John E Keyser

US Patent:

20200406773, Dec 31, 2020

Filed:

Jun 26, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/452620

Inventors:

Alberto Daniel Lacaze - Potomac MD, US
Karl Nicholas Murphy - Rockville MD, US
William Becker - Gaithersburg MD, US
John Keyser - Gaithersburg MD, US

International Classification:

B60L 53/36
G05D 1/00
B64F 1/36
B64C 39/02

Abstract:

Battery powered quadrotors or drones have a limited operation time. To extend operation time, a powered tether can be used. This tether provides power to the drone allowing it to stay up indefinitely. Most tethered drones are captured to the base station. The tether can reel in and out as the drone moves, but the drone can't go higher or further than the maximum length of the tether. If the tether can be automatically disconnected, the drone could fly off for some remote mission, assuming the drone had an onboard power source such as rechargeable batteries. The present invention relates to a self-powered drone tether that comprises a rechargeable drone in flight which is referred to as the rechargeable drone, a drone that carries a powered tether which is referred to as the tether drone, a coupling mechanism between the rechargeable drone and the tether drone, and a base station with a powered tether and tether deployment system.

US Patent:

20180311085, Nov 1, 2018

Filed:

Feb 26, 2018

Appl. No.:

15/904787

Inventors:

Alberto Daniel Lacaze - Potomac MD, US
Karl Nicholas Murphy - Rockville MD, US
Joseph Putney - Gaithersburg MD, US
John Keyser - Gaithersburg MD, US

International Classification:

A61G 3/06
B65G 67/24
B60P 1/43

Abstract:

A system allowing a wheelchair bound user to embark and disembark a vehicle without assistance. The user requests entry into the vehicle. The vehicle is manually or autonomously driven into a safe position for ingress. The vehicle checks if the area is clear to open the door. The vehicle autonomously opens the door. The vehicle verifies the person is wheelchair bound. If the passenger is wheelchair bound, then: the vehicle verifies if the area is clear to deploy an inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle deploys the inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle waits until the user is on top of the lift and starts lifting the wheelchair bound person. The vehicle waits until the user at the correct height and transitions from the lift/ramp into the securement station inside of the vehicle. The vehicle verifies that the wheelchair is properly positioned for securement. The vehicle secures the wheel chair.