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公开(公告)号:US11370531B1
公开(公告)日:2022-06-28
申请号:US16555767
申请日:2019-08-29
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Barry James O'Brien , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: A configurable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include swappable components that may be selectable to configure a customized UAV just prior to deployment of the UAV that is configured to deliver a package to a destination. The UAV may include a plurality of ports that may accept swappable components. The ports may be coupled to a logic board to enable control of the swappable components. The ports and swappable components may enable quick replacement of a malfunctioning components, such as an image sensor, which may avoid subjecting a UAV to significant downtime for service. The malfunctioning component may then be serviced after the UAV is readied for a subsequent flight or deployed on a subsequent flight.
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公开(公告)号:US10573024B1
公开(公告)日:2020-02-25
申请号:US15243768
申请日:2016-08-22
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Chengwu Cui , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods of determining a distance between an object depicted in an image and an imaging device that captured that image. In particular, the disclosure discusses that an image may be separated into multiple derivative images, each of which is associated with a different wavelength of light. In some embodiments, an image may be separated into images associated with wavelengths of primary colors (e.g., red, green, and blue). Once separate images have been created, a sharpness value may be determined for each image. A distance between the object and the imaging device may then be calculated based on sharpness values associated with each of the separate images.
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公开(公告)号:US10302452B1
公开(公告)日:2019-05-28
申请号:US15789310
申请日:2017-10-20
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Scott Michael Wilcox , Naimisaranya Das Busek , Trevor Joseph Myslinski Decker , Michael William Regner
Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for automating the verification of aerial vehicle sensors as part of a pre-flight, flight departure, in-transit flight, and/or delivery destination calibration verification process. At different stages, aerial vehicle sensors may obtain sensor measurements about objects within an environment, the obtained measurements may be processed to determine information about the object, as presented in the measurements, and the processed information may be compared with the actual information about the object to determine a variation or difference between the information. If the variation is within a tolerance range, the sensor may be auto adjusted and operation of the aerial vehicle may continue. If the variation exceeds a correction range, flight of the aerial vehicle may be aborted and the aerial vehicle routed for a full sensor calibration.
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公开(公告)号:US10176722B1
公开(公告)日:2019-01-08
申请号:US15250806
申请日:2016-08-29
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Scott Patrick Boyd , Chengwu Cui , Sarah Graber , Barry James O'Brien , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: A location marker that may be used to provide information to a vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The location marker may include a plurality of lights that may be individually sequenced on and off at different times to create a time domain signal sequence that is readable by the vehicle. The lights may provide information in various different ways. The specific lights that are illuminated at a certain time may form a light pattern that includes or is associated with information. Different light patterns may be displayed over time to provide different information to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the amount of time that a light is on or off (or both) may provide information as a time domain signal sequence (e.g., flashing lights) to the vehicle. In various embodiments, the location marker may include retroreflectors arranged in a pattern used to identify the location marker.
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公开(公告)号:US10032384B1
公开(公告)日:2018-07-24
申请号:US15250778
申请日:2016-08-29
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Scott Patrick Boyd , Chengwu Cui , Sarah Graber , Barry James O'Brien , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: A location marker that may be used to provide information to a vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The location marker may include a plurality of retroreflectors that may form a pattern readable by a vehicle or other device. The pattern may be read to extract an identifier of a location, such as an address or an identifier of a person. A global positioning system (GPS) device may transmit a general location of the location marker to the vehicle, while the location marker may provide a unique visual location identifier to a device within visual range of the location marker. In some embodiments, the location marker may also include lights that may be individually sequenced on and off at different times to create a time domain signal sequence that is readable by the vehicle.
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公开(公告)号:US11603204B1
公开(公告)日:2023-03-14
申请号:US17084991
申请日:2020-10-30
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Daniel Buchmueller , Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III , Lowell Timothy Neal , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.
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公开(公告)号:US11407511B1
公开(公告)日:2022-08-09
申请号:US15954482
申请日:2018-04-16
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Daniel Buchmueller , Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III , Lowell Timothy Neal , Yves Christian Albers Schoenberg , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.
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公开(公告)号:US11317036B1
公开(公告)日:2022-04-26
申请号:US16437658
申请日:2019-06-11
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Sarah Graber , Martin Koestinger , Barry James O'Brien , Gerald Schweighofer , Mario Sormann , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: A mobile calibration room may be used for calibrating one or more sensors used on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A system can include folding or collapsible walls to enable the system to be moved between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the system can comprise a calibration room including one or more 2D or 3D targets used to calibrate one or more sensors (e.g., cameras) on a UAV. The system can include a turntable to rotate the UAV about a first axis during calibration. The system can also include a cradle to rotate the UAV around, or translate the UAV along, a second axis. The turntable can include a frame to rotate the UAV around a third axis during calibration. The mobile calibration room can be coupled to a vehicle to enable the mobile calibration room to be moved between locations.
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公开(公告)号:US10482775B1
公开(公告)日:2019-11-19
申请号:US16013639
申请日:2018-06-20
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Scott Patrick Boyd , Chengwu Cui , Sarah Graber , Barry James O'Brien , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
Abstract: A location marker that may be used to provide information to a vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The location marker may include a plurality of retroreflectors that may form a pattern readable by a vehicle or other device. The pattern may be read to extract an identifier of a location, such as an address or an identifier of a person. A global positioning system (GPS) device may transmit a general location of the location marker to the vehicle, while the location marker may provide a unique visual location identifier to a device within visual range of the location marker. In some embodiments, the location marker may also include lights that may be individually sequenced on and off at different times to create a time domain signal sequence that is readable by the vehicle.
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公开(公告)号:US10388172B1
公开(公告)日:2019-08-20
申请号:US16006048
申请日:2018-06-12
Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
Inventor: Scott Patrick Boyd , Chengwu Cui , Sarah Graber , Barry James O'Brien , Joshua John Watson , Scott Michael Wilcox
IPC: G08G5/02 , G06T7/246 , G06K9/00 , G06Q10/08 , G08G5/00 , B64D47/08 , B64C39/02 , G05D1/10 , H04N13/204
Abstract: Techniques for providing an object awareness guidance to clear a landing space may be provided. For example, during delivery an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may capture an image of a potential landing zone and identify one or more objects in the image that may impede or obstruct delivery of the item in the potential landing zone. The UAV may be configured to generate and provide instructions to a user device to move or remove the identified one or more objects from the potential landing zone thereby creating a safe and unobstructed landing zone to deliver the item.
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