Autonomous Sample Delivery for In-Home Product Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for selling products either rely on limited catalog or online descriptions or require customers to physically visit stores, which can be inconvenient and expensive, as they do not allow for the tactile experience of products.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing an autonomous vehicle to transport physical product definers to customers' locations, enabling them to inspect and select products by sight or touch, with the vehicle capable of navigating interior spaces inaccessible to conventional vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If physical samples are presented to customers at their location, then product inspection capability is improved, but transportation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle performs the transportation task independently without requiring human drivers or manual intervention. The system self-navigates to deliver physical samples to customers, eliminating the need for salesperson travel while maintaining sample presentation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human-driven vehicles with an autonomous vehicle system that uses sensors, processors, and automated control mechanisms to perform transportation, reducing operational complexity and cost.
2Ease of operation
If customers visit physical stores to inspect products, then product inspection capability is improved, but time and travel expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring customers to travel to the seller's location, the system inverts the approach by bringing the physical samples to the customer's location. This reversal maintains the tactile inspection experience while eliminating customer travel requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle serves as an intermediary that transports physical samples between the seller's location and the customer's location, enabling product inspection without direct customer involvement in the transportation process.
3Ease of operation
If salespeople make in-person calls with samples, then product inspection capability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous vehicle system performs the sample delivery function independently without requiring human salesperson involvement in the transportation process, significantly reducing labor costs while maintaining the ability to provide physical product inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the transportation function from the salesperson's role and assigns it to an autonomous vehicle system. This separation allows salespeople to focus on customer interaction and product demonstration while the autonomous system handles sample delivery.
4Ease of operation
If conventional vehicles are used for sample delivery, then transportation capability is improved, but access to interior spaces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is segmented into two distinct components: a conventional vehicle for long-distance transportation and an autonomous vehicle for final delivery to interior spaces. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve comprehensive delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle is designed with multi-functionality to handle various access scenarios including interior spaces, narrow corridors, and different building environments, making the system adaptable to diverse delivery locations that conventional vehicles cannot reach.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system to present samples of products to customers by transporting the samples to the customer's location with an autonomous vehicle. The sample can be a product, a component of a product, a material or a device to gather information in defining the product. The autonomous vehicle is adapted for off road travel and may enter buildings, it can be carried to a nearby location by a street adapted vehicle. Information may be transmitted electronically but physical presence is essential. The customer or the customer's agent receives a presentation of the product definer and a selection of a final product is made. In other cases the autonomous vehicle delivery separate or installed technical equipment to examine the presentation location and assist in the final product selection. For example, photographs from multiple locations can measure a room for installation of carpets or draperies, etc.