Control system for an aerially moved payload

{
  "publication_number": "US9337949B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Control system for an aerially moved payload",
  "abstract": "A system for transmitting data, images, and audio to and from an aerially moved payload, the system having one or more media converters for converting coax signals to fiber signals and at least two wave division multiplexers, one for combining two or more distinct fiber signals into a single fiber signal and one for splitting the two or more combined fiber signals back into two distinct fiber signals. The system also includes at least one line along which one or more of data, images, and audio may be transmitted to and from the aerially moved payload.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for transmitting data, images, and audio to and from an aerially moved payload, the system comprising: at least two devices, each device capturing one or more of data, images and/or audio; one or more media converters for converting captured data, image, and/or audio coax signals to fiber signals; at least two wave division multiplexers, one for combining two or more distinct fiber signals into a single fiber signal and one for de-multiplexing the two or more combined fiber signals back into two distinct fiber signals; at least one line along which one or more of data, images, and audio may be transmitted to and from the aerially moved payload.",
    "2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least two wave division multiplexers are coarse wave division multiplexers.",
    "3. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one modem for converting data signals to audio signals.",
    "4. The system of claim 3 further comprising at least one demodulator for converting converted data signals back to data signals.",
    "5. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least two cameras for gathering images, the at least two cameras forming part of the aerially moved payload and providing outputs to the one or more media converters.",
    "6. A method for transmitting data, images, and audio to and from an aerially moved payload, the method comprising the steps of: capturing one or more of data, images, and audio using two or more payload devices; generating one or more video signals; converting captured data, images, and audio and the one or more video signals from coax signals to fiber signals; joining two or more fiber signals having different wavelengths into a single signal using one from the group consisting of: a wave division multiplexer and a coarse wave division multiplexer; transmitting the single signal over a fiber line; separating the joined fiber signal into two or more distinct fiber signals utilizing at least one from the group consisting of: a wave division multiplexer and a coarse wave division multiplexer.",
    "7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of generating the one or more video signals by capturing images using one or more cameras included in the two or more payload devices.",
    "8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of generating the one or more video signals using a phantom video signal generator.",
    "9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of interweaving captured audio with at least one of the video signals using at least one multiplexer.",
    "10. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of converting the two or more distinct fiber signals to a coax signal after each of the two or more signals are separated from the joined fiber signal.",
    "11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of transmitting data and instructions to the at least two cameras utilizing the fiber line.",
    "12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of converting the data to an audio signal using a modem.",
    "13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of demodulating the data-audio signal to recover the transmitted data.",
    "14. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of transmitting data captured by the at least two payload devices utilizing the fiber lines.",
    "15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of converting the data to an audio signal using a modem.",
    "16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of demodulating the data-audio signal to recover the transmitted data.",
    "17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of interweaving the audio with the one or more generated video signals."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention is directed to a control system for sending and receiving data from an aerially moved payload system, and more particularly from an aerial moved payload system having multiple payload devices.\n\nAerial movement systems are useful in moving a payload, like for example a camera, over large expanses such as football fields, basketball courts, or even military testing sites. Examples of such systems which may be used to aerially move a payload may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,809,495; 6,873,355; 6,975,089; 7,088,071; 7,127,998; and, 7,239,106, and U.S. Publication No. 2011/0204197. While the remaining description may discuss these aerial movement systems with respect to moving a camera or multiple cameras at times, it should be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that the present application, and all of the previously referenced patents may be utilized to aerially move any payload and is not limited to just imaging device like a camera or multiple cameras.\n\nAs described in various embodiments of the aforementioned patents, aerial movement systems having a payload, like for example a platform and/or a camera, typically include one or more lines (e.g., a cables, ropes, strings, cords, wires, or any other flexible materials) attached to the payload. The one or more lines typically extend to the payload from four or five support beams surrounding the surface over which the payload traverses, and are controlled by one or more motor reels which extend and retract each of the two to five lines attached to the payload.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04J 14/02",
    "F16M 11/425",
    "H04B 10/25",
    "H04J 14/0282",
    "H04J 14/0307",
    "H04N 7/181"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04J 14/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "CABLECAM LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Stephen Wharton"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-08-31",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-10",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-10",
  "priority_date": "2011-08-31",
  "application_number": "US-201213600558-A",
  "family_id": "47743892",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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}