GB2553039A

GB2553039A - Cargo transport vehicle as well as method for operating such a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2553039A
Application number: GB1711844.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sangeneni Naveen; Tempelhoff Nicolaas; Fabienne Hansen
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2017-07-24
Filing date: 2017-07-24
Publication date: 2018-02-21
Also published as: GB201711844D0

Abstract

A vehicle which transports cargo and comprises a cargo area 14 for the cargo 12, a camera system 32 with a plurality of cameras 34 which capture pictures of cargo, and a determination module 36 which creates a three dimensional spatial representation 54 of the cargo from the images. Preferably the floor of the vehicle has a weight sensor 38, 40. Preferably the module 36 identifies an identification code (28, fig 3) on the cargo. From this, the position, weight, size or temperature of the cargo may be determined. The vehicle may have a presentation device to present the 3d model of the cargo. Also provided is a method comprising capturing using a camera system, which is a component of the vehicle, pictures of cargo arranged in a cargo area of the vehicle, and creating a three dimensional spatial representation of the cargo.

Description

(54) Title ofthe Invention: Cargo transport vehicle as well as method for operating such a vehicle Abstract Title: A cargo vehicle with cameras to create a 3d representation of the cargo (57) A vehicle which transports cargo and comprises a cargo area 14 for the cargo 12, a camera system 32 with a plurality of cameras 34 which capture pictures of cargo, and a determination module 36 which creates a three dimensional spatial representation 54 ofthe cargo from the images. Preferably the floor ofthe vehicle has a weight sensor 38, 40. Preferably the module 36 identifies an identification code (28, fig 3) on the cargo. From this, the position, weight, size or temperature of the cargo may be determined. The vehicle may have a presentation device to present the 3d model ofthe cargo. Also provided is a method comprising capturing using a camera system, which is a component of the vehicle, pictures of cargo arranged in a cargo area of the vehicle, and creating a three dimensional spatial representation ofthe cargo.

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15LBs ¹Large Box|] 120 1600 40 Deg

Package Data

Item Gs 0.3 Deliver By 11:45

-4-----16

Fig.3

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7 LOADED #54034
Weight	5.32 LBs
Size	Med Box
X Pos.	620
YPos.	1100
Temp	42 Deg
Item Gs	N/A

Fig.6

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Cargo Transport Vehicle as well as Method for Operating such a Vehicle

The invention relates to a vehicle configured to transport cargo. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for operating such a vehicle.

WO 2008/138866 A2 and EP 2 145 298 B1 show a method for distributing items and thus cargo by means of a delivery vehicle. In the method, each item has an identification code. Moreover, the method comprises a first step of reading the respective identification code of the respective item by means of a reading device. The method comprises a second step in which a shelving system is loaded with the items. The method comprises a third step of transporting the shelving system and, thus, the items arranged on the shelving system to predetermined distribution points. In a fourth step of the method, at least one of the items is unloaded at the respective distribution point.

Moreover, US 2014/0222298 A1 shows a shared-use vehicle management system comprising at least one shared-use vehicle including an actual driven vehicle, at least two candidate drivers including a first driver and a second driver, wherein the actual driven vehicle has an actual driver selected from the at least two candidate drivers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle and a method for operating such a vehicle so that cargo can be distributed in a particularly time- and cost-effective way.

This object is solved by a vehicle having the features of patent claim 1 as well as a method having the features of patent claim 7. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle configured to transport cargo so that the vehicle is configured as a cargo vehicle or delivery vehicle. Such a delivery vehicle could be considered but should not be limited to a van, truck, airplane, or ship. For example, said cargo comprises at least one item, a single item or a plurality of items. The vehicle according to the present invention comprises at least one cargo area for said cargo, wherein, for example, the cargo area is configured as a cargo bay. The vehicle according to the present invention further comprises a camera system having a plurality of cameras.

The cameras are configured to capture respective pictures of the cargo in the cargo area. Moreover, the cameras are configured to provide respective signals indicative of said pictures. For example, said signals are electric signals. Furthermore, the vehicle according to the present invention comprises a determination module which is, for example, realized by an electronic control unit of the vehicle. The determination module is configured to receive the signals provided by the cameras. Additionally, the determination module is configured to create, on the basis of the pictures, at least one threedimensional (3D) spatial representation of the cargo in the cargo area.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle configured to transport cargo, wherein, for example, the vehicle is a vehicle according to the present invention. In a first step of the method according to the present invention pictures of cargo being arranged in a cargo area of the vehicle are captured by means of cameras of a camera system being a component of the vehicle. The method according to the present invention comprises a first step of creating, from the pictures, at least one three-dimensional spatial representation of the cargo in the cargo area by means of a determination module. For example, the determination module is a further component of a vehicle.

The idea behind the present invention is that, with a growing trend in e-commerce, conventional last mile delivery processes are becoming increasingly inefficient due to the growing complexity. The biggest challenge fleet managers currently are faced with are inefficiently designed loading and unloading processes in which cargo has to be manually scanned by a person, wherein such scanning takes a lot of time. Further challenges fleet managers are currently faced with are: not fully utilized capacities of deliver vehicles, and couriers wasting a considerable amount of time searching for items in cargo areas which are, for example, configured as cargo compartments. Said items are also referred to as parcels. Moreover, conventionally, there is no guidance on how to unload and/or load the vehicle optimally. All factors lead to significant profit losses for delivery fleet operators. There are many delivery pain points: loss time through repeated cargo scanning and invehicle shifting; concerns over wasted cargo space and under capacity vehicles; and a lack of information on the vehicle and overall delivery process. The disadvantages and problems mentioned above can now be avoided or solved by means of the vehicle and the method according to the present invention. The vehicle and the method according to the present invention allow realizing a cargo recognition and organization system being an in-vehicle system that vastly improves the speed, efficiency, and quality of future deliveries, while also offering detailed visibility for fleet managers into the entire delivery process. By combining both cargo autonomy and fleet transparency the vehicle can be made intelligent enough to manage its own cargo.

Preferably, using computer-assisted hardware and machine learning, the system combines other systems such as one known as data vision and another that is termed data carpet. For example, data vision is a sub-system comprising the camera system and the determination module so that the three-dimensional representation of the cargo in the cargo area can be or is determined.

Moreover, for example, within data carpet, at least a portion of the cargo area is bounded in the vertical direction of the vehicle downwards by means of a cargo floor of the vehicle, the cargo floor being provided with a weight sensor device configured to determine at least one position of at least one item of the cargo on the basis of at least one force exerted, by the item, on the cargo floor when placing the item on the cargo floor. In other words, for example, by means of the weight sensor device a position of at least one item of the cargo on the cargo floor is determined when the cargo area and thus the cargo floor is loaded with said item. Moreover, preferably, the determination module is configured to determine, on the basis of or from the pictures, at least one identification code provided on the cargo, in particular on said item. Therein, for example, the determination module is configured to determine the position of at least one item on the basis of the identification code so that, for example, the position is determined on the basis of both said force and said identification code. For example, the cargo arranged in the cargo area is transported to at least one predetermined distribution point, the cargo or the at least one item is unloaded at the distribution point. Preferably, at the distribution point, at least one signal indicative of the position of the respective item to be unloaded at the distribution point is output thereby helping a courier unload the vehicle in a particular time- and cost-effective way.

For example, the vehicle comprises at least one presentation device configured to present the representation of the cargo, in particular at the distribution point. By presenting the three-dimensional representation of the cargo said courier can be helped in unloading the vehicle so that an unloading process in which the cargo is moved out of the cargo area can be carried out particularly fast.

For example, said data carpet comprises a series of modular weight sensors which are configured as, for example, tiles, wherein the modular weight sensors blanket said cargo floor of the vehicle. Connected to software, the data carpet can track packages or items en route with a particularly high precision, knowing not only when and where items were placed in the vehicle, but also their movement throughout the delivery. In other words, if items move throughout the delivery process, such movements of said items can be detected or tracked by the weight sensor device (data carpet). Data vision tracks the cargo by means of a series of connected cameras and creates said three-dimensional space representation of the cargo. Furthermore, preferably, the camera device and the determination module are configured to capture visual information such as said identification code being, for example, a barcode. Alternatively or additionally, the camera device can detect package condition or the determination module is configured to determine, from the pictures, a condition of the cargo.

Since the pictures, in particular the identification code, are captured while loading the cargo into the vehicle, and since the camera device is a component of the vehicle, a person such as said courier being a driver of the vehicle no longer has to manually scan the cargo so that, by means of the vehicle and the method according to the present invention, manually scanning can be completely eliminated. Together, data carpet and data vision allow the vehicle to handle much of the cargo management itself, in addition to offering new data to further optimize deliveries for speed, efficiency, and transparency.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawings show in:

Fig. 1 part of a schematic and perspective side view of a vehicle according to the present invention, the vehicle being configured to transport cargo and

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

Fig. 13 comprising at least one cargo area for the cargo, a camera system, and a determination module configured to receive signals provided by the camera system and create, on the basis of the pictures, at least one threedimensional spatial representation of the cargo in the cargo area;

part of a schematic and perspective back view of the vehicle;

a schematic perspective view of an item of the cargo, said item being arranged on a cargo floor of the vehicle;

part of a schematic perspective view of the vehicle while a person loads the cargo into the vehicle;

a table showing data characterizing at least one item of the cargo;

a schematic view of a route which is automatically determined by the determination module;

part of a schematic top view of the cargo area in which the cargo is arranged;

part of a schematic perspective view of the interior of the vehicle;

part of a further schematic perspective view of the interior of the vehicle;

part of a further schematic perspective view of the vehicle;

part of a schematic perspective view of an item of the cargo;

a schematic perspective view of screen showing a user interface by means of which a fleet manager can have an insight into delivery processes;

a schematic perspective view of the vehicle;

Fig. 14 part of a schematic perspective view of said screen; and

Fig. 15 part of a schematic and perspective top view of said cargo floor.

In the figures the same elements or elements having the same functions are indicated by the same reference signs.

Fig. 1 shows in a schematic perspective view a vehicle 10 configured to transport cargo 12 so that the vehicle 10 is configured as a cargo delivery vehicle. For example, the vehicle 10 is configured as a van. As can be seen from Figs. 1,2 and 4, the vehicle 10 comprises at least one cargo area 14 being a cargo bay of the vehicle 10. The cargo 12 can be arranged in the cargo area 14 so that the cargo 12 can be transported and thus delivered by the vehicle 10 while being in the cargo area 14. In the vertical direction of the vehicle 10 towards the bottom the cargo area 14 is bounded at least partially by a cargo floor 16 of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 further comprises a roof 18 bounding the cargo area 14 in vertical direction of the vehicle 10 towards the top. Laterally, the cargo area 14 is bounded by respective side walls 20 of the vehicle 10. Moreover, the cargo area 14 can be opened and closed by means of doors 22 which are pivotably arranged on a body 24 of the vehicle 10, the body 24 comprising at least the side walls 20 and the roof 18. For example, the vehicle 10 is used in a method for distributing the cargo 12 which can comprise at least one item 26 or a plurality of items 26. The respective item 26 is also referred to as a parcel or package.

For example, the respective item 26 and thus the cargo 12 have at least one identification code 28 (Fig. 3). As can be seen from Fig. 3, the identification code 28 is an optical code such as a barcode. In said method for distributing the cargo 12, the cargo 12 is loaded into the cargo area 14, which can be seen in Fig. 4. For example, a person 30 loads the cargo 12 into the cargo area 14. The person 30 is the driver of the vehicle 10. Moreover, the person 30 is a courier transporting and delivering the cargo 12. When loading the cargo 12 into the cargo area 14, the cargo 12 is arranged, placed or supported on the cargo floor 16 at least indirectly, so that the cargo 12, in particular the respective item 26, exerts a force on the cargo floor 16, said force resulting from a respective weight of the cargo 12. In said method for distributing the cargo 12, the cargo 12 being arranged in the cargo area 14 is transported to at least one predetermined distribution point by means of the vehicle 10. Moreover, the cargo 12 or at least one of the items 26 is unloaded at said distribution point. Usually, the cargo 12 comprises a plurality of items 26 so that the items 26 are transported to respective predetermined distribution points by means of the vehicle

10. At each one of said distribution points at least one of said items 26 is unloaded and thus delivered.

In order to realize a particularly cost- and time-effective delivery process in which the cargo 12 can be transported and delivered in a particularly time- and cost-effective way, the vehicle 10 comprises a camera system 32 having a plurality of cameras 34. The cameras 34 are configured to capture respective pictures of the cargo 12 arranged in the cargo area 14. In other words, in a method for operating the vehicle 10, the cameras 34 capture respective pictures of the cargo 12 arranged in the cargo area 14. Moreover, the cameras 34 provide respective signals indicative of the captured pictures.

The vehicle 10 further comprises a determination module 36 which is, for example, realized by an electronic control unit of the vehicle 10. In said method, the determination module 36 creates, on the basis of the pictures and thus on the basis of the received signals indicative of the pictures, at least one three-dimensional spatial representation of the cargo 12 arranged in the cargo area 14. Moreover, the cargo floor 16 is provided or equipped with a weight sensor device 38 having a plurality of modular weight sensors 40 which are configured or formed as tiles blanketing the cargo floor 16. The respective weight sensor 40 is also referred to as a sensor tile configured to determine said force exerted on the cargo floor 16 by the respective item 26 when placing the respective item 26 on the cargo floor 16 or the respective weight sensor 40. In other words, if the respective item 26 is placed on at least one of the weight sensors 40, the respective item 26 exerts, on the at least one weight sensor 40, a force resulting from a weight of the respective item 26. Said force can be detected by means of the at least one weight sensor 40 so that, on the basis of the detected force, a position at which the respective item 26 is or has been placed on the cargo floor 16 can be determined, in particular with respect to a known position of the at least one weight sensor 40 in the cargo area 14, in particular on the cargo floor 16. This means said tiles are able to detect the respective items 26.

Moreover, since the cameras 34 capture respective pictures of the cargo 12, at least one of the captured pictures comprises the respective identification code 28. Preferably, the determination module 36 is configured to determine, from the pictures, the identification code 28 so that, for example, said position of the respective item 26 can be determined on the basis of the detected force and on the basis of the determined identification code 28. Since the camera system is a component of the vehicle 10, and since the cameras 34 automatically capture pictures of the cargo 12 arranged in the cargo area 14, a manual scanning process in which the cargo 12 is manually scanned by the person 30 can be eliminated.

Fig. 3 shows a table 42 comprising a plurality of parameters or values characterizing the cargo 12, in particular the respective item 26 corresponding to the determined identification code 28. The parameters or values comprise, for example, a weight, a size, a temperature and/or a delivery time of the respective item 26, wherein, for example, the delivery time is a time by which the item 26 needs to arrive at its corresponding distribution point. Moreover, for example, the table 42, in particular the parameters or values comprise the determined position or coordinates characterizing the position. For example, the X coordinate and Y coordinate.

Fig. 4 illustrates a loading process in which the person 30 manually loads the cargo 12 into the cargo area 14. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the person 30 does not need to manually scan the cargo 12 so that the person 30 can load the cargo 12 into the cargo area in a particularly cost- and time-effective way.

Fig. 5 shows in a schematic side view further items 26 of the cargo 12. Moreover, Fig. 5 shows a further table 44 showing parameters characterizing one of the items 26 shown in Fig. 4, wherein the parameters shown in the table 44 are determined from the identification code 28 corresponding to the item 26 whose parameters are shown in table 44.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, preferably, the determination module 36 is configured to automatically determine or create a route 46 comprising said distribution points. For example, the route 46 is determined on the basis of the three-dimensional representation,

i.e. on the basis of the position of the respective item 26. The route 46 is determined in such a way that the items 26 arrive at the respective distribution points in the fastest way possible, i.e. in the shortest time possible starting, for example, from a starting time and starting point.

As can be seen from Fig. 7, the cargo 12 can move in relation to the cargo floor 16 while the cargo 12 is transported by means of the vehicle, i.e. while the vehicle 10 is driven.

Such movements of the cargo 12 can be captured and tracked by the cameras 34 so that the cameras 34 can track shifting of the cargo 12 during the delivery process, in particular while the vehicle 10 is driven.

Fig. 8 shows the interior 48 of the vehicle 10. In the interior 48 a presentation device 50 being, for example, a screen is arranged. The presentation device 50 is a component of the vehicle 10. As can be seen from Fig. 8, the determination module 36 can recommend best parking options and show said parking options on the presentation device 50. Alternatively or additionally, the three-dimensional spatial representation of the cargo 12 can be presented by means or on the presentation device 50. Moreover, the route 46 can be presented on or by means of the presentation device 50.

The interior 48 is also shown in Fig. 9. As can be seen from Fig. 9, the three-dimensional spatial representation is shown on the presentation device 50 arranged on a dashboard 52 of the vehicle 10, the three-dimensional spatial representation being indicated by 54 in Fig. 9. Preferably, the representation 54 indicates or shows where the respective item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point is located in the cargo area 14 before the driver of the vehicle 10 leaves the vehicle 10. Thus, the driver already knows the location of the respective item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point before entering the cargo area 14 so that the driver does not need to search for the item 26 to be unloaded. Thus, a particularly cost- and time-effective unloading process can be realized.

As can be seen from Fig. 10, the vehicle 10 can comprise light sources 56 configured to emit light 58 in the form of, for example, a spotlight. By means of the spotlights the respective item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point and thus the position of the respective item 26 at the respective distribution point can be highlighted and thus shown to the person 30 so that the person 30 can unload the item 26 particularly easily. Moreover, for example, the respective modular weight sensor 40 or tile is provided with at least one light source configured to emit light by means of which the respective position of the respective item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point can be shown. In other words, at the respective distribution point the light source of the tile or tiles is activated on which the item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point is arranged while, for example, the light sources of the remaining tiles on which the respective item 26 to be unloaded at the respective distribution point is not arranged are or remain deactivated. Thus, the person 30 can see the item 26 to be unloaded particularly fast and easily.

Fig. 11 shows a part of one of the items 26. As can be seen from Fig. 11, the quality of the cargo 12 transported can be tracked and checked by means of the pictures. For example, this is realized in such a way that at least one of the cameras 34 takes at least one picture of the respective item 26 to be unloaded before the respective item 26 leaves the cargo area 14. Thus, a state in which the respective item 26 has been delivered can be captured and checked.

Fig. 12 shows a screen 60 showing a user interface 62 by means of which a fleet manager 64 can have an insight into said delivery process. For example, a delivery system tracks each vehicle used to transport and deliver items which are also referred to as goods. For example, said system tracks each vehicle utilization and merges respective cargos of a plurality of vehicles, i.e. of at least two vehicles, if they are under capacity, providing the fleet manager 64 with information about the savings they could realize by doing so. Thus, a cargo merging concept can be realized.

Fig. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of the vehicle 10, wherein Fig. 13 illustrates the cargo merging concept. As can be seen from Fig. 13, the vehicle 10 and a further delivery vehicle 66 meet at a pre-defined spot to exchange packages or their cargos thereby merging the cargos.

Fig. 14 shows said screen 60 on which a picture of one of the delivered items 26 is shown. For example, the fleet manager 64 can receive damaged good claims at any time via the screen 60. By means of said system, the fleet manager 64 can actually make sure whether or not damage of a transported item 26 is or was the fault of the person 30.

Furthermore, Fig. 14 shows part of the cargo floor 16 comprising tiles in the form of the weight sensors 40. In Fig. 15, a light source 68 of one of said tiles is actuated thereby showing that the item 26 being arranged on the tile whose light source 68 is activated needs to be unloaded at the distribution point at which the vehicle 10 currently stands. Thus, the person 30 can unload the item 26 particularly easily.

reference signs vehicle cargo cargo area floor roof side wall door body item identification code person camera system camera determination module weight sensor device weight sensor table table route interior presentation device dashboard representation light source light screen user interface fleet manager vehicle light source

Claims

1. A vehicle (10) configured to transport cargo (12), the vehicle (10) comprising:

- at least one cargo area (14) for the cargo (12);

- a camera system (32) comprising a plurality of cameras (34) configured to capture respective pictures of the cargo (12) in the cargo area (14), and provide respective signals indicative of the pictures; and

- a determination module (36) configured to receive the signals and create, on the basis of the pictures, at least one three-dimensional spatial representation (54) of the cargo (12).

2. The vehicle (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cargo area (14) is bounded in the vertical direction of the vehicle (10) downwards by means of a cargo floor (16) which is provided with a weight sensor device (38) configured to determine at least one position of at least one item (26) of the cargo (12) on the basis of at least one force exerted, by the item (26), on the cargo floor (16) when placing the item (26) on the cargo floor (16).

3. The vehicle (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination module (36) is configured to determine, from the pictures, at least one identification code (28) provided on the cargo (12).

4. The vehicle (10) according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the determination module (36) is configured to determine the position on the basis of the identification code (28).

5. The vehicle (10) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the determination module (36) is configured to determine, from the identification code (28), values characterizing the cargo (12), in particular its weight and/or size and/or temperature.

6. The vehicle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (10) comprises at least one presentation device (53) configured to present the representation (54) of the cargo (12).

7. A method for operating a vehicle (10) configured to transport cargo (12), the method comprising:

- capturing, by means of cameras (34) of a camera system (32), pictures of the cargo (12) arranged in a cargo area (14) of the vehicle (10), the camera system (32) being a component of the vehicle (10); and

- creating, from the pictures, at least one three-dimensional spatial representation (54) of the cargo (12) by means of a determination module (36).

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1711844.9 Examiner: Ms Lucy Stratton