US 11,783,657 B2
Apparatus and systems of a modular autonomous cart apparatus assembly for transporting an item being shipped
Ole-Petter Skaaksrud, Germantown, TN (US); Frank Mayfield, Collierville, TN (US); and Daniel Gates, Memphis, TN (US)
Assigned to FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC., Collierville, TN (US)
Filed by FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC., Collierville, TN (US)
Filed on Jul. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/381,505.
Application 17/381,505 is a continuation of application No. 16/351,604, filed on Mar. 13, 2019, granted, now 11,117,255.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/642,732, filed on Mar. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0009087 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B60Q 5/00 (2006.01); B60W 10/04 (2006.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); B60W 30/09 (2012.01); B25J 9/08 (2006.01); B25J 19/02 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B65D 90/18 (2006.01); G07C 9/37 (2020.01); B65G 67/24 (2006.01); G06F 21/32 (2013.01); G06Q 50/28 (2012.01); B65D 90/08 (2006.01); G07C 9/27 (2020.01); G06Q 10/083 (2023.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G08G 1/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2023.01); H04B 1/3822 (2015.01); G06Q 10/0836 (2023.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0875 (2023.01); G06Q 30/0601 (2023.01); B60P 3/00 (2006.01); H02J 9/00 (2006.01); B65D 88/52 (2006.01); B65D 90/02 (2019.01); G06Q 10/0837 (2023.01); B60G 17/015 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0832 (2023.01); G01C 21/34 (2006.01); H04W 52/32 (2009.01); B60C 5/00 (2006.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01); H04W 84/20 (2009.01)
CPC G07C 9/27 (2020.01) [B25J 5/007 (2013.01); B25J 9/08 (2013.01); B25J 9/162 (2013.01); B25J 9/163 (2013.01); B25J 9/1666 (2013.01); B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 19/02 (2013.01); B60C 5/005 (2013.01); B60G 17/0152 (2013.01); B60P 3/007 (2013.01); B60Q 5/005 (2013.01); B60W 10/04 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B60W 30/09 (2013.01); B65D 88/524 (2013.01); B65D 90/023 (2013.01); B65D 90/08 (2013.01); B65D 90/18 (2013.01); B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 67/24 (2013.01); G01C 21/3438 (2013.01); G05D 1/0011 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/021 (2013.01); G05D 1/027 (2013.01); G05D 1/0214 (2013.01); G05D 1/0223 (2013.01); G05D 1/0225 (2013.01); G05D 1/0274 (2013.01); G05D 1/0276 (2013.01); G05D 1/0287 (2013.01); G05D 1/0295 (2013.01); G06F 21/32 (2013.01); G06Q 10/083 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0832 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0836 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0837 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0838 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0875 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0633 (2013.01); G07C 9/00182 (2013.01); G07C 9/00563 (2013.01); G07C 9/00571 (2013.01); G07C 9/00857 (2013.01); G07C 9/37 (2020.01); G08G 1/202 (2013.01); H02J 9/00 (2013.01); H04B 1/3822 (2013.01); H04W 52/322 (2013.01); B60W 2554/00 (2020.02); G05B 2219/39172 (2013.01); G05B 2219/50391 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0206 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0216 (2013.01); G06Q 50/28 (2013.01); G07C 2009/0092 (2013.01); H04W 84/20 (2013.01)] 133 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous cart apparatus assembly for transporting an item being shipped, comprising:
a mobility base comprising
a propelled mobile base platform,
a mobility controller disposed as part of the mobile base platform, the mobility controller being operative to cause changes in speed of the mobility base in response to a propulsion control command, the mobility controller being further operative to cause changes in directional movement of the mobility base in response to a steering control command, and
a plurality of mobility base sensors coupled to the mobility controller and disposed on the propelled mobile base platform, the mobility base sensors being operative to autonomously detect an object in the path of the mobility base and provide base feedback sensor data to the mobility controller on the detected object;
a cart handle attached to the mobility base; and
a mobile cart autonomy control module attached to the cart handle, the mobile cart autonomy control module comprising
a housing connected to the cart handle,
a processor-based autonomous controller disposed within the housing,
a wireless radio transceiver operatively coupled to the autonomous controller,
a plurality of autonomy module sensors disposed on the housing and operatively coupled to the autonomous controller, wherein the autonomy module sensors being operative to generate onboard sensor data on an environment external to the mobile cart autonomy control module as detected by the autonomy module sensors and providing the onboard sensor data to the autonomous controller, and
wherein the autonomous controller of the mobile cart autonomy control module is programmatically adapted and configured to be operative to at least
(a) detect, using the wireless radio transceiver, an advertising signal from a wireless mobile courier node,
(b) determine a current location of the wireless mobile courier node,
(c) determine a current location of the autonomous cart apparatus assembly,
(d) receive information from the mobility controller about the base feedback sensor data,
(e) receive the onboard sensor data from the autonomy module sensors,
(f) generate the steering control command and the propulsion control command based at least upon the current location of the autonomous cart apparatus assembly, the current location of the wireless mobile courier node, the received information on the base feedback sensor data from the mobility controller, and the onboard sensor data as received by the autonomous controller from the autonomy module sensors,
(g) transmit the steering control command and the propulsion control command to the mobility controller, and
(h) repeat functions (b)-(g) to autonomously track and follow the current location of the wireless mobile courier node as the wireless mobile courier node moves and while maintaining a predetermined follow distance from the current location of the wireless mobile courier node.