IP Library Granted Patent US 11,046,457
Granted Patent B1
US 11,046,457 · App. 16/942,487 · Granted Jun 29, 2021

Landing zone indicators

Inventors: Timothy Robert Huntzinger (Valencia, CA); Dennis Young Kwon (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
B64F1/20G08G5/0026G08G5/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,046,457
App. No.
16/942,487
Granted
Jun 29, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A landing zone indicator system which includes a battery that is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device, a controller that is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device, and a human vision output device where the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.

Claims (99)

1. A landing zone indicator system, comprising:

a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device;

the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system,

the illuminated landing zone includes a circular landing zone, and

the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a center of the circular landing zone.

2. A landing zone indicator system, comprising:

a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device;

the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system, and

the illuminated landing zone includes a polygon-shaped landing zone, and

the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a vertex of the polygon-shaped landing zone.

3. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-vehicle landing zone indicator system.

4. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , further comprising a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal.

5. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property; and

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property.

6. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property;

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and

the first property and the second property include a first color and a second color, respectively.

7. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property;

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and

the first property and the second property include a first symbol and a second symbol, respectively.

8. The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and

the controller is further configured to:

receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;

determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and

configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state.

9. A landing zone indicator system, comprising

a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device;

the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and

the controller is further configured to:

receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;

determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and

configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:

the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle includes a flight controller in the VTOL vehicle being in an autonomous landing mode; and

to configure the at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, the controller is configured to turn on at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device.

10. A landing zone indicator system, comprising:

a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device;

the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and

the controller is further configured to:

receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;

determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and

configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:

the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle includes a distance between the VTOL vehicle and the landing zone indicator system; and

to configure the at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, the controller is configured to change the human vision output device from outputting human-visible light having a first color to outputting human-visible light having a second color.

11. A method, comprising:

using a battery to power a controller and a human vision output device, wherein the battery, the controller, and the human vision output device are included in a landing zone indicator system;

using the controller to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

using the human vision output device to generate an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle using the human-visible light output by the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system,

the illuminated landing zone includes a circular landing zone, and

the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a center of the circular landing zone.

12. A method, comprising:

using a battery to power a controller and a human vision output device, wherein the battery, the controller, and the human vision output device are included in a landing zone indicator system;

using the controller to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; and

using the human vision output device to generate an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle using the human-visible light output by the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output includes a plurality of human-visible signals, wherein the illuminated landing zone is generated from the plurality of human-visible signals that are output from the human vision output device towards a ground,

wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system; and

the illuminated landing zone includes a polygon-shaped landing zone and the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a vertex of the polygon-shaped landing zone.

13. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-vehicle landing zone indicator system.

14. The method recited in claim 11 , further comprising a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal.

15. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property; and

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property.

16. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property;

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and

the first property and the second property include a first color and a second color, respectively.

17. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones;

the first illuminated landing zone is generated by a first human-visible light output having a first property;

a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by a second human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and

the first property and the second property include a first symbol and a second symbol, respectively.

18. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the landing zone indicator system further includes a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and

the controller is further configured to:

receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;

determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and

configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2023
From: ONE AERO, LLC
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063713/0367 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2022
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 059503/0382 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2021
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 058029/0610 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: ONE AERO, LLC
Reel/Frame 054206/0714 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2020
From: HUNTZINGER, TIMOTHY ROBERT; KWON, DENNIS YOUNG
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053849/0766 →