公开(公告)号：US10780988B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-22

申请号：US14491215

申请日：2014-09-19

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Brian C. Beckman ,  Amir Navot ,  Brandon William Porter ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Jeffrey P. Bezos ,  Frederik Schaffalitzky

IPC: B64D31/06 ,  B64C11/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D27/24 ,  G08G5/04 ,  F16D43/00 ,  F16P3/00 ,  H02P3/10 ,  H02P3/04 ,  B64D45/00 ,  B64D1/12

Abstract: An automated aerial vehicle (AAV) and system for automatically detecting a contact or an imminent contact between a propeller of the AAV and an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) are described. A safety profile for the AAV may be selected based on various factors including a position or configuration of the AAV. When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, the selected safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the AAV. For example, if a contact with a propeller of the AAV by an object is detected, the rotation of the propeller may be stopped to avoid harming the object. Likewise, an object detection component may be used to detect an object that is nearing a propeller, stop the rotation of the propeller, and/or navigate the AAV away from the detected object.

公开(公告)号：US10745132B1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-18

申请号：US15195491

申请日：2016-06-28

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Gur Kimchi

IPC: B64D3/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/10

Abstract: A towing system is provided that includes a tow control handle that is attached by a tow line to an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) for towing a user. The tow control handle may include various control elements (e.g., sensors, buttons, switches, rotatable portions, etc.) which may be actuated by a user to provide control signals that are utilized for controlling various aspects of the flight of the UAV (e.g., direction, speed, etc.) A user device that is worn or otherwise carried by the user enables the user to summon the UAV to the user's location when a towing process is to begin and/or when a user is to re-acquire the tow control handle (e.g., after the user releases the tow control handle during the towing process, etc.)

公开(公告)号：US20200257314A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-13

申请号：US16860723

申请日：2020-04-28

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Gur Kimchi ,  Louis Leroi LeGrand, III ,  Joshua White Traube

IPC: G05D1/08 ,  G06K9/00 ,  F16P3/14 ,  G08G5/00 ,  G08G5/04 ,  B64D1/12 ,  G08G5/02 ,  B64D45/00 ,  B64D27/24 ,  G05D1/10 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An aerial vehicle and system for automatically detecting an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) approaching the aerial vehicle is described. When an approaching object is detected by an object detection component, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the aerial vehicle. For example, if the object is detected entering a safety perimeter of the aerial vehicle, the rotation of a propeller closest to the object may be stopped to avoid harming the object and rotations of remaining propellers may be modified to maintain control and flight of the aerial vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US10705542B1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-07

申请号：US15637133

申请日：2017-06-29

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Gur Kimchi

IPC: G05D1/10 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G08G5/00 ,  G08G5/04

Abstract: Aerial vehicles may be outfitted with one or more transceivers for transmitting signals between one another. The signals may be time-stamped with times at which the signals are transmitted, and the times at which such signals are received, as determined from global clocks. The times-of-flight of such signals may be calculated from the differences between the times of transmission and the times of receipt, and used to calculate relative distances between the aerial vehicles. Additionally, where two or more of such signals are transmitted by an aerial vehicle, and received by another aerial vehicle, the times-of-flight of such signals may be used to track relative motion or determine an orientation of the aerial vehicle. Such signals may be transmitted and received by any number of vehicles or other objects, and may include any information, data or metadata regarding such vehicles or other objects.

公开(公告)号：US20200086986A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-19

申请号：US16133609

申请日：2018-09-17

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Louis LeGrand ,  Omri Rand ,  Ricky Welsh ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Sebastian Fischer

IPC: B64C39/02 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64C27/20 ,  B64C27/26 ,  B64C29/02 ,  B64C39/06

Abstract: Systems and methods to improve stability and control of an aerial vehicle are described. For an aerial vehicle having a ring wing around a fuselage and a plurality of propulsion mechanisms, one or more sections of the ring wing may be pivotable to reduce vibrations and forces transferred to the aerial vehicle, and to prevent stall and minimize turbulence experienced by the aerial vehicle. The pivotable sections of the ring wing may be freely pivotable, may include locking elements to prevent or allow pivoting, may include bias elements or dampening elements to partially control the free pivoting, or may include actuators to effect desired pivoting.

公开(公告)号：US10583914B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-10

申请号：US15194468

申请日：2016-06-27

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Brian C. Beckman ,  John Raymond Brodie ,  Vedran Coralic ,  Taylor David Grenier ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Dominic Timothy Shiosaki ,  Ricky Dean Welsh ,  Richard Philip Whitlock

IPC: B64C11/00 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64C11/48 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C11/30 ,  B64C3/54 ,  B64C3/14 ,  B64C27/80 ,  B64C3/46

Abstract: Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Systems, methods, and apparatus may actively adjust the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

公开(公告)号：US10556709B1

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15451218

申请日：2017-03-06

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Gur Kimchi ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III

IPC: B64F1/08 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D27/16 ,  B64C39/02

Abstract: An energy-efficient launch system that utilizes the principles of whip dynamics to launch payloads at high speeds is described. The launch system may include a marine vehicle having an onboard power source. A tapered, superconducting cable may be retractably connected to the marine vehicle via a winch and electrically connected to the power source. One or more aerial vehicles may be coupled to and receive power via the cable. To launch a payload at the end of the cable, the marine vehicle, winch, and/or aerial vehicles may be operated in coordination to create, propagate, and accelerate a whip waveform along the cable toward the payload.

公开(公告)号：US10554950B1

公开(公告)日：2020-02-04

申请号：US15461227

申请日：2017-03-16

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： James Christopher Curlander ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Barry James O'Brien ,  Jason Leonard Peacock

IPC: H04N13/246 ,  G06T19/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D47/08 ,  H04N13/332

Abstract: Methods and systems for collecting camera calibration data using wearable devices are described. An augmented reality interface may be provided at a wearable device. Three-dimensional virtual information may be presented at the augmented reality interface. The three-dimensional information may identify a field of view of a remote camera and may be associated with collection of calibration data for the remote camera. Calibration data collected by the remote camera viewing a calibration target in the field of view may be received. The camera may be calibrated based at least in part on the calibration data.

公开(公告)号：US10410527B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-10

申请号：US15905713

申请日：2018-02-26

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Amir Navot ,  Brian C. Beckman ,  Daniel Buchmueller ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Fabian Hensel ,  Scott A. Green ,  Brandon William Porter ,  Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault

IPC: G05D1/06 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D45/04 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G08G5/00 ,  G05D1/08 ,  G07C5/08 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with each of the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Utilizing such techniques, proximities of different portions of an automated aerial vehicle to the ground or other surfaces may be determined (e.g., for detecting issues with an uneven landing area, a sloped ground, etc.).

公开(公告)号：US10399665B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-03

申请号：US15968137

申请日：2018-05-01

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Brian C. Beckman ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Allan Ko

IPC: B64C11/18

Abstract: Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position of one or more propeller blade treatments of a propeller blade of an aerial vehicle during operation of the aerial vehicle. For example, the propeller blade may have one or more propeller blade treatments that may be adjusted between two or more positions. Based on the position of the propeller blade treatments, the airflow over the propeller is altered, thereby altering the sound generated by the propeller when rotating. By altering the propeller blade treatments on multiple propeller blades of the aerial vehicle, the different sounds generated by the different propeller blades may effectively cancel, reduce, and/or otherwise alter the total sound generated by the aerial vehicle.