Breaking apart a platform upon pending collision

• US 10,696,400 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Original Assignee: Space Data Corporation
• Inventors: Knoblach, Gerald M., Frische, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard A
• Application Number:
  US16/237,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20190135436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 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: 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:

communicating between a floating platform and a ground station and/or other floating platforms;

determining if an in-flight aircraft is within at least a safety zone associated with the floating platform; and

activating remotely via the ground station or any one or more of the other floating platforms a release mechanism comprising a device, the activating being in response to a determination that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone;

wherein the floating platform comprises releasably-coupled component parts and the device is configured to uncouple the component parts upon the activating remotely in response to the determining that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone to the floating platform; and

wherein at least one of the component parts has a weight or density less than a certain value.

2. 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 horizontal distance and a vertical distance between the floating platform and the aircraft;

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a 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 position of the aircraft to a current position of the floating platform, and a flight path vector of the aircraft 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 position of the aircraft and the flight-path vector of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, 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 position of the aircraft;

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

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

activating the release mechanism if 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.

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the certain threshold value is based on a minimum in-flight separation between the floating platform and the aircraft mandated by a regulatory agency.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable code physically embodied thereon which, when executed by one or more processors undertakes operations 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 processors, 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.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining a current position information of the floating platform;

obtaining a current position of the aircraft;

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

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

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a 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 position of the aircraft to a current position of the floating platform, and a flight-path vector of the aircraft 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 position of the aircraft and the flight-path vector of the aircraft.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

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 position of the aircraft;

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

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

activating the release mechanism if 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.

11. A system comprising

a floating platform, a ground station and/or other floating platforms;

wherein the floating platform comprises;

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 a determination that an aircraft is within at least a safety zone to the floating platform;

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

wherein the system is configured for remote activation via the ground station or any one or more of the other floating platforms.

12. The floating platform of claim 11, 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.

13. The floating platform of claim 11, 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.

14. The system of claim 11, 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.

15. The system of claim 11, 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.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a controller.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the floating platform comprises a balloon.

18. The system of claim 11, 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.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the component parts is coupled to a recovery system.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the component parts are coupled using spring loaded connectors or a cord configured to be severed upon activation of the release mechanism.