# US 9,775,305 B2 · Method for controlling land surface temperature using stratospheric airships and reflector

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,775,305 B2
- Document ID: US9775305B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/011,359
- Filed: 2016-01-29
- Published: 2016-08-04
- Granted: 2017-10-03
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-21
- Assignees: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
- Applicants: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
- Inventors: Joon-Min Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775305B2

## CPC

- A01G 15/00: Devices or methods for influencing weather conditions
- A45B 23/00: Other umbrellas
- B64B 1/00: Lighter-than-air aircraft
- F24S 23/70: with reflectors
- G02B 5/08: Mirrors {(vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08)}
- G02B 5/09: Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors {, e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors}
- G02B 7/00: Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
- G02B 7/18: for prisms; for mirrors
- G02B 7/183: specially adapted for very large mirrors, e.g. for astronomy, {or solar concentrators}
- G02B 19/00: Condensers, {e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics}(for microscopes G02B21/08)
- G02B 19/0019: {having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)}
- G02B 19/0042: {for use with direct solar radiation}
- G02B 26/02: for controlling the intensity of light {(G02B26/004 takes precedence)}
- A45B 2023/0093: {Sunshades or weather protections of other than umbrella type}
- F24S 23/77: with flat reflective plates
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12)
- A45B: WALKING STICKS (walking aids, e.g. sticks, for blind persons A61H3/06); UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS (cane or umbrella stands or holders A47G25/12)
- B64B: LIGHTER-THAN AIR AIRCRAFT
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling land surface temperature using stratospheric airships and a reflector. In the method for controlling land surface temperature using stratospheric airships and a reflector, four corners are connected to a lower end of support lines coupled to be disposed vertically downward from a plurality of airships, and sunlight is reflected by a reflector unfolded into a tetragonal shape in the air, wherein the reflecting surface of the reflector plate is maintained at an angle to remain perpendicular to an incident angle of sunlight to shield, or redirect, the land surface from incident sunlight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling a land surface temperature of a land surface, the method comprising:
connecting a plurality of reflectors to support lines so that each of the reflectors has four corners connected to lower ends of the support lines;
coupling the support lines to a plurality of stratospheric airships;
unfolding the reflectors in the air with the airships so that each of the reflectors has a trapezoidal shape;
positioning reflecting surfaces of the reflectors in the stratosphere by using the airships so that the reflecting surfaces are at reflecting positions relative to sunlight so that the reflecting surfaces are each inclined and maintained to block the sunlight from being introduced onto the land surface, wherein the land surface comprises a shaded area of 1 Km2 to 1,000 Km2; and
reflecting the sunlight with the reflectors while the reflecting surfaces are maintained at the reflecting positions relative to the sunlight by the airships so that the sunlight is blocked from the land surface for a predetermined amount of time such that the land surface temperature is lowered by about 7 degree Celsius or less,
wherein the unfolding includes moving the airships to be located in the stratosphere by moving the airships to the stratosphere in a state that the reflectors are folded, and when the airships are positioned in the stratosphere, performing the unfolding and the positioning so that the reflectors are unfolded to have the reflecting surfaces be perpendicular to an incident angle of the sunlight.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the airships to have a posture through a propelling system, and the airships comprise a solar cell to get propelling power and a fuel cell for an auxiliary power supply.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the reflectors comprise fabric made of nylon or polyester, and further comprises at least one surface coated with a material for reflecting sunlight.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the airships include groups of airships, and the plurality of reflectors are each held by a different group of the groups of airships, the groups of airships being positioned so that an area of the land surface, in which the sunlight is blocked, is increased.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the support lines comprise a wire.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the land surface temperature is lowered by about 7 degree Celsius.

### Claim 7

A method of reflecting sunlight, comprising:
connecting a plurality of reflectors to support lines so that each of the reflectors has four corners connected to lower ends of the support lines;
coupling the support lines to a plurality of stratospheric airships;
unfolding the reflectors in the air to have a trapezoidal shape and to be slanted with respect to the land surface, wherein the land surface has an area in a range of 1 Km2 to 1,000 Km2;
reflecting sunlight with reflecting surfaces of the reflectors; and
positioning the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors in the stratosphere with the airships so as to be inclined with respect to an incident angle of the sunlight so as to introduce reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface,
wherein
the reflectors each includes a long side and a short side opposite the long side,
the positioning includes moving and positioning the airships, which support corners of the long sides and corners of the short sides through the support lines, so that the reflectors introduce the reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface by adjusting an angle of the reflecting surfaces with respect to the incident angle of the sunlight,
wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces comprises controlling an inclination angle of the reflectors with respect to the incident angle of the sunlight as a pair of the airships, which supports the corners of the short side of one of the reflectors, intersectionally moves between another pair of the airships supporting the corners of the long side of the one reflector.

### Claim 8

A method of reflecting sunlight, comprising:
connecting a plurality of reflectors to support lines so that each of the reflectors has four corners connected to lower ends of the support lines;
coupling the support lines to a plurality of stratospheric airships;
unfolding the reflectors in the air to have a trapezoidal shape and to be slanted with respect to the land surface, wherein the land surface has an area in a range of 1 Km2 to 1,000 Km2;
reflecting sunlight with reflecting surfaces of the reflectors; and
positioning the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors in the stratosphere with the airships so as to be inclined with respect to an incident angle of the sunlight so as to introduce reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface,
wherein
the reflectors each includes a long side and a short side opposite the long side,
the positioning includes moving and positioning the airships, which support corners of the long sides and corners of the short sides through the support lines, so that the reflectors introduce the reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface by adjusting an angle of the reflecting surfaces with respect to the incident angle of the sunlight,
wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces comprises controlling an inclination angle of the reflectors with respect to the incident angle of the sunlight as a pair of the airships, which supports the corners of the long side of one of the reflectors, intersectionally moves from an outside of another pair of the airships supporting the corners of the short side of the one of the reflectors.

### Claim 9

A method of reflecting sunlight, comprising:
connecting a plurality of reflectors to support lines so that each of the reflectors has four corners connected to lower ends of the support lines;
coupling the support lines to a plurality of stratospheric airships;
unfolding the reflectors in the air to have a trapezoidal shape and to be slanted with respect to the land surface, wherein the land surface has an area in a range of 1 Km2 to 1,000 Km2;
reflecting sunlight with reflecting surfaces of the reflectors; and
positioning the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors in the stratosphere with the airships so as to be inclined with respect to an incident angle of the sunlight so as to introduce reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface,
wherein the positioning includes positioning the plurality of reflectors at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and along the incident direction of the sunlight, and a distance between front and back neighboring reflectors of the reflectors is set up so that reflected light of the back reflector cannot be blocked by the front reflector.

### Claim 10

A method of reflecting sunlight, comprising:
connecting a plurality of reflectors to support lines so that each of the reflectors has four corners connected to lower ends of the support lines;
coupling the support lines to a plurality of stratospheric airships;
unfolding the reflectors in the air to have a trapezoidal shape and to be slanted with respect to the land surface, wherein the land surface has an area in a range of 1 Km2 to 1,000 Km2;
reflecting sunlight with reflecting surfaces of the reflectors; and
positioning the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors in the stratosphere with the airships so as to be inclined with respect to an incident angle of the sunlight so as to introduce reflected light of the sunlight into the land surface,
wherein the reflectors are grouped at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and in a transverse direction with respect to the incident direction of the sunlight.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces includes positioning the plurality of reflectors at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and along the incident direction of the sunlight, and a distance between front and back neighboring reflectors of the reflectors is set up so that reflected light of the back reflector cannot be blocked by the front reflector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces includes positioning the plurality of reflectors at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and along the incident direction of the sunlight, and a distance between front and back neighboring reflectors of the reflectors is set up so that reflected light of the back reflector cannot be blocked by the front reflector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces includes positioning the reflectors to be grouped at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and in a transverse direction with respect to the incident direction of the sunlight.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the positioning the reflecting surfaces includes positioning the reflectors to be grouped at different angles with respect to an incident direction of the sunlight and in a transverse direction with respect to the incident direction of the sunlight.