Patents by Inventor Luke D. Gillett

Luke D. Gillett 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: 10059439
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pilot assistance system includes a trim assembly and a trim assembly control system. The trim assembly is operable to communicate with a pilot control device and operable to apply a force against the pilot control device in resistance of a command received from a pilot via the pilot control device. The trim assembly control system is in communication with the trim assembly, configured to identify a first pilot control device position relative to a reference pilot control device position, and configured to instruct the trim assembly to apply a cueing force against the pilot control device if the pilot control device is positioned proximate to the first pilot control device position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Luke D. Gillett, Brandon J. Thomas, Joseph M. Schaeffer
  • Patent number: 9886039
    Abstract: A flight control system having a control law, the control law operable to generate a modified pitch command, the modified pitch command representing a greater amount of collective pitch compared to an amount of collective pitch generated by a first pitch command, the modified pitch command being generated because a vertical descent speed of the rotorcraft at a given forward airspeed is greater than a threshold. A method of avoiding entry into an undesired vertical descent speed region during operation of a rotorcraft, including measuring a forward airspeed; evaluating a vertical descent of the rotorcraft; and generating a modified collective pitch command in respond to a first collective pitch command having a collective pitch value that would cause the rotorcraft to experience a vertical descent rate greater than a threshold value at the forward airspeed of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Luke D. Gillett, Joseph M. Schaeffer, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Worsham, Jillian Alfred, Sung Kim
  • Publication number: 20170017241
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pilot assistance system includes a trim assembly and a trim assembly control system. The trim assembly is operable to communicate with a pilot control device and operable to apply a force against the pilot control device in resistance of a command received from a pilot via the pilot control device. The trim assembly control system is in communication with the trim assembly, configured to identify a first pilot control device position relative to a reference pilot control device position, and configured to instruct the trim assembly to apply a cueing force against the pilot control device if the pilot control device is positioned proximate to the first pilot control device position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Luke D. Gillett, JR., Brandon J. Thomas, Joseph M. Schaeffer
  • Publication number: 20150232176
    Abstract: A flight control system having a control law, the control law operable to generate a modified pitch command, the modified pitch command representing a greater amount of collective pitch compared to an amount of collective pitch generated by a first pitch command, the modified pitch command being generated because a vertical descent speed of the rotorcraft at a given forward airspeed is greater than a threshold. A method of avoiding entry into an undesired vertical descent speed region during operation of a rotorcraft, including measuring a forward airspeed; evaluating a vertical descent of the rotorcraft; and generating a modified collective pitch command in respond to a first collective pitch command having a collective pitch value that would cause the rotorcraft to experience a vertical descent rate greater than a threshold value at the forward airspeed of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Luke D. Gillett, Joseph M. Schaeffer, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Worsham, Jillian Alfred, Sung Kim