IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,346,134
Granted Patent B2
US 12,346,134 · App. 18/586,803 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Apparatus and methods for autonomously controlling vehicles at a specified location

Inventor: Anuja Sonalker (Ellicott City, MD)
G05D1/69G01C21/3682G05D1/0088G05D1/0291G05D1/227G05D1/228
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,346,134
App. No.
18/586,803
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for autonomously controlling vehicles at a specified location is provided. The apparatus includes at least a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the at least a processor. The memory includes instructions configuring the at least a processor to receive site-specific driving rules for a distribution center and communicate with a plurality of delivery vehicles at the distribution center. Communicating includes receiving status data from the plurality of delivery vehicles, determining a waypath for the plurality of delivery vehicles based on the status data and the site-specific driving rules, and transmitting the waypath to the plurality of delivery vehicles. The processor is also configured to communicate with a monitor device, wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor movements of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus for autonomously controlling vehicles at a specified location, the apparatus comprising:

at least a processor; and

a memory communicatively connected to the at least a processor, the memory containing instructions configuring the at least a processor to:

receive site-specific driving rules for a distribution center;

communicate with a plurality of delivery vehicles at the distribution center, wherein communicating further comprises:

receiving status data from the plurality of delivery vehicles;

determining a waypath for the plurality of delivery vehicles based on the status data and the site-specific driving rules; and

transmitting the waypath to the plurality of delivery vehicles; and

communicate with a monitor device, wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor movements of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a map of the distribution center, wherein the map comprises a fueling location comprising a location for electric charging.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the status data comprises data on a condition of each vehicle of delivery the plurality of delivery vehicles.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waypath comprises a plurality of sub-waypaths, wherein the plurality of sub-waypaths may be conditionally transmitted to the plurality of delivery vehicles as a function of the status data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory contains instructions further configuring the at least a processor to receive updated status data from the plurality of delivery vehicles.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the updated status data comprises cargo data comprising a loaded/unloaded status of cargo from the plurality of delivery vehicles.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the loaded/unloaded status is determined based on a weight of each of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory contains instructions further configuring the at least a processor to transmit a single command containing the waypath to at least one group of delivery vehicles within the plurality of delivery vehicles.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the status data comprises at least one of a maximum package size, maximum weight capacity, maximum package capacity, and delivery range of at least one delivery vehicle of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the single command comprises determining the at least one group as a function of the status data.

11. A method for autonomously controlling vehicles at a specified location, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least a processor, site-specific driving rules for a distribution center;

communicating, by the at least a processor, with a plurality of delivery vehicles at the distribution center, wherein communicating further comprises:

receiving status data from the plurality of delivery vehicles;

determining a waypath for the plurality of delivery vehicles based on the status data and the site-specific driving rules; and

transmitting the waypath to the plurality of delivery vehicles; and

communicating, by the at least a processor, with a monitor device, wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor movements of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a map of the distribution center, wherein the map comprises a fueling location comprising a location for electric charging.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the status data comprises data on a condition of each vehicle of delivery the plurality of delivery vehicles.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the waypath comprises a plurality of sub-waypaths, wherein the plurality of sub-waypaths may be conditionally transmitted to the plurality of delivery vehicles as a function of the status data.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by the at least a processor, updated status data from the plurality of delivery vehicles.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the updated status data comprises cargo data comprising a loaded/unloaded status of cargo from the plurality of delivery vehicles.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the loaded/unloaded status is determined based on a weight of each of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, by the at least a processor, a single command containing the waypath to at least one group of delivery vehicles within the plurality of delivery vehicles.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the status data comprises at least one of a maximum package size, maximum weight capacity, maximum package capacity, and delivery range of at least one delivery vehicle of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein transmitting the single command comprises determining the at least one group as a function of the status data.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 17939089 · Sep 7, 2022
Related Publication 20240192691A1 · Jun 13, 2024
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