# US 12,182,336 B2 · Flying vehicle

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- Number: US 12,182,336 B2
- Document ID: US12182336B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/517,217
- Filed: 2023-11-22
- Published: 2024-03-28
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-19
- Applicants: Ha Tran
- Inventors: Ha Tran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182336B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- B64D 47/02: Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
- B64U 20/87: Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
- G05D 1/0016: {characterised by the operator's input device (input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00)}
- G05D 1/46: Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D]
- G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
- G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G08G 5/53: for cruising
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/76: for monitoring atmospheric conditions
- G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems
- G05D 1/102: {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft}
- G05D 1/652: Take-off (delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667)
- G05D 2109/23: {Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft; Short take-off and landing [STOL, STOVL] aircraft}
- G06T 17/05: Geographic models
- G06V 40/28: {Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113)}
- G08G 5/25: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft
- G08G 5/30: Flight plan management
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

A transport method includes providing a cab having a moveable actuator coupled to the propulsion unit to move the propulsion unit between a first position above the cab during take-off and a second position during lateral flight; receiving a hand control from a controller or stick, and flight data captured by a plurality of cameras or sensors, wherein hand grip or movement represents a control request; and determining control options based on a current state of the control request and the environment of the cab.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transport method, comprising:
providing a cab having a moveable actuator coupled to the propulsion unit to move the propulsion unit between a first position above the cab during take-off and a second position during lateral flight;
receiving a hand control with a controller and a cab visual environment captured by a plurality of cameras or sensors, wherein hand grip or movement represents a control request; and
determining control options based on a current state of the control request and the cab visual environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising, based on LIDAR, radar, and camera images, generating 3D models for navigation purposes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising crowd-sourcing 3D models and generating a 3D map of the region above the ground is generated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising generating a multi-dimensional model of a cab operating in a 3D environment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising determining a hand control gesture as captured by the plurality of cameras or sensors.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising mapping system for an air space includes: a plurality of air vehicles each having a plurality of environmental sensors; a processor in at least one vehicle or in at least one communication tower (edge processor) to receive sensor data and create a 3D model of the air space from successive air vehicle sensor outputs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising providing processors and sensor located on 5G towers provide low latency edge processing capability, including machine learning processors to minimize cost.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising slice processing the network to provide dedicated communications between vehicles.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cab comprises a helicopter, a VTOL, or an airplane.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising lifting the cab into the air in a vertical takeoff and landing mode, further comprising maintaining the cab in a generally horizontal attitude; and independently operating each propulsion assembly of a distributed propulsion system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising transitioning the cab from a forward flight mode to a vertical takeoff and landing mode as the cab approaches a destination location.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising landing the cab by identifying a landing zone and performing an approach in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cab is responsive to at least one of autonomous flight control, remote flight control, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising moving a folding wing or extendible wing coupled to the cab.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising detecting an obstacle using a plurality of environmental sensors on the cab, wherein the environmental sensors include at least one of radar, lidar, or cameras; generating a multi-dimensional model of the detected obstacle in a 3D environment; and updating control options based on the generated model of the detected obstacle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising classifying the detected obstacle using a neural network, wherein the neural network receives input from the plurality of environmental sensors; abstracting the classified obstacle to a bounding box selected from a group consisting of a pyramid, a cylinder, and a rectangle; and determining parameters of the bounding box, including location and height of the obstacle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising identifying dynamic obstacles in the environment of the cab; determining characteristics of the dynamic obstacles, including size, shape, speed, direction, altitude, and heading based on analyzing multiple images or video over time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising modifying control options to avoid entering no-fly zones during flight.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising managing air traffic with an air control system having a network of communication towers with ground control modules; a traffic control computer, wherein the cab provides one or more flight plans with travel segments in advance to the traffic control computer for approval, wherein the traffic control computer shares approved flight plans to the ground control modules positioned in each travel segment for tracking the cab and performing local air traffic control.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising communicating with a plurality of local servers each configured to communicate with a plurality of vehicles in a geographic or zone coverage; and consolidating data from the plurality of local servers to provide a summary of successively larger geography having a plurality of geographic or zone coverages.