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US 11,999,507 B2Granted
Landing zone indicators
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorsTimothy Robert Huntzinger, Dennis Young Kwon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A landing zone indicator system which includes a battery that is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device, a controller that is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device, and a human vision output device where the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.
Claims16
A landing zone indicator system, comprising:
- a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device;
- the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
- control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device;
- receive state information associated with a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle after determining that the VTOL vehicle is hovering above a proper landing zone, wherein the state information relates to an altitude of the VTOL vehicle;
- determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;
- and
- configure at least one of the human vision output device or a computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:
- the configuring of the at least one of a human vision output device or a computer vision output device to be in the state includes to:
- determine whether the altitude is equal to or less than an altitude threshold:
- in response to a determination that the altitude is equal to or less than the altitude threshold, change the state of the at least one output device from outputting human-visible light having a first color to outputting human-visible light having a second color and/or from outputting computer vision signal having a first signal to outputting computer vision signal having a second signal;
- the computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal;
- and
- the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for the VTOL vehicle.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- using a battery to power a controller and a human vision output device, wherein the battery, the controller, and the human vision output device are included in a landing zone indicator system;
- using the controller to:
- control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device;
- receive state information associated with a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle after determining that the VTOL vehicle is hovering above a proper landing zone, wherein the state information relates to an altitude of the VTOL vehicle;
- determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;
- and
- configure at least one of the human vision output device or a computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:
- the configuring of the at least one of a human vision output device or a computer vision output device to be in the state includes to:
- determine whether the altitude is equal to or less than an altitude threshold;
- in response to a determination that the altitude is equal to or less than the altitude threshold, change the state of the at least one output device from outputting human-visible light having a first color to outputting human-visible light having a second color and/or from outputting computer vision signal having a first signal to outputting computer vision signal having a second signal;
- using the computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal;
- and
- using the human vision output device to generate an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle using the human-visible light output by the human vision output device.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.