Patents by Inventor Louis Leroi Legrand, III
Louis Leroi Legrand, III 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).
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Publication number: 20240109658Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move independently in any of six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch, and yaw).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Robert Roy Champagne, JR., Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Nicholas Hampel Roberts, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11884393Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Roy Champagne, Jr., Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Nicholas Hampel Roberts, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Publication number: 20230322380Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2022Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Robert Roy Champagne, Jr., Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Nicholas Hampel Roberts, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Publication number: 20230303248Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11649053Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11603204Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Lowell Timothy Neal, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Patent number: 11565808Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert Roy Champagne, Jr., Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Nicholas Hampel Roberts, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11407511Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Lowell Timothy Neal, Yves Christian Albers Schoenberg, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Publication number: 20220097844Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11284056Abstract: Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of sensors, such as stereo cameras, mounted along a perimeter frame of the aerial vehicle and arranged to generate a scene that surrounds the aerial vehicle. The sensors may be mounted in or on winglets of the perimeter frame. Each of the plurality of sensors has a field of view and the plurality of optical sensors are arranged and/or oriented such that their fields of view overlap with one another throughout a continuous space that surrounds the perimeter frame. The fields of view may also include a portion of the perimeter frame or space that is adjacent to the perimeter frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Taylor David Grenier, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Barry James O'Brien, Joshua John Watson, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11136118Abstract: Systems and methods to control aerial vehicles in degraded operational states are described. For example, for an aerial vehicle having six propulsion mechanisms arranged around a fuselage, one or more modified control schemes may be implemented to maintain control and navigation of the aerial vehicle responsive to a motor out situation, such as a failure of one propulsion mechanism. The modified control schemes may seek to emulate normal operation of a quadcopter, and/or may seek to utilize all remaining propulsion mechanisms to maintain controllability of the aerial vehicle in all six degrees of freedom of movement.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Sebastian Robin Fischer, David Friedman, Marco Antonio De Barros Ceze, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III
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Patent number: 11111009Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of a multirotor aircraft that will facilitate enhanced yaw control. The multirotor aircraft includes one or more adjustable members that will twist the frame of the multirotor aircraft, thereby adjusting the orientation of the motors and propellers and enhance the yaw control of the multirotor aircraft. In some implementations, the adjustable member(s) are passive and twist in response to differential thrusts generated by the propellers. In other implementations, the adjustable members are active and twist in response to a yaw command from the multirotor aircraft control system.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Michael John Elzinga, Scott Raymond Harris, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Frederik Schaffalitzky
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Patent number: 11091263Abstract: Described is an apparatus and method of an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that can operate in either a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) orientation or a horizontal flight orientation. The aerial vehicle includes a plurality of propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll) when in the VTOL orientation. The aerial vehicle also includes a ring wing that surrounds the propulsion mechanisms and provides lift to the aerial vehicle when the aerial vehicle is operating in the horizontal flight orientation.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11066163Abstract: Systems and methods to form distributed and reconfigurable aerial vehicle configurations are described. An aerial vehicle configuration may include a plurality of aerial vehicles that are connected to a payload via respective tethers in order to complete a task, e.g., delivery of the payload to a location. The plurality of aerial vehicles selected as part of the aerial vehicle configuration may be of various types and may form a particular initial configuration. During operation, the aerial vehicle configuration may be modified based on changes to various operating parameters associated with aerial vehicles, the aerial vehicle configuration, the task, and/or the environment. The modifications may include changing positions, altitudes, and/or orientations of aerial vehicles with respect to each other and/or the payload, releasing aerial vehicles from the configuration, or adding new aerial vehicles to the configuration.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2017Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 11046432Abstract: Described is an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) that includes a lifting propulsion mechanism that is circumferentially-driven and includes a propeller assembly and a propeller rim enclosure. The propeller assembly includes a plurality of propeller blades that extend radially and are coupled to an inner side of a substantially circular propeller rim that encompasses the propeller blades. Permanent magnets are coupled to an outer side of the propeller rim. The propeller rim and the magnets are positioned within a cavity of the propeller rim enclosure such that the propeller rim will rotate within the propeller rim enclosure. Also within the cavity of the propeller rim enclosure are electromagnets that are used to cause the propeller rim to rotate.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Menashe Haskin, Atishkumar Kalyan, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Michael Rolnik, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: 10901077Abstract: Aerial vehicles may be outfitted with one or more ultrasonic anemometers, each having ultrasonic transducers embedded into external surfaces. The transducers may be aligned and configured to transmit acoustic signals to one another, and receive acoustic signals from one another, along one or more paths or axes. Elapsed times of signals transmitted and received by pairs of transducers may be used to determine air speeds along the paths or axes. Where two or more pairs of transducers are provided, a net vector may be derived based on air speeds determined along the paths or axes between the pairs of the transducers, and used to generate control signals for maintaining the aerial vehicle on a desired course, at a desired speed or altitude, or in a desired orientation. The transducers may be dedicated for use in an anemometer, or may serve multiple purposes, and may be reoriented or reconfigured as necessary.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2018Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Gershon Parent, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Publication number: 20200413026Abstract: Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of sensors, such as stereo cameras, mounted along a perimeter frame of the aerial vehicle and arranged to generate a scene that surrounds the aerial vehicle. The sensors may be mounted in or on winglets of the perimeter frame. Each of the plurality of sensors has a field of view and the plurality of optical sensors are arranged and/or oriented such that their fields of view overlap with one another throughout a continuous space that surrounds the perimeter frame. The fields of view may also include a portion of the perimeter frame or space that is adjacent to the perimeter frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventors: Taylor David Grenier, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Barry James O'Brien, Joshua John Watson, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: D916623Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Gur Kimchi, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh
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Patent number: D917340Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ricky Dean Welsh, Louis Leroi LeGrand, III, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Gur Kimchi, Shmuel Eisenmann, Isaac Aaron Margulies, Chris Maynor, Jon T. Braam
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Patent number: D942921Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Gur Kimchi, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh