公开(公告)号：US09651382B1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-16

申请号：US14486829

申请日：2014-09-15

Applicant: X Development LLC

Inventor： Dan P. Piponi ,  Bradley Rhodes

IPC: G01C21/20

CPC classification number: G01C21/20

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining altitudes for a vehicle to travel are provided. In one example, a method comprises receiving information indicating a desired location for a balloon and a time period for traveling to the desired location. A region may include the desired location, and the region can be divided into a plurality of cells. The method may include determining estimated cell locations that can be reached by the balloon over a time interval by following a wind at a given altitude. The method may also include assigning a cost value to each cell based on a proximity of the estimated cell locations to a cell including the desired location. The method may further include determining for each cell an altitude for the balloon to travel based on the assigned cost value, and storing information indicating the cost value and the altitude for the balloon to travel.