Google Inc.

University of California

Other

Avaya Technology LLC

Kenneth Jensen

Damon Vander Lind

William E Mickelson

Alexander K Zettl

Jeffrey C Grossman

Erik Christopher Chubb

Alex Zettl

Caglar Girit

Valentine C Matula

Joylee E Kohler

Richard Alan Windhausen

Sharmistha Sarkar Das

Kenneth R Hackbarth

Jeffrey A Weldon

Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle of an air wind turbine (AWT). More specifically, the methods described herein relate to balancing power generation or preventing a component of the aerial vehicle from overheating using rotor speed control. An example method may include operating an aerial vehicle in a crosswind-flight mode to generate power. The aerial vehicle may include a rotor configured to help generate the power. While the aerial vehicle is in the crosswind-flight mode the method may include comparing a power output level of the aerial vehicle to a power threshold and, based on the comparison, adjusting operation of the rotor in a manner that generates an optimal amount of power or minimizes overheating of the aerial vehicle.

Methods and systems for managing power generation and temperature control of an aerial vehicle operating in crosswind-flight mode

Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle. An example method may include operating an aerial vehicle in a crosswind-flight orientation substantially along a first flight path to generate power. The first flight path may include a substantially circular path that allows the aerial vehicle to generate the power. While the aerial vehicle is in the crosswind-flight orientation the method may include determining to reduce the power being generated by the aerial vehicle, and responsive to the determination, determining a second flight path that will reduce the power generated by the aerial vehicle when operating on the second flight path. Once determined, the aerial vehicle may operate substantially along the second flight path.

Path based power generation control for an aerial vehicle

A method involves operating an aerial vehicle to travel along a first closed path on a tether sphere while oriented in a crosswind-flight orientation. A tether is connected to the aerial vehicle on a first end and is connected to a ground station on a second end. Further, the tether sphere has a radius corresponding to a length of the tether. The method further involves while the aerial vehicle is in the crosswind-flight orientation, operating the aerial vehicle to travel along a second closed path on the tether sphere, such that a speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced. And the method involves after or while the speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced, transitioning the aerial vehicle from traveling along the second closed path while in the crosswind-flight orientation to a hover-flight orientation.

Methods and systems for transitioning an aerial vehicle between crosswind flight and hover flight

A system may include a tether connected to a ground station. The tether may include at least two bridle segments. The system may further include an aerial vehicle connected to the at least two bridle segments. The system may also include at least one sensor and a control system. The control system may be configured to: a) receive sensor data from the at least one sensor; and b) determine a tether roll angle based on the sensor data. The tether roll angle may represent an angle between the tether and an axis of the aerial vehicle. Optionally, the control system may also be configured to determine a curvature of a path of the aerial vehicle based on the tether roll angle. The control system may additionally be configured to control at least one control surface of the aerial vehicle based on the curvature of the path.

Curvature sensing

A fully-functional radio receiver fabricated from a single nanotube is being disclosed. Simultaneously, a single nanotube can perform the functions of all major components of a radio: antenna, tunable band-pass filter, amplifier, and demodulator. A DC voltage source, as supplied by a battery, can power the radio. Using carrier waves in the commercially relevant 40-400 MHz range and both frequency and amplitude modulation techniques, successful music and voice reception has been demonstrated. Also disclosed are a radio transmitter and a mass sensor using a nanotube resonator device.

Nanotube resonator devices

A tunable nanoscale resonator has potential applications in precise mass, force, position, and frequency measurement. One embodiment of this device consists of a specially prepared multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) suspended between a metal electrode and a mobile, piezoelectrically controlled contact. By harnessing a unique telescoping ability of MWNTs, one may controllably slide an inner nanotube core from its outer nanotube casing, effectively changing its length and thereby changing the tuning of its resonance frequency. Resonant energy transfer may be used with a nanoresonator to detect molecules at a specific target oscillation frequency, without the use of a chemical label, to provide label-free chemical species detection.

Tunable multiwalled nanotube resonator

Methods by which the growth of a nanostructure may be precisely controlled by an electrical current are described here. In one embodiment, an interior nanostructure is grown to a predetermined geometry inside another nanostructure, which serves as a reaction chamber. The growth is effected by a catalytic agent loaded with feedstock for the interior nanostructure. Another embodiment allows a preexisting marginal quality nanostructure to be zone refined into a higher-quality nanostructure by driving a catalytic agent down a controlled length of the nanostructure with an electric current. In both embodiments, the speed of nanostructure formation is adjustable, and the growth may be stopped and restarted at will. The catalytic agent may be doped or undoped to produce semiconductor effects, and the bead may be removed via acid etching.

Growth of and defect reduction in nanoscale materials

The accent of a party to a call is determined from a speech sample of the party and the call is sent for servicing to a call-center agent who has skill in the determined accent, and preferably to an agent who speaks both the determined language and the language of the accent.

Accent-based matching of a communicant with a call-center agent

Bales of hay and the like which were bundled or baled in the field are recompressed to about one-half their original length by using a high-pressure ram on the bales after their wires have been cut and removed, over-compressing the bales and then after relaxing the over-compression, restrapping the recompacted bale through a set of strap guides which are automatically adjusted in the direction of the press stroke to guide the strap around the recompacted bale regardless of the amount of over-compression of the bale.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Kenneth Jensen