Thermal regulation of balloon payload using electronic ink
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A balloon payload, comprising:
- a balloon payload structure attached to a balloon envelope;
an outer surface of the balloon payload structure comprised of an electronic ink covering, anda control system configured to change the electronic ink covering from a first state having first energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, to a second state having second energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, wherein the second energy absorptive properties allow less thermal energy to enter the payload than the first energy absorptive properties.
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Abstract
A balloon payload is provided having a payload structure, an outer surface of the payload structure comprised of an electronic ink covering, and a control system configured to change the electronic ink covering from a first state having first energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, to a second state having second energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, wherein the second energy absorptive properties allow less thermal energy to enter the payload than the first energy absorptive properties.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A balloon payload, comprising:
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a balloon payload structure attached to a balloon envelope; an outer surface of the balloon payload structure comprised of an electronic ink covering, and a control system configured to change the electronic ink covering from a first state having first energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, to a second state having second energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, wherein the second energy absorptive properties allow less thermal energy to enter the payload than the first energy absorptive properties. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A balloon payload, comprising:
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a balloon payload structure; an outer surface of the balloon payload structure comprised of an electronic ink covering, and a control system configured to change the electronic ink covering from a first state having first energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, to a second state having second energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, wherein the second energy absorptive properties allow more thermal energy to enter the payload than the first energy absorptive properties; wherein the balloon payload structure is carried beneath a balloon envelope adapted to be filled with a lifting gas.
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13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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causing a payload of a balloon to be placed in a first state wherein the payload includes a payload structure where an outer surface of the payload structure is comprised of an electronic ink covering, where in the first state, the electronic ink covering has first energy absorptive properties with respect to the thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, causing the payload of the balloon to change to a second state, where in the second state, the electronic ink covering has second energy absorptive properties that allow less thermal energy to enter the payload than when the electronic ink covering is in the first state. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
causing a payload of a balloon to be placed in a first state wherein the payload includes a payload structure where an outer surface of the payload structure is comprised of an electronic ink covering, where in the first state, the electronic ink covering has first energy absorptive properties with respect to thermal energy that enters the payload through the electronic ink covering, causing the payload of the balloon to change to a second state, where in the second state, the electronic ink covering has second energy absorptive properties that allow less thermal energy to enter the payload through the electronic ink covering than when the electronic ink covering is in the first state. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
Specification