Transfer station for transferring containers between unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicle

Abstract

A transfer station includes a housing defining an inner space, and having a front passage for passage of a UGV and a top passage for passage of a container. One or more funnels are provided at the top passage for guiding the passage of containers therethrough, and an actuator system is provided for, selectively, engaging a container with a UAV suspension system and disengaging a container from a UAV suspension system. Also provided is a transfer system that is inclusive of the transfer station, a UAV, a UGV, and a reusable container; and methods of transferring reusable containers between UAVs and UGVs.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An transfer station for transferring containers via unmanned vehicles, comprising:
 a housing comprising an inner space;   a communications unit configured to send and/or receive communications signals; and   a control unit configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate reception of a container into the inner space of the housing from an unmanned vehicle, and 
 coordinate removal of a container from the inner space of the housing by an unmanned vehicle. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The transfer station according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the housing comprises a first passage and a second passage, and   the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate reception of a container into the inner space of the housing through the first passage from a first unmanned vehicle, and 
 coordinate removal of the container from the inner space of the housing through the second passage by a second unmanned vehicle. 
 
   
     
     
         21 . The transfer station according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the housing is incorporated within a separate structure,   the first passage is an opening between the inner space of the housing and a first environment,   the second passage is an opening between the inner space of the housing and a second environment, and   the second environment is different from the first environment.   
     
     
         22 . The transfer station according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first passage opens to an environment outside the separate structure, and   the second passage opens to an environment within the separate structure.   
     
     
         23 . The transfer station according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the separate structure is a building,   the first passage opens to a roof of the building, and   the second passage opens to an internal space of the building.   
     
     
         24 . The transfer station according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the first passage is an upper passage on an upper surface of the housing, and   the second passage is a side passage on a side surface of the housing.   
     
     
         25 . The transfer station according to  claim 24 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate positioning of a UGV having an empty holding space to enter the inner space of the housing through the side passage and align the holding space of the UGV within the inner space of the housing for reception of a container, 
 coordinate positioning of a container-loaded UAV to align a transport system of the UAV with the upper passage of the housing for insertion of the container into the inner space of the housing through the upper passage, and 
 instruct the UAV to lower the transport system to lower the container from the UAV, through the upper passage of the housing, and into the holding space of the UGV. 
 
   
     
     
         26 . The transfer station according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate positioning of the UGV having the empty holding space to fully enter the inner space of the housing through the side passage. 
 
   
     
     
         27 . The transfer station according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the housing further comprises a UGV load unit configured to detect a load state of a UGV, an actuator system configured to disengage the container from the UAV transport system, and one or more engagement sensors configured to detect an engagement state between the UAV transport system and the container, and   the control unit is configured to:
 detect a load state of the holding space of the UGV by the UGV load unit, and 
 after determining the holding space of the UGV is loaded with the container lowered from the UAV, instruct the actuator system to disengage the container from the UAV transport system. 
   
     
     
         28 . The transfer station according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the one or more engagement sensors comprises one or more actuator sensors and/or one or more load-bearing sensors.   
     
     
         29 . The transfer station according to  claim 24 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate positioning of a container-loaded UGV to enter the inner space of the housing through the side passage and align a holding space of the UGV that is loaded with the container within the inner space of the housing for removal of the container, 
 coordinate positioning of a UAV with capacity for receiving a container to align a transport system of the UAV with the upper passage of the housing for removal of a container from the inner space of the housing through the upper passage, 
 instruct the UAV to lower the transport system through the upper passage of the housing to engage the container in the holding space of the UGV, and 
 instruct the UAV raise the transport system to raise the container from the UGV holding space and out from the inner space of the housing through the upper passage of the housing. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The transfer station according to  claim 29 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate positioning of the UGV having the container-loaded holding space to fully enter the inner space of the housing through the side passage. 
 
   
     
     
         31 . The transfer station according to  claim 29 , wherein
 the housing further comprises a UGV load unit configured to detect a load state of a UGV, an actuator system configured to engage the container with the UAV transport system, and one or more engagement sensors configured to detect an engagement state between the UAV transport system and the container, and   the control unit is configured to:
 instruct the actuator system to engage the container with the AV transport system, 
 after determining that the container is engaged with the UAV transport system by the one or more engagement sensors, instruct the UAV to raise the transport system to remove the container from the holding space of the UGV, and from the inner space of the housing, through the upper passage of the housing, 
   
     
     
         32 . The transfer station according to  claim 31 , wherein
 the one or more engagement sensors comprises one or more actuator sensors and/or one or more load-hearing sensors.   
     
     
         33 . The transfer station according to  claim 20 , wherein
 the first unmanned vehicle is a UAV or a UGV, and   the second unmanned vehicle is a UGV or a UAV.   
     
     
         34 . The transfer station according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the housing comprises an upper passage in an upper surface of the housing, and   the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate positioning of a UAV to align a transport system of the UAV with the upper passage of the housing for passing a container through the upper passage of the housing. 
 
   
     
     
         35 . The transfer station according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the housing comprises a side passage in a side surface of the housing, and   the control unit is configured to:
 control the communications unit to send and/or receive communications signals to:
 coordinate movement of a UGV for entry of a holding space of the UGV into the inner space of the housing through the side passage for passing a container through the side passage. 
 
   
     
     
         36 . The transfer station according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the communications unit comprises one or more communications relays configured to send and/or receive communications signals directly with unmanned vehicles for coordinating reception and removal of containers at the transfer station.   
     
     
         37 . A delivery network comprising:
 the transfer station according to  claim 19 ;   a delivery server; and   a number of unmanned vehicles, wherein   the communications unit of the transfer station comprises a delivery server communications relay configured to send and/or receive communications signals with the delivery server for coordinating reception and removal of containers at the transfer station.   
     
     
         38 . The delivery network according to  claim 37 , wherein
 the number of unmanned vehicles comprises a number of UAVs and a number of UGVs, and   the delivery server comprises a communications system for communicating with the transfer station and the number of unmanned vehicles to coordinate a point-to-point delivery of a container in which the container traverses a portion of the delivery route via a UAV and traverses another portion of the delivery route via a UGV.