Drone Delivery Timing Control for In-Vehicle Product Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone delivery systems do not facilitate product delivery to users who are traveling, as they do not account for the vehicle's arrival time and delivery time to determine if the drone can reach the user before the destination is reached.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that determine, based on the vehicle's arrival time and drone delivery time, whether it is possible for the drone to deliver a product to the vehicle before it arrives at the destination, allowing for timely product delivery to traveling users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a drone delivers a product to a user's residence, then the delivery is simple and direct, but the user must be present at the destination to receive the product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic decision-making by comparing the vehicle's arrival time at the destination with the drone's delivery time. The system dynamically adjusts the delivery plan based on real-time timing calculations, allowing the drone to deliver products to moving vehicles rather than static destinations, thereby enhancing adaptability to different delivery scenarios.
2Speed
If the drone delivers the product as quickly as possible, then the delivery speed is maximized, but the product may arrive after the vehicle has reached its destination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary timing calculations before the drone departs. The control device calculates the vehicle's expected arrival time at the destination and compares it with the drone's estimated delivery time. This preliminary action ensures that the drone's delivery path and speed are optimized to arrive at the right moment, preventing the product from arriving after the vehicle has reached its destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring the vehicle's position and comparing it with the drone's delivery progress. Based on this feedback, the drone can adjust its flight path and speed to ensure timely delivery, thereby maintaining both high delivery speed and accurate timing.
3Measurement precision
If the system calculates delivery timing to ensure accurate delivery, then the delivery timing accuracy is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the control device universal by enabling it to handle both traditional static destination deliveries and new dynamic in-vehicle deliveries. The same control device performs timing calculations, path planning, and delivery execution for both scenarios, reducing the need for separate specialized systems and thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device determines, on a basis of (i) an arrival time when a vehicle will arrive at a destination desired by a and (ii) a period of delivery time it takes for a drone to deliver, to the vehicle, a product ordered by the user who is traveling in the vehicle, whether or not it is possible for the drone to deliver the product to the vehicle before the vehicle arrives at the destination.