Balloon altitude control using density adjustment and/or volume adjustment
First Claim
1. A balloon, comprising:
- an envelope;
a payload positioned beneath the envelope, wherein the envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion; and
a control system that is configured to cause the balloon to operate using a first mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by rotating the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun;
wherein the control system is further configured, responsive to not attaining a desired altitude or rate of descent or ascent, to cause the balloon to operate using a second mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by moving a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A balloon having an envelope and a payload positioned beneath the envelope. The envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion. The balloon may operate in a first mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by rotating the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun, and wherein the control system is further configured to cause the balloon to operate in a second mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by moving a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A balloon, comprising:
-
an envelope; a payload positioned beneath the envelope, wherein the envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion; and a control system that is configured to cause the balloon to operate using a first mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by rotating the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun; wherein the control system is further configured, responsive to not attaining a desired altitude or rate of descent or ascent, to cause the balloon to operate using a second mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by moving a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
-
causing a balloon to operate using a first mode, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope and a payload positioned beneath the envelope, wherein the envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion, and wherein operation in the first mode comprises; causing altitudinal movement of the balloon via rotation of the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun; determining that an ambient light level is below a threshold; and responsively causing the balloon to operate using a second mode, wherein operation in the second mode comprises; causing altitudinal movement of the balloon via movement of a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. 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 balloon to operate using a first mode, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope and a payload positioned beneath the envelope, wherein the envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion, and wherein operation in the first mode comprises; causing altitudinal movement of the balloon via rotation of the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun; determining that an ambient light level is below a threshold; and responsively causing the balloon to operate using a second mode, wherein operation in the second mode comprises; causing altitudinal movement of the balloon via movement of a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification