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. 13, 2017
Filed:
Dec. 30, 2013
X Development Llc, Mountain View, CA (US);
Brian Hachtmann, San Martin, CA (US);
Damon Vander Lind, Alameda, CA (US);
X Development LLC, Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
A system may include an aerial vehicle, a perch platform configured to receive the aerial vehicle, and a ground station coupled to the aerial vehicle via a tether. The ground station may include a winch including a winch drum configured to move laterally and spin in a manner such that the tether is wound onto on the winch drum in a repeating pattern, possibly utilizing a fixed position levelwind. The system may additionally include a tower around which the winch and the perch platform can rotate about a vertical axis relative to the tower. The system may further utilize the tether forces on the levelwind to help move the perch platform around the vertical axis or be driven actively by a motor.