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:
Jun. 02, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 08, 2013
Applicant:
The Boeing Company;
Inventors:
James J. Childress, Mercer Island, WA (US);
John J. Viniotis, Bellevue, WA (US);
Assignee:
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64B 1/50 (2006.01); B64C 19/00 (2006.01); B60L 9/00 (2006.01); B64B 1/40 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64C 19/00 (2013.01); B64B 1/50 (2013.01); B64C 2201/123 (2013.01); B64C 2201/148 (2013.01); B60L 9/00 (2013.01); B64B 1/40 (2013.01); B64C 39/022 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64C 2201/022 (2013.01);
Abstract
Systems and methods to launch an aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises an electrically powered buoyant aircraft, a control system to maneuver the aircraft and a tether adapted to couple to the aircraft and to a ground-based power supply to provide power to the aircraft while the aircraft is coupled to the tether. The aircraft can disconnect autonomously from the tether in response to a command signal.