US 2014/0371956 A1 · Systems and Methods for Moving a Load Using Unmanned Vehicles

Abstract

An actual position of a load tethered with a tether to a vehicle is determined using a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle. A required tether tension and required tether angle of the tether is determined to move the load from the actual position to a commanded position. An actual tether tension and actual tether angle of the tether is determined using the plurality of sensors. A determination is made as to a thrust vector to be applied by the vehicle to change the actual tether tension and the actual tether angle of the tether to the required tether tension and the required tether angle. The thrust vector is applied with the vehicle to reposition the vehicle to achieve the required tether angle and to create the required tether tension of the tether to move the load to the commanded position.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A method of moving a load comprising:

determining an actual position of a load tethered with a tether to a vehicle using a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle;
determining a required tether tension and required tether angle for the tether to move the load from the actual position to a commanded position;
determining an actual tether tension and actual tether angle of the tether using the plurality of sensors;
determining a thrust vector to be applied by the vehicle to change the actual tether tension and the actual tether angle of the tether to the required tether tension and the required tether angle;
and
applying with the vehicle the thrust vector to reposition the vehicle to achieve the required tether angle and to create the required tether tension to move the load to the commanded position.

3 more elements

A system for moving a load comprising:

a plurality of vehicles;
wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises:
a plurality of sensors;
at least one processor in electronic communication with the plurality of sensors;
and
a memory in electronic communication with the at least one processor, wherein the memory contains programming code for execution by the at least one processor, and the programming code is configured to:
determine an actual position of a load tethered with a tether to the vehicle using the plurality of sensors;
determine a required tether tension and required tether angle for the tether to move the load from the actual position to a commanded position;
determine an actual tether tension and actual tether angle of the tether using the plurality of sensors;
determine a thrust vector to be applied by the vehicle to change the actual tether tension and the actual tether angle of the tether to the required tether tension and the required tether angle;
and apply with the vehicle the thrust vector to move the load to the commanded position.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and Methods for Moving a Load Using Unmanned Vehicles

Life of this patent

Systems and Methods for Moving a Load Using Unmanned Vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36