Patents by Inventor DAVID H. MASON

DAVID H. MASON 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).

  • Patent number: 11884413
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a vehicle that includes rotors driven by actuators to cause the vehicle to move. The method includes determining rotational speeds at which to drive the rotors to achieve a controlled movement of the vehicle. The rotational speeds include a rotational speed for a rotor of a pair of the rotors driven by a pair of the actuators. The method includes monitoring the rotational speed to detect that the rotational speed has approached or reached a defined avoid band of rotational speeds, and biasing the rotational speed to produce at least one biased rotational speed for respective rotors of the pair that is outside the defined avoid band. The method includes generating commands for the actuators based on the rotational speeds, and modifying the commands including those of the commands for the pair of the actuators based on the at least one biased rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David H. Mason, Eric L. Hathaway, Roger W. Lacy, Brandon R. Brown, Michael J. Duffy
  • Patent number: 11858637
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for coupling and controlling transport of cargo using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided, comprising coupling at least one electronically-controllable attachment device positioned on an underside of the UAV to a sling cable, the sling cable being secured to the cargo. The UAV flies to a predetermined area above the cargo, and responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned within the predetermined area, the UAV elevates above the initial operating height to lift the cargo and navigates to a target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Joshua B. Jarvis, Roger W. Lacy, Brian Charles Gray, David H. Mason, Douglas Mikita, Justin Fowler Rogers, Brandon Brown, Eric Hathaway, Eric J. Schulze, Corey Seidel
  • Publication number: 20230182915
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a vehicle that includes rotors driven by actuators to cause the vehicle to move. The method includes determining rotational speeds at which to drive the rotors to achieve a controlled movement of the vehicle. The rotational speeds include a rotational speed for a rotor of a pair of the rotors driven by a pair of the actuators. The method includes monitoring the rotational speed to detect that the rotational speed has approached or reached a defined avoid band of rotational speeds, and biasing the rotational speed to produce at least one biased rotational speed for respective rotors of the pair that is outside the defined avoid band. The method includes generating commands for the actuators based on the rotational speeds, and modifying the commands including those of the commands for the pair of the actuators based on the at least one biased rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: David H. Mason, Eric L. Hathaway, Roger W. Lacy, Brandon R. Brown, Michael J. Duffy
  • Patent number: 11459103
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for coupling and controlling transport of cargo using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided, comprising coupling at least one electronically-controllable attachment device positioned on an underside of the UAV to a sling cable, the sling cable being secured to the cargo. The UAV flies to a predetermined area above the cargo, and responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned within the predetermined area, the UAV elevates above the initial operating height to lift the cargo and navigates to a target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Joshua B. Jarvis, Roger W. Lacy, Brian Charles Gray, David H. Mason, Douglas Mikita, Justin Fowler Rogers, Brandon Brown, Eric Hathaway, Eric J. Schulze, Corey Seidel
  • Publication number: 20210245881
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for coupling and controlling transport of cargo using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided, comprising coupling at least one electronically-controllable attachment device positioned on an underside of the UAV to a sling cable, the sling cable being secured to the cargo. The UAV flies to a predetermined area above the cargo, and responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned within the predetermined area, the UAV elevates above the initial operating height to lift the cargo and navigates to a target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua B. Jarvis, Roger W. Lacy, Brian Charles Gray, David H. Mason, Douglas Mikita, Justin Fowler Rogers, Brandon Brown, Eric Hathaway, Eric J. Schulze, Corey Seidel
  • Publication number: 20210245882
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for coupling and controlling transport of cargo using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided, comprising coupling at least one electronically-controllable attachment device positioned on an underside of the UAV to a sling cable, the sling cable being secured to the cargo. The UAV flies to a predetermined area above the cargo, and responsive to determining that the UAV is positioned within the predetermined area, the UAV elevates above the initial operating height to lift the cargo and navigates to a target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua B. Jarvis, Roger W. Lacy, Brian Charles Gray, David H. Mason, Douglas Mikita, Justin Fowler Rogers, Brandon Brown, Eric Hathaway, Eric J. Schulze, Corey Seidel
  • Patent number: 11027836
    Abstract: A rotorcraft has a frame and a plurality of rotors connected to the frame. The frame has a roll axis and a pitch axis. Each of the rotors includes a rotor shaft. The rotor shaft of each of the rotors is canted with respect to at least one of the roll axis and the pitch axis. The rotor shaft of each of the rotors may be canted between 3 and 15 degrees. Each of the rotors may be a co-axial co-rotating rotor. The rotors may be oriented in opposing pairs across the frame. Both rotors in each opposing pair rotate in the same direction. The rotorcraft may include at least two additional rotors, each having a forward cant. Each of the additional rotors may be a co-axial contra-rotating rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Roger W. Lacy, Michael J. Duffy, David H. Mason
  • Publication number: 20200017204
    Abstract: A rotorcraft has a frame and a plurality of rotors connected to the frame. The frame has a roll axis and a pitch axis. Each of the rotors includes a rotor shaft. The rotor shaft of each of the rotors is canted with respect to at least one of the roll axis and the pitch axis. The rotor shaft of each of the rotors may be canted between 3 and 15 degrees. Each of the rotors may be a co-axial co-rotating rotor. The rotors may be oriented in opposing pairs across the frame. Both rotors in each opposing pair rotate in the same direction. The rotorcraft may include at least two additional rotors, each having a forward cant. Each of the additional rotors may be a co-axial contra-rotating rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: ROGER W. LACY, MICHAEL J. DUFFY, DAVID H. MASON