Patents by Inventor Anthony Litwinowicz
Anthony Litwinowicz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10562609Abstract: A flight control system includes a flight control computer operable in a flight state and a ground state. A high demand trim relief logic is operable by the flight control computer in the ground state. The high demand trim relief logic is configured to automatically modify the neutral position of a rotor when a command input to the flight control computer to control the rotor is near an allowable limit.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kenneth S. Wittmer
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Patent number: 10370096Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining data from at least one sensor, processing, by a processor, the data to determine an independent rotor phase lag for each of a plurality of axes associated with a rotorcraft, and issuing, by the processor, at least one command to provide for on-axis moments in accordance with the independent rotor phase lag for each of the axes.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2014Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kenneth S. Wittmer, Matthew T. Luszcz
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Patent number: 10359785Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft control system includes an airframe, a main rotor assembly supported by the airframe, and a control system arranged in the airframe and operatively connected to the main rotor assembly. The control system includes a flight control computer (FCC), at least one control inceptor device and a touchdown orientation control system. The touchdown orientation control system includes a computer readable program code an FCC to: sense, by a sensor operatively connected to the flight control computer (FCC), an altitude of the rotary wing aircraft relative to a landing surface, determine one of a landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and a landing state lateral velocity reference limit value associated with the altitude, and selectively limit a landing state flight envelope of the rotary wing aircraft to the one of the landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and the landing state lateral velocity reference limit value.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventor: Anthony Litwinowicz
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Patent number: 10017263Abstract: An impact mitigation system for an aircraft and method of deploying the impact mitigation system is disclosed. A state parameter of the aircraft is obtained. The state parameter is used with an aircraft performance model to determine an acceleration capability of the aircraft. A trajectory of the aircraft is predicted using the state parameter of the aircraft and the acceleration capability of the aircraft. A location of an object with respect to the aircraft is determined and the impact mitigation system is deployed when the predicted trajectory indicates a contact with the object at a predicted contact velocity higher than a threshold velocity at a future time.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2017Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kwok Cheng
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Publication number: 20170291711Abstract: An impact mitigation system for an aircraft and method of deploying the impact mitigation system is disclosed. A state parameter of the aircraft is obtained. The state parameter is used with an aircraft performance model to determine an acceleration capability of the aircraft. A trajectory of the aircraft is predicted using the state parameter of the aircraft and the acceleration capability of the aircraft. A location of an object with respect to the aircraft is determined and the impact mitigation system is deployed when the predicted trajectory indicates a contact with the object at a predicted contact velocity higher than a threshold velocity at a future time.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kwok Cheng
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Publication number: 20170291690Abstract: A flight control system includes a flight control computer operable in a flight state and a ground state. A high demand trim relief logic is operable by the flight control computer in the ground state. The high demand trim relief logic is configured to automatically modify the neutral position of a rotor when a command input to the flight control computer to control the rotor is near an allowable limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kenneth S. Wittmer
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Publication number: 20170285660Abstract: A rotary wing aircraft control system includes an airframe, a main rotor assembly supported by the airframe, and a control system arranged in the airframe and operatively connected to the main rotor assembly. The control system includes a flight control computer (FCC), at least one control inceptor device and a touchdown orientation control system. The touchdown orientation control system includes a computer readable program code an FCC to: sense, by a sensor operatively connected to the flight control computer (FCC), an altitude of the rotary wing aircraft relative to a landing surface, determine one of a landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and a landing state lateral velocity reference limit value associated with the altitude, and selectively limit a landing state flight envelope of the rotary wing aircraft to the one of the landing state rearward velocity reference limit value and the landing state lateral velocity reference limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventor: Anthony Litwinowicz
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Patent number: 9682771Abstract: Controlling rotor blades of a rotor assembly includes determining an azimuthal position of a rotor assembly and identifying a lateral control command value, a longitudinal control command value and a collective control command value of a rotor assembly control system. A sine value and a cosine value of the azimuthal position are calculated and separate blade commands signals are generated for each separate blade of the rotor assembly to control a position of each blade independent of each other blade. The blade command signals are generated based on combining the sine and cosine values of the azimuthal position with the lateral control command value, the longitudinal control command value and the collective control command value.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: John Knag, Anthony Litwinowicz
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Publication number: 20170021922Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining data from at least one sensor, processing, by a processor, the data to determine an independent rotor phase lag for each of a plurality of axes associated with a rotorcraft, and issuing, by the processor, at least one command to provide for on-axis moments in accordance with the independent rotor phase lag for each of the axes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2014Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Kenneth S. Wittmer, Matthew T. Luszcz
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Patent number: 9448558Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Jonathan K. Garhart, Preston R. Bates
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Patent number: 9250629Abstract: A helicopter is provided and includes an air frame formed to accommodate a pilot, flight control elements disposed on the airframe to generate lift and thrust in accordance with control commands issued by the pilot and a current control mode, a sensor disposed on the airframe to sense helicopter proximity to terrain and obstacles and a flight computer configured to change the current control mode based on sensed helicopter proximity to the terrain and the obstacles.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2014Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe
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Patent number: 9174730Abstract: Embodiments are directed to causing, by a computing device comprising a processor, a rotating tail rotor to operate in a tail rotor mode when an aircraft is operating at a speed less than a rudder control power threshold, receiving, by the computing device, a command that indicates a request to transition the aircraft, determining, by the computing device, that a rudder of the aircraft has control power in an amount greater than a second threshold based on receiving the command, and causing, by the computing device, the rotating tail rotor to operate in a pusher propeller mode based on determining that the rudder has control power in the amount greater than the second threshold.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2013Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, James Rigsby, Cody Fegely, Mark W. Scott, John Knag
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Publication number: 20150307203Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining data pertaining to at least: a rate of descent of an aircraft and a measured distance of the aircraft from at least one of an obstacle and the ground, processing, by a processing device, the data to obtain a flight envelope, generating a tactile cue corresponding to the flight envelope, and applying the tactile cue to an inceptor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2014Publication date: October 29, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Alex Faynberg, John Knag, William Fell
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Publication number: 20150301530Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2015Publication date: October 22, 2015Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Jonathan K. Garhart, Preston R. Bates
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Patent number: 9156540Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to obtaining, by a device, data associated with an aircraft, processing, by the device, the data, determining, by the device, that the aircraft is likely to impact an object with a probability greater than a threshold within a second threshold amount of time based on the processed data, and causing, by the device, a change in an orientation of the aircraft based on the determination.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Charles W. Clarke
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Publication number: 20150286214Abstract: A helicopter is provided and includes an air frame formed to accommodate a pilot, flight control elements disposed on the airframe to generate lift and thrust in accordance with control commands issued by the pilot and a current control mode, a sensor disposed on the airframe to sense helicopter proximity to terrain and obstacles and a flight computer configured to change the current control mode based on sensed helicopter proximity to the terrain and the obstacles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2014Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe
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Patent number: 9139290Abstract: Embodiments are directed to receiving, by a computing device comprising a processor, at least one control input associated with an aircraft, obtaining, by the computing device, a predicted response to the at least one control input by filtering on a trim position, wherein the predicted response is based on a model of the aircraft, obtaining, by the computing device, an actual response of the aircraft to the at least one control input, comparing, by the computing device, the predicted response and the actual response, and determining, by the computing device, at least one attribute based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2013Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Stephen Kubik, Steven W. Hong
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Patent number: 9132911Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATIONInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Jonathan K. Garhart, Preston R. Bates
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Publication number: 20150073626Abstract: Embodiments are directed to receiving, by a computing device comprising a processor, at least one control input associated with an aircraft, obtaining, by the computing device, a predicted response to the at least one control input by filtering on a trim position, wherein the predicted response is based on a model of the aircraft, obtaining, by the computing device, an actual response of the aircraft to the at least one control input, comparing, by the computing device, the predicted response and the actual response, and determining, by the computing device, at least one attribute based on the comparisonType: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Stephen Kubik, Steven W. Hong
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Publication number: 20150053815Abstract: Embodiments are directed to causing, by a computing device comprising a processor, a rotating tail rotor to operate in a tail rotor mode when an aircraft is operating at a speed less than a rudder control power threshold, receiving, by the computing device, a command that indicates a request to transition the aircraft, determining, by the computing device, that a rudder of the aircraft has control power in an amount greater than a second threshold based on receiving the command, and causing, by the computing device, the rotating tail rotor to operate in a pusher propeller mode based on determining that the rudder has control power in the amount greater than the second threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2013Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft CorporationInventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, James Rigsby, Cody Fegely, Mark W. Scott, John Knag