US 11,964,627 B2
Methods and apparatus for supporting compartment inserts in autonomous delivery vehicles
Brian Alan Baker, San Francisco, CA (US); Robert Irving Luan, San Jose, CA (US); Benjamin Wade Julian, San Francisco, CA (US); and Riley Alexander Soward, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Nuro, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Nuro, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/023,222.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/907,875, filed on Sep. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0094506 A1, Apr. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01); B60R 25/01 (2013.01); B60R 25/24 (2013.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06Q 10/08 (2023.01); G06Q 30/018 (2023.01); B60P 3/00 (2006.01); B60R 5/02 (2006.01); B60R 5/04 (2006.01); B60R 16/03 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 25/01 (2013.01) [B60R 25/241 (2013.01); G05D 1/0212 (2013.01); G06Q 10/06315 (2013.01); G06Q 10/08 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0185 (2013.01); B60P 3/007 (2013.01); B60R 5/02 (2013.01); B60R 5/04 (2013.01); B60R 16/03 (2013.01); G05D 1/021 (2013.01); G06Q 2240/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, the method comprising:
obtaining an order from a customer, the order including at least a first item and a second item;
causing loading the order into a vehicle suitable for delivering the order to the customer, the vehicle including a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment being arranged to contain a first compartment insert that includes at least a first sub-compartment and at least a second sub-compartment, the second compartment being arranged to contain a second compartment insert that includes at least a third sub-compartment and a fourth sub-compartment, wherein loading the order into the vehicle includes loading the first item into the first sub-compartment and loading the second item into the third sub-compartment, and wherein the first compartment has a first insert interface, and wherein the first compartment insert has a first interface arrangement, the first insert interface including an installation detection interface and the first interface arrangement including an installation detection coupling;
installing the first compartment insert in the first compartment, wherein installing the first compartment insert in the first compartment includes coupling the first insert interface with the first interface arrangement, and wherein installing the first compartment insert in the first compartment causes an electric pin of the installation detection coupling to engage with an electric circuit of the installation detection interface to close the electric circuit;
identifying the first compartment insert as being installed in the first compartment when the installation detection coupling engages with the installation detection interface;
associating the first sub-compartment and the third sub-compartment with the order; and
controlling the first sub-compartment and the third sub-compartment using a compartment control system, the compartment control system being associated the vehicle, wherein controlling the first sub-compartment and the third sub-compartment includes at least latching the first sub-compartment and the third sub-compartment to secure the order.