Invention Application
- Patent Title: Relative Positioning of Balloons with Altitude Control and Wind Data
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Application No.: US14328212Application Date: 2014-07-10
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Publication No.: US20140319271A1Publication Date: 2014-10-30
- Inventor: Richard Wayne DeVaul , Eric Teller , Clifford L. Biffle , Josh Weaver , Dan Piponi
- Applicant: Google Inc.
- Main IPC: B64B1/44
- IPC: B64B1/44

Abstract:
The positions of balloons in a communication network of balloons, such as a mesh network of high-altitude balloons, may be adjusted relative to one another in order to try to maintain a desired network topology. In one approach, the position of each balloon may be adjusted relative to one or more neighbor balloons. For example, the locations of a target balloon and one or more neighbor balloons may be determined. A desired movement of the target balloon may then be determined based on the locations of the one or more neighbor balloons relative to the location of the target balloon. The target balloon may be controlled based on the desired movement. In some embodiments, the altitude of the target balloon may be controlled in order to expose the target balloon to ambient winds that are capable of producing the desired movement of the target balloon.
Information query