USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Hoa Gia Nguyen

Aaron Bruce Burmeister

Narek Pezeshkian

Kevin Holz

Abraham Hart

David Bart Chadwick

Leif E Roth

Gunther H Rosen

James Cruickshanks

Brittney Nguyen

A system for landing, comprising a vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) having landing gear, wherein the landing gear is telescopic and comprises a sensor, and wherein the landing gear is compressed upon landing on a surface, and the compression causes a signal to be sent to a system that computes the slope of the ground surface using the length of the compressed landing gear and the attitude of the UAV. If the center of gravity falls within the support area, the legs are locked and the UAV power is turned off. If the center of gravity falls outside the support area, the UAV is forced to take off and find a safer landing spot.

Vertical take-off-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle system capable of landing on uneven or sloped terrain

A system includes a remotely-operated ground vehicle having first and second lift members, a first lift mechanism coupled to the first lift member, and a second lift mechanism coupled to the second lift member, where the first and second lift mechanisms are positioned at different angles with respect to a ground surface. The first and second lift members may be positioned at opposite sides of a front end of the vehicle and may be controlled by a single motor. The lift mechanisms may have a body portion including first and second prongs separated by an opening, with a plurality of magnets embedded within the body portion near the intersection of the first and second prongs. A communication relay may be secured to each lift mechanism via the opening and a magnetic coupling between the magnets embedded within the body portion and magnets embedded within the communication relay.

System and method for remotely-operated deployment and retrieval of communication relays

A core catcher comprising: a cap configured to be secured to a first end of a core liner such that when the first end of the core liner is inserted into sediment a sample sediment core enters the core liner through the cap; a cross-beam coupled to the cap and mounted across the first end of the core liner such that a cross-section of the first end of the core liner is divided into two openings; a flexible member secured to the cross-beam such that the flexible member, the cross-beam, and the cap form a dual-flap valve designed to allow the sediment core to enter the core liner through the two openings and to prevent the sediment core from escaping the core liner through the cap.

Surface sediment core catcher

A lost communications link recovery method for a remotely-operated robot comprising the following steps: monitoring command and control (C2) signals transmitted over a wireless network from an operator control unit (OCU) to the robot; storing the C2 signals in a sliding window buffer; monitoring the wireless network for communication link breaks between the OCU and the robot; and creating, and issuing to the robot, reverse C2 commands based on the stored C2 signals upon detecting a communication link break.

Method for automatic recovery of lost communications for unmanned ground robots

A method of maintaining an ad hoc communications network between a base and a mobile platform as the mobile platform moves over a surface comprising the following steps: providing a radio relay device; physically coupling a deployer to the mobile platform, wherein the deployer is configured to releasably stow the radio relay device; sending video data from the mobile platform to the base; monitoring the strength of a network signal received over time at the mobile platform and issuing a weak-link warning when the highest signal strength received at the mobile platform drops below a threshold value; calculating video throughput data metrics based on video data received at the base over time, and issuing an imminent link-failure alert when the metrics reach a predefined condition; and deploying the relay device from the deployer to the surface after the weak-link warning and the imminent link-failure alert are issued.

Method of maintaining an ad hoc communications network between a base and a mobile platform

A method involves using a first lift mechanism coupled to a remotely-operated ground vehicle to engage a first communication relay and position it at a first angle above a ground surface. A second lift mechanism coupled to the remotely-operated ground vehicle is then used to engage a second communication relay. With a single motion by the remotely-operated ground vehicle, the second communication relay is positioned at a second angle above the ground surface and the first communication relay at a third angle above the ground surface. The third angle is greater than both the first angle and the second angle. The second angle is greater than or equal to the first angle. The first communication relay may then be deployed by the remotely-operated ground vehicle at a first location and the second communication relay may be deployed at a second location.

A relay device deployment system comprising: a deployer configured to be mounted on a mobile platform; a node radio mounted to the deployer; a self-righting, self-contained, wireless relay device releasably stowed in the deployer, a deployment mechanism mounted to the deployer; and a processor mounted inside the deployer. The processor is operatively coupled to the node radio and the deployment mechanism. The node radio is configured to operate as a node in the network. The deployment mechanism is configured to deploy the relay device. The processor is configured to monitor the network's strength and to send a signal to the deployment mechanism to deploy the relay device when the network strength drops below a threshold value. The relay device comprises an extendable antenna. The relay device is configured to be deployed from the deployer to a support surface and to operate as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network.

Relay device deployer system

A relay apparatus comprising a housing having a bottom surface, a radio, and a processor, both mounted within the housing. A self-righting mechanism is mounted to the housing such that the self-righting mechanism is configured to reposition the housing from any initial position to an upright position so that the housing rests on the bottom surface. The radio is configured to relay RF signals and to operate as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network. The processor is operatively coupled to the radio and the self-righting mechanism.

Wireless, self-contained relay device

A radio relay comprising: a housing configured to be released from a mobile platform onto a support surface; a radio mounted within the housing, wherein the radio is configured to relay radio frequency (RF) signals and to operate as a node in a telecommunications network; a first antenna mast having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is rotatably coupled to the housing; a first antenna element operatively coupled to the radio and mechanically coupled to the distal end; and an antenna mast rotation mechanism mounted within the housing and the proximal end such that the antenna mast rotation mechanism is configured to upwardly rotate the first antenna mast to a raised position such that the first antenna mast is substantially parallel to the ambient gravity vector.

Next generation automatically-deployed communication relay

A system includes a substrate having a first side and a second side, more than one optical sources, wherein at least one optical source is coupled to the first side and at least one optical source is coupled to the second side, a power source operatively connected to the optical sources, a switch connected to the power source, and an RF receiver connected to the switch. The optical sources may be LEDs and may operate within the visible or infrared spectrum. The system may include an enclosure that is configured to be attached to antenna masts of a radio relay device. The enclosure may have windows to allow light from the optical sources to pass unobstructed through the enclosure. In some embodiments, the system is contained within the radio relay device. The system may be remotely controlled to illuminate a distant object or structure.

Remotely operated illumination device

A relay device deployment system comprising: a deployer, a wireless relay device, a node radio, a deployment mechanism, and a processor. The deployer is configured to be mounted on a mobile platform and to deploy the relay device to a support surface. The relay device comprises dual rotatable antennas and operates as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network. The node radio has dual antennas and is also configured to operate as a node in the network. The deployment mechanism is configured to deploy the relay device when the network strength drops below a threshold value as monitored by the processor.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Hoa Gia Nguyen