IP Library Granted Patent US 11,214,386
Granted Patent B2
US 11,214,386 · App. 17/096,904 · Granted Jan 4, 2022

System, control device and light aircraft

Inventors: Akihiko Tajika (Saitama, JP); Kiyoshi Kimura (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Motohisa (Tokyo, JP); Atsushi Yamamoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HAPSMobile Inc.
B64F3/02B60L8/003B64B1/06B64B1/50B64D27/24B64D47/02B64F1/36G05D1/106H05B47/105B60L2200/10B64D2211/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,214,386
App. No.
17/096,904
Granted
Jan 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a system comprising a projector; and a control device, wherein the control device includes a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of the projector, a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a solar cell panel is mounted, and an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information and the flight vehicle position information.

Claims (42)

1. A system comprising:

a projector; and

a control device, the system further comprising an aircraft mounted the projector thereon, wherein

the control device includes:

a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of the projector;

a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a first solar cell panel is mounted on an upper surface of the flight vehicle and a second solar cell panel is mounted on a lower surface of the flight vehicle, the flight vehicle separated by a distance from the aircraft; and

an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the projector;

wherein the first solar cell panel receives sunlight to generate electric power and the second solar cell receives irradiated light emitted from the projector to generate electric power.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is a balloon or an airship.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the aircraft is a captive balloon.

4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an aircraft direction information acquisition unit for acquiring aircraft direction information indicative of a direction of the aircraft, wherein

the irradiation direction control unit controls the irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information and the aircraft direction information.

5. A system comprising:

a projector; and

a control device, the system further comprising a plurality of projectors equipped on the ground, wherein

the control device includes:

a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of the projector;

a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a first solar cell panel is mounted on an upper surface of the flight vehicle and a second solar cell panel is mounted on a lower surface of the flight vehicle, the flight vehicle separated by a distance from the aircraft;

a projector selection unit for selecting a projector from the plurality of projectors, based on a position of cloud between each of the plurality of projectors and the flight vehicle, and

an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle, wherein the irradiation direction control unit controls an irradiation direction of light emitted from a projector selected by the projector selection unit, based on the projector position information of the projector selected by the projector selection unit, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the projector;

wherein the first solar cell panel receives sunlight to generate electric power and the second solar cell receives irradiated light emitted from the projector to generate electric power.

6. A control device comprising:

a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of each position of a plurality of projectors equipped on the ground;

a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a first solar cell panel is mounted on an upper surface of the flight vehicle and a second solar cell panel is mounted on a lower surface of the flight vehicle, the flight vehicle separated by a distance from the aircraft;

a projector selection unit for selecting a projector from the plurality of projectors, based on a position of cloud between each of the plurality of projectors and the flight vehicle; and

an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle, wherein the irradiation direction control unit controls an irradiation direction of light emitted from a projector selected by the projector selection unit, based on the projector position information of the projector selected by the projector selection unit, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the projector;

wherein the first solar cell panel receives sunlight to generate electric power and the second solar cell receives irradiated light emitted from the projector to generate electric power.

7. A control device comprising:

a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of a projector;

a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a first solar cell panel is mounted on an upper surface of the flight vehicle and a second solar cell panel is mounted on a lower surface of the flight vehicle, the flight vehicle separated by a distance from the aircraft;

an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the projector;

a cloud position information acquisition unit for acquiring cloud position information indicative of a position of cloud between the projector and the flight vehicle, and

a flight vehicle moving control unit for moving the flight vehicle, based on the cloud position information;

wherein the first solar cell panel receives sunlight to generate electric power and the second solar cell receives irradiated light emitted from the projector to generate electric power.

8. A control device comprising:

a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of a projector;

a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a first solar cell panel is mounted on an upper surface of the flight vehicle and a second solar cell panel is mounted on a lower surface of the flight vehicle, the flight vehicle separated by a distance from the aircraft;

a flight vehicle priority acquisition unit for acquiring a priority of each of a plurality of flight vehicles; and

an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information, the flight vehicle position information, and a light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the projector, wherein the irradiation direction control unit controls the irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the priorities of the plurality of flight vehicles;

wherein the first solar cell panel receives sunlight to generate electric power and the second solar cell receives irradiated light emitted from the projector to generate electric power.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device receives light-receiving amount information indicative of the light-receiving amount received by the flight vehicle from the flight vehicle via a network.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: HAPSMOBILE INC.
To: SOFTBANK CORP.
Reel/Frame 066048/0600 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2020
From: TAJIKA, AKIHIKO; KIMURA, KIYOSHI; MOTOHISA, TAKASHI; YAMAMOTO, ATSUSHI
To: HAPSMOBILE INC.
Reel/Frame 054570/0483 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-145736 · Aug 2, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019029852 · Jul 30, 2019
Related Publication 20210078730A1 · Mar 18, 2021