Techniques for intelligent balloon/airship launch and recovery window location

• US 10,403,160 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Original Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Inventors: Knoblach, Gerald Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US14/757,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3, 701 4, 701300, 701301, 701302, 701 26, 340961, 342 29, 342 30
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/40 Balloons B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/105 specially adapted for unpowered flight, e.g. glider, parachuting, forced landing parachutes per se B64D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/1062 specially adapted for avoiding bad weather conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/1064 specially adapted for avoiding collisions with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18502 Airborne stations

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems for minimizing the probability of a collision between an aircraft and a floating platform are described. The device may include a processor in communication with a memory. The processor is configured to obtain a flight-path vector of an aircraft; determine a probability related to a plurality of flight-paths of a floating platform over a period of time based on operating parameters for the floating platform and weather data; and determine, based on the flight-path vector and the probability related to the plurality of flight-paths of the floating platform, a time and/or a location for launch or recovery of the floating platform that minimizes a probability of a collision between the aircraft and the floating platform while the floating platform is in flight.

Claims

1. A floating platform comprising a free floating balloon, a payload comprising a plurality of releasably-coupled component parts, and a device comprising:

a processor in communication with a memory, the processor configured to;

obtain a flight-path vector of an aircraft;

determine a plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform over a period of time based on operating parameters for the floating platform and weather data, including a local wind vector of a local wind along the plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform, wherein the device is configured to estimate a plurality of individual flight-paths between consecutively determined dimensional points during travel of the floating platform over the period of time;

determine, based on the flight-path vector and the plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform, a time and a location for launch or recovery of the floating platform that minimizes a likelihood of collision between the aircraft and the floating platform while the floating platform is in a flight;

decide whether to terminate the flight of the floating platform; and

release the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts such that the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts are configured to descend under gravity separately or in groupings smaller than the payload in entirety.

2. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the flight-path vector based on one or more of an inertial navigation system, a transponder, a flight schedule, optical detectors, a radar, a lidar, a VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR) signal, origin and destination of the aircraft.

3. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a database for positions of aircrafts and flight-plans of aircrafts in a vicinity of a launch location, and along an estimated flight-path of the floating platform.

4. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the flight-path vector based on data obtained from an aviation authority.

5. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform comprises simulating a plurality of flight-paths for the floating platform based on one or more of:

a local atmospheric data,

a projected launch time,

a projected launch location,

an operating parameter of the floating platform,

an ascent characteristic of the floating platform,

a propulsion characteristic of the floating platform,

a flight characteristic of the floating platform, and/or

a descent characteristic of the floating platform.

6. The floating platform of claim 5, wherein the local atmospheric data is obtained from a floating platform launched previously.

7. The floating platform of claim 5, wherein the local atmospheric data is obtained from a public database.

8. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a possibility of intersection of a flight-path of the floating platform and a pre-determined airspace.

9. The floating platform of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically determine a likelihood of collision between the floating platform and the aircraft after the floating platform is launched.

10. The floating platform of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically determine, while the floating platform is in flight, the operating parameters of the floating platform that minimize the likelihood of collision between the floating platform and the aircraft.

11. The floating platform of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically determine, while the floating platform is in flight, the operating parameters of the floating platform that maintain at least a predetermined separation from the aircraft.

12. The floating platform of claim 9, wherein the processor, in response to a determination that the likelihood of collision is higher than a threshold, is further configured to initiate a change in the flight-path of the floating platform.

13. The floating platform of claim 12, wherein initiating the change in the flight-path of the floating platform includes one or more of:

adjusting an ascent rate of the floating platform,

adjusting an altitude of the floating platform,

adjusting a lateral velocity of the floating platform,

adjusting propulsion of the floating platform,

adjusting a descent rate of the floating platform,

initiating a descent of the floating platform, and/or

initiating a break-up of the floating platform.

14. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a time window during which, a likelihood of collision between the aircraft and the floating platform is minimized.

15. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the operating parameters for the floating platform include launch or recovery time, launch or recovery location, ascent rate, float location, float altitude, propulsion capability, or descent rate.

16. The floating platform of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a communication device.

17. The floating platform of claim 16, wherein the communication device is configured to communicate with a base station.

18. A method being implemented in a computer that includes a processor for controlling flight of a floating platform, wherein the floating platform comprises a free floating balloon, a payload comprising a plurality of releasably-coupled component parts, a device and a release mechanism to release one or more components from the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts such that the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts are configured to descend under gravity, the method comprising:

obtaining a flight-path vector of an aircraft;

determining, by the processor, a plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform over a period of time based on operating parameters for the floating platform and weather data, including a local wind vector of a local wind along the more than one individual estimated flight-paths of the floating platform, wherein the device is configured to estimate a plurality of individual flight-paths between consecutively determined dimensional points during travel of the floating platform over the period of time;

determining, by the processor, based on the flight-path vector and the plurality of estimated flight-paths of the floating platform, a time and a location for launch or recovery of the floating platform that minimizes a likelihood of collision between the aircraft and the floating platform while the floating platform is in a flight;

deciding whether to terminate the flight of the floating platform; and

releasing the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts such that the plurality of releasably-coupled component parts are configured to descend under gravity separately or in groupings smaller than the payload in entirety.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining a plurality of flight-paths of the floating platform comprises simulating a plurality of flight-paths for the floating platform based on:

a local atmospheric,

a project launch time,

a project launch location,

an operating parameter of the floating platform,

an ascent characteristic of the floating platform,

a propulsion characteristic of the floating platform,

a flight characteristic of the floating platform, and/or

a descent characteristic of the floating platform.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the local atmospheric data is obtained from a floating platform launched previously.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the local atmospheric data is obtained from a public database.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining, by the processor, a possibility of intersection of a flight-path of the floating platform and a predetermined airspace.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising dynamically determining, by the processor, while the floating platform is in flight, a likelihood of collision between the floating platform and the aircraft after the floating platform is launched.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising dynamically determining, by the processor, while the floating platform is in flight, the operating parameters of the floating platform that minimize the likelihood of collision between the floating platform and the aircraft.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising dynamically determining, by the processor, while the floating platform is in flight, the operating parameters of the floating platform that maintain at least a pre-determined separation from the aircraft.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising, in response to a determination that the likelihood of collision is higher than a threshold, initiating a change in the flight-path of the floating platform.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein initiating the change in the flight-path of the floating platform comprises:

adjusting an ascent rate of the floating platform,

adjusting an altitude of the floating platform,

adjusting a lateral velocity of the floating platform,

adjusting propulsion of the floating platform,

adjusting a descent rate of the floating platform,

initiating a descent of the floating platform, and initiating a break-up of the floating platform.