Using predicted movement to maintain optical-communication lock with nearby balloon
US9306668B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 17, 2013 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64B1/40
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A balloon may include an optical-communication component, which may have a pointing axis. A pointing mechanism could be configured to adjust the pointing axis. The optical-communication component could be operable to communicate with a correspondent balloon via a free-space optical link. For example, the optical-communication component could include an optical receiver, transmitter, or transceiver. A controller could be configured to determine a predicted relative location of the correspondent balloon. The controller may control the pointing mechanism to adjust the pointing axis of the optical-communication component based on the predicted relative location so as to maintain the free-space optical link with the correspondent balloon.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.