Patents by Inventor Kevin M. Jenkins

Kevin M. Jenkins 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).

  • Patent number: 10273004
    Abstract: An actual position of a load tethered with a tether to a vehicle is determined using a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle. A required tether tension and required tether angle of the tether is determined to move the load from the actual position to a commanded position. An actual tether tension and actual tether angle of the tether is determined using the plurality of sensors. A determination is made as to a thrust vector to be applied by the vehicle to change the actual tether tension and the actual tether angle of the tether to the required tether tension and the required tether angle. The thrust vector is applied with the vehicle to reposition the vehicle to achieve the required tether angle and to create the required tether tension of the tether to move the load to the commanded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Kevin M. Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20140371956
    Abstract: An actual position of a load tethered with a tether to a vehicle is determined using a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle. A required tether tension and required tether angle of the tether is determined to move the load from the actual position to a commanded position. An actual tether tension and actual tether angle of the tether is determined using the plurality of sensors. A determination is made as to a thrust vector to be applied by the vehicle to change the actual tether tension and the actual tether angle of the tether to the required tether tension and the required tether angle. The thrust vector is applied with the vehicle to reposition the vehicle to achieve the required tether angle and to create the required tether tension of the tether to move the load to the commanded position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Kevin M. Jenkins