| CPC G06Q 10/0832 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2013.01); G06Q 50/30 (2013.01)] | 24 Claims |
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1. An unmanned delivery system by unmanned delivery vehicles, comprising:
a plurality of unmanned delivery vehicles;
at least one vehicle waiting area to which at least one of the plurality of unmanned delivery vehicles belongs or where at least one of the plurality of unmanned delivery vehicles stands by;
at least one merchandise collection point;
a management center that manages an inventory status of individual pieces of goods at the each merchandise collection point as well as the state of the individual unmanned delivery vehicles and unmanned delivery vehicles belonging to the vehicle waiting area; and
a network that connects the plurality of unmanned delivery vehicles, the vehicle waiting area, the merchandise collection point, and the management center to one another, wherein
the vehicle waiting area comprises:
a vehicle waiting area control unit located in the vehicle waiting area,
the vehicle waiting area control unit is configured to detect each state of a plurality of states of an operation of the unmanned delivery vehicle, wherein the plurality of states includes a waiting state, a during delivering state, a during traveling state, and a during returning state,
to create a vehicle status information, and
to transmit the vehicle status information to the management center via the network,
wherein the vehicle waiting area control unit detects each state of the operation of each unmanned delivery vehicle based on a notice of commencement of delivery and a delivery completion notice transmitted from each unmanned delivery vehicle together with vehicle identification information, creates the vehicle status information, and transmits the vehicle status information for each unmanned delivery vehicle to the management center via the network, wherein
the merchandise collection point comprises:
a store terminal equipment, wherein the store terminal equipment transmits an inventory status of an item at a store to the management center as a product inventory information via the network,
wherein
the management center is configured to select, based on a product order information including an ordered item from a user and a delivery address, a merchandise collection point and the vehicle waiting area for delivering the ordered item in accordance with the inventory status of the ordered item and a location of the delivery address,
select an unmanned delivery vehicle that is on standby at the selected vehicle waiting area or is traveling, and
transmit a product delivery information, including the merchandise collection point where the ordered item is to be picked up, the unmanned delivery vehicle, and the delivery address, to the unmanned delivery vehicle and the selected merchandise collection point via the network,
the unmanned delivery vehicle comprises:
a running unit;
an unmanned delivery vehicle control circuitry configured to
receive the product delivery information from the management center via the network;
record the product delivery information to a memory unit; and
control the running unit to travel to the merchandise collection point selected based on the product delivery information stored in the memory unit; and
a housing that can house the ordered item, wherein
the unmanned delivery vehicle is configured to autonomously travel to the merchandise collection point contained in the product delivery information, load the ordered item at the merchandise collection point, and then autonomously travel to the delivery address, and wherein
the unmanned delivery vehicle is configured to notify the user of the arrival, or expected time of arrival, at the time of or before arrival at the delivery address,
wait for the check for the ordered item by the user and delivery, and
autonomously travel to a position of any vehicle waiting area or the next delivery address instructed by the management center after the check for the ordered item by the user and delivery are completed.
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