Unmanned Delivery Robot Handoff for Secure In-Building Goods Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing delivery methods, such as using drones or manned delivery workers, face challenges like weight limitations, security concerns, and increased workload for delivery workers, which necessitate a more efficient and secure goods delivery system.
Innovation Solution
A goods delivery system utilizing an unmanned delivery robot, controlled by a server, which autonomously delivers goods within predetermined spaces like large buildings or apartment complexes, reducing the burden on human delivery workers and enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If drones are used for goods delivery, then delivery speed can be improved, but the weight of goods that can be delivered is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an unmanned delivery robot as an intermediary device that operates on the ground level within buildings. This robot receives goods from delivery workers at building entrances and autonomously transports them to destination floors and rooms, thereby enabling drones to deliver to building entrances without being constrained by internal building access limitations, effectively extending the drone's delivery capability while maintaining speed advantages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct drone-to-room delivery mechanical system with a two-stage system: drone delivers to building entrance, then unmanned robot completes the internal transport. This substitution allows the system to overcome the weight limitation of drones for internal building navigation while maintaining the speed benefit of aerial delivery for the initial segment.
2Ease of operation
If delivery workers directly deliver to customer addresses, then delivery service quality can be improved, but security concerns and trespassing accusations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The unmanned delivery robot serves as an intermediary between delivery workers and customers. The robot receives goods from delivery workers at building entrances (public spaces) and autonomously delivers them to customer doors without requiring delivery workers to enter private residential areas. This eliminates trespassing accusations while maintaining delivery service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service delivery where the unmanned robot independently navigates building corridors, elevators, and stairwells to deliver goods to customer locations without human intervention. Customers receive notifications and can collect goods from designated pickup points, reducing the need for direct worker-customer interaction and enhancing security.
3Productivity
If more delivery workers are assigned to handle increased delivery volume, then delivery capacity can be improved, but labor burden and overtime work increase
Solution Approach 1:
The unmanned delivery robot operates autonomously to handle goods transport within buildings, freeing delivery workers from the most time-consuming portion of their work (navigating buildings and delivering to doors). Workers only need to hand off goods at building entrances, significantly reducing their labor burden and allowing the system to handle increased delivery volume without proportionally increasing worker hours or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the delivery process into two stages: workers discard the time-consuming internal building navigation task to the autonomous robot, while retaining control over goods handoff and customer interaction. This division allows workers to recover time for higher-value tasks while the robot handles repetitive transport operations, increasing overall delivery capacity without linearly increasing labor requirements.
4Reliability
If conventional delivery methods are used to maintain security, then customer safety can be ensured, but delivery efficiency and worker burden are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The unmanned delivery robot acts as a secure intermediary that operates within building infrastructure (elevators, corridors, stairwells) without requiring delivery workers to enter private customer spaces. This maintains security by keeping workers in public areas while the robot handles internal transport, thereby preserving customer safety protocols while dramatically improving delivery efficiency within buildings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the manual delivery mechanism (workers navigating buildings) with an autonomous robotic system that operates within building infrastructure. This substitution maintains security protocols by using established building access systems while eliminating the security risks associated with workers entering private residential areas, thereby improving efficiency without compromising safety.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a goods delivery system and method using an unmanned delivery robot. A goods delivery system using an unmanned delivery robot according to various embodiments of the present invention includes an unmanned delivery robot placed within a predetermined space and a server that controls an operation of the unmanned delivery robot, in which the server controls the operation of the unmanned delivery robot based on delivery information for the predetermined space to allow goods corresponding to the delivery information to be delivered to a delivery point through the unmanned delivery robot.