Rotating ejection launch system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a rotary ejection launch system operable to accept and retain a drone or other payload within a protected launcher. The launcher helps reduce payload drag and protect the payload from environmental factors. The payload is launched when a revolving door opens to expose the payload within a bay area. The revolving door can be parallel or concentric with the longitudinal axis of the device's main body. The payload can be launched using a biasing and locking mechanism, which can include a removably coupled bracket, to provide an angular moment and ejection force to the payload during launch.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Application No. 17 / 089,937, filed November 5, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 019,967, filed May 4, 2020, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] It is contemplated that the above-referenced applications may be applicable to the concepts and embodiments disclosed herein, even if such concepts and embodiments are disclosed in the referenced applications with different limitations and configurations and described using different examples and terminology.

[0003] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to aviation equipment, and more particularly to equipment for releasing payloads from an aircraft. [Background technology]

[0004] It is often desirable to release payloads from aircraft. Indeed, aircraft release munitions, sensors, buoys, and other equipment during military, scientific, and public safety operations. These payloads are often mounted externally to the aircraft and are exposed to environmental conditions during aircraft operation. Such exposure can undesirably affect the flight characteristics and functionality of the payload and can cause damage to the payload.

[0005] Payloads, such as drones and munitions, often have deployable control surfaces that extend outward from the drone's body during or before flight. A drawback of this configuration is that if the drone or munition is exposed to underwing airflow, the flight surfaces may undesirably extend while the payload drone is still attached to the aircraft. Additionally, if the payload loses components during flight, the aircraft may be susceptible to foreign object damage (FOD). Such an incident could result in damage to the payload or the aircraft. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Brief Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] A rotary ejection launch system (also referred to herein as a "launcher") consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure can hold a payload and cause the payload to "roll" or "rotate." The launcher can have a body portion, a bay area (storage area) defined in part by the body portion, a door portion operable to rotate within the body portion to expose at least a portion of the bay area, and a biasing portion configured to transfer angular momentum of the rotating door portion to a payload disposed within the door portion.

[0008] The launcher may have a body having a substantially tubular shape. The door section may function as a shuttle for the payload. The door section may be operable to rotate in a substantially elliptical path to expose a bay area of ​​the launcher. The bay area may be defined in part by a cavity in the body section created by rotation of the door section.

[0009] A payload may be placed and retained within a door portion of the body, and when the door portion rotates to expose a launcher bay area, the payload is released through the bay area by angular momentum (or rotational inertia) generated by the door rotation, resulting in a rolling release of the payload from the launcher bay area.

[0010] Further consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the door portion of the body may include at least one biasing and fastening mechanism. The at least one biasing and fastening mechanism may include, for example, but not limited to, at least one bracket. The at least one bracket may be used to facilitate desired alignment of the payload within the body and desired momentum upon release from the bay area.

[0011] Thus, in some embodiments, the at least one biasing mechanism can include at least one bracket to further facilitate at least one of the following: i) a desired alignment of the payload within the body; and ii) a desired release dynamics of the payload as it leaves the bay area. For example, the at least one bracket can be configured to releasably couple with at least a portion of the payload. The releasable coupling mechanism can be configured, for example, to i) hold the payload in a first orientation (i.e., pose) of the door section and / or ii) release the payload in a second orientation.

[0012] In a first orientation, the payload may be positioned to rest within the door section, where at least one biasing mechanism may contribute to maintaining the position and orientation of the payload. In a second orientation, the door section may be rotated within the body to expose the bay area, where at least one biasing mechanism may be designed to separate the payload so that it may be released from the exposed bay area.

[0013] Thus, a biasing mechanism coupling the door section with at least a portion of the payload enables the retained payload to transition from a first orientation to a second orientation, thereby transferring angular momentum to the payload as the door section rotates within the body of the launcher to expose the bay area. The angular momentum transferred to the payload results in a "rolling" and "rotational" ejection of the payload as it exits the bay area.

[0014] In some embodiments, the door portion of the body can further include at least one force generating mechanism configured to apply a force to at least one of the following: i) position the payload within the body in a first orientation; and ii) eject the payload from the bay area in a second orientation.

[0015] In the first orientation, the biasing mechanism and force generating mechanism, according to the respective embodiment of the launcher in which they may be included, may enable a desired position and orientation of the payload within the body of the launcher.

[0016] In the second orientation, the biasing mechanism and the force-generating mechanism, depending on the particular embodiment of the launcher in which they may be included, may facilitate the generation of rotational inertia and additional force upon release of the payload from the bay area. Thus, if the payload is designed to expand upon release from the launcher, such expansion may result in a greater displacement from the launcher than would otherwise occur without the additional force imparted by the force-generating mechanism.

[0017] Payload orientation is important in various applications. For example, in some embodiments, the payload may be an unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed to deploy one or more control surfaces upon release from a launcher. In such embodiments, proper orientation of the payload when released from the launcher may result in a more calculated extension of its control surfaces upon release.

[0018] Both the foregoing brief summary and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing brief summary and the following detailed description should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, features or variations in addition to those described herein may be provided. For example, embodiments may be directed to combinations and subcombinations of various features described in the detailed description.

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings contain various trademark and copyright notices owned by the applicant. Additionally, the drawings may contain other marks owned by third parties and are used for illustrative purposes only. All rights to the various trademarks and copyrights shown herein, except as belonging to their respective owners, belong to and are the property of the applicant. The applicant retains and reserves all rights in the trademarks and copyrights contained herein and grants permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of granted patents and for no other purposes.

[0020] Additionally, the drawings may include text or legends that may describe particular embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included for illustrative, non-limiting purposes of describing the particular embodiments detailed in the present disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a launcher. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3A] 1A and 1B illustrate the firing procedure of the device. [Figure 3B] 1A and 1B illustrate the firing procedure of the device. [Figure 3C] 1A and 1B illustrate the firing procedure of the device. [Figure 3D] 1A and 1B illustrate the firing procedure of the device. [Figure 3E] 1A and 1B illustrate the firing procedure of the device. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the device. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary method for operation of the apparatus. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system including a computing device operable with a launch device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] As a preliminary matter, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present disclosure has broad utility and applications. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or more of the previously disclosed aspects of the present disclosure, and may further incorporate only one or more of the previously disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiments discussed and identified as "preferred" are considered to be part of the best modes contemplated for carrying out embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments may also be discussed for the purpose of further illustration in providing a complete and enabling disclosure. Furthermore, numerous embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, are implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] Thus, while embodiments will be described in detail herein with reference to one or more embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and is made solely for the purpose of providing a complete and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended to, and should not be construed to, limit the scope of patent protection conferred in any claim of a patent issuing from this specification, which scope is to be defined by the claims and their equivalents. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim any limitations found herein that do not expressly appear in the claim itself.

[0024] Thus, for example, any sequence and / or temporal order of various process or method steps described herein is exemplary and not limiting. As such, while various process or method steps may be shown and described in a sequence or temporal order, it should be understood that any such process or method steps are not limited to being performed in any particular sequence or order unless otherwise indicated. In fact, such process or method steps generally can be performed in a variety of different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by the issued claims, rather than by the description set forth herein.

[0025] Furthermore, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to what a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term as used herein (as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the contextual use of such term) differs in any way from any specific dictionary definition of such term, the meaning of the term as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art is intended to control.

[0026] With respect to the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 112, paragraph 6, no claim element is intended to be read in accordance with this statutory provision unless the express phrase "means for" or "step for" is actually used in such claim element, in which case this statutory provision is intended to apply in interpreting such claim element.

[0027] Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, "a" and "an" each generally mean "at least one," but do not exclude a plurality unless the contextual usage dictates otherwise. "Or," when used herein to connect a list of items, means "at least one of the items," but does not exclude multiple items of the list. Finally, "and," when used herein to connect a list of items, means "every item of the list."

[0028] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or changes can be made to the elements shown in the drawings, and methods described herein can be modified by substituting, rearranging, or adding steps to the disclosed methods. Therefore, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure includes headers. It should be understood that these headers are used for reference purposes and should not be construed as limiting the subject matter disclosed thereunder.

[0029] As previously mentioned, deploying devices such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, munitions, buoys, or other payloads from aircraft in flight can be challenging. For example, if the payload is a drone mounted on the underside of the aircraft, the drone may have wings or other control surfaces that can cause drag and affect the aircraft's flight characteristics. Furthermore, if drone components fall off the drone during operation, foreign object damage (FOD) can occur to the aircraft.

[0030] Some drones have foldable wings and control surfaces, which may allow such drones to be attached to the underside of an aircraft fuselage with the wings and control surfaces retracted. While such an arrangement may reduce the aircraft's drag, it does not reduce the FOD changes caused by the drone. This arrangement may expose the drone to the elements, which could cause the drone to malfunction. Such drone-to-aircraft attachments may not protect the drone when exposed underneath the aircraft, as it may be exposed to strong winds, high altitudes, and various other environmental factors, such as rain, snow, and extreme temperatures.

[0031] The embodiments described herein provide a launcher operable to accept, hold, and launch a drone or other payload. Thus, the launch enclosure may be designed to protect the drone from the elements as well as protect the aircraft from potential foreign object damage caused by the system. The launcher may be configured to be mounted, for example, under the fuselage, under a wing, or on another surface of the aircraft.

[0032] The launcher may be configured with a revolving door that can be opened to accept a payload, for example. The door can then be closed, allowing the payload to enter the launch assembly. Such an arrangement protects the drone from the elements. Furthermore, in embodiments where a drone may be configured as a payload within the launcher, such an arrangement may also protect the aircraft from some potential consequences of carrying a drone on board, such as foreign object damage and increased drag.

[0033] Although the examples described herein include drones as the payload of the launcher, the payload may include any other type of device, such as, for example, a sensor, a buoy, a munition, or any other device or object suitable for release from an aircraft in flight.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a launcher 100. The launcher 100 includes a substantially tubular body 102. The body 102 may be formed from, for example, but not limited to, metal, plastic, or a composite material. A mounting portion 104 is attached to the body 102. The mounting portion 104 is operable to attach to an aircraft, such as a pilon on an underside of the aircraft, such as, but not limited to, the fuselage or wings of the aircraft. The mounting portion 104 may be formed from, for example, but not limited to, a combination or metal, plastic, and composite material.

[0035] A nosecone 106 is disposed at the front of the launcher 100. The nosecone 106 may be formed from, for example, but not limited to, metal, plastic, or a composite material. The launcher 100 may further include a door portion 108. The door portion 108 may be configured and operative to rotate about an axis of rotation. In some embodiments, the axis of rotation may be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 103 of the launcher 100. However, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the axis of rotation may be substantially concentric with the longitudinal axis 103.

[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a partially exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a launcher 100. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the body 102 may be substantially tubular in shape and have a first distal end 201 and a second distal end 203. Electronics, sensors, and a control unit 204 may be located, for example, proximate the second distal end 203. The control unit 204 may include, for example, a drive motor operative to drive the opening and closing of the door unit 108, an electromechanical linkage, electronic circuitry, a controller, and a processor that may be used to operate the launcher 100 to open and close the door unit 108. In some embodiments, the control unit 204 may include a sensor or antenna that connects to a payload (not shown). An example of some of the components the control unit 204 may include is shown and described with reference to a computer system 700 in FIG. 7. The control unit 204 may be protected by a nosecone 106 having an aerodynamic shape that directs airflow to reduce drag caused by the launcher 100.

[0037] Launcher 100 can include at least one biasing and clamping mechanism. The biasing and clamping mechanisms can be located throughout launcher 100 and adapted to meet form factors and other parameters associated with a particular payload. In some embodiments, door portion 108 can include clamping portions that help retain and secure the payload within launcher 100, and the clamping portions can be formed from, for example, but not limited to, metal, plastic, composite material, or mailable or compressible foam material.

[0038] By way of non-limiting example, in a first instance, the biasing and clamping mechanism may function to maintain a desired orientation of the payload within the payload. In another instance, the biasing and clamping mechanism may function to removably couple the payload to and from the door section 108.

[0039] Thus, in some embodiments, the at least one biasing and fastening mechanism can further include at least one bracket 202, such as the illustrated notch, to further facilitate at least one of the following: i) desired alignment of the payload within the body 102; and ii) desired release dynamics of the payload from the bay area. For example, the at least one bracket 202 can be configured to releasably couple with at least a portion of the payload. In some embodiments, an intermediate device can be used to couple the payload to the at least one bracket 202. The releasable coupling can be configured to enable a first orientation of the payload within the launcher when at rest and a second orientation of the payload within the launcher when released. The change in payload orientation can correspond to a change in orientation of the door section 108 as the door section 108 rotates within the launcher to expose the bay area. As shown in connection with FIGS. 3A-3E , the at least one bracket 202 can function to transfer angular momentum of the rotation of the door section 108 to the payload, thereby enabling a rolling release of the payload from the launcher 100.

[0040] Additionally, in some embodiments, the launcher 100 may include at least one force-generating mechanism 208. The force-generating mechanism 208 may be used to apply a force to the payload in a first orientation and a second orientation. This force may help maintain the payload at a desired position, angle, or other orientation relative to the body 102. For example, adjusting the position of the force-generating mechanism 208 may affect the orientation of the payload within the body 102. Furthermore, during payload launch, the force may function to more quickly increase the separation distance between the payload and the launcher 100. In some embodiments, the force-generating mechanism 208 may include any suitable type of device, including, for example, but not limited to, any one or more of the following: a leaf spring, a coil spring, or any other type of device operable to apply a biasing force to the payload, and may be arranged based on the type of payload. While the illustrated embodiment includes a force-generating mechanism 208, other embodiments may exclude such components and still provide the technical advantages described herein.

[0041] 3A-3E illustrate the launch sequence of the launcher 100 as it transitions from a first orientation to a second orientation. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the door portion 108 is in a fully closed position and the payload 300 is in a first orientation.

[0042] In the first orientation, the payload can be positioned to rest within the door section 108. In some embodiments, at least one bracket 202 can be removably coupled to the payload to maintain the position and orientation of the payload within the launcher 100. One example of a coupling mechanism provided by the at least one bracket 202 is disclosed in connection with FIG. 3E.

[0043] 3B, door section 108 can rotate about axis of rotation 303 while holding payload 300 such that a portion of payload 300 is exposed. In one example, door section 108 can be configured to rotate in rotational direction 301, thereby imparting angular momentum corresponding to rotational direction 301. The angular momentum can be transferred to payload 300 via a coupling mechanism, thereby causing payload 300 to rotate with door section 108.

[0044] In some embodiments, the axis of rotation 303 of the door section 108 may be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 103 of the launcher 100, and the direction of rotation 301 is substantially concentric with the body 102. In other exemplary embodiments, the door section 108 may be arranged so that the door rotates about an axis (e.g., a shaft and bearing) that is offset from the central longitudinal axis 103.

[0045] 3C shows a side view of launcher 100 with door section 108 (shown in FIG. 3B) in a fully open position, exposing payload 300 to bay area 310 of launcher 100. Here, payload 300 and door section 108 may be positioned in a second orientation.

[0046] In the second orientation, the door portion 108 can be rotated within the body 102 to expose the bay area 310. The coupling mechanism used to hold the payload 300 in the first orientation as the door portion 108 rotates can now be designed to decouple and release the payload 300 in the second orientation. One example of such decoupling is disclosed in connection with FIG. 3E.

[0047] 3D shows a side view of deployment of payload 300. In this regard, door portion 108 and payload 300 (of FIG. 3B) are rotated within body portion 102 so that they are partially hidden by body portion 102. The position of door 108 exposes an interior cavity or bay area 310 that houses payload 300. Payload 300 may then be released. In some embodiments, the release force may be approximately equal to gravity 305 acting on payload 300. In further embodiments, at least one force-generating mechanism 208 may provide a contributing pressure against payload 300 to facilitate a more forceful release.

[0048] In addition to the ejection force acting on payload 300 (e.g., gravity 305), the mechanism coupling door section 108 and payload 300 enables the payload to transition from a first orientation to a second orientation, thus transferring angular momentum to payload 300 as door section 108 rotates within the launcher body to expose bay area 310. The angular momentum results in a "rolling ejection" of the payload as it exits bay area 310. Figure 3E shows an example of such a coupling mechanism.

[0049] In some embodiments, the payload 300 can have, for example, a first pin 315 and a second pin 320. The pins can be removably coupled to or inserted into at least one bracket 202 or "notch." As the door section 108 rotates about the rotation axis 303, the at least one bracket 202 transfers angular momentum to the payload 300 along the rotation direction 301 via the contact pins 315 and 320 (the particular pins can depend on the rotation direction 301). Thus, in this illustrated example, the pins and notches along the rotation direction 301 serve as pivot points for the rolling release of the payload from the bay area 310.

[0050] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 3A-3E, payload 300 is a drone with retractable and extendable wings and other flight surfaces. When bay area 310 is exposed by the rotation of door portion 108, certain surfaces of payload 300 can begin to expand. Force generating means 208 (not shown in Figure 3E) can provide an additional energy source to increase the displacement of payload 300 as payload 300 continues to expand. Thus, if the payload can be designed to expand upon release from the launcher, such expansion can result in a greater displacement from the launcher than would otherwise occur without the additional force provided by the force generating mechanism.

[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a launcher 400. The device 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 operates to accept and launch munitions 400 in a manner similar to that previously described in FIGS. 3A-3D, in which payloads 300 were stored and launched. Some payloads may have different attachment mechanisms, while some payloads may not have any attachment mechanism at all. As previously described, the launcher 100 may be adapted to carry and launch any type of payload that fits into the cavity 304 of the launcher 100.

[0052] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the distal end of door section 108. The axis of rotation of door section 108 is indicated by element 501 for receiving a control element from control section 204. FIG. 5 shows locking mechanism 500 as shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, including pin 502 operable to engage and disengage the rotation feature of door section 108. Control mechanism 504 is operable with control section 204 to engage and disengage pin 502. Thus, when locking mechanism 500 is engaged, movement of door section 108 is substantially prevented. The engagement of the pin substantially retains door section 108 and prevents unwanted rotation of door 108 about element 501.

[0053]

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hardware and software platform that operates according to a series of methods, and a computer-readable medium containing instructions configured to cause the aforementioned modules and computer elements to operate according to the methods. The following provides an example of at least one of a number of methods that may be performed by at least one of the aforementioned modules. Various hardware components may be used at various stages of the operations disclosed in connection with each module.

[0054] For example, while a method may be described as being performed by a single computing device, it should be understood that in some embodiments, various operations may be performed by various network elements in operative communication with the computing device. For example, at least one computing device 700 may be employed to perform some or all of the steps disclosed with respect to a method. Likewise, an apparatus may be used to implement some or all of the steps of a method. Thus, an apparatus may have at least the architectural components found in computing device 700.

[0055] Furthermore, while the steps of the following exemplary methods are disclosed in a particular order, it should be understood that the order is disclosed for illustrative purposes only. Steps may be combined, separated, or rearranged, and various intermediate steps may be present. Thus, it should be understood that the various steps in various embodiments may be performed in different configurations than those recited in the claims below. Furthermore, various steps may be added or deleted without altering or omitting the basic scope of the illustrated methods and systems disclosed herein.

[0056] 6 shows a block diagram of an exemplary method 600 of operation of the launcher 100. In block 602, the launcher 100 powers up and determines whether the door section 108 is closed and the locking pin 502 is engaged. In block 604, the health of the payload 300 and navigation section is checked for proper operation. In block 606, a launch command is received.

[0057] At block 608, the locking pin 502 is disengaged, allowing the door section 108 to rotate. At block 610, the locking pin 502 rotates the door section 108 open. At block 612, a signal is received indicating the door is open. At block 614, an empty bay area 310 is detected. The locking pin 502 is re-engaged at block 616. The door section 108 is then closed. At block 620, a signal is received indicating the door section 108 is closed. At block 622, the launcher 100 is powered off.

[0058] The foregoing embodiments provide a launcher that operates to accept and retain a drone or other payload within a protected launcher. The launcher helps reduce drag on the payload and protect the payload from environmental factors. A revolving door opens to expose the payload, allowing the payload to be launched. The revolving door may be parallel or concentric with the longitudinal axis of the device's body. In some embodiments, the payload may be launched using a spring or biasing arrangement that can provide a substantially downward force on the payload during launch.

[0059] Launcher 100 may have the components of computing device 700, as shown in Figure 7. Additionally, launcher 100 may be operable in conjunction with computing device 700, which may include, but is not limited to:

[0060] Mobile computing devices, such as, but not limited to, laptops, tablets, smartphones, drones, wearables, embedded devices, handheld devices, Arduino, industrial devices, or remotely operable recording devices;

[0061] Supercomputer, exascale supercomputer, mainframe, or quantum computer;

[0062] Minicomputers, where minicomputer computing devices include, but are not limited to, IBM AS400 / iSeries / System I, DEC VAX / PDP, HP3000, Honeywell-Bull DPS, Texas Instruments TI-990, or Wang Laboratories VS series;

[0063] Microcomputers, where microcomputer computing devices include, but are not limited to, rack mountable servers, workstations, industrial devices, Raspberry Pi, desktops, or embedded devices;

[0064] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system including a computing device 700. Consistent with one embodiment of the present disclosure, the aforementioned CPU 720, bus 730, memory unit 740, PSU 750, and multiple I / O units 760 may be implemented in a computing device such as computing device 700 of FIG. 7. Any suitable combination of hardware, software, or firmware may be used to implement the aforementioned units. For example, CPU 720, bus 730, and memory unit 740 may be implemented with computing device 700 or with any other computing device 700 in combination with computing device 700. The aforementioned systems, devices, and components are illustrative, and other systems, devices, and components may have the aforementioned CPU 720, bus 730, and memory unit 740 consistent with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] A computing device 700 need not be electronic, or even have a CPU 720, bus 730, or memory unit 740. A computing device 700, as defined by those skilled in the art, is "a programmable, [usually] electronic computing device, particularly one that performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations or that assembles, stores, correlates, or otherwise processes information." Any device that processes information is considered a computing device 700, particularly if the processing is intentional.

[0066] 7, a system consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure may include a computing device such as computing device 700. In a basic configuration, computing device 700 may include at least one clock module 710, at least one CPU 720, at least one bus 730, at least one memory unit 740, at least one PSU 750, and at least one I / O 760 module, which may be comprised of, but not limited to, a non-volatile storage sub-module 761, a communications sub-module 762, a sensor sub-module 763, and a peripherals sub-module 764.

[0067] A system consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, in which a computing device 700 may include a clock module 710, may be known to those skilled in the art as a clock generator that generates a clock signal. A clock signal is a specific type of signal that oscillates between high and low states and is used like a metronome to regulate the operation of digital circuits. Most sufficiently complex integrated circuits (ICs) use a clock signal to synchronize various parts of the circuit, cycling at a rate slower than the worst-case internal propagation delay. A notable example of such an integrated circuit is the CPU 720, a central component of modern computers that rely on clocks. The only exception is asynchronous circuits such as asynchronous CPUs. The clock 710 can have multiple implementations, including, but not limited to, a single-phase clock that transmits the entire clock signal on one wire; a two-phase clock that distributes the clock signal over two wires, each with non-overlapping pulses; and a four-phase clock that distributes the clock signal over four wires.

[0068] Many computing devices 700 use a "clock multiplier" that multiplies a lower frequency external clock to the appropriate clock rate of the CPU 720. This allows the CPU 720 to operate at a much higher frequency than the rest of the computer, resulting in performance gains in situations where the CPU 720 does not have to wait for external factors (such as memory 740 or input / output 760). Some embodiments of the clock 710 can include dynamic frequency changes, and the time between clock edges can vary significantly from one edge to the next and vice versa.

[0069] In a system consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computing device 700 may include a CPU unit 720 having at least one CPU core 721. The multiple CPU cores 721 may be identical, such as, but not limited to, a homogeneous multicore system. The multiple CPU cores 721 may also be different, such as, but not limited to, a heterogeneous multicore system, a big.LITTLE system, and some AMD accelerated processing units (APUs). The CPU unit 720 reads and executes program instructions that may be used across many application domains, such as, but not limited to, general-purpose computers, embedded computers, network computers, digital signal processing (DSP), and graphics processing (GPU). The CPU unit 720 may execute multiple instructions simultaneously on separate CPU cores 721. The CPU unit 720 may be integrated into at least one of a single integrated circuit die and multiple dies within a single chip package. A single integrated circuit die and multiple dies within a single chip package may include multiple other aspects of computing device 700, such as, but not limited to, clock 710, CPU 720, bus 730, memory 740, and I / O 760.

[0070] The CPU unit 720 may include a cache 722, such as, but not limited to, a level 1 cache, a level 2 cache, a level 3 cache, or a combination thereof. The cache 722 may or may not be shared among multiple CPU cores 721. Sharing of the cache 722 may include at least one of message passing and inter-core communication methods, which may be used for at least one CPU core 721 to communicate with the cache 722. The inter-core communication method may include, but is not limited to, a bus, a ring, a two-dimensional mesh, and a crossbar. The CPU unit 720 may employ a symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) design.

[0071] The multiple CPU cores 721 may have soft microprocessor cores on a single field programmable gate array (FPGA), such as semiconductor intellectual property cores (IP cores). The multiple CPU cores 721 architecture may be based on at least one of, but not limited to, complex instruction set computing (CISC), zero instruction set computing (ZISC), and reduced instruction set computing (RISC). At least one performance enhancement method may be employed by the multiple CPU cores 721, such as, but not limited to, instruction-level parallelism (ILP), such as, but not limited to, superscalar pipelines and thread-level parallelism (TLP).

[0072] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the computing device 700 may use a communications system to transfer data among components within the computing device 700 and / or between multiple computing devices 700. Such communications systems are known to those skilled in the art as buses 730. The buses 730 may embody multiple internal and / or external hardware and software components, such as, but not limited to, wires, optical fibers, communications protocols, and any physical arrangement that provides the same logical function as a parallel electrical bus. The buses 730 may include, but are not limited to, at least one of a parallel bus that carries data words in parallel over multiple wires and a serial bus that carries data in bit-serial format. The buses 730 may embody multiple topologies, such as, but not limited to, a multi-drop / electrical parallel topology, a daisy-chain topology, and may be connected by a switched hub, such as a USB bus. The buses 730 may include, but are not limited to, the following embodiments: - Internal data bus (data bus) 731 / memory bus - Control Bus 732 - Address Bus 733 - System Management Bus (SMBus) - Front-Side-Bus (FSB) - External Bus Interface (EBI) - Local Bus - Expansion Bus - Lightning Bus - Controller Area Network (CAN bus) (CAN: Controller Area Network) - Camera Link - Express Card - Advanced Technology management Attachment (ATA), including, but not limited to, embodiments and derivatives such as Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) / Enhanced IDE (EIDE), ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI), Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA), Ultra ATA (UATA) / Parallel ATA (PATA) / Serial ATA (SATA), Compact Flash (CF) interface, Consumer Electronics ATA (CE-ATA) / Fiber Attached Technology Adapted (FATA), Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI), SATA Express (SATAe) / External SATA (eSATA), including powered embodiments eSATAp, / mini SATA (mSATA), and Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF) / M.2. - Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) / Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) - Hyper Transport - InfiniBand - RapidIO - Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) - Coherent Processor Interface (CAPI) - Plug and play - 1-Wire - Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), including, but not limited to, examples such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Peripheral Component Interconnect eXtended (PCI-X), Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-e) (e.g., PCI Express Mini Card, PCI Express M.2 [Mini PCIe v2], PCI Express External Cabling [ePCIe], and PCI Express OCuLink [Optical Copper {Cu} Link]), Express Card, Advanced TCA, AMC, Universal IO, Thunderbolt / Mini DisplayPort, Mobile PCIe (M-PCIe), U.2, and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) / Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Specification (NVMHCIS). - Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), including but not limited to examples such as Extended ISA (EISA), PC / XT bus / PC / AT bus / PC / 104 bus (e.g., PC / 104-Plus, PCI / 104-Express, PCI / 104, and PCI-104), and Low Pin Count (LPC). - MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) - Universal Serial Bus (USB), including but not limited to examples such as Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) / Mobile High Definition Link (MHL), Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU), Wireless USB, InterChip USB, IEEE 1394 interface / firmware, Thunderbolt, and eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI).

[0073] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the aforementioned computing device 700 may employ hardware integrated circuits, known to those skilled in the art as primary storage or memory 740, that store information for immediate use by the computing device 700. The memory 740 operates at high speeds and is distinct from the non-volatile storage sub-module 761, sometimes referred to as secondary or tertiary storage, which provides slower-access information but offers higher capacity at lower cost. Contents contained in the memory 740 may be transferred to secondary storage via techniques such as, but not limited to, virtual memory and swapping. The memory 740 may be associated with addressable semiconductor memory, such as an integrated circuit composed of silicon-based transistors, and may be used, for example, as primary storage in the computing device 700 as well as for other purposes. The memory 740 may have multiple implementations, such as, but not limited to, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and semi-volatile memory. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the following are non-limiting examples of the aforementioned memory: - Volatile memory that requires power to maintain stored information, such as, but not limited to, Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) 741, Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) 742, CPU cache memory 725, Advanced Random-Access Memory (A-RAM), and other types of primary storage such as Random-Access Memory (RAM). - Non-volatile memory that can retain stored information even after power is removed, such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM) 743, programmable ROM (PROM) 744, erasable PROM (EPROM) 745, electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM) 746 (e.g., flash memory or electrically alterable PROM [EAPROM]), mask ROM (MROM), one-time programmable ROM (OTP) / write-once-read-many (WORM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), parallel random access machine (PRAM), split transfer torque RAM (STT-RAM), silicon oxime nitride oxide silicon (SONOS), resistive RAM (RRAM), nanoRAM (NRAM), 3D XPoint, Domain Wall Memory (DWM), Millipede Memory. - Semi-volatile memory, which may have a limited non-volatile duration after power is removed, but loses data after that duration. Semi-volatile memory offers some of the advantages of true non-volatile memory, while providing the high performance, durability, and other valuable characteristics typically associated with volatile memory. Semi-volatile memory can include volatile and non-volatile memory, and / or volatile memory with a battery that provides power after power is removed. Semi-volatile memory can include, but is not limited to, spin-transfer torque RAM (STT-RAM).

[0074] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the computing device 700 may employ a communication system between an information processing system, such as the computing device 700, and the external world, including, but not limited to, humans, the environment, and other computing devices 700. Such communication systems are known to those skilled in the art as an I / O module 760. The I / O module 760 coordinates inputs and outputs for the computing device 700, where inputs are signals and data received by the computing device 700 and outputs are signals and data transmitted from the computing device 700. The I / O module 760 interfaces with hardware, including, but not limited to, non-volatile storage 761, communications devices 762, sensors 763, and peripherals 764. The hardware may be used by at least one of humans, the environment, and other computing devices 700 to communicate with the computing device 700. The I / O module 760 can have multiple forms, such as, but not limited to, channel I / O, port-mapped I / O, asynchronous I / O, and direct memory access (DMA).

[0075] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the aforementioned computing device 700 may use a non-volatile storage sub-module 761, which may be referred to by those skilled in the art as one of secondary storage, external memory, tertiary storage, offline storage, and auxiliary storage. The non-volatile storage sub-module 761 may not be directly accessed by the CPU 720 without using intermediate storage within the memory 740. The non-volatile storage sub-module 761 does not lose data when power is removed and may be two orders of magnitude cheaper than storage used in memory modules, at the expense of speed and latency. The non-volatile storage sub-module 761 can have multiple forms, including, but not limited to, direct attached storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS), storage area network (SAN), near-line storage, massive array of idle disks (MAID), redundant array of independent disks (RAID), device mirroring, offline storage, and robotic storage. The non-volatile storage sub-module 761 can have multiple implementations, including, but not limited to, the following: - Optical storage, such as, but not limited to, Compact Disc (CD) (CD-ROM / CD-R / CD-RW), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) (DVD-ROM / DVD-R / DVD+R / DVD-RW / DVD+RW / DVD±RW / DVD+R DL / DVD-RAM / HD-DVD), Blu-ray Disc (BD) (BD-ROM / BD-R / BD-RE / BD-R DL / BD-RE DL), and Ultra-Density Optical (UDO). - Semiconductor storage, including, but not limited to, flash memory, such as, but not limited to, USB flash drives, memory cards, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, Secure Digital (SD) cards, smart cards, CompactFlash (CF) cards, Solid-State Drives (SSD), and memristors. - Magnetic storage, such as, but not limited to, hard disk drives (HDDs), tape drives, carousel memory, and card random-access memory (CRAM). - Phase change memory - Holographic data storage such as Holographic Versatile Disk (HVD) - molecular memory - Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) digital data storage

[0076] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the aforementioned computing device 700 may employ a communications sub-module 762 as a subset of I / O 760, which may be referred to by those skilled in the art as at least one of, but not limited to, a computer network, a data network, and a network. A network allows computing devices 700 to exchange data using connections known to those skilled in the art as data links between network nodes. A node comprises a network computing device 700 that originates, routes, and terminates data. A node may include multiple hosts identified by a network address, consistent with embodiments of the computing device 700. Examples of such include, but are not limited to, personal computers, telephones, servers, drones, and network devices such as, but not limited to, hubs, switches, routers, modems, and firewalls.

[0077] Two nodes are said to be networked if one computing device 700 can exchange information with the other computing device 700, regardless of whether they are directly connected to each other. The communications submodule 762 supports multiple applications and services, such as, but not limited to, the World Wide Web (WWW), digital video and audio, shared use of the application and storage computing device 700, printers / scanners / fax machines, email / online chat / instant messaging, remote control, and distributed computing. A network can have multiple transmission media, such as, but not limited to, wires, fiber optics, and wireless. A network can have multiple communication protocols to organize network traffic, known to those skilled in the art as application-specific communication protocols layered and carried as payloads over other, more general communication protocols.The multiple communication protocols can include, but are not limited to, IEEE 802, Ethernet, Wireless LAN / Wi-Fi (WLAN), Internet Protocol (IP) suite (e.g., TCP / IP, UDP, Internet Protocol version 4 [IPv4], and Internet Protocol version 6 [IPv6]), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) / Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and cellular standards (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications [GSM], General Packet Radio Service [GPRS], Code-Division Multiple Access [CDMA], and Integrated Digital Enhanced Network [IDEN]).

[0078] The communications sub-module 762 can have multiple sizes, topologies, traffic control mechanisms, and organizational intents. The communications sub-module 762 can have multiple implementations, including but not limited to: - Wired communications, such as, but not limited to, coaxial cable, telephone line, twisted pair cable (Ethernet), and InfiniBand. Wireless communications, such as, but not limited to, communications satellites, cellular systems, radio frequency / spread spectrum technology, IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, free space optics, terrestrial microwave, infrared (IR) communications, etc., where cellular systems embody technologies such as, but not limited to, 3G, 4G (such as WiMax and LTE), and 5G (short wavelength and long wavelength). - Parallel communications, such as, but not limited to, an LPT port. - Serial communications, such as, but not limited to, RS-232 and USB. - Optical fiber communications, such as, but not limited to, single-mode optical fiber (SMF) and multi-mode optical fiber (MMF). - Power Line Communication

[0079] Such networks can have multiple layouts, including, but not limited to, bus networks such as Ethernet, star networks such as Wi-Fi, ring networks, mesh networks, fully connected networks, and tree networks. Networks can be characterized by their physical capacity or organizational purpose. Network uses, including user authentication and access rights, vary accordingly. Characterizations can include, but are not limited to, nanoscale networks, personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), home area networks (HANs), storage area networks (SANs), campus area networks (CANs), backbone networks, metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), enterprise private networks, virtual private networks (VPNs), and global area networks (GANs).

[0080] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the aforementioned computing device 700 may use a sensor sub-module 763 as a subset of the I / O 760. The sensor sub-module 763 includes at least one of a device, module, and subsystem whose purpose is to detect events or changes in its environment and transmit that information to the computing device 700. A sensor is sensitive to a measured characteristic and insensitive to unmeasured characteristics that may be encountered in the application and do not significantly affect the measured characteristic. The sensor sub-module 763 may include multiple digital and analog devices. If analog devices are used, an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter must be used to interface the device with the computing device 700. Sensors may be subject to multiple deviations that limit the accuracy of the sensor. The sensor sub-module 763 can have multiple embodiments, such as, but not limited to, chemical sensors, automotive sensors, acoustic / sound / vibration sensors, current / potential / magnetic / wireless sensors, environmental / weather / moisture / humidity sensors, flow / flow rate sensors, ionizing radiation / particle sensors, navigation sensors, position / angle / displacement / distance / velocity / acceleration sensors, image / optical / light sensors, pressure sensors, force / density / level sensors, heat / temperature sensors, and proximity / presence sensors. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the following are non-limiting examples of the aforementioned sensors. - Chemical sensors, such as, but not limited to, breathalyzers, carbon dioxide sensors, carbon monoxide / smoke detectors, catalytic bead sensors, chemical field effect transistors, chemiresistors, electrochemical gas sensors, electronic noses, electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor sensors, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, fluorescent chloride sensors, holographic sensors, hydrocarbon dew point analyzers, hydrogen sensors, hydrogen sulfide sensors, infrared point sensors, ion selective electrodes, non-dispersive infrared sensors, microwave chemical sensors, nitrogen oxide sensors, olfactometers, optodes, oxygen sensors, ozone monitors, pellistors, pH glass electrodes, potentiometric sensors, redox electrodes, zinc oxide nanorod sensors, biosensors (e.g., nanosensors). - Automotive sensors, such as, but not limited to, air flow meters / mass air flow sensors, air-fuel ratio meters, AFR sensors, blind spot monitors, engine coolant / exhaust gas / cylinder head / transmission fluid temperature sensors, hall effect sensors, wheel / automatic transmission / turbine / vehicle speed sensors, airbag sensors, brake fluid / engine crankcase / fuel / oil / tire pressure sensors, camshaft / crankshaft / throttle position sensors, fuel / oil level sensors, knock sensors, light sensors, MAP sensors, oxygen sensors (O2), parking sensors, radar sensors, torque sensors, variable reluctance sensors, water in fuel sensors. Acoustic, sound, and vibration sensors, such as, but not limited to, microphones, lace sensors (guitar pickups), seismometers, sound locators, geophones, and hydrophones. current, potential, magnetic, and wireless sensors, such as, but not limited to, current sensors, Daly detectors, electroscopes, electron multipliers, Faraday cups, galvanometers, Hall effect sensors, Hall probes, magnetic anomaly detectors, magnetometers, magnetoresistances, MEMS magnetic field sensors, metal detectors, planar Hall sensors, wireless direction finders, and voltage detectors. - Environmental, weather, humidity, and humidity sensors, such as, but not limited to, pyranometers, air pollution sensors, bedwetting alarms, ceilometers, condensation alarms, electrochemical gas sensors, fish counters, frequency domain sensors, gas detectors, hook gauge evaporometers, moisture meters, hygrometers, leaf sensors, lysimeters, pyranometers, nocturnal pyrheometers, psychrometers, rain gauges, rainfall sensors, seismometers, SNOTELs, snow gauges, soil moisture sensors, flow meters, and tide gauges. Flow and fluid velocity sensors, such as, but not limited to, air flow meters, anemometers, flow sensors, gas meters, mass flow sensors, and water meters. - Ionizing radiation and particle sensors, such as, but not limited to, cloud chambers, Geiger counters, Geiger-Muller tubes, ionization chambers, neutron detectors, proportional counters, scintillation counters, semiconductor detectors, and thermoluminescence dosimeters. - Navigation sensors, such as, but not limited to, airspeed indicators, altimeters, attitude indicators, depth gauges, fluxgate compasses, gyroscopes, inertial navigation systems, inertial reference units, magnetic compasses, MHD sensors, ring laser gyroscopes, turn coordinators, variometers, vibrating structure gyroscopes, and yaw rate sensors. - Position, angle, displacement, distance, velocity, and acceleration sensors, such as, but not limited to, accelerometers, displacement sensors, flex sensors, free fall sensors, gravity meters, shock sensors, laser range finders, LIDAR, odometers, photoelectric sensors, such as, but not limited to, GPS and Glonass position sensors, angular rate sensors, shock detectors, ultrasonic sensors, tilt sensors, tachometers, ultra-wideband radar, variable reluctance sensors, and speed receivers. Imaging, optical, and light sensors, such as, but not limited to, CMOS sensors, colorimeters, contact image sensors, electro-optical sensors, infrared sensors, kinetic inductance detectors, LEDs as light sensors, photoaddressable potentiometric sensors, Nichols radiometers, fiber optic sensors, optical position sensors, thermopile laser sensors, photodetectors, photodiodes, photomultiplier tubes, phototransistors, photoelectric sensors, photoionization detectors, photomultiplier tubes, photoresistors, photoswitches, phototubes, scintillometers, Shack-Hartmann, single-photon avalanche diodes, superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, transition edge sensors, visible light photon counters, and wavefront sensors. - Pressure sensors, such as, but not limited to, barographs, barometers, boost gauges, Bourdon gauges, hot filament ionization gauges, ionization gauges, McLeod gauges, vibrating U-tubes, permanent downhole gauges, piezometers, Pirani gauges, pressure sensors, manometers, tactile sensors, and time pressure gauges. - Force, density, and level sensors, such as, but not limited to, van meters, hydrometers, force gauges or force sensors, level sensors, load cells, magnetic level or nuclear density sensors or strain gauges, piezo-capacitive pressure sensors, piezoelectric sensors, torque sensors, and viscometers. - Heat and temperature sensors, such as, but not limited to, bolometers, bimetallic strips, calorimeters, exhaust gas thermometers, flame detection / pyrometers, Galdon gauges, Golay cells, heat flux sensors, microbolometers, microwave radiometers, net radiometers, infrared / quartz / resistance thermometers, silicon bandgap temperature sensors, thermistors, and thermocouples. - Proximity and presence sensors, such as, but not limited to, alarm sensors, Doppler radar, motion detectors, occupancy sensors, proximity sensors, passive infrared sensors, reed switches, stud finders, triangulation sensors, touch switches, and wired globes.

[0081] Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, the aforementioned computing device 700 may use a peripheral sub-module 762 as a subset of the I / O 760. The peripheral sub-module 764 includes auxiliary devices used to input and output information to and from the computing device 700. There are three categories of devices with a peripheral sub-module 764 that exist based on their relationship to the computing device 700: input devices, output devices, and input / output devices. An input device transmits at least one of data and instructions to the computing device 700. Input devices may be classified based on, but not limited to, the following: - Input modalities, such as, but not limited to, mechanical movement, hearing, vision, and touch. - Whether the input is discrete, such as, but not limited to, a key press, or continuous, such as, but not limited to, a mouse position. - The number of degrees of freedom involved, for example, but not limited to, a 2D mouse compared to a 3D mouse used in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) applications.

[0082] An output device provides output from the computing device 700. An output device converts electronically generated information into a form that can be presented to a human. An input / output device performs both input and output functions. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the following are non-limiting examples of the aforementioned peripheral sub-module 764: - Input devices Human Interface Devices (HIDs), including, but not limited to, pointing devices (e.g., mice, touchpads, joysticks, touchscreens, game controllers / gamepads, remote controls, light pens, light guns, Wii Remotes, jog dials, shuttles, and knobs), keyboards, graphic tablets, digital pens, gesture recognition devices, magnetic ink character recognition, Sip-and-Puff (SNP) devices, and Language Acquisition Devices (LADs). High-degree-of-freedom devices requiring up to six degrees of freedom, such as, but not limited to, camera gimbals, cave automated virtual environments (CAVEs), and virtual reality systems. Video input devices are used to digitize images or video from the outside world into the computing device 700. The information can be stored in a number of formats depending on the user's requirements. Examples of types of video input devices include, but are not limited to, digital cameras, digital camcorders, portable media players, webcams, Microsoft Kinect, image scanners, fingerprint scanners, barcode readers, 3D scanners, laser rangefinders, eye-gaze trackers, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, medical ultrasound, TV tuners, and iris scanners. Audio input devices are used to capture audio. In some cases, audio output devices can be used as input devices to capture generated audio. Audio input devices allow a user to send audio signals to the computer device 700 for at least one of processing, recording, and executing commands. Devices such as microphones allow a user to speak into the computer to record voice messages or operate software. In addition to recording, audio input devices are also used with voice recognition software. Examples of types of audio input devices include, but are not limited to, microphones, Musical Instrumental Digital Interface (MIDI) devices such as keyboards and headsets. A Data AcQuisition (DAQ) device converts analog signals and / or physical parameters into digital values ​​for processing by the computing device 700. Examples of DAQ devices include, but are not limited to, analog to digital converters (ADCs), data loggers, signal conditioning circuits, multiplexers, and time to digital converters (TDCs). Output devices may further include, but are not limited to: Display devices that convert electrical information into visual form, such as, but not limited to, monitors, televisions, projectors, and Computer Output Microfilm (COM). Display devices can use multiple underlying technologies, including, but not limited to, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), thin-film transistors (TFTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), MicroLEDs, eInk displays (ePaper), and refreshable braille displays (Braille terminals). Printers, including but not limited to inkjet printers, laser printers, 3D printers, solid ink printers, and plotters. Audio and Video (AV) devices, such as, but not limited to, speakers, headphones, amplifiers, and lights, including lamps, strobes, DJ lights, stage lights, architectural lights, special effects lights, and lasers. Other devices such as Digital to Analog Converters (DACs) Input / output devices may further include, but are not limited to, a touch screen, a networking device (e.g., a device disclosed in the Network 762 sub-module), a data storage device (non-volatile storage 761), a facsimile (FAX), and a graphics / sound card.

[0083] Various examples of aspects of the present disclosure are described below as numbered clauses (1, 2, 3, etc.) for convenience, and are provided as examples and not as limitations on the subject technology. [Article 1] a main body; a bay area defined in part by the body portion; a door portion operable to rotate within said body portion to expose at least a portion of said bay area; a biasing member configured to transfer angular momentum of rotation of the door portion to a payload disposed within the door portion; A launching device having: [Clause 2] 10. The launch device of claim 1, wherein the door portion is configured to retain the payload by at least one of a biasing mechanism and a clamping mechanism. [Article 3] 10. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the door section has at least one bracket for removably coupling the door section to the payload. [Article 4] 4. The launcher of claim 3, wherein the payload is held by the at least one bracket when the door section rotates. [Article 5] 5. The launcher of clause 4, wherein the door portion transitions from a first orientation to a second orientation as the door portion rotates. [Article 6] 6. The launcher of claim 5, wherein the door section is configured to transfer the angular momentum to the payload via the at least one bracket. [Article 7] Clause 7. The launcher of clause 6, wherein the at least one bracket is configured to decouple the payload from the door section upon transition of the door section to the second orientation. [Article 8] 8. The launcher of clause 7, further comprising a force generating mechanism within the door section. [Article 9] 9. The launcher of clause 8, wherein the force generating mechanism is configured to apply a force to position the payload within the body portion at the first orientation of the door portion. [Article 10] Clause 9. The launcher of clause 8, wherein the force generating mechanism is configured to apply a force to eject the payload from the bay area in the second orientation of the door section. [Article 11] 10. The launch device of claim 1, wherein the door portion rotates about an axis of rotation that is substantially concentric with the longitudinal axis of the body portion. [Article 12] 10. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the payload comprises an unmanned aerial launcher. [Article 13] 10. The launch device of claim 1, wherein the body portion has a substantially tubular shape. [Article 14] 10. The launch device of claim 1, wherein the body portion is operable to be connected to an aircraft. [Article 15] 10. The launch device of claim 1, further comprising a coupling assembly disposed on the body portion. [Article 16] 10. The launch device of claim 1, wherein the main body portion is operable to be connected to the aircraft by a coupling assembly disposed between the main body portion and a portion of the aircraft. [Article 17] 10. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the bay area is defined in part by a cavity within the body portion. [Article 18] 10. The launch apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bay area has a substantially tubular shape. [Article 19] 10. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the door portion rotates in a substantially circular path. [Article 20] A controller; a motor communicatively connected to the controller, the motor coupled to the door section and operable to drive the door section; and 2. The launcher of claim 1, further comprising:

Claims

1. a main body; a bay area partially defined by the body portion; a door portion operable to rotate within the body portion between a first orientation and a second orientation to expose at least a portion of the bay area, the door portion holding a payload and releasing the payload as the door portion rotates from the first orientation to the second orientation; a force generating mechanism attached to the door portion, the force generating mechanism configured to apply a force to the payload, the force generating mechanism comprising: when the door portion is in the first orientation, it exerts a first force on the payload that acts to urge the payload to a particular position within the bay area; and and applying a second force to the payload when the door section is in the second orientation, the second force acting to encourage the payload to move away from the door section. a force generating mechanism configured as follows: a biasing member configured to transfer angular momentum of rotation of the door portion to the payload within the door portion; A launching device having:

2. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the door portion is configured to retain the payload by at least one of a biasing mechanism and a clamping mechanism.

3. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the door section includes at least one bracket for removably coupling the door section to the payload.

4. The launcher of claim 3 , wherein the payload is retained by the at least one bracket as the door section rotates.

5. The launcher of claim 3 , wherein the door portion is configured to transfer the angular momentum to the payload through the at least one bracket.

6. The launcher of claim 5 , wherein the at least one bracket is configured to decouple the payload from the door section upon transition of the door section to the second orientation.

7. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the force generating mechanism is configured to apply a force to position the payload within the body portion at the first orientation of the door portion.

8. 10. The launcher of claim 1, wherein the force generating mechanism is configured to apply a force to the door section in the second orientation to eject the payload from the bay area.

9. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the door portion rotates about an axis of rotation that is substantially concentric with a longitudinal axis of the body portion.

10. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the payload comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a substantially tubular shape.

12. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is operable to be connected to an aircraft.

13. The launcher of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling assembly disposed on the body portion.

14. The launch device of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is operable to be connected to the aircraft by a coupling assembly disposed between the body portion and a portion of the aircraft.

15. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the bay area is defined in part by a cavity in the body portion.

16. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the bay area has a substantially tubular shape.

17. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the door portion rotates in a substantially circular path.

18. A controller; a motor communicatively connected to the controller, the motor coupled to the door section and operable to drive the door section; and The launcher of claim 1 further comprising:

Images