US 12,265,604 B2
Electronically secured package delivery
Adam L. Wright, Livonia, MI (US); Russell A. Patenaude, Macomb Township, MI (US); Matthew E. Gilbert-Eyres, Rochester Hills, MI (US); and Eric T. Hosey, Royal Oak, MI (US)
Assigned to GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/180,207.
Prior Publication US 2024/0303318 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 21/44 (2013.01); G06Q 10/083 (2023.01)
CPC G06F 21/445 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/083 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for electronically securing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) package delivery, comprising:
determining a provenance certificate assigned to a package scheduled for UAV package delivery;
determining a delivery route for the package, the route beginning at a pick-up location and ending at a drop-off location;
determining a plurality of vehicles to be used in transporting the package along the delivery route;
determining credentials assigned to each of the vehicles and the drop-off location;
pairing the credentials with the package to generate a delivery pairing, the delivery pairing identifying the credentials of the vehicles authorized to transport the package and the drop-off location authorized to accept delivery of the package;
authorizing a first vehicle to receive the provenance certificate and the package, the first vehicle being present at the pick-up location to begin transporting the package for delivery;
authorizing a first autonomous handoff of the package from the first vehicle to a second vehicle in response to the first vehicle identifying the second vehicle to be within the delivery pairing;
performing a first provenance process as part of the first autonomous handoff, the first provenance process including: the first vehicle digitally signing the provenance certificate with a first key of the first vehicle to generate a first certificate, and the first vehicle transmitting the first certificate to the second vehicle;
authorizing a second autonomous handoff of the package from the second vehicle to an autonomous receiver at the drop-off location in response to the second vehicle identifying the autonomous receiver to be within the delivery pairing;
performing a second provenance process as part of the second autonomous handoff, the second provenance process including: the second vehicle digitally signing the first certificate with a second key of the second vehicle to generate a second certificate, and the second vehicle transmitting the second certificate to the autonomous receiver;
performing a localization process as part of the first autonomous handoff, the localization process including the first vehicle and the second vehicle bidirectionally exchanging positioning signals to guide the second vehicle in autonomously retrieving the package from a package pick-up bay of the first vehicle; and
performing a notification process following receipt of the package at the autonomous receiver, the notification process including a back-office delivery controller receiving a delivery message from the autonomous receiver, the delivery message including the second certificate and a timestamp marking receipt of the package at the autonomous receiver, wherein the notification process includes the back-office delivery controller transmitting a notification message to a device associated with an originator of the package, the notification message including information indicating successful delivery of the package to the autonomous receiver.