Patents Assigned to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10645291
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide enhanced resolution imaging systems comprising: a mounting; an electro-optical image capture system; an angular jitter sensor system; an illumination source system; and an image capture control circuit is configured to: receive ling of sight displacement data; obtain, during the capture frame, an angular displacement of the image capture system and monitor when the detected angular displacement of the image capture system, based on the LOS angular displacement data, is beyond an angular displacement threshold envelope; and activate exposure of the image capture system to illumination, during the capture frame, when the detected angular displacement of the image capture system is within the angular displacement threshold envelope, and control a level of exposure of the image capture system to illumination, during the capture frame, when the detected angular displacement is not within the angular displacement threshold envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Mickel, Matthew C. Cristina, Jason A. Paxton
  • Patent number: 9988143
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide apparatuses configured to deploy a landing gear of an aircraft, comprising: a landing gear coupler configured to couple with the landing gear; a release link configured to cooperate the landing gear coupler with a drive shaft that is configured to drive the landing gear between a stowed position and a deployed position; an override driver cooperated with the landing gear coupler; wherein the release link is configured to releasably maintain a relative position of landing gear coupler relative to the drive shaft, and the release link is configured to disengage a coupling between the drive shaft and the landing gear coupler such that the landing gear coupler is configured to move independent of the drive shaft; and wherein the override driver is configured to drive the landing gear coupler to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Allwein, Joseph Moore, Aron Howard Daria
  • Patent number: 9567056
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for controlling the flow of a fluid over the window of an optical instrument housing in a freestream flow field. For example, the flow upstream of the housing may be split to create a flow region over the window that is conducive to successful operation of the instrument. The flow region may be maintained for various rotations of the housing about yaw, pitch, and roll axes. The disclosed features in some embodiments induce flow regions with reduced spatial and temporal density gradients of the flow over the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Siegfried Hermann Zerweckh, Michael Rudolf Ruith, Steven James Ruther, Pritesh Chetan Mody
  • Publication number: 20150251745
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for controlling the flow of a fluid over the window of an optical instrument housing in a freestream flow field. For example, the flow upstream of the housing may be split to create a flow region over the window that is conducive to successful operation of the instrument. The flow region may be maintained for various rotations of the housing about yaw, pitch, and roll axes. The disclosed features in some embodiments induce flow regions with reduced spatial and temporal density gradients of the flow over the window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Siegfried Hermann Zerweckh, Michael Rudolf Ruith, Steven James Ruther, Pritesh Chetan Mody
  • Patent number: 7365677
    Abstract: A system for testing radar in accordance with one embodiment comprising a target motion platform; a target motion platform controller for controlling motion of the platform; a radar responsive tag and a delay line located on the target motion platform; the radar which is being tested; and a motion measurement simulator for inputting data to the radar electronics assembly to simulate movement of the radar. In some embodiments the system further comprises a radar motion platform, wherein the radar electronics assembly is positioned on the radar motion platform; a radar motion platform controller for controlling the movement of the radar motion platform; and a master controller coupled to the radar motion platform controller and the target motion platform controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley Isamu Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6182619
    Abstract: A two-stroke, opposed piston, diesel engine is provided herein. The engine includes a thermal shield and a fluid gap which surround the exhaust ports to shield the engine block from an exhaust fluid from the cylinder assembly. Additionally, a cooling fluid is transferred to a plurality of helical shaped passageways which encircles the cylinder housing. These features allow the engine to operate at a cooler temperature and allow for more uniform cooling of the engine. Preferably, the engine also includes a first injector which injects a combustion fluid into the cylinder chamber between the pistons in the same direction as a swirl created within the cylinder chamber. This increases the distribution of the combustion fluid in the cylinder chamber and enhances the efficiency of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Spitzer, Clifford A. Manzke
  • Patent number: 5918832
    Abstract: An air vehicle defining a plane of symmetry includes a pair of outboard panels which are rotatably mounted on the lifting body of the vehicle and respectively extend in opposite directions from the plane of symmetry. A control system collectively rotates the outboard panels to selectively contribute forces from the panels to the lift on the air vehicle. The control system also differentially rotates the outboard panels to control roll of the air vehicle. A pair of empennage panels are also rotatably mounted on the lifting body to establish a dihedral angle centered on the plane of symmetry. The control system collectively rotates these empennage panels to control pitch, and differentially rotates the empennage panels to control yaw, of the air vehicle. In a high speed flight regime the lifting body alone is sufficient and the outboard panels are collectively rotated to reduce drag and contribute substantially zero lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Siegfried Hermann Zerweckh