SHOPPING FACILITY ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS TO DISPATCH AND RECOVER MOTORIZED TRANSPORT UNITS THAT EFFECT REMOTE DELIVERIES

摘要

A plurality of motorized terrestrial transport units are loaded into a mother vehicle along with a plurality of items to be delivered to various corresponding different recipients. The mother vehicle moves to a first delivery location and a first one of the motorized transport units is dispatched to thereby effect delivery of a first one of the items to a first one of the recipients. Prior to that first dispatched motorized transport unit returning to the mother vehicle, the mother vehicle moves to a second delivery location and dispatches a second one of the motorized transport units to carry a second one of the items to thereby effect delivery to a second one of the recipients. The mother vehicle then subsequently recovers one or more of these dispatched motorized transport units at one or more recovery locations which may or may not be the same as the aforementioned delivery locations.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
loading a plurality of motorized terrestrial transport units into a mother vehicle; loading into the mother vehicle a plurality of items to be delivered to various corresponding different recipients; moving the mother vehicle to a first delivery location; dispatching a first of the motorized terrestrial transport units carrying at least a first of the items to leave the mother vehicle and transport the first of the items to effect delivery to a first of the recipients; prior to the first of the motorized terrestrial transport units returning to the mother vehicle, moving the mother vehicle to a second delivery location and dispatching a second of the motorized terrestrial transport units carrying at least a second of the items to leave the mother vehicle and transport the second of the items to effect delivery to a second of the recipients; recovering at least the first of the motorized terrestrial transport units at a first recovery location into the mother vehicle.