board (PCB), or on a single substrate.Furthermore, the various components of these devices may be a process or thread running on one or more processors in one or more computing devices, executing computer program instructions and interacting with other system components to perform the various functions described herein. The computer program instructions are stored in memory, which may be implemented in a computing device using standard memory, such as random access memory (RAM). The computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transferable, computer-readable media, such as a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like.A person of ordinary skill in the art should also recognize that the functionality of various computing devices may be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or that the functionality of a particular computing device may be distributed among one or more other computing devices without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] The various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another, unless otherwise stated in individual cases. The invention is explained below in exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the implementation of an embodiment of a method for delivering goods and

[0027] Figure 2 shows a further schematic representation of an embodiment of a

[0028] Procedure according to Figure 1.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the implementation of a method for delivering goods. The goods are initially transported by a first autonomous vehicle 10 to a parking space 12. Parking space 12 is located at a predetermined distance from a delivery location 14 to which the goods must ultimately be delivered. For this purpose, a second autonomous vehicle 16 is provided, which is transported by the first autonomous vehicle 10 to the parking space 12. The goods are then transported from the parking space 12 to the delivery location 14 by the second autonomous vehicle 16. A suitable parking space 12 is identified using swarm data from a fleet of autonomous vehicles.

[0030] Ideally, these parking spaces 12 are selected so that they provide the first autonomous vehicle 10 or the second autonomous vehicle 16 with the best possible view of the potential delivery locations 14, or so that the first autonomous vehicle 10 and / or the second autonomous vehicle 16 can see the longest possible sections of a route 18 between the parking space 12 and the delivery location 14, i.e., the delivery route, which still have to be covered, for example, by a drone or a delivery robot as the second autonomous vehicle 16. For example, possible parking spaces 12 with respect to possible delivery locations 14 can already have been determined in advance by an autonomous vehicle fleet so that autonomous vehicles 10, 16 from different locations have determined the extent to which they have a view of the surroundings of potential delivery locations 14 from there.In the present exemplary embodiment, it has been determined that a first autonomous vehicle 10 on the right side of the illustration can continuously monitor the delivery from a specific parking space 12 by a second autonomous vehicle 16, in the form of a drone, through visual contact with the planned delivery location 14, in this case a balcony on the second floor of an apartment building, using a camera system. Accordingly, the first autonomous vehicle 10 on the left side of the illustration can also view the delivery location 14 on the first floor of the apartment building.

[0031] It is further provided that the first autonomous vehicles 10 will optically mark the delivery locations 14 using a lighting system 20. The lighting system 20 will provide light markings, for example, using a laser, at the delivery locations 14, such as a balcony in this case. This makes the approach of a drone safer by incorporating a drone camera system and capturing these optical markings 22. For example, if a drone has multiple balconies in an apartment building, it can be optically marked which balcony it should fly to for delivering goods. This ensures that the wrong balcony is not flown to.However, optical markers 22 can also be placed at suitable prominent locations along the flight path or the route, so that a drone or a delivery robot can carry out improved positioning along a flight path or a route, especially in poor visibility conditions.

[0032] The autonomous vehicles 10, 16 are connected to a central processing unit 24, which uses object recognition methods based on sensor data from the autonomous vehicles 10, 16 to determine suitable parking spaces 12. To implement the invention, image processing with object recognition methods, for example, using artificial intelligence, can be used. This data processing can, for example, take place on a backend with which vehicles in a vehicle fleet exchange data.

[0033] Figure 2 illustrates the method according to Figure 1, whereby in this embodiment, the view of the first autonomous vehicle 10 on the right side of the illustration from its parking space 12 to the marked delivery location 14 is severely restricted due to wind. However, the first autonomous vehicle 10 on the left side of the illustration can also see the delivery location 14 relevant for the first autonomous vehicle 10 on the right side of the illustration. By networking the autonomous vehicles 10, 16, the restricted parking space 12 for delivering the goods is also a viable option, which would not be possible without the swarm data of the vehicle fleet. List of reference symbols First autonomous vehicle Parking space Delivery location Second autonomous vehicle Route Lighting system Optical marking Central processing unit

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for delivering goods, wherein the goods are transported by means of a first autonomous vehicle (10) to a parking space (12) which is located at a predetermined distance from a delivery location (14), wherein a second autonomous vehicle (16), which is transported to the parking space (12) by the first autonomous vehicle (10), transports the goods from the parking space (12) to the delivery location (14), characterized in that a suitable parking space (12) for the first autonomous vehicle (10) is determined by means of swarm data of a vehicle fleet.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking space (12) is selected such that a maximum part of the route (18) between the parking space (12) and the delivery location (14) is visible from the first autonomous vehicle (10).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is taken into account if current conditions at planned parking spaces (12) and / or delivery locations (14) have changed and that an alternative parking space (12) and / or delivery location (14) is determined.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the parking space (12) is selected in such a way that a targeted illumination of a section of the route from the parking space (12) to the delivery location (14) is made possible by means of a lighting system (20) of the first autonomous vehicle (10).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first autonomous vehicle (10) optically marks (22) the delivery location (14).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that potential parking spaces (12) and / or delivery locations (14) of autonomous vehicles (10, 16) of the Vehicle fleet can be targeted to collect data about the potential parking space (12) and / or delivery location (14).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that during a delivery process the first autonomous vehicle (10) approaches several parking spaces (12).

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least two first autonomous vehicles (10) are used.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the autonomous vehicles (10, 16) are connected to a central processing unit (24) which determines suitable parking spaces (12) by means of object recognition methods on the basis of sensor data from the autonomous vehicles.

10. Autonomous vehicle, with a device for holding a second autonomous vehicle (16) and with at least one lighting system (20), characterized in that a method according to one of claims 1 to 9 can be carried out by the autonomous vehicle.

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