AGV-UAV Delivery Handoff for Obstacle-Blocked Routes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous ground vehicles face challenges in delivering merchandise due to obstacles such as motor vehicles, people, animals, road construction, and closed gates, necessitating a backup delivery mechanism to ensure timely and successful delivery.
Innovation Solution
The integration of autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can communicate and coordinate to complete deliveries, where the UAV acts as a backup to retrieve and deliver merchandise from the AGV if it encounters an obstacle, using sensors, transceivers, and control circuits to navigate and manage delivery routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous ground vehicles are used for delivery, then delivery automation is improved, but delivery reliability deteriorates due to obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from ground-based delivery to aerial delivery by deploying a drone from the autonomous ground vehicle. This dimensional change allows the delivery system to bypass ground obstacles (vehicles, pedestrians, construction) that prevent the AGV from completing delivery, thereby maintaining high automation while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone acts as an intermediary between the autonomous ground vehicle and the final delivery location. When the AGV encounters obstacles, the drone is deployed to complete the final delivery leg, serving as a mediator that resolves the conflict between automation and reliability.
2Loss of time
If autonomous ground vehicles encounter obstacles, then delivery time increases, but adding backup mechanisms increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The drone is nested within or mounted on the autonomous ground vehicle, creating a compact integrated system. This nesting approach minimizes the space required for the backup mechanism and reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate ground and aerial delivery systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone is pre-positioned on or near the AGV before delivery begins, ready for immediate deployment when obstacles are detected. This preliminary preparation eliminates delays that would occur if the backup mechanism needed to be assembled or activated from scratch, thus reducing delivery time without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to delivering merchandise using autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) in cooperation with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In some embodiments, the system includes: an AGV having a motorized locomotion system, a storage area to hold merchandise, a sensor to detect obstacles, a transceiver, and a control circuit to operate the AGV; a UAV having a motorized flight system, a gripper mechanism to grab merchandise, a transceiver, an optical sensor to capture images; and a control circuit to operate the UAV. In some forms, the system may include a control circuit that instructs movement of the AGV along a delivery route; determines if the AGV has stopped due to an obstacle; and in certain circumstances, instructs the UAV to retrieve merchandise from the AGV, calculates a delivery route for the UAV to the delivery location, and instructs the UAV to deliver the merchandise.