# US 2022/0036746 A1 · Dynamic vertiport configuration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0036746 A1 - Document ID: US20220036746A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/501,710 - Filed: 2021-10-14 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-15 - Assignees: Joby Elevate, Inc. - Applicants: Joby Elevate, Inc. - Inventors: Jon David Petersen; Rex J. Alexander; Stanley Stephen Swaintek, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220036746A1 ## CPC - G08G 5/54: for approach or landing - B64C 29/00: Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft (rotorcraft B64C27/00) - B64F 1/36: Other airport installations (ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20) - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/56: for two or more aircraft - G06N 3/006: based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO] - G06N 7/01: Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - 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}) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS ## Abstract A vertiport system dynamically updates configuration of a vertiport based on predicted usage of the vertiport during a given time frame. The vertiport system predicts vertiport usage using flight data and estimated passenger demands and determines a desired number of parking pads and a desired number of final approach and takeoff (FATO) pads for the vertiport during the time frame. Based on the desired number of parking pads and the desired number of FATO pads for the vertiport, the vertiport system determines an updated configuration of the vertiport. According to the updated configuration, the vertiport system updates the configuration of the vertiport for at least a portion of the time frame. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method comprising: determining an updated configuration for a vertiport, wherein the vertiport is associated with a current configuration indicative of a current number of parking pads and a current number of final approach and takeoff (FATO) pads for the vertiport, wherein at least one FATO pad of the current number of FATO pads is associated with a first lighting pattern and at least one parking pad of the current number of parking pads is associated with a second lighting pattern that is different than the first lighting pattern; and in response to determining the updated configuration, providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration, wherein updating the vertiport comprises changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad comprises: changing an illumination of one or more of a plurality of lighting devices to change the at least one FATO pad or the at least one parking pad as represented on a ground surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad comprises: changing a color associated with the at least one FATO pad or the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the vertiport is associated with a plurality of lighting devices arranged to illuminate one or more patterns, wherein providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration comprises: providing instructions for adjusting one or more of the plurality of lighting devices. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more patterns comprise at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad, the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad, or a third lighting pattern associated with a taxiway between the at least one FATO pad and the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein providing the instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration, further comprises changing the third lighting pattern associated with the taxiway between the at least one FATO pad and the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving data indicative of the current configuration of the vertiport, wherein the current configuration further comprises a current location for each of the current number of parking pads and a current location for each of the current number of FATO pads, wherein the updated configuration of the vertiport is determined based on the current configuration of the vertiport. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad based on the current configuration of the vertiport. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: comparing the updated configuration to a set of rules provided by aviation regulation, wherein the current configuration of the vertiport is updated responsive to the updated configuration being in compliance with the set of rules. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the set of rules comprise at least one spacing rule associated with the at least one FATO pad. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving vehicle routing data indicative of one or more incoming vehicles for the vertiport, wherein the updated configuration is determined based on the one or more incoming vehicles. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, further comprising: receiving data indicative of an amount of charge to be added to at least one of the one or more incoming vehicles, and wherein the updated configuration comprises a parking pad having a charging system for the at least one incoming vehicle. ### Claim 33 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions that when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform operations comprising: determining an updated configuration for a vertiport, wherein the vertiport is associated with a current configuration indicative of a current number of parking pads and a current number of final approach and takeoff (FATO) pads for the vertiport, wherein at least one FATO pad of the current number of FATO pads is associated with a first lighting pattern and at least one parking pad of the current number of parking pads is associated with a second lighting pattern that is different than the first lighting pattern; and in response to determining the updated configuration, providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration, wherein updating the vertiport comprises changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein determining an updated configuration of the vertiport further comprises using a machine-learned model configured to output the updated configuration, wherein the machine-learned model was trained using a cost function representing one or more goals, the one or more goals including increasing passenger throughput. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the one or more goals further comprises reducing energy usage of the vertiport. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the vertiport is associated with a plurality of lighting devices arranged to illuminate one or more patterns, wherein providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration comprises: providing instructions for adjusting one or more of the plurality of lighting devices. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the vertiport is associated with a set of predetermined configurations associated with the plurality of lighting devices, the set of predetermined configurations comprising the current configuration and the updated configuration, wherein each respective configuration of the set of predetermined configurations comprises a respective number of FATO pads and a respective number of parking pads. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the plurality of lighting devices are associated with a plurality of polygons, wherein the plurality of lighting devices illuminate one or more of the plurality of polygons based on the updated configuration. ### Claim 39 A system comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors causes the system to perform operations comprising: determining an updated configuration for a vertiport, wherein the vertiport is associated with a current configuration indicative of a current number of parking pads and a current number of final approach and takeoff (FATO) pads for the vertiport, wherein at least one FATO pad of the current number of FATO pads is associated with a first lighting pattern and at least one parking pad of the current number of parking pads is associated with a second lighting pattern that is different than the first lighting pattern; and in response to determining the updated configuration, providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration, wherein updating the vertiport comprises changing at least one of: the first lighting pattern associated with the at least one FATO pad or the second lighting pattern associated with the at least one parking pad. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39, further comprising a plurality of lighting devices disposed relative to a ground surface of the vertiport, wherein providing instructions for updating the vertiport from the current configuration to the updated configuration comprises: providing instructions for adjusting one or more of the plurality of lighting devices.