System and method for robotic charging aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384044-B2
Application number	US-202418660566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2024
Priority date	Mar 6, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

In one aspect, a system for charging an aircraft can include a robotic charging device, and a computing system configured to obtain data associated with a transportation itinerary and energy parameter(s) of the aircraft. The data associated with the transportation itinerary can be indicative of an aircraft landing facility at which the aircraft is to be located. The computing system can determine (e.g., select) a robotic charging device from among a plurality of robotic charging devices for charging the aircraft based on the transportation itinerary data and energy parameter(s) of the aircraft; determine charging parameter(s) for the robotic charging device based on the transportation itinerary data; and communicate command instruction(s) for the robotic charging device to charge the aircraft according to the charging parameter(s). The robotic charging device can be configured to automatically connect with a charging area of the aircraft for charging a battery onboard the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for charging an aircraft comprising:
accessing itinerary data indicative of a duration of time an aircraft is scheduled to be located at a first aircraft landing facility and one or more subsequent destinations;
computing, based on the itinerary data, a target charge state of the aircraft, the target charge state indicative of an amount of energy to be delivered to the aircraft at the first aircraft landing facility, wherein the target charge state provides a threshold travel distance to at least one subsequent destination of the one or more subsequent destinations;
selecting, based on the itinerary data, the target charge state, and a threshold distance of the aircraft from other aircraft, a first charging device located at the first aircraft landing facility and a second charging device located at a second aircraft landing facility, wherein:
the second aircraft landing facility is associated with the at least one subsequent destination; and
the threshold distance of the aircraft is associated with a distance between the aircraft and the other aircraft located at the first aircraft landing facility and second landing facility:

computing one or more charging parameters for the first charging device and the second charging device; and
communicating one or more command instructions for the first charging device and the second charging device to charge the aircraft in accordance with the one or more charging parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing data indicative of charging capabilities available at the first aircraft landing facility and the one or more subsequent destinations; and
selecting, based on the charging capabilities, the second aircraft landing facility from the one or more subsequent destinations.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
accessing aircraft data indicative of at least one of (i) a weight of the aircraft, (ii) a weight of cargo scheduled to be aboard the aircraft, or (iii) a number of passengers scheduled to be aboard the aircraft; and
computing the one or more charging parameters based on the aircraft data and the data indicative of the charging capabilities.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing fleet itinerary data indicative of respective durations of times that respective aircraft of a plurality of aircraft are scheduled to be located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility; and
computing assignments to assign the plurality of aircraft to a plurality of charging devices located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility, wherein the assignments are based on the respective durations of times that the respective aircraft of the plurality of aircraft are scheduled to be located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising computing, based on the fleet itinerary data, priority data, the priority data associated with a prioritized order of assignment of the plurality of charging devices.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing the target charge state comprises:
computing, based on the itinerary data, one or more weather conditions associated with a route between the first aircraft landing facility and the one or more subsequent destinations, wherein the one or more weather conditions affects an amount of energy consumed during flight or the threshold travel distance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first charging device or the second charging device comprise a robotic charging device, the robotic charging device configured to automatically connect to a charging surface of the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first charging device is configured to detect an initial charge state of a battery associated with the aircraft.

9. A system for charging an aircraft comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
accessing itinerary data indicative of a duration of time an aircraft is scheduled to be located at a first aircraft landing facility and one or more subsequent destinations;
computing, based on the itinerary data, a target charge state of the aircraft, the target charge state indicative of an amount of energy to be delivered to the aircraft at the first aircraft landing facility, wherein the target charge state provides a threshold travel distance to at least one subsequent destination of the one or more subsequent destinations;
selecting, based on the itinerary data, the target charge state, and a threshold distance of the aircraft from other aircraft, a first charging device located at the first aircraft landing facility and a second charging device located at a second aircraft landing facility, wherein;
the second aircraft landing facility is associated with the at least one subsequent destination; and
the threshold distance of the aircraft is associated with a distance between the aircraft and the other aircraft located at the first aircraft landing facility and second landing facility;

computing one or more charging parameters for the first charging device and the second charging device; and
communicating one or more command instructions for the first charging device and the second charging device to charge the aircraft in accordance with the one or more charging parameters.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
accessing data indicative of charging capabilities available at the first aircraft landing facility and the one or more subsequent destinations; and
selecting, based on the charging capabilities, the second aircraft landing facility from the one or more subsequent destinations.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
accessing aircraft data indicative of at least one of (i) a weight of the aircraft, (ii) a weight of cargo scheduled to be aboard the aircraft, or (iii) a number of passengers scheduled to be aboard the aircraft; and
computing the one or more charging parameters based on the aircraft data and the data indicative of the charging capabilities.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
accessing fleet itinerary data indicative of respective durations of times that respective aircraft of a plurality of aircraft are scheduled to be located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility; and
computing assignments to assign the plurality of aircraft to a plurality of charging devices located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility, wherein the assignments are based on the respective durations of times that the respective aircraft of the plurality of aircraft are scheduled to be located at the first aircraft landing facility and the second aircraft landing facility.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise computing, based on the fleet itinerary data, priority data, the priority data associated with a prioritized order of assignment of the plurality of charging devices.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing the target charge state comprises:
computing, based on the itinerary data, one or more weather conditions associated with a route between the first aircraft landing facility and the one or more subsequent destinations, wherein the one or more weather conditions affects an amount of energy consumed during

Assignees

• Joby Aero Inc

Inventors

• Villa Ian Andreas
• Wilhelm Luke Asher

Classifications

• B64F1/364 Primary

  Mobile units · CPC title

• B64F1/36

  Other airport installations (ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20) · CPC title

• B64F1/352

  Mobile units · CPC title

• B60L53/65

  involving identification of vehicles or their battery types · CPC title

• B25J18/00

  Arms · CPC title