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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 12140968 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 2024

Filed:

Oct. 03, 2023

Multicopter with self-adjusting rotors

Applicant:

Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US);

Inventors:

Sebastian Thrun, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);

Benjamin Otto Berry, Mountain View, CA (US);

Assignee:

Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US);

Attorney:

Van Pelt, Yi & James LLP

Primary Examiner:

Donald J Wallace

Assistant Examiner:

Jalal C Coduroglu

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G05D 1/04 (2006.01); B64C 27/08 (2023.01); B64C 27/20 (2023.01); B64C 27/32 (2006.01); B64C 27/41 (2006.01); B64C 27/48 (2006.01); B64C 27/52 (2006.01); B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64D 1/00 (2006.01); B64F 1/02 (2006.01); B64F 1/12 (2006.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G05D 1/46 (2024.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G05D 1/046 (2013.01); B64C 27/08 (2013.01); B64C 27/20 (2013.01); B64C 27/32 (2013.01); B64C 27/41 (2013.01); B64C 27/48 (2013.01); B64C 27/52 (2013.01); B64C 29/0033 (2013.01); B64D 1/00 (2013.01); B64F 1/12 (2013.01); B64F 1/0295 (2020.01); B64U 50/14 (2023.01); G05D 1/46 (2024.01);
Abstract

During a vertical landing state, it is decided whether to switch from the vertical landing state to a self adjusting state. The VTOL vehicle includes the flight controller, the rotor, and a fuselage where the rotor is coupled to the fuselage via a vertical connector. If it is so decided, there is a switch from the vertical landing state to the self adjusting state. During the self adjusting state, a control signal for a rotor is generated where the control signal causes: (1) the rotor to rotate during the self adjusting state and (2) the VTOL vehicle to remain in a fixed position during the self adjusting state, in response to the control signal, and independent of docking infrastructure. During a rotors off state, a rotor off control signal is generated for the rotor that causes the rotor to turn off.

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