Vehicle-associated package repository for drone based delivery systems

Abstract

A vehicle-associated package repository, and a vehicle-transported container. The vehicle-associated package repository comprising an opening adapted in size and shape to allow depositing and collecting of a package by a drone. The vehicle-associated package repository further comprises a storage compartment adapted in size and shape to retain a plurality of packages. The storage compartment is configured to store packages deposited by the drone via said opening. The vehicle-associated package repository is transported by a vehicle, that is not actively participating in a delivery of the package. The vehicle is performing another task that is independent from the delivery of the package. The vehicle-transported container comprises the vehicle-associated package repository and a container compartment. The vehicle-associated package repository is integrated with the vehicle-transported container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle-associated package repository, comprising:
 an opening, wherein said opening is adapted in size and shape to allow depositing and collecting of a package by a drone; and   a storage compartment, wherein said storage compartment is adapted in size and shape to retain a plurality of packages, wherein said storage compartment is configured to store packages deposited by the drone via said opening;   wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is transported by a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is not actively participating in a delivery of the package, wherein the vehicle is performing another task that is independent from the delivery of the package.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a displacement component, wherein said displacement component is adapted in size and shape to move one or more packages from said opening to said storage compartment upon package deposit, and from said storage compartment to said opening upon package collection. 
 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1 , wherein said opening is located on a top of the vehicle-associated package repository, whereby allowing the drone to collect or deposit the package from the top of the vehicle, when said vehicle-associated package repository is mounted on or integrated with the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is selectively mountable on the vehicle, wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is removable from the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 4 , wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is mountable on a part of the vehicle selected from the group consisting of: a driver cabin of the vehicle, a cargo area of the vehicle and a removable container carried by the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1 , wherein a height of said vehicle-associated package repository, when mounted on the vehicle, does not exceed a predetermined height threshold defined by a structure of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle comprising said vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is integrated with said vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle-transported container comprising said vehicle-associated package repository of  claim 1  and a container compartment, wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is integrated with said vehicle-transported container. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle-transported container of  claim 8 , wherein said vehicle-associated package repository is positioned above said container compartment, wherein a total height of said vehicle-transported container is of a standard height of a standard vehicle-transported container, wherein the container compartment is of a height below a standard height of a container compartment of the standard vehicle-transported container.