Patents by Inventor Bradley R. Thompson
Bradley R. Thompson 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: 11562716Abstract: A voice-activated system for interactive heads-up display (HUD) and control of traffic targets is disclosed. In embodiments, the HUD receives and decodes traffic information from onboard surveillance systems to identify proximate aircraft within a threshold range and the positions of each aircraft. The HUD arranges proximate aircraft into an ordered sequence based on distance from ownship or other priority criteria. When the HUD is active, interactive symbols are displayed at the positions of the proximate aircraft. A heads-up controller includes a microphone and switch operable by the pilot to signal incoming spoken instructions. The pilot can use voice commands to activate or deactivate the traffic overlay system or set parameters. Voice commands allow the pilot to highlight, select, and designate traffic targets for visual separation or other traffic applications based on the locations of traffic targets or by verbally identifying specific traffic targets.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Thompson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
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Patent number: 11366327Abstract: A system for interactive heads-up display (HUD) and control of traffic targets is disclosed. In embodiments, the HUD receives and decodes traffic information from onboard surveillance systems to identify proximate aircraft within a threshold range and the relative positions of each aircraft. The HUD arranges the proximate aircraft into an ordered sequence based on distance from ownship or other priority criteria. When the HUD is active, interactive symbols are displayed at the relative positions of the proximate aircraft (e.g., or at the edges of the display for air traffic within range but outside the HUD field of view). A heads-up controller is operable by the pilot and allows the pilot to highlight each interactive symbol in sequence with a displayable cursor, selecting and designating the associated proximate aircraft for spacing or traffic applications without taking pilot focus off the HUD.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Thompson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
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Publication number: 20220180843Abstract: A voice-activated system for interactive heads-up display (HUD) and control of traffic targets is disclosed. In embodiments, the HUD receives and decodes traffic information from onboard surveillance systems to identify proximate aircraft within a threshold range and the positions of each aircraft. The HUD arranges proximate aircraft into an ordered sequence based on distance from ownship or other priority criteria. When the HUD is active, interactive symbols are displayed at the positions of the proximate aircraft. A heads-up controller includes a microphone and switch operable by the pilot to signal incoming spoken instructions. The pilot can use voice commands to activate or deactivate the traffic overlay system or set parameters. Voice commands allow the pilot to highlight, select, and designate traffic targets for visual separation or other traffic applications based on the locations of traffic targets or by verbally identifying specific traffic targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Thompson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
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Publication number: 20220180758Abstract: A method for heads-up control and interactive display of traffic targets via a heads-up display (HUD) is disclosed. The method includes receiving position data from proximate aircraft (e.g., within a threshold range) and arranging the aircraft into an ordered sequence based on proximity or other criteria. The method includes overlaying interactive symbology onto the HUD synthetic display corresponding to the proximate aircraft (including any aircraft within range but outside the HUD field of view, e.g., behind the aircraft or pilot). The method includes accepting control input from a user via a heads-up controller (e.g., manual control or voice command) and focusing a cursor on each proximate aircraft in sequence based on the control input. The method includes selecting, via the heads-up controller, focused aircraft via the heads-up controller. The method includes designating, via the heads-up controller, selected aircraft for CDTI Assisted Visual Separation (CAVS) or other traffic applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Thompson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
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Publication number: 20220179223Abstract: A system for interactive heads-up display (HUD) and control of traffic targets is disclosed. In embodiments, the HUD receives and decodes traffic information from onboard surveillance systems to identify proximate aircraft within a threshold range and the relative positions of each aircraft. The HUD arranges the proximate aircraft into an ordered sequence based on distance from ownship or other priority criteria. When the HUD is active, interactive symbols are displayed at the relative positions of the proximate aircraft (e.g., or at the edges of the display for air traffic within range but outside the HUD field of view). A heads-up controller is operable by the pilot and allows the pilot to highlight each interactive symbol in sequence with a displayable cursor, selecting and designating the associated proximate aircraft for spacing or traffic applications without taking pilot focus off the HUD.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Thompson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
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Publication number: 20210407306Abstract: A flight management system includes a communications system configured to receive weather data from a remote source, a display system configured to generate an output for a flight display of an aircraft, and at least one processor with a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code. The output includes weather information based on the received weather data. The processor-executable code causes the processor to receive a user input from a user interface element of the aircraft where the user input requests updated weather information. The processor-executable code causes the processor to retrieve, via the communications system and in response to the user input, updated weather data from the remote source; calculate a departure or arrival performance flight parameter based at least in part on the updated weather data; and provide, via the display system, an output for the flight display of the aircraft where the output includes the flight parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Michael J. Nielsen, Bradley R. Thompson, Ricky M. Kannothra, Carlo L. Tiana, Robert B. Wood, David L. Flanders, Lu Bai
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Patent number: 11037455Abstract: A method for oversteering an aircraft to perform an optimal turn along a taxiway includes determining a learning environment based on at least one of a taxiway width, a taxiway centerline, and a taxiway radius of curvature, selecting an action for an agent in the environment, determining a reward for the determined environment and the selected action, repeating the steps of selecting the action and determining the reward to determine a model supporting an optimal turn, and using the determined model to at least one of determine control signals for an aircraft and providing guidance to a user to perform the optimal turn along the taxiway. The agent is an aircraft having a minimum turn radius. The action includes a nose wheel displacement and a nose wheel angle. The reward is determined based on a distance between a path of one or more landing gear wheels and a path of the taxiway.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Sarah Barber, Hannah C. Lehman, Felix B. Turcios, Tiffany D. Williamson, Bradley R. Thompson, Christopher Truong
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Patent number: 11004349Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a go-around system for an aircraft. The go-around system includes a controller, an alert system, an auto flight system, and an auto throttle system. The controller is configured to receive flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information from one or more avionic systems, determine, based on the flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information, a go-around advisory, and output an alert signal regarding the go-around advisory. The go-around advisory is a directive to perform a go-around. The alert system is configured to provide at least one of a visual alert, an aural alert, and a detailed information alert to a user in response to receiving the alert signal from the controller. The auto throttle system is configured to automatically adjust a speed of the aircraft for a go-around based on the go-around advisory.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventor: Bradley R. Thompson
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Patent number: 10887255Abstract: A system and method for Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) chat is disclosed. The system receives CPDLC signals and displays CPDLC messages sent and received from both ownship aircraft and optionally other nearby aircraft on the ownship aircraft display. Not to interfere with a traditional CPDLC display, the system is an additional display of all CPDLC data and highlights messages to and from the ownship on the aircraft display. The system allows a declutter option to limit displayed data to that of a current data authority (CDA) as well as a limit in range, geography, altitude, aircraft type, etc.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventor: Bradley R. Thompson
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Publication number: 20200322290Abstract: A system and method for Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) chat is disclosed. The system receives CPDLC signals and displays CPDLC messages sent and received from both ownship aircraft and optionally other nearby aircraft on the ownship aircraft display. Not to interfere with a traditional CPDLC display, the system is an additional display of all CPDLC data and highlights messages to and from the ownship on the aircraft display. The system allows a declutter option to limit displayed data to that of a current data authority (CDA) as well as a limit in range, geography, altitude, aircraft type, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2019Publication date: October 8, 2020Inventor: Bradley R. Thompson
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Publication number: 20200258404Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a go-around system for an aircraft. The go-around system includes a controller, an alert system, an auto flight system, and an auto throttle system. The controller is configured to receive flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information from one or more avionic systems, determine, based on the flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information, a go-around advisory, and output an alert signal regarding the go-around advisory. The go-around advisory is a directive to perform a go-around. The alert system is configured to provide at least one of a visual alert, an aural alert, and a detailed information alert to a user in response to receiving the alert signal from the controller. The auto throttle system is configured to automatically adjust a speed of the aircraft for a go-around based on the go-around advisory.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2019Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventor: Bradley R. Thompson
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Patent number: 10597167Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying range and time to altitude for an aircraft are disclosed. In embodiments, a system includes a flight management system configured to receive flight data from a plurality of sensors, wherein the flight data includes altitude and vertical speed measurements. The system further includes an aircraft display system and controller. The controller is in communication with the flight management system and the aircraft display system. The controller is configured to receive a selected target altitude and generate a range to altitude arc at a display of the aircraft display system based on the flight data and the selected target altitude. The controller is further configured to determine a time to altitude based on the flight data and the selected target altitude and configured to present the time to altitude in proximity to the range to altitude arc at the display of the aircraft display system.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventor: Bradley R. Thompson