Patent ID: 8922041
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: B64C,F03D,F05B,G05D,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A kite system for generating power, the kite system comprising: a kite that, in use, defines a position relative to a ground surface; first and second lines connected to the kite; first and second powered winding members, wherein the first and second powered winding members wind up the first and second lines, respectively, when power is supplied to the first and second powered winding members, and wherein the first and second powered winding members generate power if the first and second powered winding members are rotated due to forces on the first and second lines; wherein the first and second lines control the kite such that the kite tends to turn right if the first line is shortened relative to the second line, and the kite tends to turn left if the second line is shortened relative to the first line, and wherein the first and second lines are connected to the first and second powered winding members such that the first and second lines can be reeled in or out by the first and second powered winding members, and wherein the first and second powered winding members reel in the first and second lines if the first and second powered winding members are actuated, and wherein the first and second powered winding members generate electricity if the first and second lines, respectively, reel out due to tension being applied to the first and second lines by the kite; a device configured to determine the position of the kite relative to a ground surface; a controller operably connected to the first and second powered winding members and to the device, wherein the controller utilizes measured input values including a position of the kite and a velocity of the kite, and wherein the controller utilizes a fuzzy logic based control scheme that includes categorizing the measured input values into classes, wherein the degree of membership of the measured input values in each of several possible classes is determined utilizing a membership function that maps the measured input variables to a truth value in a predefined range bounded by minimum and maximum values signifying degrees of membership ranging from no membership to full membership, the control scheme including a plurality of rules that utilize the degrees of membership of each measured input value in the corresponding class used in each rule, and wherein the controller determines outputs to control movement of the first and second winding members to thereby cause the kite to fly in a crosswind trajectory whereby the first and second lines rotate the first and second winding members and generate power.