# US 10,479,503 B2 · Suspended load stability systems and methods

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- Number: US 10,479,503 B2
- Document ID: US10479503B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/247,791
- Filed: 2019-01-15
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08
- Assignees: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Derek Sikora; Caleb B. Carr; Logan Goodrich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479503B2

## CPC

- B64D 9/00: Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like
- B64C 17/00: Aircraft stabilisation not otherwise provided for
- B64D 1/08: the articles being load-carrying devices
- B64D 1/22: Taking-up articles from earth's surface
- B66C 1/10: by mechanical means
- B66C 1/36: with means, e.g. spring-biased detents, for preventing inadvertent disengagement of loads
- B66C 13/08: for depositing loads in desired attitudes or positions
- B66C 13/46: Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
- B66D 1/485: {electrical}
- G05D 1/0858: {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft}
- G05D 1/10: Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions (G05D1/12 takes precedence)
- G05D 1/46: Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D]
- H04W 4/026: {using orientation information, e.g. compass}
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21)
- B66D: CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS (winding or unwinding ropes or cables for feeding or storage purposes B65H; rope or cable winding or unwinding mechanisms for lifts B66B)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Load stability systems and methods for stabilizing swinging motions of suspended loads. The load stability systems include a fully automated, self-powered device that employs thrust to counteract and control lateral and rotational motion of an external load. The device is a temporary installment on the load, cable, or boom, and is agnostic to the platform from which it is suspended.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A load stability system apparatus for stabilizing a load suspended via a cable from above, the apparatus comprising:
a center module comprising:
an attachment point for the cable, configured to allow rotation of the cable relative to the apparatus such that a twist or rotational motion of the cable is decoupled from an orientation of the apparatus and the apparatus in operation is orientable to any direction around an upright axis between the cable and the load;
an attachment point for the load, configured to suspend the load in operation below the load stability system apparatus;
a tensile structural element along the upright axis between the attachment point for the cable and the attachment point for the load,
wherein an upper surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the cable and a lower surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the load; and
a thruster mounting structure connected to the tensile structural element, configured to mount an even number of thrusters to the center module in a fixed position,
wherein the fixed position comprises pairs of thrusters arranged on opposite sides of the center module across the upright axis, aligned in parallel and facing a common direction;
a power supply;
a sensor array comprising:
an inertial measurement system;
an orientation measurement system; and
an absolute position measurement system;
a wireless transceiver;
a thruster controller;
two or more thrusters connected to the thruster mounting structure and controlled by the thruster controller; and
a processor operably connected to the sensor array, the wireless transceiver, and the thruster controller;
wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a motion of the load, the motion including any of a pendulum awing, a conical pendulum swing, and a twisting or rotational motion, based on the sensor array measurement systems;
orient the apparatus to a thrust application vector, by controlling thrust provided by the at least one of the thrusters in the pairs of thrusters mounted on opposite sides of the center module, such that the common direction that at least one of the pairs of thrusters faces coincides with the thrust application vector; and
apply thrust along the thrust application vector to autonomously counteract the motion of the load, by controlling at least the pair of thrusters aligned with the thrust application vector.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more thrusters comprise unidirectional or bidirectional ducted fans.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a thruster mount mechanism wherein the two or more thrusters are toollessly detachable from the center module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attachment point for the cable comprises one or more of a hoist ring or a hook.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises one or more batteries.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a charging station configured to electrically connect to the apparatus to charge the one or more batteries and to physically receive and secure the apparatus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a wired power connection.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing around the center module.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor array inertial measurement system comprises at least one accelerometer or gyroscope, the sensor array orientation measurement system comprises at least one magnetometer or compass, and the sensor array absolute position measurement system comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor array further comprises at least one of a proximity sensor or light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, an infrared (IR) or optical sensor, a gravitational sensor, a strain sensor, a rotational encoder or thruster speed sensor, or a shutdown pin presence sensor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote positional unit external to the apparatus, located at a position that is fixed relative to the location from which the cable is suspended or a target location, wherein the remote positional unit includes a positional transceiver configured to communicate with the wireless transceiver and provide a positional reference to the apparatus.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising external status indicator lights configured to indicate one or more of a position of the apparatus, an orientation of the apparatus, a distance from obstacles, a height above ground, a signal quality of the wireless transceiver, a mode or command state of the processor, an inertial behavior of the load, an energy capacity or available power of the power supply, a work load or power consumption of the two or more thrusters, the thrust from each thruster, a motion or direction of thrust of the apparatus, and a recommended direction for an operator to maneuver a platform suspending the load.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user-operable button or switch on the apparatus to initialize or shut down the apparatus and an emergency shutdown mechanism comprising a removable pin.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote interactive display comprising a display processor, a screen, an input device, and a display transceiver configured to communicate with the wireless transceiver, wherein the remote interactive display is configured to:
receive data wirelessly from the load stability system apparatus via the display transceiver;
display, via the screen, indicators of one or more of a position of the apparatus, an orientation of the apparatus, a distance from obstacles, a height above ground, a signal quality of the wireless transceiver, a mode or command state of the processor, an inertial behavior of the load, an energy capacity or available power of the power supply, a work load or power consumption of the two or more thrusters, the thrust from each thruster, a motion or direction of thrust of the apparatus, and a recommended direction for an operator to maneuver a platform suspending the load; and
provide user control, via the input device, to set one or more of the mode or command state of the processor, a target position for the apparatus, and activation of an emergency shut off.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The load stability system apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a self-contained, self-powered, closed-loop stabilization system that continuously counteracts a pendulum-like swing of the suspended load.

### Claim 16

A method, performed by an autonomous load stability system apparatus suspended by a cable, to counteract a swinging of a load suspended below the load stability system apparatus,
wherein the load stability system apparatus includes a center module (comprising an attachment point for the cable, configured to allow rotation of the cable relative to the apparatus such that a twist or rotational motion of the cable is decoupled from an orientation of the apparatus and the apparatus in operation is orientable to any direction around an upright axis between the cable and the load, an attachment point for the load, configured to suspend the load in operation below the load stability system apparatus, a tensile structural element along the upright axis between the attachment point for the cable and the attachment point for the load, wherein an upper surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the cable and a lower surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the load, and a thruster mounting structure connected to the tensile structural element, configured to mount an even number of thrusters to the center module in a fixed position, wherein the fixed position comprises pairs of thrusters arranged on opposite sides of the center module across the upright axis, aligned in parallel and facing a common direction), a power supply, a sensor array (comprising an inertial measurement system, an orientation measurement system; and an absolute position measurement system), a wireless transceiver, a thruster controller, a processor (operably connected to the sensor array, the wireless transceiver, and the thruster controller), and two or more thrusters connected to the thruster mounting structure and controlled by the thruster controller,
the method comprising:
receiving an activation signal;
obtaining, by the sensor array, information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
identifying a target location of the load stability system apparatus;
determining, by the processor, a thrust application vector to move the load stability system apparatus to the identified target location, based on the obtained information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
rotating the load stability system apparatus by controlling thrust from at least one of the two or more thrusters to align the common direction that at least one of the pairs of thrusters faces with the thrust application vector; and
applying thrust, by at least the pair of thrusters aligned with the thrust application vector, to counteract the swinging of the load.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the obtaining, identifying, determining, rotating, and applying thrust are performed continuously.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the identifying a target location of the load stability system apparatus is based on a mode or command state, and receiving the activation signal comprises receiving, by the wireless transceiver, a user selection of the mode or command state comprising one of:
maintaining a position relative to a fixed or moving point from which the cable is suspended;
holding a current position;
moving to a designated coordinate location or a point above the designated coordinate location; and
following an external target not connected to the suspended load.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying, on one or more external status indicator lights on the load stability system apparatus or on a remote interactive display in wireless communication with the wireless transceiver, an indication of the current mode or command state of the load stability system apparatus.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the two or more thrusters are mounted in a fixed orientation relative to the load stability system apparatus, and wherein the rotating at least one of the two or more thrusters to align with the thrust application vector comprises rotating the load stability system apparatus.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein determining, by the processor, a thrust application vector to move the load stability system apparatus to the identified target location, based on the obtained information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus comprises using a non-linear state estimator to project near-term future motion of the load stability system apparatus and calculating a dynamic thrust response to the projected near-term future motion of the load stability system apparatus.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
obtaining, by the sensor array, information describing an obstacle in a path of projected or potential movement of the load stability system apparatus; and
wherein determining, by the processor, a thrust application vector to move the load stability system apparatus to the identified target location, based on the obtained information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus comprises determining an adjusted vector to steer the load stability system apparatus and the load clear of the obstacle.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the obtaining, identifying, determining, rotating, and applying thrust cause the load stability system apparatus to autonomously counteract the swinging of the load including any of a pendulum swing, a conical pendulum swing, and a twisting or rotational motion.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the load stability system apparatus is agnostic of a platform from which the cable is suspended, such that the load stability system apparatus does not control the platform from which the cable is suspended.

### Claim 25

An autonomous load stability system apparatus that is suspended by a cable, the load stability system apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor in the load stability system apparatus, configure the processor to control the load stability system apparatus to counteract a swinging of a load suspended below the load stability system apparatus,
wherein the load stability system apparatus includes a center module (comprising an attachment point for the cable, configured to allow rotation of the cable relative to the apparatus such that a twist or rotational motion of the cable is decoupled from an orientation of the apparatus and the apparatus in operation is orientable to any direction around an upright axis between the cable and the load, an attachment point for the load, configured to suspend the load in operation below the load stability system apparatus, a tensile structural element along the upright axis between the attachment point for the cable and the attachment point for the load, wherein an upper surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the cable and a lower surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the load, and a thruster mounting structure connected to the tensile structural element, configured to mount an even number of thrusters to the center module in a fixed position, wherein the fixed position comprises pairs of thrusters arranged on opposite sides of the center module across the upright axis, aligned in parallel and facing a common direction), a power supply, a sensor array (comprising an inertial measurement system, an orientation measurement system; and an absolute position measurement system), a wireless transceiver, a thruster controller, the processor (operably connected to the sensor array, the wireless transceiver, and the thruster controller), and two or more thrusters connected to the thruster mounting structure and controlled by the thruster controller,
wherein the instructions comprise:
receiving an activation signal, wherein the activation signal includes a user selection of a mode or command state comprising one of:
maintaining a position relative to a fixed or moving point from which the cable is suspended;
holding a current position;
moving to a designated coordinate location or a point above the designated coordinate location; and
following an external target not connected to the suspended load;
obtaining, by the sensor array, information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
identifying a target location of the load stability system apparatus, based on the mode or command state;
determining, by the processor, a thrust application vector to move the load stability system apparatus to the identified target location, based on the obtained information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
rotating the load stability system apparatus by controlling thrust from at least one of the two or more thrusters to align the common direction that the at least one of the pairs of thrusters faces with the thrust application vector; and
applying thrust, by at least the pair of thrusters aligned with the thrust application vector, to counteract the swinging of the load.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The autonomous load stability system apparatus of claim 25, wherein the obtaining, identifying, determining, rotating, and applying thrust cause the load stability system apparatus to autonomously counteract the swinging of the load including any of a pendulum swing, a conical pendulum swing, and a twisting or rotational motion.

### Claim 27

A method of counteracting a motion of a suspended load, the method comprising:
attaching a load stability system apparatus to a cable for suspending the load, wherein the load stability system apparatus includes a center module (comprising an attachment point for the cable, configured to allow rotation of the cable relative to the apparatus such that a twist or rotational motion of the cable is decoupled from an orientation of the apparatus and the apparatus in operation is orientable to any direction around an upright axis between the cable and the load, an attachment point for the load, configured to suspend the load in operation below the load stability system apparatus, a tensile structural element along the upright axis between the attachment point for the cable and the attachment point for the load, wherein an upper surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the cable and a lower surface of the tensile structural element is coupled to the attachment point for the load, and a thruster mounting structure connected to the tensile structural element, configured to mount an even number of thrusters to the center module in a fixed position, wherein the fixed position comprises pairs of thrusters arranged on opposite sides of the center module across the upright axis, aligned in parallel and facing a common direction), a power supply, a sensor array (comprising an inertial measurement system, an orientation measurement system; and an absolute position measurement system), a wireless transceiver, a thruster controller, a processor (operably connected to the sensor array, the wireless transceiver, and the thruster controller), and two or more thrusters connected to the thruster mounting structure and controlled by the thruster controller, wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a motion of the load, the motion including any of a pendulum swing, a conical pendulum swing, and a twisting or rotational motion, based on the sensor array measurement systems;
orient the apparatus to a thrust application vector, by controlling thrust provided by the at least one of the thrusters in the pairs of thrusters mounted on opposite sides of the center module, such that the common direction that at least one of the pairs of thrusters faces coincides with the thrust application vector; and
apply thrust along the thrust application vector to autonomously counteract the motion of the load, by controlling at least the pair of thrusters aligned with the thrust application vector,
activating a mode or command state of the load stability system apparatus comprising one of:
maintaining a position relative to a fixed or moving point from which the cable is suspended;
holding a current position;
moving to a designated coordinate location or a point above the designated coordinate location; and
following an external target not connected to the suspended load; and
causing a motion of the suspended load inconsistent with the activated mode or command state of the load stability system apparatus,
such that the thrust applied by the load stability system apparatus along the thrust application vector autonomously counteracts the motion of the suspended load.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the load stability system apparatus autonomously:
obtains, by the sensor array, information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
identifies a target location of the load stability system apparatus, based on the mode or command state;
determines, by the processor, the thrust application vector to move the load stability system apparatus to the identified target location, based on the obtained information describing the position, orientation, and movement of the load stability system apparatus;
rotates the load stability system apparatus by controlling thrust from at least one of the two or more thrusters to align the common direction that at least one of the pairs of thrusters faces with the thrust application vector; and
applies thrust, by at least the pair of thrusters aligned with the thrust application vector, to counteract the swinging of the load.