Google Inc.

X Development LLC

Loon LLC

Josh Weaver

Clifford L Biffle

Eric Teller

Richard Wayne Devaul

Thad Eugene Starner

Richard Wayne DeVaul

Hayes Solos Raffle

Nirmal Jitendra Patel

Edward Allen Keyes

Michael Patrick Johnson

Dan P Piponi

Dan Piponi

Methods and systems are disclosed herein that may help to provide location-aware caching and/or location-specific service profiles in an aerial-vehicle network. An exemplary method may be carried out by an aerial vehicle that is at a location associated with the first geographic area in an aerial-vehicle network that includes a plurality of defined geographic areas, and may involve: (a) determining that a location-aware cache of an aerial vehicle should be updated with user-data associated with the first geographic area; and (b) in response to determining that the location-aware cache should be updated: (i) sending a location-aware cache-update request; (ii) receiving, as a response to the location-aware cache-update request, user-data that corresponds to the first geographic area; and (iii) storing the user-data that corresponds to the first geographic area in a location-aware cache of the aerial vehicle.

Location-aware caching in an aerial network

A balloon may include an optical-communication component, which may have a pointing axis. A pointing mechanism could be configured to adjust the pointing axis. The optical-communication component could be operable to communicate with a correspondent balloon via a free-space optical link. For example, the optical-communication component could include an optical receiver, transmitter, or transceiver. A controller could be configured to determine a predicted relative location of the correspondent balloon. The controller may control the pointing mechanism to adjust the pointing axis of the optical-communication component based on the predicted relative location so as to maintain the free-space optical link with the correspondent balloon.

Using predicted movement to maintain optical-communication lock with nearby balloon

Disclosed embodiments may help an aerial vehicle network to provide substantially continuous service in a given geographic area. An example method may be carried out at an aerial vehicle that is at a location associated with the first geographic area in an aerial network that includes a plurality of geographic areas. The balloon may determine that it should update its vehicle-state in accordance with a vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area. Then, in response, the balloon may determine the vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area, which may include one or more state parameters for balloons operating in the first geographic area. The balloon may then operate according to the vehicle-state profile for the first geographic area.

Location-aware profiles in an aerial network

Location aware profiles in an aerial network

Exemplary embodiments may involve hierarchical balloon networks that include both optical and radio frequency links between balloons. An exemplary network system may include: (a) a plurality of super-node balloons, where each super-node balloon comprises a free-space optical communication system for data communications with one or more other super-node balloons and (b) a plurality of sub-node balloons, where each of the sub-node balloons comprises a radio-frequency communication system that is operable for data communications. Further, at least one super-node balloon may further include an RF communication system that is operable to transmit data to at least one sub-node balloon, where the RF communication system of the at least one sub-node balloon is further operable to receive the data transmitted by the at least one super-node balloon and to transmit the received data to at least one ground-based station.

Balloon network with free-space optical communication between super-node balloons and RF communication between super-node and sub-node balloons

Methods and systems are disclosed herein that may help to provide location-aware caching and/or location-specific service profiles in a balloon network. An exemplary method may be carried out by a balloon that is at a location associated with the first geographic area in a balloon network that includes a plurality of defined geographic areas, and may involve: (a) determining that a location-aware cache of a balloon should be updated with user-data associated with the first geographic area; and (b) in response to determining that the location-aware cache should be updated: (i) sending a location-aware cache-update request; (ii) receiving, as a response to the location-aware cache-update request, user-data that corresponds to the first geographic area; and (iii) storing the user-data that corresponds to the first geographic area in a location-aware cache of the balloon.

Location-aware caching in a balloon network

Disclosed embodiments may help a balloon network to provide substantially continuous service in a given geographic area. An example method may be carried out at a balloon that is at a location associated with the first geographic area in a balloon network that includes a plurality of geographic areas. The balloon may determine that it should update its balloon-state in accordance with a balloon-state profile for the first geographic area. Then, in response, the balloon may determine the balloon-state profile for the first geographic area, which may include one or more state parameters for balloons operating in the first geographic area. The balloon may then operate according to the balloon-state profile for the first geographic area.

Location-aware profiles in a balloon network

A balloon having an envelope, a gas contained within the envelope, a payload connected to the envelope, wherein the envelope has a first portion that has a first absorptive or reflective property with respect to allowing solar energy to be transferred to the gas within the envelope, and a second portion that has a second absorptive or reflective property with respect to allowing solar energy to be transferred to the gas within the envelope where the second absorptive or reflective property is different than the first absorptive or reflective property, wherein the second portion is provided with a darkly colored surface that allows more solar energy to be transferred through the envelope to the gas within the envelope than the first portion, and wherein the envelope is rotatable to allow a preferred ratio of the first and second portions of the envelope to be positioned facing the sun.

Altitude control via rotation of balloon to adjust balloon density

A balloon having an envelope and a payload positioned beneath the envelope. The envelope comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion allows more solar energy to be transferred to gas within the envelope than the second portion. The balloon may operate in a first mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by rotating the envelope to change an amount of the first portion that faces the sun and an amount of the second portion that faces the sun, and wherein the control system is further configured to cause the balloon to operate in a second mode in which altitudinal movement of the balloon is caused, at least in part, by moving a lifting gas or air into or out of the envelope.

Balloon altitude control using density adjustment and/or volume adjustment

Disclosed embodiments relate to virtual pooling of a local resource in a balloon network. In an example, a balloon network has geographic zones, including at least a first and a second geographic zone. Further, each balloon has a sustainable utilization rate for a local resource. Each balloon utilizes the local resource according to a respective first utilization rate when located in the first geographic zone and utilizes the local resource according to a second utilization rate when located in the second geographic zone. For one or more of the balloons, the sustainable utilization rate is less than the respective first utilization rate and greater than the respective second utilization rate. However, the balloons are operable to move between the geographic zones such that the first utilization rate is substantially continuous in first geographic zone.

Virtual pooling of local resources in a balloon network

A computing system that includes a color sequential display (CSD) and an eye-tracking device may determine motion of an eye with respect to the CSD, while displaying temporally sequential color sub-frames of a video display image on CSD. Based on the determined motion, the computing system may determine an expected change in position of the eye with respect to the CSD over a time interval from a first temporally sequential color sub-frame to a second temporally sequential color sub-frame that follows the first temporally sequential color sub-frame. Then, based on the determined expected change in position, the computing system may compensate for the determined motion of the eye by adjusting a display position on the CSD of the second temporally sequential color sub-frame with respect to a display position on the CSD of the first temporally sequential color sub-frame. A head-mounted display is an example of such a computing system.

Image stabilization for color-sequential displays

Exemplary methods and systems help provide for tracking an eye. An exemplary method may involve: causing the projection of a pattern onto an eye, wherein the pattern comprises at least one line, and receiving data regarding deformation of the at least one line of the pattern. The method further includes correlating the data to iris, sclera, and pupil orientation to determine a position of the eye, and causing an item on a display to move in correlation with the eye position.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Josh Weaver