# US 2013/0158749 A1 · Methods, systems, and apparatuses for measuring fluid velocity

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- Number: US 2013/0158749 A1
- Document ID: US20130158749A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/325,835
- Filed: 2011-12-14
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14
- Inventors: Aaron Contorer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158749A1

## CPC

- G01P 5/18: by measuring the time taken to traverse a fixed distance
- 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})

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for a measuring the velocity of a fluid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring a fluid velocity, comprising:
a vehicle;
a location sensor configured to identify a location of the vehicle at two or more points in the fluid; and
a controller configured to control a movement of the vehicle in the fluid,
wherein the controller is configured to calculate a vector using the two or more points in the fluid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is at least one of an airplane, a helicopter, a boat, and a submarine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is unmanned.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location sensor is at least one of GPS, LORAN, a triangulation system, RADAR, and LIDAR.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location sensor is located onboard the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a computer having software.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is located onboard the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid is at least one of air and water.

### Claim 9

A method for measuring a fluid velocity, comprising:
placing a vehicle in a fluid;
identifying a first location of the vehicle in the fluid at a first time using a location sensor;
causing the vehicle to travel in the fluid along a predetermined course having a predicted end location using a controller;
identifying a second location of the vehicle in the fluid at a second time using the location sensor; and
calculating the fluid velocity by comparing the second location with the predicted end location.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is unmanned.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the location sensor is at least one of GPS, LORAN, a triangulation system, RADAR, and LIDAR.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the location sensor is located onboard the vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the controller comprises a computer having software.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is located onboard the vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid is at least one of air and water.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined course comprises at least one of a circle, an oval, a figure-eight, a series of circles, a series of ovals, a series of figure-eights, a straight line, and a series of straight lines.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined course comprises one or more closed courses, wherein the use of a closed course results in a cancellation of at least one error in calculating the fluid velocity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and the fluid medium is air.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising calculating fluid velocity in various predetermined locations to create a two-dimensional or three-dimensional wind velocity map of a region.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising using the fluid velocity to recalibrate or backup the aircraft's onboard airspeed sensors.

### Claim 21 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating the fluid velocity to an operator of a second vehicle such that the operator may modify the second vehicle's heading in the fluid.

### Claim 22

An apparatus for measuring a fluid velocity, comprising:
a vehicle traveling in a fluid measurement zone of a fluid medium;
a location sensor configured to identify a first location at a first time and a second location at a second time for two or more headings;
a controller configured to cause the vehicle to travel in the fluid measurement zone at two or more headings, wherein the sum of the two or more headings is equal to zero;
a velocity vector defined by the first location of the vehicle at a first time, and the second location of the vehicle at a second time for each of the two or more headings; and
a fluid velocity vector defined by the addition of the velocity vector for each of the two or more headings.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the orientation of the two or more headings having a sum of zero results in eliminating at least one error in calculation of the fluid velocity vector.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and the fluid medium is air.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one additional fluid velocity vector calculated in additional locations in a region, wherein the at least one additional fluid velocity vector defines a two-dimensional or three-dimensional fluid velocity map of the region.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the vehicle further comprises onboard fluid velocity sensors, and wherein the onboard fluid velocity sensors are recalibrated or backed up using the fluid velocity vector.

### Claim 27

A method for measuring a fluid velocity, comprising:
placing a vehicle in a fluid, wherein the vehicle is hover-capable;
identifying a first location of the vehicle in the fluid at a first time using a location sensor;
identifying a second location of the vehicle in the fluid at a second time using the location sensor; and
calculating the fluid velocity by comparing the first location with the second location.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, further comprising causing the vehicle to hover facing a first direction for an amount of time and causing the vehicle to hover facing a second direction for an amount of time;
wherein the second direction is 180 degrees from the first direction; and
wherein causing the vehicle to hover facing the first direction for an amount of time and the second direction for an amount of time results in a cancellation of at least one error in calculating the fluid velocity.

### Claim 29

A method for calibrating a vehicle's controller, comprising:
placing a vehicle in a fluid;
identifying a first location of the vehicle in the fluid at a first time using a location sensor;
causing the vehicle to travel in the fluid along a predetermined course having a predicted end location and a theoretical vector using the controller;
identifying a second location of the vehicle in the fluid at a second time using a location sensor and calculating an observed vector;
comparing the observed vector and the theoretical vector to identify any discrepancy between the observed vector and the theoretical vector; and
calibrating the controller and the vehicle's control surfaces so that the observed vector is the same as the theoretical vector.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising:
subtracting the first time from the second time to calculate an actual time;
comparing the actual time to a predicted time for the vehicle to travel in the fluid along the predetermined course;
calibrating the controller and the vehicle's control surfaces so that the actual time is the same as the predicted time.