US2019218081A1PendingUtilityA1

Systems, devices, and methods for providing passenger transport

72
Assignee: WALMART APOLLO LLCPriority: Mar 6, 2015Filed: Mar 20, 2019Published: Jul 18, 2019
Est. expiryMar 6, 2035(~8.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Donald R. HighMichael D. AtchleyDavid C. WinkleRobert C. TaylorEric E. Welch
G01S 1/7034G01S 1/7038G01S 2201/02G06Q 30/0639G06Q 30/0619G01S 1/72G06Q 30/0635G06Q 30/0617G06Q 10/30G06Q 10/083G06Q 30/0605G06Q 30/0613G06Q 30/0631E01H 5/12G06Q 30/0281G06Q 10/06311H04N 5/77G06Q 30/0633G01S 1/02G06Q 30/016H02J 7/42H02J 7/92H02J 7/50G06F 18/214G06K 7/10297G08G 1/20B65F 2210/168G06F 3/017H04W 4/80G06T 7/74G06F 16/90335H04N 7/185H04L 67/141G05B 2219/23363B07C 5/28H04W 4/029B07C 2501/0045B60L 53/36H04L 63/08G06K 7/1413A47L 2201/04A47L 11/4011G06Q 10/06315H04W 4/30B07C 2501/0054H04N 13/282H04N 7/18G06Q 10/0631G05B 2219/39107G06F 21/606G06T 2207/10028A47F 2010/005Y02W30/82B07C 5/3422G10L 17/22Y10S901/01G10L 15/22B07C 2501/0063G06Q 10/02G06K 7/10821G06T 7/593H04L 67/12G05B 19/048A47F 2010/025G10L 2015/223H04L 67/143H04B 1/38B60Y 2410/10B60L 53/63H04L 63/06H04W 4/021H04B 10/116H04W 4/40B65F 3/00H04L 63/0846G06Q 20/12G05B 19/124A47F 13/00A47F 3/08G06Q 10/087B62B 5/0076G06Q 30/0641B60P 3/06H04N 7/183H04W 4/33A47F 10/04H04W 4/02G06Q 30/0601G01C 21/206B62B 5/0069B62B 5/0026G05D 1/0289G05D 1/0022G05D 1/0016G05D 1/0297G06K 9/78G05D 1/0027G05D 1/0291G06K 9/18G05D 1/04G05D 1/0293G06Q 10/1095B66F 9/063G06K 9/00791G06K 9/00208G05D 1/0246G06Q 50/28G05D 1/0219G05D 1/0214G06Q 50/30E01H 5/061G05D 1/0011G10L 13/043G05D 1/0088G05D 1/0061G06K 9/00671G05D 1/021G06K 9/3208G05D 1/0234G06K 9/00805G06K 9/00711G06K 9/00771G01S 1/70G05D 1/0276G05D 1/028G05D 1/0255G06K 9/6256H02J 7/0027G06Q 10/1093G06V 20/20G06V 30/224G06V 20/56G06V 20/52G06V 20/44G06V 20/58G06V 20/647G06V 20/40G06Q 10/0283Y02W90/10Y02T10/7072Y02T90/12Y02T10/70G10L 13/00Y02P90/02Y02W90/00Y04S10/50G06Q 10/08G06Q 50/40
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Claims

Abstract

System, method, and apparatus for providing transport are provided. A system for providing passenger transport, comprises a plurality of motorized transport units each comprising a coupler for mechanically coupling to a passenger carrier, and a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units. The central computer system being configured to: receive a ride request from a user, select a motorized transport unit from the plurality of motorized transport units, instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to couple to a passenger carrier associated from the user, determine a route based on user route preference, and instruct the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to transport the user based on the route.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing passenger transport, comprising:
 a plurality of motorized transport units each comprising a coupler for mechanically coupling to a passenger carrier; and   a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units, the central computer system being configured to:
 receive a ride request from a user; 
 select a motorized transport unit from the plurality of motorized transport units; 
 instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to couple to a passenger carrier associated from the user; 
 determine a route based on user route preference; and 
 instruct the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to transport the user based on the route. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger carrier comprises a mobility assistance carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passenger carrier is not motorized and a motorized wheel system of the motorized transport unit provides locomotion when coupled to the passenger carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to:
 determines a location of the user based on location information of a user device associated with the user and instructs the motorized transport unit to travel to the user according to the determined location of the user.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized transport unit is selected based on a user location, a user selected location, and/or locations of the plurality of motorized transport units. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to instruct one or more additional motorized transport units to travel to the passenger carrier and the one or more additional motorized transport units are configured to couple to and drive the passenger carrier together with the motorized transport unit. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized transport unit comprises an audio input device for receiving voice commands from the user. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to instruct the motorized transport unit to transport the user based on one or more of: a user voice command, a user selected destination, a user shopping list, store area restrictions, a user profile, and store promotions. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user route preference comprises an area to avoid and/or an area to visit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the route is further determined based on one or more of a user shopping history and a user demographic profile associated with the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing passenger transport, comprising:
 receiving, at a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units, a ride request from a user;   selecting, with the central computer system, a motorized transport unit from the plurality of motorized transport units each comprising a coupler for mechanically coupling to a passenger carrier;   instructing the motorized transport unit to travel to couple to a passenger carrier associated from the user;   determining, with the central computer system, a route based on user route preference; and   instructing the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to transport the user based on the route.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the passenger carrier comprises a mobility assistance carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the passenger carrier is not motorized and a motorized wheel system of the motorized transport unit provides locomotion when coupled to the passenger carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a location of the user based on location information of a user device associated with the user and instructs the motorized transport unit to travel to the user according to the determined location of the user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the motorized transport unit is selected based on a user location, a user selected location, and/or locations of the plurality of motorized transport units. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 instructing one or more additional motorized transport units to travel to the passenger carrier and the one or more additional motorized transport units are configured to couple to and drive the passenger carrier together with the motorized transport unit.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the motorized transport unit comprises an audio input device for receiving voice commands from the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 instructing the motorized transport unit to transport the user based on one or more of: a user voice command, a user selected destination, a user shopping list, store area restrictions, a user profile, and store promotions.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user route preference comprises an area to avoid and/or an area to visit. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for providing passenger transport, comprising:
 a locomotion system;   a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a central computer system;   a coupler for mechanically coupling to a passenger carrier; and   a control circuit coupled to the locomotion system and the wireless transceiver, the control circuit being configured to:
 receive, from the central computer system and via the wireless transceiver, instruction to travel to a passenger carrier in response to a ride request from a user; 
 travel to the passenger carrier with the locomotion system; 
 mechanically coupling to the passenger carrier with the coupler; 
 receive, from the central computer system and via the wireless transceiver, a route determined based on user route reference; and 
 transport the user with the passenger carrier via the locomotion system based on the route.

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