Patents by Inventor Matthew A. Vavrina

Matthew A. Vavrina 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: 9840380
    Abstract: A method includes positioning a vehicle on a vehicle base station such that a first payload is aligned with an aperture in the vehicle base station. The method includes aligning an empty docking station of a payload advancing assembly with the aperture. The method includes removing the first payload from the vehicle and placing the first payload in the empty docking station of the payload advancing assembly, where the full docking station includes a second payload. The method also includes aligning a full docking station of the payload advancing assembly with the aperture and securing the second payload to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Emad W. Saad, John L. Vian, Matthew A. Vavrina, Jared A. Nisbett, Donald C. Wunsch
  • Patent number: 9651950
    Abstract: A system and methods for mission re-planning are presented. Vehicles are monitored in real-time, and an incapacitated vehicle from among the vehicles that performs an incomplete task is detected. A remaining coverage set comprising a remaining coverage area for each of the vehicles is determined. A travel distance from a task completion location of each of the vehicles to a stopped point of the incapacitated vehicle is calculated to provide a travel set. An extra coverage set is determined based on the travel set and the remaining coverage set, and an incomplete coverage area for the incomplete task is calculated. The extra coverage set is compared to the incomplete coverage area and the remaining coverage area to provide a sufficiency list, and an assigned vehicle is selected from the vehicles based on the sufficiency list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jung Soon Jang, Matthew A. Vavrina, John L. Vian, Meng Hiot Lim, Caishun Chen
  • Patent number: 9058036
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a vehicle having systems, components, and sensors has a nominal controller and an adaptive controller. A vehicle health function module is coupled to an output of the adaptive controller and generates a vehicle health output signal indicating a prognosis of at least one of the systems or components degradation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John L. Vian, Matthew A. Vavrina, Jonathan P. How, Joshua Redding, Zachary Dydek, Brett Bethke
  • Publication number: 20150063959
    Abstract: A method includes positioning a vehicle on a vehicle base station such that a first payload is aligned with an aperture in the vehicle base station. The method includes aligning an empty docking station of a payload advancing assembly with the aperture. The method includes removing the first payload from the vehicle and placing the first payload in the empty docking station of the payload advancing assembly, where the full docking station includes a second payload. The method also includes aligning a full docking station of the payload advancing assembly with the aperture and securing the second payload to the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Emad W. Saad, John L. Vian, Matthew A. Vavrina, Jared A. Nisbett, Donald C. Wunsch
  • Patent number: 8899903
    Abstract: A system to load and unload material from a vehicle comprises a vehicle base station and an assembly to autonomously load and unload material from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Emad W. Saad, John L. Vian, Matthew A. Vavrina, Jared A. Nisbett, Donald C. Wunsch
  • Patent number: 8862288
    Abstract: A vehicle base station comprises a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned, a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform, a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery, and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew A. Vavrina, John L. Vian, Jonathan P. How, Bernard J. Michini, Matthew A. Michini, Tuna Toksoz, Joshua Redding
  • Publication number: 20140025228
    Abstract: A system and methods for mission re-planning are presented. Vehicles are monitored in real-time, and an incapacitated vehicle from among the vehicles that performs an incomplete task is detected. A remaining coverage set comprising a remaining coverage area for each of the vehicles is determined. A travel distance from a task completion location of each of the vehicles to a stopped point of the incapacitated vehicle is calculated to provide a travel set. An extra coverage set is determined based on the travel set and the remaining coverage set, and an incomplete coverage area for the incomplete task is calculated. The extra coverage set is compared to the incomplete coverage area and the remaining coverage area to provide a sufficiency list, and an assigned vehicle is selected from the vehicles based on the sufficiency list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Jung Soon Jang, Matthew A. Vavrina, John L. Vian, Meng Hiot Lim, Caishun Chen