Patents by Inventor Troy Nichols

Troy Nichols 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: 10699584
    Abstract: Flight planning systems and methods are provided, which augment supersonic flight planning via the integration of sonic boom forecast data. In embodiments, the flight planning system includes a display device, a pilot input interface, and a controller architecture coupled to the display device and to the pilot input interface. During system operation, the controller architecture receives flight plan criteria entered via the pilot input interface. The controller architecture then endeavors to generate or construct a boom-regulated flight plan, which includes at least one supersonic flight plan segment, in accordance with the flight plan criteria. If unable to construct a boom-regulated flight plan, the controller architecture generates a visual notification on the display device. The visual notification can include, for example, a warning that an excessive sonic boom or overpressure event may occur during execution of the flight plan by an aircraft, absent modifications to the flight plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John G. Suddreth, Jerry Ball, Troy Nichols, Mark A. Giddings
  • Publication number: 20190272762
    Abstract: Flight planning systems and methods are provided, which augment supersonic flight planning via the integration of sonic boom forecast data. In embodiments, the flight planning system includes a display device, a pilot input interface, and a controller architecture coupled to the display device and to the pilot input interface. During system operation, the controller architecture receives flight plan criteria entered via the pilot input interface. The controller architecture then endeavors to generate or construct a boom-regulated flight plan, which includes at least one supersonic flight plan segment, in accordance with the flight plan criteria. If unable to construct a boom-regulated flight plan, the controller architecture generates a visual notification on the display device. The visual notification can include, for example, a warning that an excessive sonic boom or overpressure event may occur during execution of the flight plan by an aircraft, absent modifications to the flight plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John G. Suddreth, Jerry Ball, Troy Nichols, Mark A. Giddings
  • Patent number: 9875659
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for displaying a strategic navigational overview of a vehicle, including a navigational map and a marker icon thereon representing an entity pertinent to navigation of the vehicle. A vertical line contacting the marker icon has, contiguous thereto, a current altitude icon representing the current altitude of the vehicle, and a trending icon indicating a direction of a change in altitude of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols
  • Patent number: 9786186
    Abstract: A method and system are described for enhancing ground situational awareness to an aircrew via an alphanumeric display of an air traffic control ground clearance, including displaying a symbol for each stage of the clearance. A crewmember may accept or change each stage via a graphical user interface within the alphanumeric display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jerry Ball, Sean Caufield, Troy Nichols, Aaron Gannon, Thea L. Feyereisen, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 9672749
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for updating an aircraft flight management system with approach and landing information received from a NOTAM transmission. The system and method receives an updated ILS category, updates the ILS category and updates the associated decision height/altitude. In addition, the system and method generates a notification of the NOTAM update and disregards user attempts to select an ILS category and/or decision height that is inconsistent with the NOTAM update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Subash Samuthirapandian, John G Suddreth, Troy Nichols
  • Patent number: 9666085
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a taxi clearance for an aircraft at an airport. One exemplary method involves receiving user input indicative of a constraining taxi path of a plurality of taxi paths at the airport, determining a first taxi portion between an initial location for the taxi clearance and the constraining taxi path, determining a second taxi portion between the constraining taxi path and a destination location for the taxi clearance, and displaying, on a display device associated with the aircraft, a taxi route comprising the first taxi portion, the second taxi portion, and the constraining taxi path between the first taxi portion and the second taxi portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, Jerry Ball, Sean Caufield, John G. Suddreth, Ivan Sandy Wyatt
  • Patent number: 9640081
    Abstract: A dynamic runway indicator is displayed overlying a conformal runway for assisting a pilot in completing an approach to landing on a runway. The dynamic runway indicator includes a polygon, that by changing position with respect to the conformal runway, provides advanced instrumentation cues to the pilot for adjusting the aircraft flight path to a normal, or recommended, path to the runway for landing, thereby assisting the pilot to improve the accuracy and safety of the approach and landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Publication number: 20160140855
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying a taxi clearance for an aircraft at an airport. One exemplary method involves receiving user input indicative of a constraining taxi path of a plurality of taxi paths at the airport, determining a first taxi portion between an initial location for the taxi clearance and the constraining taxi path, determining a second taxi portion between the constraining taxi path and a destination location for the taxi clearance, and displaying, on a display device associated with the aircraft, a taxi route comprising the first taxi portion, the second taxi portion, and the constraining taxi path between the first taxi portion and the second taxi portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, Jerry Ball, Sean Caufield, John G. Suddreth, Ivan Sandy Wyatt
  • Publication number: 20160140850
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for displaying a strategic navigational overview of a vehicle, including a navigational map and a marker icon thereon representing an entity pertinent to navigation of the vehicle. A vertical line contacting the marker icon has, contiguous thereto, a current altitude icon representing the current altitude of the vehicle, and a trending icon indicating a direction of a change in altitude of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols
  • Publication number: 20160140849
    Abstract: A method and system are described for enhancing ground situational awareness to an aircrew via an alphanumeric display of an air traffic control ground clearance, including displaying a symbol for each stage of the clearance. A crewmember may accept or change each stage via a graphical user interface within the alphanumeric display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jerry Ball, Sean Caufield, Troy Nichols, Aaron Gannon, Thea L. Feyereisen, John G. Suddreth
  • Publication number: 20150371545
    Abstract: A dynamic runway indicator is displayed overlying a conformal runway for assisting a pilot in completing an approach to landing on a runway. The dynamic runway indicator includes a polygon, that by changing position with respect to the conformal runway, provides advanced instrumentation cues to the pilot for adjusting the aircraft flight path to a normal, or recommended, path to the runway for landing, thereby assisting the pilot to improve the accuracy and safety of the approach and landing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 9129521
    Abstract: A dynamic runway indicator is displayed overlying a conformal runway for assisting a pilot in completing an approach to landing on a runway. The dynamic runway indicator includes a polygon, that by changing position with respect to the conformal runway, provides advanced instrumentation cues to the pilot for adjusting the aircraft flight path to a normal, or recommended, path to the runway for landing, thereby assisting the pilot to improve the accuracy and safety of the approach and landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 9105115
    Abstract: A vehicle display system displays enhanced vision (EV) and captured images, for example synthetic vision (SV) images, to an operator of a vehicle. The display system includes an EV vision system for generating EV images, an SV database containing information regarding terrain and objects of interest for a travel path of a vehicle, an SV system for generating SV images based on travel of the vehicle and information from the SV database, a processor for filtering the EV images and merging the filtered EV image with the SV image, and a display for displaying the merged SV and filtered EV images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, John G. Suddreth, Troy Nichols
  • Patent number: 9013330
    Abstract: A taxi guidance system is provided for an aircraft having a primary thrust engine and an onboard electric taxi system. The taxi guidance system includes or cooperates with a source of aircraft status data for the aircraft, and a source of airport feature data associated with synthetic graphical representations of an airport field. The taxi guidance system includes a processor operatively coupled to the source of aircraft status data and to the source of airport feature data to generate, in response to at least the aircraft status data and the airport feature data, taxi path guidance information for the aircraft, start/stop guidance information associated with operation of the primary thrust engine, and speed guidance information for the onboard electric taxi system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Nutaro, Troy Nichols, Keith Hughes
  • Publication number: 20140354456
    Abstract: A dynamic runway indicator is displayed overlying a conformal runway for assisting a pilot in completing an approach to landing on a runway. The dynamic runway indicator includes a polygon, that by changing position with respect to the conformal runway, provides advanced instrumentation cues to the pilot for adjusting the aircraft flight path to a normal, or recommended, path to the runway for landing, thereby assisting the pilot to improve the accuracy and safety of the approach and landing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Gannon, Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 8903655
    Abstract: An aircrew situational awareness while taxiing is enhanced by blossoming a displayed landmark related to the current taxiway from a first format to a second format as the aircraft approaches the landmark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, Gang He, Dave Pepitone, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 8892357
    Abstract: A methods, apparatus and system are provided for a vehicle with a ground navigational display. The system may include a display, a navigation system determining a location of the vehicle, a database storing a map including locations of buildings on the map and a processor. The processor may be configured to display the map on the display based upon the location of the vehicle, assign a fixed height to all of the buildings displayed on the display, and render the buildings displayed on the display in three-dimensions and having the assigned fixed height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Publication number: 20130261854
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing situational awareness onboard an aircraft comprises displaying a marker on a cockpit display visually and textually representing the distance remaining to a LAHSO line on an airport runway. The system comprises a flight deck display and a processor operatively coupled to the flight deck display and configured to (1) render a display of the runway on the flight deck display, and (2) render markers on the display visually and textually representing distance remaining on the runway to a LAHSO line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Publication number: 20130231853
    Abstract: A system and methods of displaying airport field features on a flight deck display element of an aircraft are provided. The flight deck display system obtains geographic position data and heading data for the aircraft, accesses airport feature data associated with synthetic graphical representations of an airport field, and renders a dynamic synthetic display of the airport field on the flight deck display element. The dynamic synthetic display is rendered in accordance with the geographic position data, the heading data, and the airport feature data. In certain embodiments the synthetic display includes graphical representations of taxiways/runways, along with signage that is conformally rendered on the exposed taxiway surfaces. Display characteristics of the signage may be influenced by the actual physical and/or temporal proximity of the aircraft relative to reference locations on the airport field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth, Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Jary Engels, Gang He
  • Publication number: 20130057414
    Abstract: A taxi guidance system is provided for an aircraft having a primary thrust engine and an onboard electric taxi system. The taxi guidance system includes or cooperates with a source of aircraft status data for the aircraft, and a source of airport feature data associated with synthetic graphical representations of an airport field. The taxi guidance system includes a processor operatively coupled to the source of aircraft status data and to the source of airport feature data to generate, in response to at least the aircraft status data and the airport feature data, taxi path guidance information for the aircraft, start/stop guidance information associated with operation of the primary thrust engine, and speed guidance information for the onboard electric taxi system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Joe Nutaro, Troy Nichols, Keith Hughes