Patent Description:
More specifically but not exclusively it relates to a system or device that enables deliveries to be made to secured locations in the absence of a user.

This application claims priority from UK Patent Application Nos. <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> and <CIT>.

Small autonomous delivery vehicles which can carry a single delivery to a customer's front door are known. Such known vehicles are generally autonomous, electric vehicles. The vehicles are quiet and can travel at pedestrian speeds for short distances for between <NUM> and <NUM> minutes to deliver small loads, for example groceries, to at least one customer. The vehicle may be fitted with several cameras and may be in continuous communication via the internet with a remotely located operator. The vehicle is substantially self-driving however in particularly difficult situations the remote operator may be able to override the self-driving facility as required.

When the vehicle reaches a predetermined destination if the customer is present a mobile phone may be used to open the robot and access the delivered goods.

Prior art delivery is disclosed in <CIT>.

It is a disadvantage of this prior art system as described above that a customer must be available to receive the delivered goods, and manually lift them from the vehicle's storage compartment. For disabled or elderly or frail customers manually lifting the delivered goods from the autonomous vehicle's storage compartment may be difficult or impossible.

Hence a need exists for a quiet autonomous delivery vehicle which can locate a delivery site and autonomously dispense the order for subsequent, easy retrieval by the customer.

In a preferred aspect the autonomous delivery vehicle travels from the delivery site to another delivery site before returning to the delivery hub.

In an embodiment which is not of the invention, the delivery vehicle comprises a wheeled vehicle.

According to the invention, the delivery vehicle comprises an unmanned drone platform.

In this way, the present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art and provides a secured delivery area associated with a user that may be accessed by autonomous propeller driven vehicles and platforms. The autonomous delivery platform can make deliveries to a desired secure location from which the customer can then retrieve the delivery at their convenience, there is no need for the customer to be present at the delivery location.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which.

In <FIG> the autonomous delivery vehicle <NUM> comprises a vehicle body <NUM> mounted on wheels <NUM>. The vehicle body <NUM> comprises one or more storage compartments <NUM>.

Each compartment <NUM> is shaped and sized to receive items <NUM>, said items <NUM> comprising goods ordered or to be delivered to a customer for example, one or two bags of groceries, a parcel or other items comprising a single customer order. The vehicle <NUM> further comprises ramp means <NUM>, the ramp means <NUM> enabling the items <NUM> located in the or each compartment <NUM> to be automatically, and/or under remote control, deposited by the vehicle <NUM> at a predetermined location.

The item or items <NUM> for delivery are retained in a container such as a reusable or recyclable bin, crate, box, or bag or like or a holder which is placed in the storage compartment <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the container may be any suitable form of container and is not limited to these examples. Furthermore, some items for delivery may not require containers, for example parcels shipped by online retailers in boxes need not be placed in an additional container.

It will further be appreciated that container <NUM> may comprise an insulated material to maintain the temperature of the contents of the container. Optionally, the container may comprise cooling means such as, by way of example only, a chilled or frozen ice-pack containing a coolant fluid. In an especially preferred embodiment the iced pack may be frozen water.

Individual orders placed by customers, or parcels for delivery are pre-loaded into containers <NUM> at a delivery hub. One or more containers <NUM> may be loaded into the or each compartment <NUM> of the delivery vehicle <NUM> at the delivery hub.

The delivery vehicle <NUM> then travels autonomously to the delivery location.

On reaching the delivery site the one or more compartment <NUM> opens automatically and dispenses the one or more containers contained therein automatically to, at, in or onto the customer's desired location.

By way of example only the desired location may be at the customers door step or at the side of his property or behind a wall or the like in a location where the container will be substantially concealed from the view of passers-by.

As shown in <FIG>, the delivery location may comprise a securable area within or adjacent to a customer's property. For example, the property may be provided with a normally locked door <NUM> that when engaged by the flap <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM> enables the items <NUM> to be delivered in to a secure location. As the vehicle <NUM> leaves the delivery location, the door <NUM> locks again, thereby securing the delivery.

Alternatively in locations where additional security is required the delivery may be made into a locking, receiving box located at the customer's desired location within the delivery site.

When the autonomous vehicle approaches the delivery box which corresponds with the order to be delivered the box is automatically unlocked and the autonomous vehicle <NUM> enters the delivery box dispenses the order and exits the box which is locked after the autonomous vehicle has exited.

Optionally a message may then be sent to the customer advising that the order has been delivered. The customer can then retrieve the order from the desired location at their convenience.

It will be appreciated that this gives the customer the ability to securely receive delivery items to unattended locations. This may be particularly relevant for high value items such as electronic goods or clothes or for items carrying an age limit for purchase.

Once the delivery has occurred, the one or more compartment <NUM> closes automatically and the autonomous delivery vehicle <NUM> travels to a second delivery site and repeats the process dispensing the one or more containers contained in a second compartment <NUM> to complete a second delivery.

Alternatively, the autonomous delivery vehicle <NUM> returns to the delivery hub where each of the one or more compartments <NUM> is reloaded with one or more containers and if necessary the vehicle <NUM> recharged with power.

In the example described above, the one or more compartment <NUM> is opened and closed by a panel or flap <NUM> which moves from a first closed position shown in <FIG> to a second open position shown in <FIG>. In the open position the one or more container is ejected from the or each compartment <NUM>. The one or more containers can be ejected or dispensed from the compartment <NUM> by way of example only by tipping the compartment so that the one or more containers roll or slide out of the compartment, or by tipping the autonomous vehicle <NUM> itself so that the one or more containers roll or slide out of the compartment <NUM>.

In a preferred aspect as shown in <FIG>, in the open position the panel or flap <NUM> forms a ramp which the container containing the item or items <NUM> slide or roll down to leave the compartment <NUM> which ensures the one or more containers are ejected gently to avoid damage to their contents. The flap <NUM> may comprise suitable conveyor means <NUM>, for example a gravity conveyor or a powered conveyor.

Preferably the containers are rigid to protect their contents. Furthermore, the containers may comprise wheels <NUM> or roller means to aid rolling ejection from the container.

Alternatively or additionally, as shown in <FIG> the one or more containers may be pushed out of the vehicle <NUM> by a ram or blade <NUM> or by a pressurised jet of air which urges the one or more containers from the compartment. By way of example only the ram or blade <NUM> may be moved by a motorised screw or hydraulics.

Furthermore, the containers may be suspended from a motorised screw (not shown) the rotary movement of the screw acting so as to dispense the containers from the vehicle <NUM>.

In another embodiment which is not part of the invention, the vehicle <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, comprises a base <NUM>, part or all of which comprises a movable platform 30a, 30b that may be moved from an open position to a closed position. The one or more containers are positioned on top of the moveable platform <NUM>. Whilst the autonomous vehicle <NUM> is in transit the base <NUM> is in the closed position, on arrival at the delivery location the platform is moved in to the open position to allow the containers to be deposited on the ground. The containers are then dispensed gently onto the ground through the opening in the base <NUM>, or by tilting the platform <NUM> so that the containers roll or slide off a side off the platform.

It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the vehicle <NUM> may need to be raised in order to negotiate around the deposited items <NUM>. In this regard, and as shown in <FIG>, the vehicle <NUM> may comprise raisable wheel and suspension means.

In this way even delicate or fragile items can be safely dispensed from the vehicle without risk of damage.

<FIG> shows a further embodiment which is not part of the invention. As shown in <FIG>, the body of the vehicle <NUM> is mounted on track-type wheels <NUM> rather than conventional wheels. It will be appreciated that these tracks provide better traction and may be appropriate for more difficult surfaces that the vehicle must traverse. It will be appreciated that not all the wheels need to comprise track-type wheels, it is possible that only the front or rear wheels comprise track-type wheels. Furthermore, the wheels may comprise two sets of tracks disposed on the vehicle rather than track-type wheels replacing the four wheels on the vehicle.

<FIG> shows a further embodiment which is not part of the invention. As shown in <FIG>, the vehicle <NUM> is mounted on an alternative set of wheels <NUM>. These wheels enable the vehicle <NUM> to climb stairs.

It will further be appreciated that the autonomous vehicle as described with reference to <FIG> may be provided with the means to negotiate lifts, escalators or other conveyance means, either independently or under the control of the central delivery hub and control location.

According to the invention, with reference to <FIG>, the remotely controlled autonomous delivery vehicle takes the form of a drone type platform such as a quadcopter. It will be appreciated that any form of drone type platform may be envisaged such as a helicopter or a remotely controllable aircraft. Items corresponding to those in the embodiment described above will be referenced with the same reference numerals.

As shown in <FIG> the autonomous vehicle <NUM> comprises a drone body driven by a motor linked to four propeller means. The drone body further comprises means for carrying a delivery container <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> this may comprise a box-type container secured to the underside of the drone platform by releasable attaching means <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the embodiment shown in <FIG> is one form of delivery container <NUM> only and that any suitable way of releasably securing any form of deliver container <NUM> to the platform may be envisaged.

Each delivery container <NUM> is shaped and sized to receive items <NUM>, said items <NUM> comprising goods ordered or to be delivered to a customer for example, one or two bags of groceries, a parcel or other items comprising a single customer order.

The item or items <NUM> for delivery are retained in suitable carrying means such as a reusable or recyclable bins, crates, boxes, or bags or like or a holder which is placed in the delivery container <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the carrying means may be any suitable form of carrying means and is not limited to these examples. Furthermore, some items for delivery may not require carrying means, for example parcels shipped by online retailers in boxes need not be placed in carrying means within a delivery container <NUM> but may be releasably attached directly to the body of the drone via suitable securing means.

It will further be appreciated that the delivery container <NUM> may comprise an insulated material (not shown) to maintain the temperature of the contents of the container. Optionally, the container may comprise cooling means such as, by way of example only, a chilled or frozen ice-pack containing a coolant fluid. In an especially preferred embodiment the iced pack may be frozen water.

Individual orders placed by customers, or parcels for delivery are pre-loaded into containers <NUM> at a delivery hub.

The delivery vehicle <NUM> then travels autonomously to the delivery location <NUM>.

On reaching the delivery site <NUM> the releasable securing means on the drone <NUM> releases the delivery container <NUM> automatically to, at, in or onto the customer's desired location.

By way of example only, one form of securable delivery location <NUM> in shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. The securable location <NUM> may comprise a location only accessible to the customer, for example on the roof of their delivery address. As shown in <FIG> the location comprises a receiving box having a lid <NUM> moveable from a first closed position to a second open position. When the delivery drone <NUM> approaches the receiving box, opening means comprising suitable drive means, act so as to move the lid from the normally closed position to the open position such that the drone <NUM> may land and deposit the delivery container <NUM> secured thereto.

It will be appreciated that the drone <NUM> may be provided with suitable transmitter means to activate the opening means on the receiving box. Alternatively, the receiving box may be remotely openable by an operator located at the central hub from which the drone <NUM> departed. Furthermore, the customer may program the receiving box to open and/or close at specific times in the day to receive deliveries.

Once the drone <NUM> is safely located in the receiving box, which may be monitored by camera means (not shown) located within the box, the delivery container <NUM> is released from the body of the drone <NUM>. The delivery container <NUM> remains in the receiving box and the drone <NUM> is remotely commanded to take off and return to the central hub to be refilled, charged and sent on a further delivery. Once the drone <NUM> has departed the lid <NUM> of the receiving box <NUM> moves to the closed position thereby securing the delivery container <NUM> until the customer wishes to access it.

Optionally a message may then be sent to the customer advising that the order has been delivered. The customer can then retrieve the order from their desired location at their convenience.

In <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> an alternative form of secure delivery location <NUM> is shown. In this embodiment the receiving box <NUM> is located such that the openable portion of the receiving box comprises one of the substantially vertical sides of the box. In this way, when open, the box is not at risk of collecting water or debris to the same extent as the embodiment described with reference to <FIG>. In the same manner described above, the openable portion of the receiving box is openable remotely either from receiving a signal from an incoming delivery drone <NUM> via suitable signal receiving means <NUM> or via a signal transmitted from the central hub.

It will be appreciated that the signal receiving means may comprise a proximity detector located on the box <NUM> and the drone <NUM>.

In the embodiment of receiving box shown in <FIG>, the interior of the receiving box <NUM> may be connected to the interior of the property on which it is mounted or to an associated secured delivery container <NUM>. For example, the receiving box may be mounted on existing but unused chimney stacks on properties and chutes <NUM> located within the old chimney, the drone <NUM> landing in the receiving box above the chute <NUM>, the delivery container <NUM> then being released by the drone <NUM> down the chute <NUM> to a safe location within, adjacent or accessible from the property. The chute <NUM> may further comprise an openable panel <NUM> located within the receiving box so as to only allow the delivery container <NUM> to be delivered in to the property, the drone <NUM> being provided with means for opening the panel <NUM> as required. The panel <NUM> may pivot, roll, slide or concertina in order to move from a closed position where the chute <NUM> is inaccessible to an open position where the chute <NUM> may be accessed. Again, the interior of the receiving box <NUM> may be monitored by camera means to ensure safe and secure delivery of the container <NUM> in to the chute <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the chute <NUM> may comprise means to transfer the delivery container <NUM> from the receiving box <NUM> to a secured location either within the property on which it is mounted or to a secured location <NUM> mounted on the exterior of the property that is accessible, for example, at ground level.

Furthermore, the chute means <NUM> may comprise multiple cnutes <NUM> capable of receiving multiple delivery containers <NUM> or parcels in separate deliveries. In the case of multiple chutes <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, it will be appreciated that the receiving box <NUM> requires means for discriminating between the deliveries and accordingly apportioning them to the correct chute <NUM>.

One form of suitable means for achieving this is shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. In this example, the receiving box <NUM> is provided with a sorting mechanism <NUM>. In this example, the receiving box <NUM> comprises a moveable platform <NUM> that in use extends laterally to form a landing platform for the drone external to the receiving box <NUM>. The landing platform comprises a substantially flat surface having a slot therein sized so as to allow a delivery container <NUM> to pass therethrough The slot is positioned within the platform <NUM> such that when the platform is retracted within the receiving box <NUM> it locates above a lift mechanism <NUM>. The lift mechanism <NUM> is positioned such that when operable, it may lower any item thereon to a sorting level <NUM> within the receiving box <NUM>. The sorting level <NUM> comprises means for directing items to the appropriate chute <NUM> for transmission in to the property or other secure location. It will be appreciated that in this way, chilled deliveries may be separated from parcel deliveries.

Preferably the delivery containers <NUM> are rigid to protect their contents. Furthermore, the containers <NUM> may comprise wheels <NUM> or roller means to aid rolling ejection from the vehicle or to assist delivery.

It will be appreciated that the autonomous vehicle in any of the embodiments described above may be provided with means for unlocking secured doors such as by electromagnetic means, coded RF means or any other remote sensing and detecting technology.

It will be appreciated that the autonomous drone delivery vehicle may drop the delivery in to a chute from where it is transferred in to a secured container or delivery box, the chute need not be secured as long as the eventual delivery container is securable.

It will be appreciated that an autonomous delivery vehicle in accordance with all forms of the invention described above, may perform a single delivery then return to the delivery hub to be reloaded and if necessary recharged. Alternatively, a single vehicle having several compartments may perform several deliveries before returning to the delivery hub.

Moreover, it will be appreciated that the one or more containers in a single compartment may be ejected to a single delivery location. However, a single order may comprise the contents of one or more compartment or for large orders, several delivery vehicles may be dispatched to the same delivery location. However, a single order may be contained in one or more adjacent compartments.

It will further be appreciated that a single autonomous vehicle can be loaded with multiple separate orders.

Claim 1:
A receiving box (<NUM>) adapted to receive deliveries of goods from an autonomous aerial vehicle (<NUM>), the receiving box comprising:
a cavity at least a portion of which is accessible to at least a portion of the autonomous aerial vehicle (<NUM>),
signal receiving means (<NUM>),
a moveable portion (<NUM>) moveable from a first position in which the cavity is inaccessible to a second position in which the cavity is externally accessible,
the moveable portion (<NUM>) comprising a side of the receiving box, the moveable portion comprising securing means, the securing means acting so as to prevent the moveable portion (<NUM>) from being moved from the first position to the second position and being releasable on the signal receiving means (<NUM>) receiving a signal from transmitting means associated with the autonomous aerial vehicle (<NUM>) to allow the moveable portion (<NUM>) to move from the first position to the second position, the moveable portion (<NUM>) being configured to return from the second position to the first position once the delivery is complete thereby enabling the receiving box (<NUM>) to accept the delivery from the autonomous aerial vehicle (<NUM>) in to the cavity,
being characterised in that the receiving box (<NUM>) further comprises a moveable platform (<NUM>) configured to move laterally between an extended position to form a landing platform for the autonomous aerial vehicle (<NUM>) external to the receiving box (<NUM>) and a retracted position where it is held within the cavity.