Passenger Pod Assembly Transportation System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018002016-A1
Application number	US-201615200244-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some embodiments, a passenger pod assembly transportation system includes a transportation services provider computing system and a plurality of flying frame flight control systems, wherein the system is configured to receive, at the transportation services provider computing system, a request for transportation of a passenger pod assembly having a current location and a destination; upload a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe and a propulsion system; dispatch the flying frame to the current location of the passenger pod assembly; couple the flying frame to the passenger pod assembly at the current location of the passenger pod assembly; transport the passenger pod assembly by air from the current location of the passenger pod assembly to the destination of the passenger pod assembly; and decouple the passenger pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the passenger pod assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A transportation services method comprising:
receiving, at a transportation services provider system, a request for transportation of a passenger pod assembly having a current location and a destination; uploading a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe and a propulsion system; dispatching the flying frame to the current location of the passenger pod assembly; coupling the flying frame to the passenger pod assembly at the current location of the passenger pod assembly; transporting the passenger pod assembly by air from the current location of the passenger pod assembly to the destination of the passenger pod assembly; and decoupling the passenger pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the passenger pod assembly.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
selecting, at the transportation services provider system, the flying frame from a fleet of flying frames;
generating, at the transportation services provider system, the flight plan based upon the flying frame location, the current location of the passenger pod assembly and the destination of the passenger pod assembly; and
sending the flight plan from the transportation services provider system to the flight control system of the flying frame via a communication network.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting, releasing and returning steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to autonomous flight control.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting, releasing and returning steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to remote flight control.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispatching, coupling, transporting, releasing and returning steps further comprise operating the flying frame responsive to a combination of remote flight control and autonomous flight control.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein transporting the passenger pod assembly by air from the current location of the passenger pod assembly to the destination of the passenger pod assembly further comprises:
lifting the passenger pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in a vertical takeoff and landing mode;
transitioning the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to a forward flight mode;
transitioning the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode; and
landing the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein transporting the passenger pod assembly by air from the current location of the passenger pod assembly to the destination of the passenger pod assembly further comprises:
lifting the passenger pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in a vertical takeoff and landing mode with the passenger pod assembly in a generally horizontal attitude;
transitioning the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to a forward flight mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the passenger pod assembly such that the passenger pod assembly remains in the generally horizontal attitude;
transitioning the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the passenger pod assembly such that the passenger pod assembly remains in the generally horizontal attitude; and
landing the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

8 . A passenger pod assembly transportation system including a transportation services provider computing system and a plurality of flying frame flight control systems each having logic stored within a non-transitory computer readable medium, the logic executable by a processor, wherein the system is configured to:
receive, at the transportation services provider computing system, a request for transportation of a passenger pod assembly having a current location and a destination; upload a flight plan to a flight control system of a flying frame including an airframe and a propulsion system; dispatch the flying frame to the current location of the passenger pod assembly; couple the flying frame to the passenger pod assembly at the current location of the passenger pod assembly; transport the passenger pod assembly by air from the current location of the passenger pod assembly to the destination of the passenger pod assembly; and decouple the passenger pod assembly from the flying frame at the destination of the passenger pod assembly.

9 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the transportation services provider system is configured to:
select the flying frame from a fleet of flying frames; generate the flight plan based upon the flying frame location, the current location of the passenger pod assembly and the destination of the passenger pod assembly; and send the flight plan to the flight control system of the flying frame via a communication network.

10 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to autonomous flight control.

11 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to remote flight control.

12 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to operate the flying frame responsive to a combination of remote flight control and autonomous flight control.

13 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to:
lift the passenger pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in a vertical takeoff and landing mode; transition the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to a forward flight mode; transition the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode; and land the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

14 . The passenger pod assembly transportation system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flight control system of the flying frame is configured to:
lift the passenger pod assembly into the air with the flying frame in a vertical takeoff and landing mode with the passenger pod assembly in a generally horizontal attitude; transition the flying frame from the vertical takeoff and landing mode to a forward flight mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the passenger pod assembly such that the passenger pod assembly remains in the generally horizontal attitude; transition the flying frame from the forward flight mode to the vertical takeoff and landing mode by rotating the flying frame relative to the passenger pod assembly such that the passenger pod assembly remains in the generally horizontal attitude; and land the flying frame at the destination in the vertical takeoff and landing mode.

15 . Non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising a set of computer instructions executable by one or more processors for operating a passenger pod assembly transportation system, the computer instructions configured to:
receive, at the transportation services provider computing system, a request for transportation of a passenge

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Mccullough John Richard
• Oldroyd Paul K

Classifications

• B64D17/025

  for gliding chutes · CPC title

• B64D1/10

  Stowage arrangements for the devices in aircraft · CPC title

• B64C29/02 Primary

  having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded · CPC title

• G08G5/0034

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title