A controllable buoyant system (10) includes a support structure having a sealed hollow enclosure (12) containing a first gas and surrounded by a second gas, either the first gas or the second gas being lighter than ambient air. The hollow enclosure is pre-filled with the first gas via a one-way valv
A controllable buoyant system (10) includes a support structure having a sealed hollow enclosure (12) containing a first gas and surrounded by a second gas, either the first gas or the second gas being lighter than ambient air. The hollow enclosure is pre-filled with the first gas via a one-way valve that prevents the first gas escaping and an altitude sensor (14) generates an altitude signal indicative of a height of the support structure. A height transducer (17, 21, 61, 66, 67, 68) coupled to the hollow enclosure is responsive to the altitude signal for varying the buoyancy of the support structure. A controller (15) is coupled to the altitude sensor and to the height transducer and is responsive to the altitude signal and to at least one reference altitude signal for automatically controlling the height transducer in order to maintain the support structure buoyant at the preset altitude.
대표청구항▼
1. A controllable buoyant system comprising: a buoyant support structure having a sealed hollow enclosure for containing a first gas having a variable height-dependent property that is used to vary the buoyancy of the support structure, said hollow enclosure being surrounded by a second gas containe
1. A controllable buoyant system comprising: a buoyant support structure having a sealed hollow enclosure for containing a first gas having a variable height-dependent property that is used to vary the buoyancy of the support structure, said hollow enclosure being surrounded by a second gas contained within the buoyant support structure such that either the first gas or the second gas is lighter than ambient air, said hollow enclosure being pre-filled with said first gas via a one-way valve that prevents the first gas from escaping from the hollow enclosure,an altitude sensor for generating an altitude signal indicative of a height of the support structure,a height transducer responsive to the altitude signal for varying buoyancy of the support structure by changing the variable height-dependent property of the first gas inside the hollow enclosure as a function of measured height, anda controller coupled to the altitude sensor and to the height transducer and being responsive to said altitude signal and to at least one reference altitude signal for automatically controlling the height transducer in order to maintain the support structure buoyant at the preset altitude;characterized in that:the altitude sensor is capable of measuring height up to 50 m with an error of no more than ±1 meter, andthe controller is adapted to control the system automatically independently of feedback control provided by the altitude sensor during an initialization phase so as to ensure that there will be sufficient ballast in order to allow control of the system throughout the operating range of the altitude sensor. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reference altitude signal includes a first reference signal indicative of a desired preset altitude. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reference altitude signal includes a second reference signal indicative of a permissible difference between an instantaneous altitude and the preset altitude. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the hollow enclosure is elastic,a pump is coupled to an inlet of the hollow enclosure via a releasable valve, andthe controller is responsive to the altitude signal for pumping air into the hollow enclosure so as to inflate the hollow enclosure or for opening the releasable valve so as to deflate the hollow enclosure. 5. A method for raising the system according to claim 4 to said preset altitude, the method comprising: specifying a baseline height that is less than the desired preset altitude;during the initialization phase using the baseline height as a reference for the controller so that controller infers that the device is too high and automatically activates the height transducer for pumping air into the hollow enclosure; andautomatically changing to the regulation phase when sufficient air is in the hollow enclosure. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein during the initialization phase the support structure is prevented from rising under the buoyancy of the hollow enclosure. 7. The method according to claim 5, including changing from the initialization phase to the regulation phase using remote control. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the height transducer includes at least one electrical heating element inside the hollow enclosure, andthe controller is responsive to the support structure falling below said predetermined altitude for heating the lighter-than-air gas so as to increase the buoyancy of the hollow enclosure and is responsive to the support structure rising above said predetermined altitude for allowing the lighter-than-air gas to cool so as to reduce the buoyancy of the hollow enclosure. 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: the controller is adapted to cool the first gas by de-energizing the at least one electrical heating element so as to allow the first gas to cool passively. 10. The system according to claim 8, further including: a cooling device for actively cooling the first gas;the controller being adapted to cool the first gas by energizing the cooling device in addition to de-energizing the at least one electrical heating element. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the hollow enclosure is substantially rigid,the height transducer includes a volume adjustment device inside the hollow enclosure for coupling a wall of the hollow enclosure to the controller, andthe controller is responsive to the support structure falling below said predetermined altitude for adjusting the volume adjustment device so as to increase the volume of gas within the hollow enclosure and thereby increase the buoyancy of the hollow enclosure and is responsive to the support structure rising above said predetermined altitude for adjusting the volume adjustment device so as to decrease the volume of the gas within the hollow enclosure and thereby reduce the buoyancy of the hollow enclosure. 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein: the volume adjustment device is a cord a first end of which is anchored to an internal wall of the hollow enclosure and a second end of which is coupled to the controller, andthe controller is adapted to vary the volume of the gas within the hollow enclosure by adjusting the tension of the cord. 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cord is coupled to the controller via a motor, which is actuated by the controller to wind or unwind the cord so as to increase or decrease, respectively, the tension within the cord. 14. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the hollow enclosure is elastic,a pump is coupled to a gas inlet of the hollow enclosure via a releasable valve, andthe controller is responsive to the altitude signal for pumping the lighter-than-air gas into the hollow enclosure so as to inflate the hollow enclosure or for opening the releasable valve so as to deflate the hollow enclosure. 15. The system according to claim 1, being self-powered by a battery. 16. The system according to claim 1, being powered by radiation conveyed to the electrical device. 17. The system according to claim 16, being solar-powered. 18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support structure serves as a platform for supporting an attached object. 19. The system according to claim 1, having a selector coupled to the controller for setting the preset altitude. 20. The system according to claim 1, further including a remote control unit coupled to the controller for remote actuation of the controller, said remote control unit being adapted to stabilize the support structure and any object attached thereto at any specified altitude within the range of the altitude sensor. 21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the remote control unit is an RF module. 22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the support structure is identified by a unique ID and the controller is responsive to the unique ID for associating a received altitude signal with the support structure and for sending control signals to the height transducer within the support structure, thus allowing remote control of more than one support structure by a remote controller. 23. The system according to claim 22, including a plurality of support structures each containing a respective controller, all the controllers being mutually synchronized. 24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to execute an initialization phase until the support structure reaches steady state and then to execute a regulation phase to maintain the support structure at the desired preset altitude. 25. The system according to claim 1, wherein the altitude sensor is adapted to measure height from 0 to 6.45 m with a resolution of less than 100 mm. 26. The system according to claim 1, having a combined mass less than 5 kg.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Chabert Pierre Gabriel,FRX, Illuminating inflatable balloon.
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