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:
Sep. 19, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 26, 2014
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Reno, NV (US);
Amir Navot, Seattle, WA (US);
Brian C. Beckman, Newcastle, WA (US);
Daniel Buchmueller, Seattle, WA (US);
Gur Kimchi, Bellevue, WA (US);
Fabian Hensel, Zurich, CH;
Scott A. Green, North Bend, WA (US);
Brandon William Porter, Yarrow Point, WA (US);
Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault, Bellevue, WA (US);
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
This disclosure describes a system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle wherein influences of a ground effect may be utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, an operating parameter of the automated aerial vehicle may be monitored to determine when a ground effect is influencing the parameter, which correspondingly indicates a proximity to a surface (e.g., the ground). In various implementations, the ground effect based sensing techniques may be utilized for determining a proximity to the ground, as a backup for a primary sensor system, for determining if a landing location is uneven, etc.