# US 10,870,558 B2 · Integrated suspended load control apparatuses, systems, and methods

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- Number: US 10,870,558 B2
- Document ID: US10870558B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/788,230
- Filed: 2020-02-11
- Published: 2020-07-23
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08
- Assignees: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Derek Sikora; Caleb B. Carr; Adam L. K. Philipp
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870558B2

## CPC

- A61G 1/00: Stretchers
- B66C 13/085: {electrical}
- A61G 1/003: with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons, e.g. break-away type or using endless belts
- A61G 1/044: Straps, bands or belts
- A61G 3/006: {Means for reducing the influence of acceleration on patients, e.g. suspension systems of platforms (securing loads against shocks in general B60P7/16)}
- A61G 5/1051: {Arrangements for steering}
- B64D 1/22: Taking-up articles from earth's surface
- B66C 1/10: by mechanical means
- B66C 13/08: for depositing loads in desired attitudes or positions
- G06F 18/2113: by ranking or filtering the set of features, e.g. using a measure of variance or of feature cross-correlation
- A61G 2200/32: lying
- A61G 2203/22: for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital
- A61G 2203/36: for motion
- A61G 2203/40: for distance
- A61G 2220/10: Aircrafts
- G06V 20/10: Terrestrial scenes (scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59)
- G06V 20/64: Three-dimensional [3D] objects
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- 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)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

Load control apparatuses, systems and methods to control a location, orientation, or rotation of a suspended load by imparting thrust vectors to the suspended load or to a structure that holds the load. The load control apparatuses, systems and method may be integrated into a structure that holds a load, such as a rescue litter. The load control apparatuses, systems, and methods may be modular. The modular load control apparatuses, systems, and methods may be secured to a load or to a structure that holds the load.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A load control system to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: a litter frame, a plurality of thrusters, a sensor suite, a first fan unit and a second fan unit, wherein the first fan unit comprises a first thruster and a second thruster in the plurality of thrusters and wherein the second fan unit comprises a third thruster and a fourth thruster in the plurality of thrusters, and wherein the first fan unit and the second fan unit are at opposite ends of the litter frame, and a computer processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a thrust control module which, when executed by the computer processor, determines a position, orientation, or motion based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and controls the plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load and wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, and computer processor and memory are integrated into the litter frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The load control system according to claim 1, wherein the first fan unit is in a first fan unit housing, wherein the first fan unit housing protects the first fan unit and acts as a bumper for the load.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The load control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of thrusters are configured to generate a plurality of thrust vectors, wherein the plurality of thrust vectors are perpendicular to a long axis of the litter frame.

### Claim 4

A load control system to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: a litter frame, a plurality of thrusters, a sensor suite, and a computer processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a thrust control module which, when executed by the computer processor, determines a position, orientation, or motion based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and controls the plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load and wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, and computer processor and memory are integrated into the litter frame, wherein a sensor in the sensor suite is located in or proximate to one of a fan unit, a housing for the computer processor, a housing for a power controller, a housing for a power supply, the carrier, or a remote interface and wherein the sensor is located to provide a line-of-sight view of at least one of a ground surface or the carrier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The load control system according to claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a vector navigation unit, an inertial measurement unit, an orientation measurement system, an absolute position measurement system, a proximity sensor, an optical sensor, a stain gauge sensor, and a thrust speed sensor.

### Claim 6

A load control system to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: a litter frame, a plurality of thrusters, a sensor suite, and a computer processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a thrust control module which, when executed by the computer processor, determines a position, orientation, or motion based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and controls the plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load and wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, and computer processor and memory are integrated into the litter frame, further comprising a first housing containing the processor and memory and a power supply and wherein the processor executes the thrust control module in the memory to control the plurality of thrusters to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load to impart a torque on the load, the power supply is a first power supply and further comprising a second housing for a second power supply and wherein the processor executes the thrust control module in the memory to control the plurality of thrusters to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load to impart one of the horizontal thrust vector or the torque on the load.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The load control system according to claim 6, further comprising a first fan unit and a second fan unit, wherein the plurality of thrusters are contained in the first fan unit and the second fan unit, and wherein the processor executes the thrust control module in the memory to control the plurality of thrusters in the first fan unit and the second fan unit to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load to impart one of the horizontal thrust vector or the torque on the load control system.

### Claim 8

A computer implemented method to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: determining a position, orientation, or motion of the load based on a sensor data from a sensor suite and controlling a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load, wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, a computer processor and memory to implement the method are integrated into a litter frame, wherein the plurality of thrusters are in a first fan unit and a second fan unit, wherein the first fan unit and the second fan unit are at opposite ends of the litter frame, wherein the first fan unit comprises a first thruster and a second thruster in the plurality of thrusters, and further comprising drawing thrust fluid into the first fan unit through an air intake located between the first thruster and the second thruster.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein controlling a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to control the motion of the load comprises generating a plurality of thrust vectors, wherein the plurality of thrust vectors are perpendicular to a long axis of the litter frame.

### Claim 10

A computer implemented method to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: determining a position, orientation, or motion of the load based on a sensor data from a sensor suite and controlling a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load, wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, a computer processor and memory to implement the method are integrated into a litter frame, further comprising determining the position, orientation, or motion by combining the sensor data from the sensor suite through a non-linear filter to determine a current state, wherein the current state comprises the position, orientation, or motion, further comprising projecting near-term future motion based on the current state, wherein projecting near-term future motion based on the current state comprises updating the current state with feedback from at least one of a functional mode or command state of an operational module, a thrust and orientation mapping, or a fan mapping.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the non-linear filter is a Kalman filter.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the functional mode or command state comprises at least one of idling, maintaining relative location or position relative to a carrier, moving to a location, hold position, avoiding an obstacle, and directing control based on user input.

### Claim 13

A computer implemented method to influence at least one of a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: determining a position, orientation, or motion of the load based on a sensor data from a sensor suite and controlling a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load, wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, a computer processor and memory to implement the method are integrated into a litter frame, and further comprising determining the position, orientation, or motion by combining the sensor data from the sensor suite through a non-linear filter to determine a current state, wherein the current state comprises the position, orientation, or motion, and further comprising projecting near-term future motion based on the current state, wherein projecting near-term future motion based on the current state comprises updating the current state with feedback from at least one of a functional mode or command state of an operational module, a thrust and orientation mapping, or a fan mapping and further comprising controlling the plurality of thrusters to control the motion of the load by outputting an output control to the plurality of thrusters based on the fan mapping.

### Claim 14

An apparatus for control of a motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier, comprising: means comprising a computer processor and memory to determine a position, orientation, or motion based on a sensor data from a sensor suite and means to control a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load, wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, the computer processor and memory are integrated into a litter frame, wherein a sensor in the sensor suite is located in or proximate to one of a fan unit, a housing for the computer processor, a housing for a power controller, a housing for a power supply, the carrier, or a remote interface and wherein the sensor is located to provide a line-of-sight view of at least one of a ground surface or the carrier.

### Claim 15

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that cause a computer device, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor of the computer device, to: determine a position, orientation, or motion of a load suspended by a cable from a carrier based on a sensor data from a sensor suite and control a plurality of thrusters according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load, wherein the plurality of thrusters, sensor suite, the computer processor, and a memory comprising the instructions are integrated into a litter frame and wherein the load comprises the litter frame and wherein a sensor in the sensor suite is located in or proximate to one of a fan unit, a housing for the computer processor, a housing for a power controller, a housing for a power supply, the carrier, or a remote interface and wherein the sensor is located to provide a line-of-sight view of at least one of a ground surface or the carrier.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a vector navigation unit, an inertial measurement unit, an orientation measurement system, an absolute position measurement system, a proximity sensor, an optical sensor, a stain gauge sensor, and a thrust speed sensor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the computer device, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor of the computer device, to control the plurality of thrusters to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load to impart a torque on the litter frame, wherein the processor and memory and a power supply are contained in the housing.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 17, further comprising a first fan unit and a second fan unit, wherein the plurality of thrusters are contained in the first fan unit and the second fan unit, and wherein the instructions further cause the computer device, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor of the computer device, to control the plurality of thrusters in the first fan unit and the second fan unit to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the load to impart one of a horizontal thrust vector or the torque on the load control system.