US 11,915,172 B2
Robot-assisted package delivery with integrated curbside parking monitoring and curb operations optimization
Richard Twumasi-Boakye, Taylor, MI (US); Mohammed Fayaj navaz, Dearborn, MI (US); Eric Wingfield, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Archak Mittal, Canton, MI (US); Xiaolin Cai, Ann Arbor, MI (US); James Fishelson, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Andrea Broaddus, Berkeley, CA (US); Jon Coleman, Saline, MI (US); Amit Bhagwan, Dearborn, MI (US); and Dhanush Harihar, Novi, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/152,092.
Prior Publication US 2022/0230109 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/06 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); G07C 5/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2023.01); G06Q 10/02 (2012.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01); G06Q 10/0639 (2023.01); G06Q 50/26 (2012.01); B60P 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 10/06313 (2013.01) [G05D 1/0214 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); G06Q 10/02 (2013.01); G06Q 10/06312 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2013.01); G07C 5/008 (2013.01); B60P 3/007 (2013.01); G06Q 10/06393 (2013.01); G06Q 50/26 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
dispatching a delivery vehicle and delivery robot to a delivery location, the delivery location comprising a first parking location for the delivery vehicle that allows for deployment of the delivery robot on a delivery mission;
determining occupancy of the first parking location, the delivery vehicle parking at the first parking location at a first point in time when the first parking location is unoccupied, the delivery robot being deployed upon parking of the delivery vehicle;
instructing the delivery vehicle to leave the first parking location, thereby allowing another vehicle to occupy the first parking location after the delivery vehicle leaves the first parking location and while the delivery robot is delivering a package; and
determining occupancy of a second parking location different than the first parking location, the delivery vehicle or another delivery vehicle parking at the second parking location at a second point in time based on an estimated time of arrival of the delivery robot after the delivery mission, in order to retrieve the delivery robot at the second parking location.