Patents Assigned to X. Development
  • Patent number: 9792082
    Abstract: A method of wirelessly communicating a screen image between a mobile device and a base station coupled to a display terminal includes receiving, at the mobile device, electromagnetic (“EM”) radiation emitted from a base station and incident upon an antenna of the mobile device. A screen image generated by the mobile device is encoded onto a backscatter channel of the EM radiation by modulating an impedance of the antenna. The screen image is transmitted from the mobile device to the base station for display on a display terminal coupled to the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Travis Deyle
  • Patent number: 9791957
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, devices, and systems that may enable a touch-based interface to receive dynamic user inputs based on pressure. An exemplary method may involve: (a) detecting a touch interaction including an increase in pressure greater than a first threshold pressure-increase followed by a reduction in pressure greater than a threshold pressure-reduction; and (b) responsive to detecting the touch interaction, initiating an operation based on a region of the touch-based interface that corresponds to the touch interaction, wherein the operation is associated with the touch interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Eric Teller, Claes-Fredrik Mannby, Martin T. King, Kevin Anthony Furr
  • Patent number: 9789610
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for determining a safe path for movement of an object by a robotic system. According to these implementations, the robotic system may determine a safety level for each of a plurality of relative orientations of an object. Each such relative orientation may define a spatial orientation of the object relative to direction of movement of the object. Based on the determined safety levels, the robotic system may then determine, for each of the plurality of relative orientations, a velocity limit for movement of the object with a particular relative orientation. Based at least in part on the determined velocity limits, the robotic system may then determine a path for moving the object from a first location to a second location. As such, the robotic system may move the object from the first location to the second location based on the determined path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Kevin William Watts
  • Patent number: 9784243
    Abstract: A vehicle-based airborne wind turbine system having an aerial wing, a plurality of rotors each having a plurality of rotatable blades positioned on the aerial wing, an electrically conductive tether secured to the aerial wing and secured to a ground station positioned on a vehicle, wherein the aerial wing is adapted to receive electrical power from the vehicle that is delivered to the aerial wing through the electrically conductive tether; wherein the aerial wing is adapted to operate in a flying mode to harness wind energy to provide a first pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle; and wherein the aerial wing is also adapted to operate in a powered flying mode wherein the rotors may be powered so that the turbine blades serve as thrust-generating propellers to provide a second pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Damon Vander Lind, Thomas Van Alsenoy, Richard Wayne DeVaul
  • Patent number: 9783297
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide medical support via a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An illustrative UAV may include a housing, a payload, a line-deployment mechanism coupled to the housing and a line, and a payload-release mechanism that couples the line to the payload, wherein the payload-release mechanism is configured to release the payload from the line. The UAV may further include a control system configured to determine that the UAV is located at or near a delivery location and responsively: operate the line-deployment mechanism according to a variable deployment-rate profile to lower the payload to or near to the ground, determine that the payload is touching or is within a threshold distance from the ground, and responsively operate the payload-release mechanism to release the payload from the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: William Graham Patrick, James Ryan Burgess, Andrew Conrad
  • Patent number: 9783295
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed that includes a retractable payload delivery system. The payload delivery system can lower a payload to the ground using an assembly that secures the payload during descent and releases the payload upon reaching the ground. The assembly can also include a bystander communication module for generating cues for bystander perception. While the assembly securing the payload is being lowered from the UAV, the bystander communication module can generate an avoidance cue indicating that bystanders should avoid interference with the assembly. The assembly also includes sensors that generate data used, at least in part, to determine when the descending assembly is at or near the ground, at which point the assembly releases the payload. The bystander communication module can then cease the avoidance cue and the UAV can retract the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Leila Takayama, Matthew Ball, Joanna Cohen, Roger William Graves, Mathias Samuel Fleck, Andrew Lambert, James Ryan Burgess, Paul Richard Komarek, Trevor Shannon
  • Patent number: 9784257
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for changing a flexibility of a sheet structure. In an embodiment, a garment or other device includes sheet structure, where an interface region is disposed between overlapping layer portions of a sheet structure. While a pressure differential is maintained between the interface region and a chamber of the garment, a valve of the garment is opened to allow an exchange of fluid between the interface region and the chamber. In another embodiment, the exchange of fluid changes a flexibility of the sheet structure by initiating or alleviating friction jamming between the overlapping layer portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Eric H. C. Liu
  • Patent number: 9786883
    Abstract: A battery containment mesh includes a plurality of loops and a plurality of joiners that interconnect the loops into a net sized to surround a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells. The loops and the joiners are fabricated of heat resistant materials capable of maintaining physical integrity in an event of combustion of the battery pack such that the battery containment mesh can carry a weight of the battery pack after the event of combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Matthew A. Nubbe, Kyle A. Liske
  • Patent number: 9776326
    Abstract: An example method includes receiving, by a mobile robotic device, power from a battery of a first battery pack in order to operate within an environment. The method further includes establishing a first data channel between the mobile robotic device and the first battery pack. The method also includes using the first data channel to transfer sensor data acquired by the mobile robotic device during operation to a local data storage component of the first battery pack. The method additionally includes navigating, by the mobile robotic device, to a battery exchange station to transfer the first battery pack containing the battery and the local data storage component with the sensor data to the battery exchange station. The method further includes after transferring the first battery pack to the battery exchange station, receiving a second battery pack from the battery exchange station to continue operation within the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: John William Zevenbergen, Ethan Rublee
  • Patent number: 9778555
    Abstract: A multi-layer projection screen includes a stray light rejection layer and a lens array. The stray light rejection layer includes an array of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure of the array of pillar structures includes an entrance aperture, an exit aperture, a pathway extending from the entrance aperture to the exit aperture, and a side wall surrounding the pathway. The lens array is optically aligned to the array of pillar structures. The stray light rejection layer blocks display light received from the lens array having an oblique trajectory that is greater than a threshold angle from a first trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Adam E. Norton, Serge J. Bierhuizen, Andrei S. Kazmierski
  • Patent number: 9778132
    Abstract: An implementation may involve causing a foot of a robot to orient in a first position, where the foot comprises a sole configured to contact a surface, where the sole comprises a first edge and a second edge, and where in the first position: (i) the first edge contacts the surface, and (ii) a zero moment point (ZMP) is located on the first edge; receiving, from a force sensor, (i) first force data indicative of a first force and (ii) first moment data indicative of a first moment; determining a calibration of the force sensor based at least in part on the first force data, the first moment data, and a distance between the ZMP and a measurement location on the robot; and while the robot is engaged in bipedal movement, controlling the bipedal movement of the robot based at least in part on the calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Junichi Urata, Yoshito Ito, Masaki Hamafuji
  • Patent number: 9774221
    Abstract: A magnetic end effector utilizing a switchable Halbach array includes a pair of opposing members that can move towards and away from each other. The switchable Halbach arrays are located on or near the inner surface of the opposing members. A mechanical switching system is used to control the switchable Halbach arrays by moving one or more magnets that make up the switchable Halbach arrays. When manipulated in a certain way, the switchable Halbach arrays cause the opposing members to move towards each other, and when manipulate in a different manner, cause the opposing members to move away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Eric Holland, Michael George Sleator
  • Patent number: 9772550
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide for improved image display in an area of overlapping projections. In an embodiment, a multi-layer projection screen comprises light sources and collimation structures each disposed over a corresponding one of such light sources. A first collimation structure disposed over a first light source collimates first light from the first light source. The first collimation structure further receives and redirects second light from a second light source disposed under a second collimation structure that adjoins the first collimation structure. In another embodiment, the first collimation structure redirects the other light from the second light source away from the direction of collimation of the first light. A stray light rejection layer of the multi-layer projection screen passes a majority of the first light for inclusion as part of a projected image, and prevents a majority of the second light from inclusion in the projected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Serge Joel Armand Bierhuizen, Philip Edwin Watson, Adam Eales Norton, Andrei Kazmierski
  • Patent number: 9771925
    Abstract: An Airborne Wind Turbine (“AWT”) may be used to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy. An AWT may include an aerial vehicle that flies in a path to convert kinetic wind energy to electrical energy. The aerial vehicle may be tethered to a ground station with a tether that terminates at a tether termination mount. In one aspect, the tether has a core and at least one electrical conductor. The tether core may be terminated at a first location in a tether termination mount along an axis of the termination mount, and the at least one electrical conductor may be terminated at a second location in the tether termination mount along the same axis that the core is terminated. This termination configuration may focus tensile stress on the tether to the tether core, and minimize such stress on the at least one electrical conductor during aerial vehicle flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Christopher GilroySmith, Elias Wolfgang Patten, Brian Hachtmann
  • Patent number: 9764820
    Abstract: An aerial vehicle including a fuselage, a main wing attached to the fuselage, a support structure extending upwardly from the fuselage and having a front surface facing the main wing, an overhang positioned on a top of the support structure and extending towards the main wing, one or more rotating actuators positioned on the overhang, a rear elevator attached to the one or more rotating actuators that are configured to move the rear elevator from a flying mode position where a leading edge of the rear elevator faces the main wing to a hover mode position where the major surfaces of the rear elevator faces the main wing, and wherein the major surfaces of the rear elevator remain in front of the front surface of the support structure when the rear elevator is moved from the flying mode position to the hover mode position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Peter Kinne, Damon Vander Lind, Gregor Cadman
  • Patent number: 9767700
    Abstract: Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle. An example method may involve determining an asynchronous flight pattern for two or more aerial vehicles, where the asynchronous flight pattern includes a respective flight path for each of the two or more aerial vehicles; and operating each of the aerial vehicles in a crosswind flight substantially along its respective flight path, where each aerial vehicle generates electrical power over time in a periodic profile, and where the power profile of each aerial vehicle is out of phase with respect to the power profile generated by each of the other aerial vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Damon Vander Lind
  • Patent number: 9757859
    Abstract: Robotic control systems and methods may include providing an end effector tool of a robotic device configured to perform a task on a work surface within a worksite coordinate frame. Unintended movement over time of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and with respect to the worksite coordinate frame may be determined based on image data indicative of the work surface, first location data indicative of a first location of the end effector tool with respect to the worksite coordinate frame, and second location data indicative of a second location of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface. One or more control signals for the robotic device may be adjusted in order to counteract the unintended movements of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and worksite coordinate frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Michael Kolb, Jeff Linnell, Anthony Sean Jules
  • Patent number: 9755284
    Abstract: A heat battery pack system includes a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells electrically interconnected to each other, a binding coupled to mechanically hold the battery cells physically together, and a heater system coupled to the battery pack to heat the battery cells. The heater system includes a heating element interweaved between the battery cells of the battery pack and a heating controller electrically coupled to the heating element to drive current through the heating element and provide heat to the battery cells of the battery pack. The weaving of the heating element between the battery cells provides fixed mechanical support to the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Matthew A. Nubbe
  • Patent number: 9745040
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to techniques for launching high-altitude balloons. In one aspect, a balloon launching system is provided. The balloon has a balloon envelope, a payload attached to the balloon envelope and a launching projection. The launching system includes a releasable restraint attached to the balloon between an apex and bottom of the balloon envelope. The releasable restraint is arranged to temporarily hold the balloon envelope. The launching system also includes a payload positioning assembly. The payload positioning assembly is configured to position the payload during launch of the balloon and includes a member configured to attach to the launching projection. When attached, the member is also configured to maintain the position of the payload relative to the balloon while the releasable restraint is temporarily holding the balloon envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hall-Snyder, Sandeep Kumar Giri, Shane Washburn, Joseph Charles Benedetto, Keegan Gartner
  • Patent number: 9747568
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for determining when to decommission vehicles from a fleet of autonomous vehicles are described. One method includes receiving information indicating a sequence of coverage requirements for a region over a period of time, and the region is characterized by landmarks and the period of time is divided into time intervals. Landmarks may be defined as a decommissioning site representative of a location at which a given vehicle can be taken out of service, and the method includes determining estimated landmarks that can be reached by one or more vehicles starting from a respective landmark by an end of a respective time interval, and based on the sequence of coverage requirements, determining which vehicles from among the vehicles that can reach the one or more landmarks defined as the decommissioning site to take out of service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Keith Allen Bonawitz