Breaking apart a platform upon pending collision

• US 10,207,802 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Original Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Inventors: Knoblach, Gerald Mark, Frische, Eric A
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US14/757,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3, 701 4, 701300, 701301, 701302, 701 26, 340961, 342 23, 342 30
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/40 Balloons B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/42 Construction or attachment of stabilising surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/50 Captive balloons
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/70 Ballasting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for separating and releasing component parts of a payload of a floating platform in response to a high collision probability is disclosed. The method includes, determining if an in-flight aircraft is within at least a safety zone associated with a floating platform, wherein the floating platform comprises releasably-coupled component parts; and activating, responsive to a determination that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone, a release mechanism, wherein the release mechanism is configured to uncouple the component parts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining by one or more processors, if an in-flight aircraft is within at least a safety zone associated with a floating platform; and

activating by the one or more processor, responsive to a determination that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone, a release mechanism comprising a device;

wherein the floating platform comprises releasably-coupled component parts, the device is configured to uncouple the component parts upon activation in response to an occurrence of a pre-determined event, and the predetermined event comprises a determination that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone relative to the floating platform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the component parts has a weight or density less than a certain value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining if the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone comprises processing a probability of a collision between the floating platform and the in-flight aircraft based on a certain threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the floating platform comprises a balloon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism is configured to uncouple at least one of the component parts after uncoupling at least one of the other component parts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism is configured to uncouple a second of the component parts after a certain time period following an uncoupling of a first of the component parts.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a current position information of the floating platform;

obtaining a current position of the aircraft;

determining a relative horizontal distance and a relative vertical distance between the floating platform and the aircraft; and

activating the release mechanism based on whether the relative horizontal distance or the relative vertical distance is less than a certain threshold value.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the probability of collision between the aircraft and the floating platform, wherein said determining the probability of collision comprises:

obtaining a current position and a flight vector of the floating platform;

obtaining a relative position of the aircraft relative to a current position of the floating platform, and a relative flight-path vector of the aircraft relative to the flight vector of the floating platform; and

determining the probability of a collision between the aircraft and the floating platform based on the relative position of the aircraft and the relative flight-path vector of the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a closest horizontal approach distance between the floating platform and the aircraft based on a current position of the floating platform, a flight vector of the floating platform, and a relative position of the aircraft;

determining a time until closest approach based on the relative flight-path vector of the aircraft;

determining altitude difference between the floating platform and the aircraft based on the relative position and the relative flight-path vector; and

activating the release mechanism based on if one or more of the closest horizontal approach distance between the floating platform and the aircraft, the time until closest approach, and the altitude difference are each within a certain respective range of values.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold value is based on a minimum in-flight separation between the floating platform and the aircraft mandated by a regulatory agency.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the floating platform comprises a power supply, a battery, a ballast system, an antenna system, an electronic system, a processor, a housing, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the component parts is coupled to a recovery system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a connector comprising at least one of an electrical connector, a magnetic connector, an electromagnetic connector, a pneumatic connector, and a hydraulic connector, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is configured to uncouple upon activation of the release mechanism.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of a solenoid, a motorized drum, a spring-loaded blade, a thermal cutter, an electrically releasable glue, a magnetically releasable fastener, and a chemically releasable fastener.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the component parts are coupled using spring loaded connectors.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the component parts are coupled using a cord configured to be severed upon activation of the release mechanism.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating the release mechanism comprises releasing the one or more component parts from the floating platform responsive to a determination that the aircraft is within a collision zone associated with the floating platform.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating the release mechanism comprises separating the one or more component parts from the platform responsive to a determination that the aircraft is within the safety zone associated with the floating platform, wherein separating the one or more component parts is performed such that the separated component parts remain separated from each other while remaining attached to the platform by a wire.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said separating comprises sequentially separating the one or more component parts from the platform.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism is configured to be activated remotely from a ground-based controller or another floating platform.

21. A floating platform comprising:

a component comprising releasably-coupled component parts; and

a release mechanism comprising a device configured to uncouple the component parts upon activation in response to an occurrence of a pre-determined event, wherein the predetermined event comprises an determination that an aircraft is within at least a safety zone relative to the floating platform;

wherein the at least one of the component parts has a weight or density less than a certain value permissible under an aviation guideline.

22. The floating platform of claim 21, wherein the pre-determined event further comprises one or more of (i) a command received from a ground station in communication with the floating platform, (ii) a mission termination command, and (iii) a determination that the floating platform has entered a prohibited or restricted airspace.

23. The floating platform of claim 21, wherein the payload floating platform comprises a power supply, a battery, a ballast system, an antenna system, an electronic system, a housing, or any combination thereof.

24. The floating platform of claim 21, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one of an electrical connector, a magnetic connector, an electromagnetic connector, a pneumatic connector or a hydraulic connector, wherein a connector of the release mechanism is configured to uncouple upon activation of the release mechanism.

25. The floating platform of claim 21, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one of a solenoid, a motorized drum, a spring-loaded blade, a thermal cutter, an electrically releasable glue, a magnetically releasable fastener, and a chemically releasable fastener.

26. The floating platform of claim 21, further comprising a balloon.

27. A system comprising:

a floating platform comprising a component comprising releasably-coupled component parts;

a release mechanism comprising a device that is configured to uncouple, upon activation, at least one of the component parts; and

a controller configured to activate the release mechanism in response to occurrence of a pre-determined event, wherein the predetermined event comprises a determination that an aircraft is within at least a safety zone relative to the floating platform;

wherein the at least one of the component parts has a weight or density less than a certain value permissible under an aviation guideline.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the floating platform comprises a balloon.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the device comprises at least one of a connector, a solenoid, a motorized drum, a spring-loaded blade, a thermal cutter, an electrically releasable glue, a magnetically releasable fastener, and a chemically releasable fastener;

the connector comprising at least one of an electrical connector, a magnetic connector, an electromagnetic connector, a pneumatic connector or a hydraulic connector, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is configured to uncouple upon activation of the release mechanism.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the device comprises at least one of a connector, a solenoid, a motorized drum, a spring-loaded blade, an electrically releasable glue, and a magnetically releasable fastener;

the connector comprising at least one of an electrical connector, a magnetic connector, an electromagnetic connector, a pneumatic connector or a hydraulic connector, wherein the connector of the release mechanism is configured to uncouple upon activation of the release mechanism.