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:
Jul. 12, 2016
Filed:
Feb. 19, 2015
The United States of America As Represented BY the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Nghia X. Tran, San Diego, CA (US);
Hoa V. Phan, San Diego, CA (US);
Anhtuan T. Ton, San Diego, CA (US);
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A system and method may include energizing one or more of a plurality of electromagnets contained within and fixedly distributed about a first region of a structure and de-energizing other of the electromagnets to attract a substance contained and movable within a second region of the structure to the energized electromagnets and change the center of gravity of the structure. The structure may be disposed on a surface or within a liquid, where energizing and de-energizing of the electromagnets causes the structure to move about the surface or within the liquid in a desired fashion. The substance may be a magnetic or magnetizable substance. Energizing and de-energizing the electromagnets may be performed by a controller responsive to a signal received from a sensor or transceiver.