Autonomous Delivery Vehicle Customer Vehicle Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous delivery and collection methods for shipments require significant control complexity, numerous distribution vehicles, and a vast network of logistics centers, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method where distribution vehicles autonomously approach and interact with customer vehicles to deliver or collect shipments, eliminating the need for direct customer contact, reducing the number of distribution vehicles and logistics centers required, by using customer vehicles as delivery points, and employing autonomous systems to manage opening and closing of vehicle closures for shipment placement and retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If traditional autonomous delivery methods are used with logistics centers, then shipments can be delivered autonomously, but control complexity and the number of distribution vehicles required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces customer vehicles as intermediary delivery points between distribution vehicles and final recipients. Instead of distribution vehicles directly delivering to recipients (requiring high control complexity for location tracking, access coordination, and delivery timing), the system uses customer vehicles as intermediate storage and transfer points, significantly simplifying the control architecture while maintaining autonomous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables customer vehicles to serve themselves as delivery destinations. Customer vehicles autonomously position themselves at designated locations, maintain themselves as ready recipients through their own navigation and positioning systems, and manage their own access for receiving shipments. This self-service capability reduces the burden on distribution vehicles and logistics centers, decreasing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If more distribution vehicles are deployed to reduce control complexity, then delivery flexibility increases, but costs and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Customer vehicles serve multiple functions: they act as mobile delivery destinations, temporary storage units, and distribution nodes. A single customer vehicle can receive multiple shipments over time and serve multiple recipients (through shared access or authorized users). This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high delivery flexibility without proportionally increasing the number of distribution vehicles, as each distribution vehicle can serve many customer vehicles in sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the delivery system by allowing customer vehicles to remain as persistent delivery points over extended periods. Instead of traditional point-to-point deliveries that require immediate completion, the system allows distribution vehicles to deposit shipments at customer vehicles that will be collected later when convenient. This transforms the delivery model from synchronous (requiring coordinated timing between delivery and receipt) to asynchronous, reducing the need for multiple distribution vehicles operating simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If direct customer contact is required for shipment delivery, then delivery accuracy increases, but convenience and speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses automated identification and verification systems in customer vehicles to ensure accurate delivery without requiring customer presence. Customer vehicles are equipped with identification systems (such as vehicle identifiers, onboard sensors, or communication modules) that automatically verify the vehicle's identity and authorization to receive shipments. The delivery accuracy is maintained through these automated verification mechanisms, while customer convenience is improved by eliminating the need for them to be physically present during the delivery process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual customer verification and receipt processes with automated electronic and mechanical systems. Instead of requiring a customer to physically sign for a package or verify its contents in person, the system uses automated delivery confirmation through vehicle-to-vehicle communication, electronic logging, and sealed containment systems. This substitution maintains delivery accuracy through automated tracking and verification while significantly improving convenience by removing the need for direct customer involvement in the delivery moment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for autonomously delivering and/or collecting at least one shipment using at least one distribution vehicle is described, in which a distribution vehicle approaches a customer vehicle at least partially autonomously and at least partially via the public road traffic, in which the distribution vehicle at least partially autonomously causes opening of a closure unit of the customer vehicle, in which, when the closure unit is open, the distribution vehicle at least partially autonomously places a shipment into the customer vehicle and/or at least partially autonomously removes a shipment from the customer vehicle, which, after placing and/or removing the shipment, the distribution vehicle at least partially autonomously causes closing of the closure unit of the customer vehicle.