DS Forums

 
 

Amazon Airborne Warehouse


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 29-12-2016, 16:59
tealady
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38458867

How can you get a patent on a delivery method? Can I get one on the use of lorries and humans pushing small envelopes through doors?

I can see this being CT heaven!
tealady is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 29-12-2016, 18:26
starinyoureye
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,153
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38458867

How can you get a patent on a delivery method? Can I get one on the use of lorries and humans pushing small envelopes through doors?

I can see this being CT heaven!
No because they're already patented
starinyoureye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 18:33
Maxatoria
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 10,733
High powered rifle and its presents galore all over your local area
Maxatoria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:09
tealady
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350
Could be an ideal terrorist weapons delivery platform!
tealady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:32
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,130
A crucial part of the article I feel.

"It is not clear whether the filing is a plan for a project that will be realised or just a proof-of-concept. Many firms regularly file patents that never end up becoming real world products or services.

Amazon's patent was filed in late 2014 but has only now come to light thanks to analyst Zoe Leavitt from CB Insights who unearthed the documents."
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:35
jaycee331
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,164
I admire Amazon's vision but their drone program and now this, strike me as a clever PR stunt. It's given them miles of free publicity so far.

Many companies file for patents that never turn into product, and I suspect the patents are driven more on a "well you never know, one day...." or a "let's patent the concept before anyone else does" premise. They can also add company value as intellectual property regardless of whether they ever exist in reality or not.

Can the drones ever be really viable? The more thought I give it, the more ridiculous it seems.

o Technical failure and a drone lands on someone's head or into traffic
o Can they survive a hail storm or gale force winds?
o Collision with birds and pylons or airborne utility cables direct to property
o Liable to vandalism, yobs throwing stones or taking pot-shots at them for fun
o Someone is parking on a private driveway just as a drone comes in to land - will it know? What will it do?
o How to navigate a safe landing in a front yard with trees and ponds, or homes with scaffolding or other small protrusions
o Drone landings become is a huge advertisement for thieves - quick grab the box before the home owner does
o What if the postman or visitor is walking up to your door as a drone comes in?
o Noise pollution
o Could startle the hell out of anyone working at heights or up a ladder etc.
o No use at all for apartment blocks or homes with no grounds
o What if the family pet is having a snooze on the landing zone?
o Hackers will have a field day with this trying to interfere with their comms and sensors

Anyone?
jaycee331 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:45
Avidian
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,334
A crucial part of the article I feel.

"It is not clear whether the filing is a plan for a project that will be realised or just a proof-of-concept. Many firms regularly file patents that never end up becoming real world products or services.

Amazon's patent was filed in late 2014 but has only now come to light thanks to analyst Zoe Leavitt from CB Insights who unearthed the documents."
@zoe_leavitt

"I just unearthed the Death Star of #ecommerce"

https://twitter.com/zoe_leavitt/stat...12767041331202

Avidian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:48
tealady
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350
Thanks jaycee331. Interesting thoughts.
"But that's what they said about steam engines".
tealady is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:55
blueblade
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Southern East Anglia
Posts: 75,208
Also, it said, the drones descending from the AFCs - which would cruise and hover at altitudes up to 45,000ft (14,000m) - would use almost no power as they glided down to make deliveries.
I hope there would be means of protecting packages from the intense cold encountered at that height, which would certainly damage quite a lot of goods, if exposed.

Anyway, my preferred safe place is my porch. I doubt it will be able to open the door and drop it in there.
blueblade is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:57
muggins14
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Pit of Despair
Posts: 50,130
@zoe_leavitt

"I just unearthed the Death Star of #ecommerce"

https://twitter.com/zoe_leavitt/stat...12767041331202

Death star! Hahaha!
muggins14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 19:57
Sweet7
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 461
It's actually quite interesting how patents work.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but patents are filed on the basis of how they operate, rather than the 'idea'. Which is why you always see articles on Apple filing patents on seemingly standard practices. But it's actually the process of how it works which is patented.

Like another poster said, the chances this will ever come to light is very slim.
Sweet7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2016, 20:15
tealady
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: colchester
Posts: 15,350
It's actually quite interesting how patents work.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but patents are filed on the basis of how they operate, rather than the 'idea'. Which is why you always see articles on Apple filing patents on seemingly standard practices. But it's actually the process of how it works which is patented.

Like another poster said, the chances this will ever come to light is very slim.
The other point is that it is a US patent.
I have read a few times that the US patent system is broken, hence apple get a patent on a paper bag ( but not just any paper bag ).
tealady is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 13:57.