Granted Patent B1

US 9,266,598 · App. 14/227,559 · Granted Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A balloon comprising:

an envelope comprising a fixed component;

a stabilizing platform positioned beneath the envelope and operatively connected to the fixed component, wherein the stabilizing platform is configured to rotate around an axis vertically aligned with gravity, and wherein the envelope comprises a heavier mass than the stabilizing platform; and

a motor configured to exert a first force on the stabilizing platform in a manner such that the stabilizing platform rotates (i) more than a rotation of the balloon and (ii) around the axis, thereby counteracting the rotation of the balloon by causing the stabilizing platform to exert a second force on the envelope of the balloon.

2. The balloon of claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to:

determine the rotation of the balloon, wherein the balloon has a predetermined orientation; and

operate the motor to exert the first force on the stabilizing platform in the manner such that the stabilizing platform rotates (i) more than the rotation of the balloon and (ii) around the axis, thereby counteracting the rotation of the balloon by causing the stabilizing platform to exert the second force on the envelope of the balloon to return the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

3. The balloon of claim 2 ,

wherein the control system comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope, and

wherein the rotation of the balloon with the predetermined orientation is determined using the at least one of the accelerometer or the gyroscope.

4. The balloon of claim 3 , wherein the gyroscope comprises a ring laser gyroscope (RLG).

5. The balloon of claim 1 ,

wherein the axis vertically aligned with gravity comprises a rod operatively connected to the fixed component, and

wherein the stabilizing platform rotates around the rod.

6. The balloon of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second stabilizing platform operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, wherein the second stabilizing platform is positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform and is configured to rotate around the axis; and

a second motor configured to exert a third force on the second stabilizing platform in a manner such that the second stabilizing platform rotates (i) more than a rotation of the stabilizing platform (ii) in a direction opposite to that of the stabilizing platform and (iii) around the axis, thereby counteracting the rotation of the balloon by causing the second stabilizing platform to exert a fourth force on the envelope of the balloon.

7. The balloon of claim 1 ,

wherein the stabilizing platform has a fixed heading, and

the balloon further comprising:

a plurality of stabilizing platforms operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, wherein the plurality of stabilizing platforms are positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform and are configured to rotate around the axis; and

a plurality of motors configured to exert first forces on the plurality of stabilizing platforms in a manner such that the plurality of stabilizing platforms rotate around the axis thereby counteracting the rotation of the stabilizing platform by causing the plurality of stabilizing platforms to exert second forces on the stabilizing platform of the balloon.

8. A method comprising:

determining, using a processor, a rotation of a balloon with a predetermined orientation, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope and a stabilizing platform, wherein the envelope comprises a fixed component, wherein the stabilizing platform (i) is operatively connected to the fixed component, (ii) is positioned beneath the envelope, (iii) is configured to rotate around an axis vertically aligned with gravity, and (iv) comprises a motor; and

causing, using the motor, the stabilizing platform to rotate more than the rotation of the balloon and around the axis to counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the stabilizing platform to rotate in the manner so as to counteract the rotation of the balloon comprises causing, using the motor, the stabilizing platform to rotate in a manner opposite to the rotation of the balloon.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the rotation of the balloon with the predetermined orientation comprises:

determining a movement associated with a communication device of the balloon with respect to the predetermined orientation, wherein the communication device is operatively connected to the balloon.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the movement comprises a rotation, and wherein the communication device comprises an antenna.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the balloon further comprises a second stabilizing platform, wherein the second stabilizing platform (i) is operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, (ii) is positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform, (iii) is configured to rotate around the axis, and (iv) comprises a second motor,

the method further comprising causing, using the second motor, the second stabilizing platform to rotate in a manner so as to further counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein causing, using the second motor, the second stabilizing platform to rotate in the manner so as to further counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation comprises causing the second stabilizing platform to rotate in a manner opposite to the rotation of the stabilizing platform.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the balloon further comprises a plurality of stabilizing platforms, wherein the plurality of stabilizing platforms are (i) operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, (ii) positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform, (iii) configured to rotate around the axis, and (iv) comprise a plurality of motors,

the method further comprising causing, using the plurality of motors, the plurality of stabilizing platforms to rotate in a manner so as to counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein causing, using the plurality of motors, the plurality of stabilizing platforms to rotate in a manner so as to counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation comprises causing each stabilizing platform of the plurality of stabilizing platforms to rotate in a manner that offsets a rotation associated with the other stabilizing platforms of the plurality of stabilizing platforms.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by a computer system of a balloon, cause the balloon to perform functions comprising:

determining a rotation of the balloon, wherein the balloon has a predetermined orientation, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope and a stabilizing platform, wherein the envelope comprises a fixed component, wherein the stabilizing platform (i) is operatively connected to the fixed component, (ii) is positioned beneath the envelope, (iii) is configured to rotate around an axis vertically aligned with gravity, and (iv) comprises a motor; and

causing, using the motor, the stabilizing platform to rotate more than the rotation of the balloon and around the axis to counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the balloon further comprises a second stabilizing platform, wherein the second stabilizing platform (i) is operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, (ii) is positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform, (iii) is configured to rotate around the axis, and (iv) comprises a second motor, and

wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer system of the balloon to perform functions comprising:

causing, using the second motor, the second stabilizing platform to rotate in a manner so as to further counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer system of the balloon to perform functions comprising:

causing the second stabilizing platform to rotate in a manner opposite to the rotation of the stabilizing platform.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the balloon further comprises a plurality of stabilizing platforms, wherein the plurality of stabilizing platforms are (i) operatively connected to the stabilizing platform, (ii) positioned beneath the envelope and the stabilizing platform, (iii) configured to rotate around the axis, and (iv) comprise a plurality of motors, and

wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer system of the balloon to perform functions comprising:

causing, using the plurality of motors, the plurality of stabilizing platforms to rotate in a manner so as to counteract the rotation of the balloon thereby returning the balloon to the predetermined orientation.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the computer system of the balloon to perform functions comprising:

causing each stabilizing platform of the plurality of stabilizing platforms to rotate in a manner that offsets a rotation associated with the other stabilizing platforms of the plurality of stabilizing platforms.

Assignments (9)