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:
May. 19, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 11, 2012
Richard Wayne Devaul, Mountain View, CA (US);
Eric Teller, San Francisco, CA (US);
Clifford L. Biffle, Berkeley, CA (US);
Josh Weaver, San Jose, CA (US);
Richard Wayne DeVaul, Mountain View, CA (US);
Eric Teller, San Francisco, CA (US);
Clifford L. Biffle, Berkeley, CA (US);
Josh Weaver, San Jose, CA (US);
Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
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.