Patents Assigned to ETAK Systems, LLC
  • Publication number: 20180044154
    Abstract: A telescoping platform system for providing workers and/or equipment up a cell tower includes a telescoping pole adapted to selectively extend vertically via an extension mechanism; a platform disposed to a top of the telescoping pole and adapted to support one or more workers and/or equipment for the cell tower; and a plurality of support connections to attach the telescoping pole while it is selectively extended to the cell tower to provide horizontal support to the telescoping pole and the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20180034017
    Abstract: A battery installation method in a shelter or cabinet includes placing a plurality of batteries on shelves of a battery installation apparatus; moving the battery installation apparatus into the shelter or cabinet to a location proximate and adjacent to a battery system in the shelter or cabinet; adjusting an upper shelf of the shelves on the battery installation apparatus based on the battery system; and moving each of the plurality of batteries from the shelves to the battery system. A battery installation apparatus for installing and removing batteries in a shelter or cabinet a frame comprising four posts, wherein the frame is dimensioned to maneuver in the shelter or cabinet; a lower shelf fixed to the frame; an upper shelf moveable on the frame, wherein each of the lower shelf and the upper shelf are dimensioned to support the batteries; and omnidirectional wheels disposed to each of the four posts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Ross ERICKSON, Lee PRIEST, Jeremiah SAURIOL
  • Patent number: 9881416
    Abstract: Systems and methods using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to perform physical functions on a cell tower at a cell site include flying the UAV at or near the cell site, wherein the UAV comprises one or more manipulable members; moving the one or more manipulable members when proximate to a location at the cell tower where the physical functions are performed to effectuate the physical functions; and utilizing one or more counterbalancing techniques during the moving ensuring a weight distribution of the UAV remains substantially the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Publication number: 20170358228
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) includes flight components attached or disposed to a base; one or more cameras; radar; one or more wireless interfaces; a processing device communicatively coupled to the flight components, the one or more cameras, the radar, and the wireless interfaces; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to monitor proximate airspace with one or more of the one or more cameras and the radar; detect an obstruction based on the monitor; identify characteristics of the obstruction; alter a flight plan, through the flight components, if required based on the characteristics; and communicate the obstruction to an air traffic control system via the one or more wireless interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358216
    Abstract: A flying lane management method implemented in an air traffic control system communicatively coupled to one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) via one or more wireless networks includes initiating communication to the one or more UAVs at a preflight stage for each, wherein the communication is via one or more cell towers associated with the one or more wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each comprise hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers; determining a flying lane for the one or more UAVs based on a destination, current air traffic in a region under management of the air traffic control system, and based on detected obstructions in the region; and providing the flying lane to the one or more UAVs are an approval to takeoff and fly along the flying lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358223
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method is implemented in a UAV during a flight, for concurrently utilizing a plurality wireless networks for air traffic control. The UAV air traffic control method includes maintaining communication with a first wireless network and a second wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks; communicating first data with the first wireless network and second data with the second wireless network throughout the flight, wherein one or more of the first data and the second data is provided to an air traffic control system configured to maintain status of a plurality of UAVs in flight and perform control thereof; adjusting the flight based on one or more of the first data and the second data and control from the air traffic control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358217
    Abstract: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control and monitoring systems and methods implemented by a consolidated system include communicating with a plurality of servers each configured to communicate with a plurality of UAVs in a geographic or zone coverage; consolidating data from the plurality of servers to provide a visualization of a larger geography comprising a plurality of geographic or zone coverages; providing the visualization via a Graphical User Interface (GUI); and performing one or more functions via the GUI for air traffic control and monitoring at any of a high-level and an individual UAV level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358213
    Abstract: Obstruction detection and management systems and methods are performed through an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The obstruction detection and management method includes receiving UAV data from a plurality of UAVs, wherein the UAV data includes operational data for the plurality of UAVs and obstruction data from one or more UAVs; updating an obstruction database based on the obstruction data; monitoring a flight plan for the plurality of UAVs based on the operational data; and transmitting obstruction instructions to the plurality of UAVs based on analyzing the obstruction database with their flight plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358225
    Abstract: A waypoint management method for an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) includes communicating with a plurality of UAVs via one or more wireless networks comprising at least one cellular network; receiving updates related to an obstruction status of each of a plurality of waypoints from the plurality of UAVs, wherein the plurality of waypoints are defined over a geographic region under control of the ATC system; and managing flight paths, landing, and take-off of the plurality of UAVs in the geographic region based on the obstruction status of each of the plurality of waypoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358215
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method utilizing wireless networks and concurrently supporting delivery application authorization and management communicating with a plurality of UAVs via a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each include hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers; maintaining data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communicating; processing the maintained data to perform a plurality of functions associated with air traffic control of the plurality of UAVs; and processing the maintained data to perform a plurality of functions for the delivery application authorization and management for each of the plurality of UAVs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358221
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method utilizing wireless networks includes communicating with a plurality of UAVs via a plurality of cell towers associated with the wireless networks, wherein the plurality of UAVs each include hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the plurality of cell towers, and wherein each of the plurality of UAVs include a unique identifier; maintaining data associated with flight of each of the plurality of UAVs based on the communicating; and processing the maintained data to perform a plurality of function associated with air traffic control of the plurality of UAVs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170355457
    Abstract: A method for three-dimensional (3D) coverage mapping of a coverage area of a cell site using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) includes causing the UAV to fly about the coverage area at one or more elevations; causing the UAV to take measurements of wireless performance during flight about the coverage area; and utilizing the measurements to derive a 3D coverage map of the coverage area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Charlie TERRY, Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170358224
    Abstract: Static obstruction detection and management systems and methods through an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) include receiving UAV data from a plurality of UAVs related to static obstructions; receiving external data from one or more external sources related to the static obstructions; analyzing the UAV data and the external data to populate and manage an obstruction database of the static obstructions; and transmitting obstruction instructions to the plurality of UAVs based on analyzing the obstruction database with their flight plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Patent number: 9764838
    Abstract: A method with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site includes causing the UAV to fly at or near the cell site, wherein the UAV comprises one or more manipulable arms which are stationary during flight; physically connecting the UAV to a structure at the cell site and disengaging flight components associated with the UAV; and performing one or more functions via the one or more manipulable arms while the UAV is physically connected to the structure, wherein the one or more manipulable arms move while the UAV is physically connected to the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Publication number: 20170257778
    Abstract: Systems and method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering include determining fiber connectivity at or near the cell site; obtaining first data capture of the fiber connectivity at or near the cell site; obtaining second data capture of paths of the fiber connectivity from the cell site; obtaining third data capture of the cell site including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site; utilizing the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model; and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170215086
    Abstract: Systems and method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering include obtaining first data capture for above ground components including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site; obtaining second data capture for subterranean geography associated with the surrounding geography; utilizing the first data capture and the second data capture to develop the 3D model which includes both the above ground components and the subterranean geography; and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20170199646
    Abstract: Systems and method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI) include, subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site; receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands include one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee PRIEST
  • Patent number: 9704292
    Abstract: A virtual site survey method at a cell site utilizing three-dimensional (3D) models for remote performance includes obtaining a plurality of photographs of a cell site comprising one or more of a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof; subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs; and remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: ETAK SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Priest, Charlie Terry, Joshua Godwin
  • Patent number: 9669945
    Abstract: A method with a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site includes causing the UAV to fly at or near the cell site while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via a connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection; and performing one or more functions via the UAV at the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site. The one or more functions can include functions related to a cell site audit. Alternatively, the one or more functions include functions related to providing wireless service via the UAV at the cell site, wherein data and/or power is transferred between the UAV and the cell site to perform the wireless service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: ETAK SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Priest, Charlie Terry, Ross Erickson
  • Publication number: 20170142596
    Abstract: A method for modeling a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site, wherein a launch location and launch orientation is defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation; obtaining a plurality of photographs of the cell site during about the flight plane, wherein each of the plurality of photographs is associated with one or more location identifiers; and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on the associated with one or more location identifiers and one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Lee PRIEST, Charlie TERRY, Joshua Godwin