Patents Assigned to LTA Research and Exploration, LLC
-
Patent number: 11851153Abstract: The disclosed invention describes a method for determining a current state of a gas cell in an airship, particularly the lift. A computing device receives depth measurements of the interior of the gas cell using a lidar sensor positioned outside the cell and uses these depth measurements to create a mesh, segment a space within the mesh into geometric shapes, calculate the volume of the shapes, and use the calculated volume to estimate the total volume of the space within the mesh, representing the volume of gas within the gas cell. The computing device then uses the estimated volume to calculate the lift of the gas cell and sends the calculated lift to a control module of the airship.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Kyle Vernyi, Dennis L Carter, Jonathan Wittmer
-
Patent number: 11738884Abstract: An apparatus for an airship, including: a spacer ring adapted to couple to a joint opening of a joint, the spacer ring having multiple internal protruding portions adapted to form a gap between the spacer ring and a connector inserted into the joint; an injecting clamp adapted to clamp around a first portion of the spacer ring, the injecting clamp having an injecting hole for receiving an adhesive and an outlet for injecting the adhesive to fill a space formed between the joint and a portion of the connector inserted into the joint; and a heating clamp adapted to clamp around a portion of the joint that surrounds the portion of the connector inserted into the joint, the heating clamp including a heat source adapted to heat the adhesive in the space formed between the joint and the portion of the connector during a curing process.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Franklin Kyle Kepley, Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, Michal Raviv Sayag, Alexis Jonas Thoeny, Stephen Benedict Kocsis, David Sanchez, Shalom Johnson, Edward Clements, III
-
Patent number: 11618543Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for constructing an airship quickly and cost-effectively are described. In one embodiments, a jig for constructing a mainframe of an airship structure may have a first rail and a second rail that are configured to be parallel to each other, the first rail and the second rail each forming an arc, multiple first supporting structures coupled to the first rail, wherein the first supporting structures have non-uniform heights to support a curvature of the arc of the first rail, multiple second supporting structures coupled to the second rail, wherein the second supporting structures have non-uniform heights to support a curvature of the arc of the second rail, wherein the first rail and the second rail are configured to interface with detachable wheels coupled to an outer surface of the mainframe and enable the mainframe to be rotated along its axis on the jig.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Sergey Brin, Alan Weston, Fan Yang Yang, Franklin Kyle Kepley, Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, Tsu Han
-
Patent number: 11465727Abstract: In an embodiment, a system for synchronizing the rotation of multiple mainframes of an airship includes multiple belt drive systems configured to mechanically rotate the mainframes, a central control system for sending a timing instruction to cause the mainframes to rotate synchronously about their respective rotational axis, wherein the mainframes are axis-aligned about their respective rotational axes and the timing instruction specifies a desired angular displacement of the mainframes, and multiple control units for controlling the belt drive systems to rotate the mainframes, respectively, wherein, for each mainframe, the associated control unit is configured to: receive the timing instruction from the central control system; determine, according to the timing instruction, a rotation instruction based on a size of the mainframe and the desired angular displacement; and instruct the belt drive system controlled by the control unit to rotate the mainframe based on the rotation instruction.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Franklin Kyle Kepley, Robert Everett Smith, Daniel Alejandro Ziperovich, Richard Austin Salle, Viet Quoc Le, Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, David Andrew Sanchez, Tsu Kuang Han, Benjamin Eric Loveless, Marlon Fernando Perez
-
Patent number: 11254408Abstract: A jig for constructing a mainframe of an airship structure, including multiple tracks configured in a radial pattern, each track including rails that are configured to be parallel to each other, multiple front carts for securing inner portions of the mainframe corresponding to an inner circumference of the mainframe, each front cart configured to be positionally adjustable along one of the tracks, and multiple back carts for securing outer portions of the mainframe corresponding to an outer circumference of the mainframe, each back cart configured to be positionally adjustable along one of the tracks.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, August Lang, Daniel Ziperovich, Benjamin Loveless, Viet Le, Tsu Han, Marlon Perez, Franklin Kyle Kepley
-
Patent number: 10988226Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for constructing an airship quickly and cost-effectively are described. In one embodiments, an airship structure may have a plurality of mainframes, each comprising interconnected pyramid structures. One of the pyramid structures may include an apex joint, four base joints, first connectors, and second connectors. The apex joint and base joints may each have slots configured for receiving connectors. The apex joint may have four apex-to-base slots and each base joint may have a base-to-apex slot and two base-to-base slots. Each of the first connectors may connect the apex joint to one of the four base joints using one of the apex-to-base slots of the apex joint and the base-to-apex slot of that base joint. Each of the second connectors may connect two of the four base joints using one of the base-to-base slots of each of the two base joints connected by that second connector.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: LTA Research and Exploration, LLCInventors: Sergey Brin, Alan Weston, Fan Yang Yang, Franklin Kyle Kepley, Jesus Ricardo Amezquita Zatarain, Tsu Han, John Morehead, Benjamin Klamm, Eric Wilms, Edward Clements, III, David Sanchez, Shalom Johnson, Tanner Yaberg