Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Millott

Thomas A. Millott 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: 9190071
    Abstract: A noise-suppression assembly of a mechanical drive system having a rotational frequency includes an audio filter unit configured to receive a first audio signal and a timing signal of the mechanical drive system. The audio filter unit generates a noise-cancellation signal based on a frequency of the timing signal to suppress a noise generated by the mechanical drive system and to apply the noise-cancellation signal to the first audio signal to produce a filtered first audio signal. The frequency of the timing signal is based on the rotational frequency of the mechanical drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald J. Butts, William A. Welsh, Thomas A. Millott, Stuart K. Drost
  • Publication number: 20150097074
    Abstract: A system for active vibration control includes an actuator configured to reduce the impact of a vibratory load imposed on an airframe of a rotorcraft to an amount that is less than a threshold; and a controller configured to determine the vibratory load based on the data, and set an eccentric rotational speed of an actuator at a first frequency and modulate the eccentric rotational speed by a second frequency based on the vibratory load. Also a method includes obtaining, by the controller, data; determining, by the controller, a vibratory load based on the data; and setting, by the controller, an eccentric rotational speed of an actuator at a first frequency and modulating the eccentric rotational speed by a second frequency based on the vibratory load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph John Andrews, Thomas A. Millott
  • Publication number: 20140079234
    Abstract: A noise-suppression assembly of a mechanical drive system having a rotational frequency includes an audio filter unit configured to receive a first audio signal and a timing signal of the mechanical drive system. The audio filter unit generates a noise-cancellation signal based on a frequency of the timing signal to suppress a noise generated by the mechanical drive system and to apply the noise-cancellation signal to the first audio signal to produce a filtered first audio signal. The frequency of the timing signal is based on the rotational frequency of the mechanical drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald J. Butts, William A. Welsh, Thomas A. Millott, Stuart K. Drost
  • Patent number: 7197147
    Abstract: A system and method reduces undesired noise or vibration in a vehicle. The ambient vibration is measured and command signals are generated over time. The command signals are generated based upon the measured vibration and based upon a control weighting. By varying the control weighting over time, the maximum possible performance is always obtained subject to the saturation constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Robert K. Goodman, James W. Fuller
  • Patent number: 6856920
    Abstract: A noise or vibration control system improves the quality of adaptation estimates by filtering the input signals to the adaptation, selectively implementing a “dead-zone” during which adaptation does not occur and by selectively adding a dither signal to the control commands. The dead-zone is based on the magnitude of the changes in the control commands, which are responding to the changes in the sensor signals. The dead-zone can be applied to all actuators simultaneously, or can be applied to the adaptation of each actuator channel independently. To maintain identifiability, a “dither signal” is added to the control commands to “ping” the system to increase the amount of information available to the adaptive algorithm. The dither signal is preferably implemented on only one actuator channel at a time. Also, the dither amplitude for each channel is preferably set to be proportional to the current control amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Christopher G. Park
  • Publication number: 20040167725
    Abstract: A noise or vibration control system improves the quality of adaptation estimates by filtering the input signals to the adaptation, selectively implementing a “dead-zone” during which adaptation does not occur and by selectively adding a dither signal to the control commands. The dead-zone is based on the magnitude of the changes in the control commands, which are responding to the changes in the sensor signals. The dead-zone can be applied to all actuators simultaneously, or can be applied to the adaptation of each actuator channel independently. To maintain identifiability, a “dither signal” is added to the control commands to “ping” the system to increase the amount of information available to the adaptive algorithm. The dither signal is preferably implemented on only one actuator channel at a time. Also, the dither amplitude for each channel is preferably set to be proportional to the current control amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Christopher G. Park
  • Patent number: 6772074
    Abstract: A noise or vibration control system improves the quality of adaptation estimates by filtering the input signals to the adaptation, selectively implementing a “dead-zone” during which adaptation does not occur and by selectively adding a dither signal to the control commands. The dead-zone is based on the magnitude of the changes in the control commands, which are responding to the changes in the sensor signals. The dead-zone can be applied to all actuators simultaneously, or can be applied to the adaptation of each actuator channel independently. To maintain identifiability, a “dither signal” is added to the control commands to “ping” the system to increase the amount of information available to the adaptive algorithm. The dither signal is preferably implemented on only one actuator channel at a time. Also, the dither amplitude for each channel is preferably set to be proportional to the current control amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Christopher G. Park
  • Publication number: 20030002686
    Abstract: A system and method reduces undesired noise or vibration in a vehicle. The ambient vibration is measured and command signals are generated over time. The command signals are generated based upon the measured vibration and based upon a control weighting. By varying the control weighting over time, the maximum possible performance is always obtained subject to the saturation constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Robert K. Goodman, James W. Fuller
  • Publication number: 20020120415
    Abstract: A noise or vibration control system improves the quality of adaptation estimates by filtering the input signals to the adaptation, selectively implementing a “dead-zone” during which adaptation does not occur and by selectively adding a dither signal to the control commands. The dead-zone is based on the magnitude of the changes in the control commands, which are responding to the changes in the sensor signals. The dead-zone can be applied to all actuators simultaneously, or can be applied to the adaptation of each actuator channel independently. To maintain identifiability, a “dither signal” is added to the control commands to “ping” the system to increase the amount of information available to the adaptive algorithm. The dither signal is preferably implemented on only one actuator channel at a time. Also, the dither amplitude for each channel is preferably set to be proportional to the current control amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas A. Millott, Douglas G. MacMartin, Christopher G. Park