US 11,756,144 B2
Systems and methods for delivering products via autonomous ground vehicles to restricted areas designated by customers
Donald R. High, Noel, MO (US); Bruce W. Wilkinson, Rogers, AR (US); and Todd D. Mattingly, Bentonville, AR (US)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on Jan. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/152,322.
Application 18/152,322 is a continuation of application No. 17/307,382, filed on May 4, 2021, granted, now 11,580,614.
Application 17/307,382 is a continuation of application No. 15/798,992, filed on Oct. 31, 2017, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/420,122, filed on Nov. 10, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0169620 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 50/28 (2012.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G06Q 10/083 (2023.01); G07C 9/30 (2020.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01)
CPC G06Q 50/28 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/0214 (2013.01); G05D 1/0278 (2013.01); G05D 1/0282 (2013.01); G06Q 10/083 (2013.01); G07C 9/00309 (2013.01); G07C 9/00896 (2013.01); G07C 9/30 (2020.01); G07C 2009/00388 (2013.01); G07C 2009/00928 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for facilitating delivery of a product ordered by a customer to a customer-specified restricted area accessible by an entryway openable via an access code, the system comprising:
an autonomous vehicle configured to retain and transport the product ordered by the customer, the autonomous vehicle including a transceiver and a data store configured to store electronic information;
a computing device including a processor-based control circuit and configured to send a first signal to the transceiver of the autonomous vehicle via a wireless network, the first signal including the access code for opening the entryway;
wherein the transceiver of the autonomous vehicle is configured to:
receive the first signal including the access code from the computing device over the wireless network;
relay the access code received from the computing device to a control unit operatively coupled to the entryway to cause the control unit to open the entryway in response to receipt of the access code from the autonomous vehicle; and
wherein the transceiver is configured to relay the access code received from the computing device to the control unit operatively coupled to the entryway without transmitting the access code to be stored in the data store or in any other memory on-board the autonomous vehicle, such that the access code received by the transceiver from the computing device is not stored in the data store or in any other memory on-board the autonomous vehicle after the transceiver relays the access code to the control unit operatively coupled to the entryway.