Transportation services for pod assemblies

• US 10,322,799 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: McCullough, John Richard, Oldroyd, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US16/001,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/28 Collapsible or foldable blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/04 Arrangement or disposition on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/10 retractable, foldable, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/04 having multiple fuselages or tail booms
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/10 Stowage arrangements for the devices in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/025 for gliding chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

In some embodiments, a pod assembly transportation system includes a transportation services provider computing system and a plurality of flying frame flight control systems, wherein the system is configured to receive, at the transportation services provider computing system, a request for transportation of a pod assembly; upload a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe and a distributed propulsion system coupled to airframe; dispatch the flying frame by air to the current location of the pod assembly; couple the pod assembly to the flying frame; transport the pod assembly by air from the current location of the pod assembly to the destination of the pod assembly including transitioning the flying frame between a vertical takeoff and landing mode and a forward flight mode; and decouple the pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the pod assembly.

Claims

1. A transportation services method comprising:

receiving, at a transportation services provider system, a request for transportation of a pod assembly having a current location and a destination;

uploading a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe having first and second wings with at least two pylons extending therebetween and a distributed propulsion system having at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to the first wing and at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to the second wing;

dispatching the flying frame by air to the current location of the pod assembly;

coupling the pod assembly to the flying frame at the current location of the pod assembly;

transporting the pod assembly by air from the current location of the pod assembly to the destination of the pod assembly including rotating the flying frame including the at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to each wing relative to the pod assembly to transition the flying frame between a vertical takeoff and landing mode wherein the first wing is forward of the pod assembly and the second wing is aft of the pod assembly and a forward flight mode wherein the first wing is below the pod assembly and the second wing is above the pod assembly; and

decoupling the pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the pod assembly.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting, at the transportation services provider system, the flying frame from a fleet of flying frames;

generating, at the transportation services provider system, the flight plan based upon the flying frame location, the current location of the pod assembly and the destination of the pod assembly; and

sending the flight plan from the transportation services provider system to the flight control system of the flying frame via a communication network.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting and decoupling steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to autonomous flight control.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting and decoupling steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to remote flight control.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting and decoupling steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to a combination of remote flight control and autonomous flight control.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein transporting the pod assembly by air from the current location of the pod assembly to the destination of the pod assembly further comprises:

lifting the pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in the vertical takeoff and landing mode;

transitioning the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to the forward flight mode;

transitioning the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode; and

landing the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein transporting the pod assembly by air from the current location of the pod assembly to the destination of the pod assembly further comprises:

lifting the pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in the vertical takeoff and landing mode;

transitioning the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to the forward flight mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the pod assembly;

transitioning the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the pod assembly; and

landing the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a passenger pod assembly.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a cargo pod assembly.

10. A pod assembly transportation system including a transportation services provider computing system and a plurality of flying frame flight control systems each having logic stored within a non-transitory computer readable medium, the logic executable by one or more processors, wherein the system is configured to:

receive, at the transportation services provider computing system, a request for transportation of a pod assembly having a current location and a destination;

upload a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe having first and second wings with at least two pylons extending therebetween and a distributed propulsion system having at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to the first wing and at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to the second wing;

dispatch the flying frame by air to the current location of the pod assembly;

couple the pod assembly to the flying frame at the current location of the pod assembly;

transport the pod assembly by air from the current location of the pod assembly to the destination of the pod assembly including rotating the flying frame including the at least two propulsion assemblies directly coupled to each wing relative to the pod assembly to transition the flying frame between a vertical takeoff and landing mode wherein the first wing is forward of the pod assembly and the second wing is aft of the pod assembly and a forward flight mode wherein the first wing is below the pod assembly and the second wing is above the pod assembly; and

decouple the pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the pod assembly.

11. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the transportation services provider system is configured to:

select the flying frame from a fleet of flying frames;

generate the flight plan based upon the flying frame location, the current location of the pod assembly and the destination of the pod assembly; and

send the flight plan to the flight control system of the flying frame via a communication network.

12. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to autonomous flight control.

13. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to remote flight control.

14. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to a combination of remote flight control and autonomous flight control.

15. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to:

lift the pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in the vertical takeoff and landing mode;

transition the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to the forward flight mode;

transition the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode; and

land the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

16. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to:

lift the pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in the vertical takeoff and landing mode;

transition the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to the forward flight mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the pod assembly;

transition the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the pod assembly; and

land the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

17. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a passenger pod assembly.

18. The pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 10 wherein the pod assembly further comprises a cargo pod assembly.