Patents by Inventor Charlie TERRY

Charlie TERRY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9596617
    Abstract: A method performed at a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a controller to perform a cell site audit, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, includes causing the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components using the controller, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site; collecting data associated with the cell site components and the surrounding airspace and environment using the UAV; transmitting and/or storing the collected data; and processing the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Priest, Charlie Terry, Ross Erickson
  • Publication number: 20170046873
    Abstract: Systems and methods for developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain photos and/or video include preparing the UAV for flight and programming an autonomous flight path about a cell tower at the cell site, wherein the autonomous flight path comprises a substantially circular flight path about the cell tower with one or more cameras on the UAV facing the cell tower; flying the UAV around the cell tower in a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle, wherein the flying comprises of at least four orbits for a monopole cell tower and at least five orbits for a self-support/guyed cell tower; obtaining photos and/or video of the cell tower, the cell site, and cell site components during each of the plurality of orbits; and using the photos and/or video to develop the point cloud three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Charlie TERRY, Jordan BATES, Alan LOMBADU, Josh GODWIN, Richard MURPHY, Lee PRIEST
  • Publication number: 20160309339
    Abstract: A method performed at a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a controller to perform a cell site audit, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, includes causing the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components using the controller, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site; collecting data associated with the cell site components and the surrounding airspace and environment using the UAV; transmitting and/or storing the collected data; and processing the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: ETAK SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Lee PRIEST, Charlie TERRY, Ross ERICKSON
  • Publication number: 20160309341
    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: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: ETAK SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Lee PRIEST, Charlie TERRY, Ross ERICKSON
  • Publication number: 20160309337
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based method of wireless coverage testing includes with a UAV comprising a wireless coverage testing configuration, flying the UAV in a route in a wireless coverage area associated with a cell tower; collecting measurement data via the wireless coverage testing configuration during the flying and associated with collected measurement data with location identifiers; and, subsequent to the flying, processing the collected measurement data with the location identifiers to provide an output detailing wireless coverage in the wireless coverage area including wireless coverage at ground level and above ground level to a set elevation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Lee PRIEST, Charlie TERRY, Joshua GODWIN
  • Publication number: 20160307366
    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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Lee PRIEST, Charlie TERRY, Joshua Godwin