# US 11,079,773 B2 · Lighter-than-air vehicle with relative drift navigation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,773 B2 - Document ID: US11079773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/661,193 - Filed: 2019-10-23 - Published: 2021-04-29 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-23 - Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Applicants: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Inventors: Daniel H. Muhleman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079773B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/042: {specially adapted for aircraft} - G05D 1/105: {specially adapted for unpowered flight, e.g. glider, parachuting, forced landing (parachutes per se B64D17/00)} - B64B 1/00: Lighter-than-air aircraft - G01P 13/045: {with speed indication} - G01S 19/51: Relative positioning - G01P 5/18: by measuring the time taken to traverse a fixed distance - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B64B: LIGHTER-THAN AIR AIRCRAFT - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle navigation system and vehicle. The navigation system includes a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system. The navigation system also includes a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system. The navigation system also includes a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle navigation system, comprising: a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system; a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system; and a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device, wherein the navigation system is configured to indicate a change in position of at least a portion of an LTA vehicle based on wind information received from the wind variation detection system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, wherein a portion of an exterior of a main body of the LTA vehicle is composed at least in part of a reflective material, wherein said portion of the exterior of the main body has a substantially parabolic shape of a reflector for a dish antenna, and wherein another portion of the exterior of the main body is composed at least in part of a non-reflective material so radio waves pass through the non-reflective material of the exterior of the main body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first wind probing device communicates to a main body of the LTA vehicle, via the first probe communications link and a first probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the first wind probing device, and wherein the second wind probing device communicates to the main body, via the second probe communications link and a second probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the second wind probing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first probe communications link and the second probe communications link form part of the wind variation detection system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more additional wind probing devices, each of the one or more additional wind probing devices being disposed at a respective additional probe position, wherein the one or more additional wind probing devices are in communication with said body communication system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the wind variation detection system includes a light detection and ranging system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising: an altitude adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the LTA vehicle based on the wind information received from the wind variation detection system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the altitude adjustment mechanism is disposed in a main body of the LTA vehicle. ### Claim 9 A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle, comprising: a main body; a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system that is disposed in the main body; a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system that is disposed in the main body; a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device; and an altitude adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the LTA vehicle for changing a position of the LTA vehicle based on wind information that is received from the wind variation detection system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the altitude adjustment mechanism is disposed in the main body of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein a portion of an exterior of the main body is made of a reflective material, wherein said portion of the exterior of the main body has a substantially parabolic shape of a reflector for a dish antenna, and wherein another portion of the exterior of the main body is non-reflective so radio waves pass through the another portion of the exterior of the main body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first wind probing device communicates to the main body, via a first probe communications link and a first probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the first wind probing device, and wherein the second wind probing device communicates to the main body, via a second probe communications link and a second probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the second wind probing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first probe communications link and the second probe communications link form part of the wind variation detection system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising: one or more additional wind probing devices, each of the one or more additional wind probing devices being disposed at a respective additional probe position, wherein the one or more additional wind probing devices are in communication with said body communication system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the wind variation detection system includes a light detection and ranging system. ### Claim 16 A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle with dish antenna, comprising: a main body; a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system that is disposed in the main body; a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system that is disposed in the main body; a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device; and an altitude adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the LTA vehicle for changing a position of the LTA vehicle based on wind information that is received from the wind variation detection system, wherein a portion of an exterior of the main body is made of a reflective material, wherein said portion of the exterior of the body has a substantially parabolic shape of a reflector for a dish antenna, and wherein another portion of the exterior of the main body is non-reflective so radio waves pass through the another portion of the exterior of the main body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the altitude adjustment mechanism is disposed in the main body of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising: one or more additional wind probing vehicles, each of the one or more additional wind probing vehicles being disposed at a respective additional probe position, wherein the one or more additional wind probing vehicles are in communication with said body communication system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the wind variation detection system includes a light detection and ranging system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first wind probing device communicates to the main body, via a first probe communications link and a first probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the first wind probing device, and wherein the second wind probing device communicates to the main body, via a second probe communications link and a second probe navigation system, GPS coordinates of the second wind probing device.