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US 12,630,317 B1Granted
Elevated autonomous rescue signal antenna
AssigneeBattle Sight Technologies, LLC
InventorsNicholas R. Ripplinger, Christopher J. Vogt, Daniel A. Reed, Sunny L. Kapka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure teaches a signaling beacon affixed to a drone. The drone comprises a controller, which is operatively coupled to the signaling beacon. The controller autonomously pilots the drone to an elevated perch. The controller further activates the signaling beacon.
Claims17
A signaling system comprising:
- a drone comprising:
- a rotating first rotor;
- and
- a counter-rotating second rotor;
- a perching structure affixed external to the drone, the perching structure for perching the drone on an elevated perch, the elevated perch elevated above ground level;
- a detector located on the drone, the detector being configured to detect whether the drone has perched on the elevated perch;
- a signaling beacon located atop the drone;
- a controller operatively coupled to the first rotor, the controller further operatively coupled to the second rotor, the controller further operatively coupled to the detector, the controller further operatively coupled to the perching structure, the controller further operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, the controller configured to:
- rotate the first rotor at a first rotation speed to elevate the drone to the elevated perch;
- counter-rotate the second rotor at a second rotation speed to counterbalance the first rotation speed;
- autonomously pilot the drone to the elevated perch;
- detachably perch the drone on the elevated perch using the perching structure;
- receive from the detector an indication that the drone has perched;
- and
- selectively activate the signaling beacon in response to receiving the indication that the drone has perched;
- and
- a repeater operatively coupled to the controller, the repeater further operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, wherein:
- the repeater is configured to receive a signal from a primary signal source, the repeater further configured to transmit the signal to the signaling beacon;
- the signaling beacon is further configured to receive the signal from the repeater;
- and
- the controller is further configured to control reception of the signal by the repeater, the controller further configured to control transmission of the signal from the repeater to the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to control reception of the signal by the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to selectively activate the signaling beacon to transmit the signal.
18 more elements
An improvement to a system comprising a drone, the drone configured to autonomously find an elevated perch, the elevated perch elevated above ground level, the drone further configured to autonomously perch on the elevated perch, the improvement comprising:
- a detector configured to detect whether the drone has perched;
- a signaling beacon affixed to the drone;
- a controller operatively coupled to the detector, the controller further operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, the controller configured to:
- receive an indication from the detector when the drone has perched;
- and
- selectively activate the signaling beacon in response to receiving the indication from the detector;
- and
- a repeater operatively coupled to the controller, the repeater further operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, wherein:
- the repeater is configured to receive a signal from a primary signal source, the repeater further configured to transmit the signal to the signaling beacon;
- the signaling beacon is further configured to receive the signal from the repeater;
- and
- the controller is further configured to control reception of the signal by the repeater, the controller further configured to control transmission of the signal from the repeater to the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to control reception of the signal by the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to selectively activate the signaling beacon to transmit the signal.
9 more elements
A signaling system comprising:
- a signaling beacon affixed to a drone;
- a controller operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, the controller configured to:
- autonomously pilot the drone to an elevated perch;
- and
- activate the signaling beacon;
- and
- a repeater operatively coupled to the controller, the repeater further operatively coupled to the signaling beacon, wherein:
- the repeater is configured to receive a signal from a primary signal source, the repeater further configured to transmit the signal to the signaling beacon;
- the signaling beacon is further configured to receive the signal from the repeater;
- and
- the controller is further configured to control reception of the signal by the repeater, the controller further configured to control transmission of the signal from the repeater to the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to control reception of the signal by the signaling beacon, the controller further configured to selectively activate the signaling beacon to transmit the signal.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.