Autonomous Unmanned Road Vehicle for Making Deliveries

Abstract

An autonomous unmanned road vehicle and how it can be used to make deliveries. The unmanned vehicle is capable of operating autonomously on paved roadways. The vehicle has a control system for autonomous driving and a perception system for detecting objects in its surroundings. The vehicle also has one or more cargo compartments for carrying the delivery items. The vehicle may have a flashing light beacon to increase the conspicuousness of the vehicle. In consideration that the vehicle does not carry passengers, the size and/or motor power of the vehicle may be reduced as compared to conventional passenger vehicles.

1 . A system for delivering retail goods to customers, comprising:
 a retail facility that has an inventory of retail goods;   an autonomous unmanned road vehicle that comprises radio communication equipment, wherein the autonomous vehicle is not the possession of the customers;   an operations hub that receives purchase orders of retail goods from the customers and coordinates the use of the autonomous vehicle for delivering the purchase orders to the customers, and wherein the operations hub is in communication with the autonomous vehicle as it drives the autonomous vehicle, at least partly in an autonomous manner, to the customers' delivery destination via paved roadways.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retail facility operates as both a conventional walk-in retail store and also a delivery service. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the inventory of retail goods for the walk-in retail store is also be used to supply the delivery service. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the retail facility is an already-established conventional walk-in retail store that has been modified to also operate the delivery service. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the delivery service is operated out of one or more back rooms or back areas of the retail facility. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the employee staff at the retail facility are dedicated to the delivery service. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations hub is combined or integrated with the retail facility. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retail facility has a covered garage for storing the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the retail facility has a covered garage for storing the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retail facility has a vehicle bay for parking the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the retail facility has a vehicle bay for parking the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle bay has a clearance height of less than 15 feet. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the purchase orders are loaded into the autonomous vehicle while parked in the vehicle bay. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein there is a residential area or an area that is zoned for residential use located within a 6 mile radius of the retail facility. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations hub has personnel and equipment to remotely communicate with the autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations hub also communicates with the retail facility for coordinating the delivery. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the customers are notified when their purchase order is ready for delivery, and when the customers' delivery request is received, the purchase order is loaded into the autonomous vehicle at the retail facility. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein further, the customers are notified that the autonomous vehicle is on its way or has arrived at the customers' delivery destination. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the customers are notified when their purchase order is ready for delivery, and when the customers' delivery request is received, the purchase order is loaded into the autonomous vehicle at the retail facility. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein further, the customers are notified that the autonomous vehicle is on its way or has arrived at the customers' delivery destination.