Landing zone indicators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023382559-A1
Application number	US-202318130827-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2023
Priority date	Jul 29, 2020
Publication date	Nov 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A landing zone indicator system which includes a battery that is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device, a controller that is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device, and a human vision output device where the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . (canceled)

2 . A landing zone indicator system, comprising:
a battery, wherein the battery is configured to power a controller and a human vision output device; the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and the human vision output device, wherein the human-visible light output by the human vision output device generates an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.

3 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system; and the illuminated landing zone includes a circular landing zone and the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a center of the circular landing zone.

4 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system; and the illuminated landing zone includes a polygon-shaped landing zone and the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a vertex of the polygon-shaped landing zone.

5 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-vehicle landing zone indicator system.

6 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones; the first illuminated landing zone is generated by human-visible light output having a first property; and a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property.

7 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones; the first illuminated landing zone is generated by human-visible light output having a first property; a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and the first property and the second property include a first color and a second color, respectively.

8 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones; the first illuminated landing zone is generated by human-visible light output having a first property; a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property; and the first property and the second property include a first symbol and a second symbol, respectively.

9 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes the computer vision output device that is configured to output the computer vision signal; and the controller is further configured to:
receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;
determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and
configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state.

10 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes the computer vision output device that is configured to output the computer vision signal; and the controller is further configured to:
receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;
determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and
configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:
the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle includes a flight controller in the VTOL vehicle being in an autonomous landing mode; and
configuring includes turning on at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device.

11 . The landing zone indicator system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes the computer vision output device that is configured to output the computer vision signal; and the controller is further configured to:
receive state information associated with the VTOL vehicle;
determine a state associated with the landing zone indicator system based at least in part on the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle; and
configure at least one of the human vision output device or the computer vision output device to be in the state, wherein:
the state information associated with the VTOL vehicle includes a distance between the VTOL vehicle and the landing zone indicator system; and
configuring includes changing the human vision output device from outputting human-visible light having a first color to outputting human-visible light having a second color.

12 . A method, comprising:
using a battery to power a controller and a human vision output device, wherein the battery, the controller, and the human vision output device are included in a landing zone indicator system; using the controller to control human-visible light that is output by the human vision output device; using a computer vision output device that is configured to output a computer vision signal; and using the human vision output device to generate an illuminated landing zone for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle using the human-visible light output by the human vision output device.

13 . The method recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system; and the illuminated landing zone includes a circular landing zone and the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a center of the circular landing zone.

14 . The method recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-the-ground landing zone indicator system; and the illuminated landing zone includes a polygon-shaped landing zone and the on-the-ground landing zone indicator system is located at a vertex of the polygon-shaped landing zone.

15 . The method recited in claim 12 , wherein the landing zone indicator system further includes an on-vehicle landing zone indicator system.

16 . The method recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones; the first illuminated landing zone is generated by human-visible light output having a first property; and a second illuminated landing zone in the plurality of illuminated landing zones is generated by human-visible light output having a second property that is different from the first property.

17 . The method recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the illuminated landing zone is a first illuminated landing zone in a plurality of illuminated landing zones; the first illuminated landing zone is generated b

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Huntzinger Timothy Robert
• Kwon Dennis Young

Classifications

• G08G5/54

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• G08G5/22

  located on the ground · CPC title

• B64F1/20 Primary

  Arrangement of optical beacons · CPC title

• G08G5/0026

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/025

  Physics · mapped topic