GB2558559A

GB2558559A - Homing (Location) Beacon, For Ariel/Aircraft Drone, Parcel Delivery System

Info

Publication number: GB2558559A
Application number: GB1700065.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reed Trevor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-01-03
Filing date: 2017-01-03
Publication date: 2018-07-18
Also published as: GB201700065D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a homing beacon for a delivery drone which may have a rechargeable lithium battery so that it can be left in an appropriate location for a drone to drop off a parcel. The use of infrared means that once the drone is within range of the beacon (achieved by using GPS or similar) the drone can land within centimeters of the beacon. This is preferable over the meters of uncertainty which are common in GPS location. The device may have a micro USB, a VHF or UHF radio transmitter/receiver and/or an IEEE 802.11 transmitter and receiver. The beacon may therefore be linked to a users personal computer using either the micro USB link or a wireless network. The beacon may further be securable with a PIN number. This might act as a deterrent to potential thieves who would want to steal the beacon. Plastic is a suitable material for the case which may be designed to be weatherproof.

Description

Homing (Location) Beacon, For Ariel / Aircraft Drone, Parcel Delivery System^

Homing (Location) Beacon . A Homing (Location) Beacon, to be used as part of an overall system, for the delivery of retail type goods, using Ariel Drones (flying unmanned machines). A small, re-usable, electrical, portable device which assists a drone to navigate itself to within just a few centimetres of where the Homing Beacon has been placed. The drone then delivers a consumer related retail type cargo or package which has been ordered and/or purchased via the internet (World Wide Web).

Description .

The Beacon comprises of a circular or square plastic type, portable, weather proof, flat bottomed, slightly rounded topped case or similar, approximately 13cm long x 13cm wide x 3cm high. Containing a battery, a VHF or UHF radio transmitter/receiver, Infrared beacons/projector (central in the top), a wireless local area network system IEEE 802.11 transmitter and receiver, antennas where required, micro USB type outlet, microchips, memory etc. with associated hardware and software, an on/off power switch and LED status light or lights . All these components would probably be assembled on to a printed circuit board for ease of assembly and use. The unit's batteries could be re-chargeable, via a charging socket or micro USB socket and a supplied adaptor/plug/cable. The unit could be linked wirelessly to the user's computer or mobile computer/telephone system, using a wireless local area network system or micro USB link. Once a customer has taken delivery of a Homing Beacon, a PIN number and/or key, could be entered in to it. The Homing Beacon would not work unless it recognised that PIN or key. To change a key say, you would have to enter your PIN number. This would discourage the theft of a Homing Unit from say a garden, and then being used illegally by someone else. It is envisaged the Homing Beacon would be inexpensive to buy, maybe around £10 for an example. Minor alterations of the appearance, principal and of the components could be made, and still fall within the scope of the patent.

Claims

Claims And Principal Of Use. A recipient/customer say, requires a retail type item. The person first requests and takes delivery of the Homing Beacon from the retailer or their agent using the traditional postal system, sometime before ariel delivery is required. It can be linked wirelessly or by cable to the ordering system (computer /mobile device) of the customer say. The goods are sourced and purchased on the internet, via the website/s which recognises the Homing Beacon system, or the place where the goods are ultimately sent for despatch, recognises the Homing Unit system. A delivery location is entered in to the retailers/delivery agent's website, which includes a Post /Zip Code. The method of delivery is selected, e.g. 'Air' delivery. The delivery location is checked by the sender, to ensure it is within range and suitable for drone delivery. The sender processes and despatches the order, which is loaded on to the Despatch Unit (lorry). When the lorry is considered loaded with all its cargo and drones, it drives to a convenient outer perimeter of the delivery locations, which typically would be up to say 10 miles approximately from the delivery targets. A despatch type building could be used in place of a lorry. At some point, a message is sent to the customer via a text or email etc. with an expected delivery time, and an instruction when to activate and deploy the Homing Beacon. The Homing Beacon itself could even be instructed to relay a message, from your mobile device/computer/router, saying it requires deployment. The operator loads and dispatches a drone with the item/s to be delivered, to a customer's delivery location. It fly's towards the Post/Zip codes longitude and latitude bearings, using its on-board satellite navigation system and software, at a safe height around say 50 meters above ground. When it arrives at the Post/Zip Code bearings, it may be a little way still from its destination. The Homing Beacon is deployed (at the required time prior to delivery) by say the customer, on an external area of their choosing, away from trees, overhead cables, gathering of people, and generally in a safe and suitable area for a drone to land and take off vertically. It could even be placed on a large garden table, flat roof of a house, your parked car in a car park or boat deck. The Homing Beacon is turned on, and scans its surroundings, for overhanging obstacles and adjacent obstructions etc. using its on-board infrared projector. It will only activate itself for guidance instructions, once it is satisfied it is in a suitable position/location. It then enters stand-by mode, and flashes its LED light to confirm these stages. When the drone arrives at the Post/Zip Code co-ordinates, it emits a radio signal which the Homing Beacon then receives. This wakes up the Homing Beacon and turns the Homing Beacons' radio direction transmitter and infrared beacon, on. The drone is then directed closer by the Homing Beacons' radio direction transmitter. When the drone is within some 80 meters or so of the Homing Beacon, at around 160 feet above ground, it detects the infrared beacon/s. using its on-board infrared sensors. It positions itself at full operating height above the Homing Beacon. Checking the area is clear to descend, using various collision avoidance sensors. It travels down the infrared beam, until it slowly lands on top of, or within a few centimetres of the Homing Beacon. The radio signals and infrared beams would be in the form of an encrypted digital pulse type signal, forming a form of code. The system would generate this as a type of say, 'purchase reference'. Only the correct delivery drone and the correct Homing Beacon would know this code for example, and both would have to match up. This would prevent the wrong drone landing on your Homing Beacon, or your drone landing on someone else's Homing Beacon. It would also prevent someone imitating your Homing Beacon, and intercepting your goods. A signal is passed from the drone via the Homing Beacon and back to your computer/mobile device/wireless router confirming delivery. The cargo is automatically released on top of the Homing Beacon. If the router is out of signal range, the internal memory of the Homing Beacon, stores the delivery information, which can be transferred via a USB type cable link to your chosen computer type device later. The drone then takes-off vertically, once a collision avoidance check has been made, taking a photograph as it does so (as evidence of delivery), then up to its normal operating height of about 50 meters above ground. If a delivery using a mobile computer/telephone device is used away from the home, or on a boat for example, the mobile computer/telephone device is set to transmit/reveal its longitude and latitude bearings, which are relayed to the drone, by the mobile computer/telephone device, via the internet system. Alternatively, the longitude and latitude bearings could even be entered in to the website manually. When the drone gets to within some 80 meters of the mobile device, the Homing Beacon takes over the guidance, just as it would if using the normal home based computer/mobile telephone method. The Homing Beacon could be connected to the mobile device by a cable if required. The drone then returns back to the Despatch Unit (lorry), using a pre-programmed satellite navigation system flight plan, again at 50 meters above ground say. The cargo is then at some point, retrieved by the recipient into their care. The Homing Beacon then goes back in to sleep mode, ready for another delivery if required. Alternatively, plugged in to a charging point, for re-charging the battery, or powered-off. The Homing Beacon could remain outside permanently if required, and maybe just taken in side for re-charging etc. The drones and other parts of the delivery system would be matched with compatible systems as the Homing Beacons, so they all work together seamlessly. This principal of accurate delivery assumes that the drones and other parts of the system are designed so that they can work to the required accuracy.