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.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 14, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2003
Vipul P. Patel, Irvine, CA (US);
AL Macknight, Lakewood, CA (US);
Vipul P. Patel, Irvine, CA (US);
Al MacKnight, Lakewood, CA (US);
Honeywell International Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
An inflatable docking station for a Mars roving vehicle (Mars rover) provides a recharging station as well as a storage facility for the Mars rover during adverse environmental conditions. The docking station/garage allows for extended operational life for the Mars Rover, allows for the Mars rover to operate at the polar regions of Mars, where extreme cold conditions restrict rover operation, and provides for a warmer habitat for the Mars rover. Conventional planetary roving vehicles only be deployed from the warmer equator region of the planet surface. However, these roving vehicles may never explore the polar regions because the roving vehicle may not have enough stored power. The docking station/garage provides a remote outpost for, among other things, storing and recharging the Mars Rover to allow it to reach more remote areas.