The Boeing Company

Hi-z Technology, Inc.

Other

Nanotron, Inc.

Nathan D Hiller

John Claude Bass

Kurt William Loheit

Daniel T Allen

Steven Fulton Griffin

Timothy Allen Murphy

Daniel I Newman

Todd Harding Tomkinson

Clifford G Cousins

Robert M Dowgwillo

Claudia E Fritz-Thompson

Paul Alan Beazley

Raymundo B Torrez

Christopher Shoemaker

Ishaan Bakhle

Kurt Loheit

A flight path clearing system comprising a laser beam system in an aircraft and a controller. The controller is configured to select a number of characteristics for a laser beam based on an object type. The controller is configured to control the laser beam system to emit the laser beam with the number of characteristics in a direction relative to a flight path of the aircraft. The controller is configured to control the laser beam system to move the laser beam with the number of characteristics selected for the object type to scan an area using a pattern that is based on a sequence of locations in the pattern being nearest to a center of the area, wherein a number of objects of the object type hit by the laser beam is cleared from the flight path.

Laser beam based flight path clearing system

A net zero power communications system comprising a laser beam generator, a black body, a cooled cavity, an optical absorber in the cooled cavity, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify information for transmission. The controller is configured to control the laser beam generator to emit laser beam pulses at the optical absorber layer that changes a temperature of the optical absorber layer with a pattern that causes the optical absorber layer to emit black body radiation from the cooled cavity to thereby encode the information.

Communications without power transmission

A satellite communications system comprising a satellite traveling in an orbit and a relay system. The relay system is configured to receive a laser beam encoding information from a terrestrial location and relay the information to the satellite. The relay system is positioned at a selected distance from the satellite and the selected distance is set based on a speed of the satellite.

Closed loop pointing system for ground to satellite communications

A flight path clearing system comprises a light beam generator configured to emit a set of light beams and a controller. The controller is configured to select a set of wavelengths for the set of light beams that attract insects and control the light beam generator to emit the set of light beams with the set of wavelengths in a direction relative to the flight path for an aircraft.

Aircraft flight path clearing light beams

A signal transmission system comprises an optical fiber cable, an electrical-to-optical signal converter, and an optical signal receiver. The optical fiber cable extending through a vehicle. The electrical-to-optical signal converter is connected to a first end of the optical fiber cable and is connected an antenna. The optical signal converter, when operating, receives a radio frequency signal from the antenna; modulates an optical signal using the radio frequency signal to create a modulated optical signal; and transmits the modulated optical signal through the optical fiber cable from the first end. The optical signal receiver is connected to a second end of the optical fiber cable, wherein the optical signal receiver, when operating, converts the modulated optical signal into a data signal.

Optical aircraft network

A method, system and apparatus are provided for reducing or eliminating contrails formed by an aircraft as it travels through the sky, and more particularly, to disrupting formation of contrails and altering the electromagnetic properties of already-formed contrails through use of one or more lasers. Methods include: positioning at least one laser such that at least one beam from the at least one laser is directed to a position at which contrails form aft of a wing of the aircraft; detecting contrail formation in the position at which contrails form aft of the wing of the aircraft; activating the at least one laser source in response to detecting contrail formation; and reducing or eliminating the contrail in response to activating the at least one laser source.

Aircraft laser contrail reduction apparatus and system

An in-flight aircraft tracking system may include a power transmission line suspended in the air and a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to identify an aircraft in proximity to the power transmission line. A traffic control system may be configured to coordinate movement of multiple aircrafts in proximity to the power transmission line. An in-flight aircraft tracking method may include transmitting a reader signal from a RFID reader to an aircraft while the aircraft is in proximity to a power transmission line and receiving an identification signal in response to the reader signal from an RFID transmitter coupled to the aircraft.

Aerial drone highway

A method, apparatus, and method for facilitating communications with an underwater platform. A communications system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle, a radio frequency communications system, a laser communications system, and a controller. The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a first section and a second section. The first section is moveably connected to the second section. The radio frequency communications system is connected to the first section of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The radio frequency communications system comprises a first parabolic antenna. The laser communications system is connected to the second section of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The laser communications system comprises a second parabolic antenna. The controller is configured to control the laser communications system to transmit incoming information in a transmit laser beam to the underwater platform submerged in a body of water. The incoming information is from a receive radio frequency signal received by the radio frequency communications system.

Hybrid drone enabled communications system for underwater platforms

An air duct system includes an air duct having a main body. The main body of the air duct defines a passageway and an outer surface. The air duct system also includes one or more thermoelectric generators. Each thermoelectric generator includes a hot side and a cold side, and the hot side of the thermoelectric generator is positioned along the outer surface of the air duct.

Aircraft air duct system for transmitting power and light

A system includes a detector attachment member and a communication system. The detector attachment member includes a first end configured to be coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle; a second end configured to be coupled to a detector; and a body extending between the first end and the second end, the body of a length selected such that an interference of the unmanned aerial vehicle at the detector is less than an interference threshold. The detector attachment member also includes a lift system coupled to the body. The communication system is coupled to the detector attachment member and is configured to provide communication between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the detector.

Anomaly detection via self-lifting detector attachment member of unmanned aerial drone

An air duct system for an aircraft provides passengers with light, data, electrical power, and sanitized air. The air duct system includes an air duct having a main body and a visible light source configured to generate visible light, where the visible light is modulated by one or more controllers based on a visible light communication protocol. The air duct system simultaneously achieves four functions for improving passengers' flying experience. First, a portion of the visible light transmitted by the air duct illuminates the interior cabin of the aircraft. Second, by modulating the visible light, the air duct system transmits and distributes data that is received by the passengers' electronic devices. Third, a portion of the visible light is converted into electrical power at each passenger seat to power passengers' electronic devices. Fourth, in embodiments, the visible light is emitted at a germicidal wavelength spectrum to create sanitized air.

Aircraft air duct system for providing light, data, electrical power, and sanitized air

Methods, Systems, and Apparatus for coordinating drones to communicate with reduced signal to noise, harvest energy, or provide camouflage.

Drone coordinated satellite communications, energy harvesting, and camouflage

An additive manufacturing system for extraction of impurities in additive manufacturing material, the system including an additive manufacturing machine for manufacturing a part using additive manufacturing material. The system may additionally include a conductive plate adjacent to the additive manufacturing material. The system can further include an energy source for distributing an electric charge through the conductive plate adjacent to the additive manufacturing material. Distributing the electric charge through the conductive plate can attract impurities from the additive manufacturing material to the conductive plate.

Additive manufacturing methods and systems for detection and extraction of impurities

A nanosatellite or drone, including an antenna; a dielectric waveguide coupled to the antenna, the waveguide comprising at least one of a slot or a taper and the waveguide (1) focusing electromagnetic radiation incident from free space into the waveguide and (2) waveguiding the electromagnetic radiation to the antenna. Also disclosed is a system for deploying a support structure, or device having electromagnetic functionality, including one or more bags each having a wall comprising a membrane; one or more conduits each having an outlet transferring fluid into the one or more of the bags in fluidic communication with the conduits, wherein the fluid pressurizes each of the one or more bags and expands the membrane so as to deploy and form each of the one or more bags into a support or the device having electromagnetic functionality.

Nanosatellite high gain antenna, fluidized rods including the same, and fluidized supports

A power recharging system may include an electrical conductor connected to a first aircraft and configured to connect to a second aircraft while the aircrafts are in flight. An AC signal may be induced in the electrical conductor it is in proximity to a changing magnetic field. The system may include a first rectifier circuit at the first aircraft that converts the AC signal into a DC signal for charging the first aircraft and a second rectifier circuit at the second aircraft that converts the AC signal into a second DC signal for charging the second aircraft. The electrical conductor may be part of a communication line. A communication system at the first aircraft may send and receive data communications via the communication line.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Nathan D Hiller