公开(公告)号：US20190156685A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-23

申请号：US16258104

申请日：2019-01-25

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： David C. Winkle ,  John J. O'Brien ,  Donald R. High ,  Todd D. Mattingly

IPC: G08G5/00

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) experiencing emergency landings and providing emergency alerts to the predicted emergency landing locations of the UAV. Each UAV includes sensors configured to detect at least one status input associated with the UAV during flight along its flight route. Each UAV analyzes the status inputs while in flight in order to predict an emergency landing location where the UAV would land if unable to fly due to an emergency condition. The UAV is configured to transmit an alert signal to electronic devices proximate the predicted emergency landing location to notify users of the electronic devices that the unmanned aerial vehicle is going to experience an emergency landing at the predicted emergency landing location.

公开(公告)号：US10293938B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-21

申请号：US15447474

申请日：2017-03-02

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： John P. Thompson ,  Donald R. High ,  Nathan G. Jones ,  David C. Winkle ,  Brian G. McHale

IPC: B64D1/22 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D9/00 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G06Q10/08 ,  B64D47/08

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to enable package delivery and interaction with customers. Some embodiments comprise unmanned aircraft system (UAS), comprising: a crane system comprising a first spool system and a crane motor, the first spool system comprises a first cord that is extended and retracted; a retractable interface system cooperated with the first cord; a package holder configured to hold a first package to be delivered by the UAS at a delivery location; a control circuit coupled with the crane motor to control the crane motor, and to activate the crane motor to extend the first cord and lower the retractable interface system while the UAS is maintained in flight at least at a threshold height; wherein the retractable interface system comprises an input interface to receive input from a customer at the delivery location.

公开(公告)号：US20190145689A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-16

申请号：US16301999

申请日：2017-05-18

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： David C. Winkle ,  Brian G. McHale ,  Bruce W. Wilkinson ,  Donald R. High ,  Todd D. Mattingly

IPC: F25D3/10 ,  B60P3/20 ,  F25D29/00

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided that limit the change in temperature and/or control a temperature of a product during delivery. Some embodiments provide systems to limit temperature changes, comprising: a product cooling system comprising: a product cavity that supports a product, wherein the product cooling system is separate from and removable from the delivery vehicle and comprises an insulation about the product cavity; a cryogenic substance dispensing system that injects a cryogenic substance into the product cavity; and a temperature sensor; and a temperature control circuit coupled with the temperature sensor and the cryogenic substance dispensing system, wherein the temperature control circuit is configured to determine that a temperature of the product is greater than a threshold, and autonomously activate the cryogenic substance dispensing system to release the cryogenic substance.

公开(公告)号：US20190138988A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-09

申请号：US16302075

申请日：2017-05-18

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： Donald R. High ,  David C. Winkle

IPC: G06Q10/08 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G08G5/00

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing delivery vehicle content display. A system for delivery vehicle content display comprises an unmanned delivery vehicle, a display device on an exterior of the unmanned delivery vehicle, a sensor configured to collect data for determining context information associated with the unmanned delivery vehicle during a delivery trip, and a control circuit coupled to the display device and the sensor. The control circuit being configured to cause the display device to display content comprising a content item selected from a plurality of content items based on the context information during the delivery trip and update the content displayed on the display device based on a change in the context information associated with the unmanned delivery vehicle during the delivery trip.

公开(公告)号：US20190034863A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-31

申请号：US16039702

申请日：2018-07-19

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： David C. Winkle ,  Greg A. Bryan ,  Benjamin D. Enssle ,  Bruce W. Wilkinson ,  Cristy C. Brooks

IPC: G06Q10/08 ,  B65D19/38 ,  G06F3/041 ,  B65D19/02

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor the status of products loaded on or in a pallet, container, or other transport or storage structure and/or provide handling instructions. In some embodiments, one or more sensors detect one or more characteristics such as location, mass, temperature, or humidity, and a display device mounted to the transport or storage structure indicates whether detected values from the sensors are within acceptable ranges.

公开(公告)号：US20190034856A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-31

申请号：US16045102

申请日：2018-07-25

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： Donald R. High ,  Todd D. Mattingly ,  David C. Winkle ,  Michael D. Atchley ,  Brian G. McHale ,  Nicholas R. Antel ,  John J. O'Brien

IPC: G06Q10/08

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to enable delivery of commercial products via one or more modular autonomous vehicles. In some embodiments, the system may include databases and primary autonomous vehicles (PAVs). Each database can include information corresponding to commercial missions each defining delivery characteristic and commercial product characteristics of products scheduled for delivery to a delivery destination. Each PAV can include transceivers, storage areas (e.g., to store secondary autonomous vehicles (SAV), SAV components, and commercial objects), and control circuits. The control circuit(s) can be configured to assess commercial missions and select SAV components in accordance with assessed commercial missions. The control circuits can be configured to cause the selected SAV components to be affixed on the SAV.

公开(公告)号：US20190014461A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-10

申请号：US16011932

申请日：2018-06-19

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： David C. Winkle ,  John J. O'Brien ,  Donald R. High ,  Todd D. Mattingly

IPC: H04W4/90 ,  G08G5/00 ,  G08G5/02 ,  H04W4/021 ,  H04W4/40 ,  B64D25/00 ,  B64D45/00

CPC classification number: G08G5/0069 ,  B64C2201/14 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  G08B25/00 ,  G08G5/0013 ,  G08G5/0056 ,  G08G5/045

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) experiencing emergency landings and providing emergency alerts to the predicted emergency landing locations of the UAV. Each UAV includes sensors configured to detect at least one status input associated with the UAV during flight along its flight route. Each UAV analyzes the status inputs while in flight in order to predict an emergency landing location where the UAV would land if unable to fly due to an emergency condition. The UAV is configured to transmit an alert signal to electronic devices proximate the predicted emergency landing location to notify users of the electronic devices that the unmanned aerial vehicle is going to experience an emergency landing at the predicted emergency landing location

公开(公告)号：US20190011919A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-10

申请号：US16130540

申请日：2018-09-13

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： John J. O'Brien ,  David C. Winkle ,  Michael D. Atchley ,  Nicholas Ray Antel ,  Donald R. High ,  Brian G. McHale ,  Todd D. Mattingly

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  G06Q30/02

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to selecting tools and drones for completing a task. In some embodiments, the system comprises an autonomous vehicle configured to transport the tools and the drones including a plurality of sensors configured to detect properties of the tools and the drones, the drones, the tools, and a control circuit configured to receive, from the sensors, indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, select, based on the service requests and the indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, at least one of the tools and at least one of the drones to perform at least one of the service requests, cause the at least one of the drones to be equipped with the at least one of the tools, and transmit instructions that are based on the at least one of the service requests.

公开(公告)号：US10130232B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-20

申请号：US15061801

申请日：2016-03-04

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： Michael D. Atchley ,  Donald R. High ,  David C. Winkle

IPC: G06Q30/06 ,  G05D1/02 ,  A47L11/40 ,  G01C21/20 ,  G06Q10/02 ,  G06Q50/30 ,  G01S1/02 ,  G01S1/70 ,  G01S1/72 ,  G06Q10/08 ,  B62B5/00 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q30/02 ,  H04W4/04 ,  B60P3/06 ,  G05D1/00 ,  A47F3/08 ,  G06Q30/00 ,  H04N5/77 ,  G06Q50/28 ,  H04N7/18 ,  E01H5/06 ,  E01H5/12 ,  B60L11/18 ,  G05D1/04 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/18 ,  G06K9/32 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G06K9/78 ,  G08G1/00 ,  G10L13/04 ,  G10L15/22 ,  G10L17/22 ,  H02J7/00 ,  H04B10/116 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04N13/02 ,  B07C5/28 ,  B07C5/342 ,  G06Q10/00 ,  A47F10/04 ,  A47F13/00 ,  G06F3/01 ,  G06Q10/10 ,  G05B19/048 ,  B65F3/00 ,  H04W4/00 ,  H04W4/02 ,  H04B1/38 ,  A47F10/00 ,  A47F10/02 ,  G05B19/12 ,  G06F17/30 ,  G06K7/10 ,  G06K7/14

Abstract: System, apparatuses, and methods for bringing a shopping container to a customer in a shopping space are provided. A system for bringing a shopping container to a customer in a shopping space comprises a plurality of sensors, a plurality of motorized transport units, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: receive a shopping container request from a user interface device associated with the customer, determine at least one available shopping container based on data collected by the plurality of sensors, the at least one available shopping container being empty and not used by another customer, select an available shopping container based at least on a location information of the user interface device, select a motorized transport unit to transport the available shopping container, and provide instructions to the motorized transport unit to bring the available shopping container to the customer.

公开(公告)号：US20180268361A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-20

申请号：US15921295

申请日：2018-03-14

Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC

Inventor： Todd D. Mattingly ,  Greg A. Bryan ,  Benjamin D. Enssle ,  Cristy C. Brooks ,  David C. Winkle

IPC: G06Q10/08 ,  G06K19/06

CPC classification number: G06Q10/0833 ,  G06K19/06028 ,  G06Q10/087

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided herein useful to enable shipping of commercial products. In some embodiments, systems are provided to enable shipping of commercial products, comprises: a conveyor positioned proximate to commercial product entry points and communicatively coupled to control circuits, conveyable containers each configured to traverse the commercial product entry points via the conveyor and comprising a volume configured to hold commercial products, and sensors positioned proximate to the volume and communicatively coupled to the control circuits. The control circuits use the sensors to receive authenticating data associated with commercial products when a commercial product undergoes a positional event at a commercial product entry point. The control circuits confirm associations between received authenticating data and conveyable containers. In some embodiments, the control circuits generate a notification of the positional event when the association is confirmed.