By Change In Pitch, Angle Of Attack Or Flight Path Patents (Class 244/181)
  • Patent number: 11841713
    Abstract: Flight control systems, flight control laws, and aircraft are provided. An flight control system includes an input configured to receive a pitch rate command, a processor operative to receive the pitch angle command, to calculate a pitch angle saturation limit, to compare the sum of the pitch rate command, the scaled pitch rate, and the scaled pitch angle to the pitch angle saturation limit, to convert the pitch rate command system to the pitch angle command system in response to the sum exceeding the pitch angle saturation limit value to limit the pilot pitch-up pitch rate command, and to couple the pitch rate command to an aircraft control surface for the failure case of one of control surface, and the aircraft control surface configured to adjust an aircraft control surface setting in response to the pitch rate command and/or pitch angle command to protect an aircraft from being in stall condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventors: Jong-Yeob Shin, Gi-Yun Chung, Lakmal Kaviratna
  • Patent number: 11334093
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and flight controller for controlling an aircraft, comprising the following step: —determining the pitch control input ?E for at least one pitch moment generator element, based on the lift control input ?F for at least one lift generator element; wherein the step of determining the pitch control input ?E based on the lift control input ?F includes the step of determining a feed forward filter output Fq,?E,?F(q).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Inventor: András Gálffy
  • Patent number: 11169543
    Abstract: A conversion device for converting a guidance setpoint signal from an aircraft guidance system for at least one control axis, for example, into a control signal for an avionics system such as an aircraft stabilization system. The device may include comprising an acquisition module designed to acquire the guidance setpoint signal. The device may further include a generation module designed to generate the control signal from the acquired guidance setpoint signal. The control signal may include at least two command pulses. The generation module may be designed to calculate the duration between two consecutive command pulses depending on a corresponding value of the acquired guidance setpoint signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Romain Lamour, Frédéric Berger, François Colonna, Marianne Cazes
  • Patent number: 11164466
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and representing traffic maneuvers are provided. The method includes receiving traffic information for a neighbor traffic. The method may use the neighbor traffic information to calculate a volume around the neighbor traffic, defined by min max thresholds related to the traffic information. The traffic information is monitored until the default time elapses, to thereby determine a delta latitudinal position, a delta longitudinal position, a delta altitude, a delta pitch, and a delta roll, of the neighbor traffic during the default time; and a traffic maneuver is identified upon the occurrence of one or more of (i) the delta latitudinal position exceeded the maximum latitudinal threshold, (ii) the delta longitudinal position exceeded the maximum longitudinal threshold, and (iii) the delta altitude exceeded the magnitude of the maximum altitude threshold. An enhanced symbolic indicator of the traffic maneuver is rendered on a map image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Suresh Bazawada, Anil Kumar Songa, Vasudev Prakash Shanbhag
  • Patent number: 11046451
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining angle of attack (AOA) for an aircraft are disclosed. In implementations, a kinematic AOA signal and an aerodynamic AOA signal are determined based on measurements received from an airspeed sensor and an inertial reference system (IRS) or attitude and heading reference system (AHRS). The kinematic AOA signal is low pass filtered and the aerodynamic AOA signal is band-pass filtered. A blended AOA signal for the aircraft is then determined by summing the filtered kinematic AOA and aerodynamic AOA signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith M. Allen, Vladislav Gavrilets
  • Patent number: 11029706
    Abstract: A flight control system for an aircraft is disclosed and includes one or more processors and a memory coupled to the processors. The memory stores data comprising a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the flight control system to receive as input a measured angle of attack that is based on a raw angle of attack and an estimated angle of attack based on a total pressure. The flight control system is further caused to compare the measured angle of attack with the estimated angle of attack to determine an error. In response to determining that the error between the measured angle of attack and the estimated angle of attack exceeds a threshold value, the flight control system determines the presence of a fault with an angle of attack value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sherwin Chunshek Li, Brian Whitehead, Brian Kenyon Rupnik, Kioumars Najmabadi
  • Patent number: 10852747
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing the probability of the occurrence of an aircraft's tailstrike are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a disclosed method for reducing a probability of an occurrence of a tailstrike for an aircraft comprises determining whether a tailstrike has a first probability of occurring by using tailstrike related data. The method further comprises producing a tactile warning to a pilot of the aircraft, when at least one processor determines that a tailstrike has the first probability of occurring. In at least one embodiment, the determining of whether a tailstrike has a first probability of occurring comprises determining whether an aircraft pitch attitude is greater than a first probability threshold by using the tailstrike related data; and determining that a tailstrike has the first probability of occurring, when the aircraft pitch attitude is greater than the first probability threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Neal Van Huynh
  • Patent number: 10802482
    Abstract: A flight control computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, with the program including instructions for providing main rotor overspeed protection. The instructions for providing the main rotor overspeed protection include instructions for monitoring sensor signals indicating a main rotor RPM, determining a target operating parameter, determining one or more flight parameters in response to a relationship between the main rotor RPM and the target operating parameter indicating a main rotor overspeed condition. Determining the one or more flight parameters includes determining a setting for a flight control device of the rotorcraft that changes the main rotor RPM, controlling positioning of a pilot control according to the flight parameters, and controlling the flight control device of the rotorcraft according to positioning of the pilot control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Mike Bothwell, Luke Dafydd Gillett, Jillian Samantha Alfred
  • Patent number: 10788319
    Abstract: Provided is an angle detection device including: a correction signal calculator configured to generate corrected signals from a sine signal and a cosine signal acquired from an angle detector; and an angle calculator configured to calculate an angle signal for a rotary machine from the corrected signals. When one of the sine signal and the cosine signal is defined as a first detection signal, and another one thereof is defined as a second detection signal, the correction signal calculator calculates a corrected first detection signal and a corrected second detection signal, and the angle calculator calculates the angle signal for the rotary machine from the corrected first detection signal and the corrected second detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Furukawa, Wataru Ozaki, Yu Kawano
  • Patent number: 10730637
    Abstract: An angle of attack sensor includes a housing, a heated chassis positioned at least partially within the housing and defining a pocket, a mounting plate positioned adjacent the heated chassis and having a circular opening, an external surface facing away from the housing, and an internal surface facing toward the housing, and a vane assembly extending through the circular opening of the mounting plate. The vane assembly includes a vane extending from a root to a tip and a vane base connected to the root of the vane and positioned within the pocket of the heated chassis such that the vane base is offset inwardly from the external surface toward the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Krueger, Kenneth Freeman, Richard Alan Schwartz, Alexander N. Reid, Timothy DeAngelo
  • Patent number: 10731981
    Abstract: A combined altitude display apparatus for generating a combined altitude value is provided. The apparatus comprises a first altitude input interface, wherein the first altitude input interface receives a first altitude value; a second altitude input interface, wherein the second altitude input interface receives a second altitude value, wherein the second altitude value indicated by the second altitude input interface has a cyclical range; an altitude output interface, wherein the altitude output interface outputs a third altitude value; and a data fusion component coupled to the first altitude input interface and the second altitude input interface and configured to calculate the third altitude value based on the first altitude value and the second altitude value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Elbit Systems of America, LLC
    Inventors: John Timothy Pearson, Lawerance Ray Butler, Keith Thomas Grandin, Michael Allen Robb, Donald Grant Gwynne
  • Patent number: 10648850
    Abstract: An example method for in-flight determination of a gross weight of an aircraft includes causing an aircraft to perform a first flight operation defined by a first airspeed that is substantially constant and a descent rate that is substantially constant, determining the first airspeed and a first thrust that caused the aircraft to perform the first flight operation, the first thrust being substantially constant during the first flight operation, causing the aircraft to perform a second flight operation defined by a second airspeed that is substantially constant and a descent rate that is substantially constant, determining the second airspeed and a second thrust that caused the aircraft to perform the second flight operation, the second thrust being substantially constant during the second flight operation, and using the first thrust, the second thrust, the first airspeed, and the second airspeed to determine the gross weight of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Geun I. Kim, John W. Alaimo, Jr., Theresa J. Hirsch
  • Patent number: 10606281
    Abstract: An aircraft flight control system and method are provided. The system provides a control module that receives inertial data, sensor data, and a target airspeed. The control module processes the received data with aircraft thrust and drag models to evaluate the aircraft energy state. Based on the aircraft energy state, the control module determines (i) a maximum predicted potential flight path “max PPFP”, defined by a maximum thrust at the target airspeed, and (ii) an idle predicted potential flight path, “idle PPFP,” defined by an idle thrust at the target airspeed. The control module generates display commands for a display system to display (i) the flight path angle, (ii) the max PPFP and (iii) the idle PPFP. In addition, the control module generates and displays a predicted flight path speed indicator (PFPS) when the FPA is above the max PPFP or below the idle PPFP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ivan Sandy Wyatt, Luis Ventura Melendez, John Koenig, Jary Engels
  • Patent number: 10543932
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for modifying the position or shape of a premature descent protection envelope with regard to a runway when an aircraft making an approach to the runway is below the nominal approach path and has a flight path angle greater than the nominal approach path angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ishihara, Steve Johnson, Kevin J Conner
  • Patent number: 10545511
    Abstract: A process and a machine for improving a performance of a particular model of an aircraft, via expanding a range of airworthy locations for a center of gravity of an aircraft. process comprising augmenting a nose-down moment, for the particular model of the aircraft via addition of an ailevatoron mixer commanding an ailevatoron on each wing to generate a nose-down pitching moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Henry Llewellyn Beaufrere
  • Patent number: 10488870
    Abstract: One aspect is a flight control system for a coaxial rotary wing aircraft including a main rotor system and an active elevator. The flight control system includes a flight control computer with processing circuitry that executes control logic. The control logic includes a gust detector that produces a gust error indicative of a wind gust encountered by the coaxial rotary wing aircraft. The control logic also includes a gust alleviation control that reduces lift on the main rotor system with collective, based on the gust error, and mixes a collective command to a main rotor cyclic and a differential cyclic to reduce an aircraft pitch response and a lift-offset change. The gust alleviation control also reduces a main rotor pitching moment with the main rotor cyclic, based on the gust error, and mixes a main rotor cyclic command to the active elevator to reduce the aircraft pitch response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Kenneth S. Wittmer
  • Patent number: 10467914
    Abstract: Methods and systems for autonomous generation of shortest lateral paths for unmanned aerial systems are described. An example system includes memory storing code and at least one processor to execute the code to cause the at least one processor to access an initial scenario including a source point, a target point, and a no flight zone, determine a computation time for identifying a lateral path for an aircraft to traverse that avoids the no flight zone, determine whether the determined computation time satisfies a threshold of a reference computation time, change the first number of vertices to a second number of vertices when the reference computation time is not satisfied, determine a buffer area surrounding the no flight zone, construct a visibility graph including lateral paths, and identify one of the lateral paths as being shorter than others of the lateral paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Valls Hernández, Francisco A. Navarro Félix, David Sánchez Tamargo, Carlos Querejeta Masaveu, Jesús Cuadrado Sánchez
  • Patent number: 10440291
    Abstract: System and method for detecting adverse atmospheric conditions ahead of an aircraft. The system has multiple, infrared cameras 8 adjusted to spatially detect infrared radiance in different bands of infrared light, wherein each camera is connected to an image processing computer that processes and combines the images, and generates video display signals for producing a video display which indicates the position of the adverse atmospheric conditions relative to the aircraft. Each of the cameras is provided with a respective filter adjusted to filter infrared light with a bandwidth corresponding to infrared bandwidth characteristics of an adverse atmospheric condition from a set of adverse atmospheric conditions. The image processing computer is adapted to identify adverse atmospheric conditions, said identifying being based on threshold conditions and using the detected infrared radiance, data from a look-up table and measured parameters including information on the position and/or attitude of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Nicarnica Aviation AS
    Inventors: Alfredo Jose Prata, Cirilo Bernardo
  • Patent number: 10415977
    Abstract: A method of compensating for signal error is described, comprising: receiving a first signal from a first sensor, said first signal indicative of a movement characteristic; applying an error compensation to said first signal to produce an output signal; applying a variable gain factor to said error compensation; receiving a second signal from a second sensor indicative of said movement characteristic; wherein said error compensation is calculated using the difference between said output signal and said second signal, and said variable gain factor is calculated using said first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: John Keith Sheard, Nicholas Mark Faulkner
  • Patent number: 10386859
    Abstract: A system including a set of computation modules configured to be utilized for computation of gains of at least one piloting law relative to at least one piloting axis of the aircraft and a data capture unit for capturing in at least one computation unit associated with a given piloting axis of the aircraft first values illustrating aerodynamic coefficients of the aircraft and second values defining delay and filter characteristics of the control chain relative to the given piloting axis, the computation unit being configured to compute the gains of the piloting law utilizing at least a part of the set of computation modules and the computation unit computing inputs intended for at least one actuator of a control surface adapted to control the aircraft relative to the given piloting axis in accordance with a corresponding current control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventor: Stéphane Delannoy
  • Patent number: 10355558
    Abstract: Computer-processor controlled energy harvester system. The system uses a plurality of oscillating weight type energy collectors, each configured to store the energy from changes in the system's ambient motion as stored mechanical energy, often in a compressed spring. The energy collectors are configured to move between a first position where the energy collector stores energy, to a second position where the energy collectors release stored energy to a geared electrical generator shaft, thus producing electrical energy, often stored in a battery. A plurality of processor controlled electronic actuators, usually one per energy collector, control when each energy collector stores and releases energy. The processor can use accelerometer sensors, battery charge sensors, and suitable software and firmware to optimize system function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: RISING STAR PATHWAY, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rong Bao, YiWei An, YiWen Pu, Zeru Li, Ryane Li, Serena Mao
  • Patent number: 10310473
    Abstract: A system for path command generation includes an industrial machine, an interface accessible via a remote device, and a server communicably coupled to the industrial machine and the remote device via a network. The server includes processing circuitry configured to calculate an optimum path command, simulate the optimum path command based on the calculation of the optimum path command, calculate a cycle time and error of the path command, determine if the path command is acceptable, and transmit path command data to the industrial machine in response to the acceptable path command being selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Marushita
  • Patent number: 10261518
    Abstract: An aircraft automatic control system protects structural parameters of an aircraft based on angle of attack protection by use of maximum allowed angle of attack values as a function of dynamic pressure or a combination of parameters that permit computation of dynamic pressure. Example techniques herein limit the wing lift coefficient as a function of dynamic pressure (or velocity) to create a limitation for the maximum lift produced by an aircraft wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Embraer S.A.
    Inventor: Sérgio Luiz Miranda De Souza
  • Patent number: 10223924
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method includes: obtaining meteorological data in a current location of the UAV when the UAV is in a first flight state, where the first flight state may represent a steady flight state or a take-off preparing state of the UAV; determining a flight hazard level of the UAV based on the meteorological data, where the flight hazard level may represent a hazard level caused to a flight of the UAV by weather; and controlling the UAV to switch to a second flight state when the flight hazard level is a first preset level, where the first preset level may represent a level where the UAV cannot fly safely and the second flight state being used to represent an emergency flight state or a take-off suspended state of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weizhao Wang, Yan Xie, Yueyue Chu
  • Patent number: 10209710
    Abstract: A piloting assistance system for an aircraft during manual piloting is provided. The piloting assistance system includes a monitoring module, configured to compare an acceleration of the aircraft to an authorized acceleration that depends on a speed of the aircraft, an acceleration control module, able to be switched between an activated state and a deactivated state, and configured so as, in the activated state, excluding the deactivated state, to generate a control signal of at least one control device of the acceleration of the aircraft to push the acceleration of the aircraft toward the authorized acceleration range, in order to keep or push the speed of the aircraft in a predefined usage speed range, the monitoring module being configured to activate the acceleration control module when the acceleration of the aircraft is not comprised in the authorized acceleration range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: DASSAULT AVIATION
    Inventor: Sébastien Lepage
  • Patent number: 10107259
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a wind turbine comprising one or more blades attached to a rotor hub, the one or more blades being arranged to pitch relative to the hub, the method comprising the steps of obtaining a blade load signal comprising data on an absolute load on the one or more blades; processing the blade load data to detect a high thrust wind event, and generating a control signal comprising a pitch contribution for affecting the blades to pitch out of the wind in response to the detected wind event. The invention also relates to a wind turbine, a control system for a wind turbine and a computer program product being adapted to enable a computer system to perform the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: VESYAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jacob Krogh Kristoffersen, Asger Svenning Andersen, Søren Sørensen, Lars Risager
  • Patent number: 10099775
    Abstract: An autopilot system for an aircraft and related process are provided. The system includes a first load factor command definition and application module; a second roll command definition and application module; a control module of the first definition and application module and the second definition and application module, able to define parameters of a recovery maneuver seeking to return the aircraft to setpoint attitudes at the end of a maneuver from initial attitudes. The control module includes a submodule for computing at least one pair of authorities respectively applied by the first module and by the second module during the recovery maneuver. The authorities are computed as a function of at least a current movement parameter of the aircraft and a safety parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: DASSAULT AVIATION
    Inventors: Arnaud Turpin, Nicolas Le Corre
  • Patent number: 10067235
    Abstract: A method of detecting a wind event utilizing Doppler lidar includes causing a Doppler lidar unit to operate in a course scan mode in which a lidar beam is scanned along several directions. Line-of-sight wind speed measurements are generated at each direction and a derivative with respect to distance of the line-of-sight wind speed measurements is calculated at each of the directions. A predicted angular position of a wind event is determined, and the lidar unit may then operate in a fine scan mode in which only a limited sector is scanned. The potential wind event is then quantified utilizing data obtained using the fine scan mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventors: Grady J. Koch, Bruce W. Barnes
  • Patent number: 10062291
    Abstract: Systems and methods providing improved flight guidance are described. In some implementations, performance data from a plurality of completed flight segments of an aircraft are recorded and used to generate and/or update a regression model between one or more input parameters and one or more output parameters. Flight profile data for a current flight segment of the aircraft is estimated using the regression model and compared to flight profile data predicted based on pre-programmed performance data. The estimated and predicted flight profile data are compared to determine if a difference between the two exceeds a predetermined amount and flight guidance for a current flight segment is generated based on the estimated flight profile data if the difference exceeds the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Geun I. Kim, Roy S. Alcantara
  • Patent number: 10063794
    Abstract: The system has multiple, infrared cameras 8 adjusted to spatially detect infrared radiance in different bands of infrared light, and connected to an image processing computer that processes and combines the images, and generates video display signals for producing a video display which indicates the position of the adverse atmospheric conditions relative to the aircraft. Each of the cameras is provided with a respective filter adjusted to filter infrared light with a bandwidth corresponding to infrared bandwidth characteristics of an adverse atmospheric condition from a set of adverse atmospheric conditions. The image processing computer is adapted to identify adverse atmospheric conditions, based on threshold conditions and using the detected infrared radiance, data from a look-up table and measured parameters including information on the position and/or attitude of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Nicarnica Aviation AS
    Inventors: Alfredo Jose Prata, Cirilo Bernardo
  • Patent number: 10043397
    Abstract: A framework for combining a weather risk analysis with appropriate operational rules includes a data initialization component, a rules processing component, and one or more weather risk analysis and assessment tools to evaluate a flight condition. The framework applies current, historical, predicted and forecasted weather data to the one or more operational rules governing a mission, a payload, a flight plan, a craft type, and a location of the mission for aircraft such as an unmanned aerial vehicle or remotely-piloted vehicle, and generates advisories based on the evaluation of flight conditions such as a mission compliance status, instructions for operation of unmanned aircraft, and management advisories. The flight condition advisories include either a “fly” advisory or a “no-fly” advisory, and the framework may also provide a mission prioritization and optimization system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CLEAR AG, INC.
    Inventors: Dustin M. Salentiny, John J. Mewes
  • Patent number: 9989972
    Abstract: Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for limiting elevator deflection commands to avoid the aft body of an aircraft from contacting the ground during a landing maneuver. In one example, a system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of executable instructions and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a descent profile and a current pitch profile. A pre-determined maximum pitch profile associated with the descent profile is used to compare to the current pitch profile. The comparison is used to compute an elevator deflection value that limits an elevator command signal in order to avoid a tail strike. Additional systems and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David P. Eggold, Tristan C. Flanzer
  • Patent number: 9939818
    Abstract: A system for automatic landing of an aircraft on a runway, including an onboard image capture system, image analyzer for detecting in an image a landing runway and determining characteristics of a segment connecting a planned point of impact on the runway and a vanishing point of the image, a measurement module for measuring observables in an inertial frame tied to the runway, on the basis of characteristics of the segment, the observables including a first observable, a second observable, and a third observable, an estimator for estimating longitudinal, lateral and vertical position deviations of aircraft position relative to point of impact from measurements of the first, second and third observables, and guidance for determining aircraft guidance orders from the longitudinal, lateral and vertical deviations and of the relative heading angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Josep Boada-Bauxell, Victor Gibert, Laurent Burlion, Abdelhamid Chriette, Franck Plestan
  • Patent number: 9925846
    Abstract: Sun load on a cabin of a vehicle is determined without a sun load sensor by affixing a relative humidity/temperature sensor to an inside of a windshield of the vehicle. The relative humidity/temperature sensor includes a relative humidity sensor that senses relative humidity of air at the relative humidity sensor, a temperature sensor that senses temperature of the air at the relative humidity sensor and a glass temperature sensor that senses temperature of glass of the windshield. A controller determines the sun load based on readings from the relative humidity/temperature sensor of relative humidity of the air at the relative humidity sensor, temperature of the air at the relative humidity sensor and temperature of the glass of the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Allan W Flanagan
  • Patent number: 9914453
    Abstract: A method for predicting the expected travel path of a moving vehicle by numerical integration of a dynamic vehicle model using at least one rotational travel state and at least one longitudinal travel state is disclosed. To provide a prediction of the expected travel path, which does not depend on map information and provides the maximum possible accuracy even for non-steady-state travel states of a vehicle, time-related function rules for the rotational travel state ?Pre(t) and/or for the longitudinal travel state ?Pre(t) are determined, and values for the travel state concerned ?Pre, ?Pre are predicted at specific points in time by integration using said function rule ?Pre(t), ?Pre(t). In this process, the time-related function rule of the travel state concerned is determined by obtaining respective (rotational or longitudinal) input variables for at least two time-derivatives of the travel state concerned from measured values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Kraehling
  • Patent number: 9897517
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a thrust fault of a turbofan during a modification of the thrust setting of the turbofan, the method including a step of processing the thrust setting via a filtering function and a transient-phase model such as to obtain a modelled thrust, a step of comparing the modelled thrust to the actual thrust such as to determine a thrust difference, a step of comparing the thrust difference to an alarm threshold; and a step of emitting an alarm in the event of exceeding the alarm threshold, wherein at a given iteration, in which the prior modelled thrust is known, the transient-phase model provides a time constant in accordance with the prior modelled thrust, and the filtering function provides a modelled thrust in accordance with the time constant obtained, the prior modelled thrust and the thrust setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Cedrik Djelassi
  • Patent number: 9845146
    Abstract: A vehicle, such as an airplane sets a limit for a control variable used to deflect a control surface. The limit is set as a function of an unfavorable flight condition/target angle of attack and a rate of change of angle of attack so that a pilot control variable command is prevented from exceeding the limit to prevent the vehicle from reaching an unfavorable flight condition and/or exceeding a desired angle of attack limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Henry L. Beaufrere
  • Patent number: 9840337
    Abstract: An activation device comprising a computation unit configured to compute a stall margin of the aircraft, an information reception unit configured to receive information indicating if an automatic angle-of-attack protection system of the aircraft is active or inactive, and an activation unit configured to activate the display of the stall margin indicator only if the automatic angle-of-attack protection system is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Alain Tanguy, Thierry Bourret, Florent Lanterna, Matthieu Boitrel
  • Patent number: 9824594
    Abstract: A method for predicting a short-term flight path of an aircraft, a computer program product, an associated prediction device, a guidance method, and a guidance system of an aircraft are disclosed. In one aspect, the flight path of the aircraft is associated at each time moment with a vector including at least one component from among a position of the aircraft, attitudes of the aircraft and order 1 and 2 time derivatives of the position and attitudes. The short-term flight path is the flight path of the aircraft for a time period of up to 30 seconds from a computation time of the flight path. The method includes acquiring a control signal representative of a displacement of a primary control member of the aircraft and predicting, at a subsequent prediction time, at least one component of the short-term flight path of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Sylvain Lissajoux, Alexandre Badatcheff, Matthieu Claybrough
  • Patent number: 9815571
    Abstract: Present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for generating an aircraft energy indicator(s) is disclosed. The energy indicator generating system is comprised of one or more sources of aircraft performance factors data, an image generator (IG), and a presentation system. The IG may be configured to receive the aircraft performance factors data representative of at least aircraft altitude and speed; determine descent path data as a function of at least the aircraft performance data; determine target aircraft energy data as a function of at least the descent path data; determine actual energy data as a function of at least the aircraft performance data; and generate presentation data as a function of the target energy data and the actual energy data, where the presentation data is representative of one or more images of an aircraft energy indicator presentable to a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Collin D. Ogden, Bradley R. Mickelson, Kirk A. Kolek
  • Patent number: 9776734
    Abstract: A landing aid method and device for an aircraft including a unit for calculating automatically in a repetitive manner, during a final approach of the aircraft with a view to landing on a landing runway, using at least a ground speed of the aircraft, a height of the aircraft in relation to the ground, and a target vertical speed representing a vertical speed required on contact with the landing runway, a slope angle of a flight path allowing the aircraft to perform a flare, checking at least the target vertical speed on contact with the landing runway, and a unit for displaying automatically, on at least one screen of the flight deck of the aircraft, a first symbol illustrating the current slope angle of the aircraft and a second symbol illustrating the calculated slope angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventor: Matthias Eberle
  • Patent number: 9671783
    Abstract: A method is described for aiding the piloting of an airplane by ensuring availability of an automatic pilot that is normally controlled as a function of speed information of the airplane when the speed information is lost. The method includes detecting a loss of the speed information of the airplane. In response to the detection of the loss of the speed information, the method includes determining flight data of the airplane being independent from the speed information of the airplane, determining control parameters from the flight data, and controlling the automatic pilot based on the control parameters and without the speed information of the airplane. The automatic pilot includes an automatic piloting system or a flight director.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventors: Thierry Bourret, Pascale Louise, Jean Muller, Xavier Dal Santo
  • Patent number: 9663219
    Abstract: The system comprises at least one lift generator element that is able to modify directly the lift of the aircraft and means for defining a deflection instruction upon actuation by a pilot of the aircraft of a control column of the aircraft generating a vertical load factor control value and applying it to an elevator and simultaneously defining a command instruction and applying it to the lift generator element to generate a direct lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Mathieu Carton, Pierre Debusschere, David Chabe
  • Patent number: 9650152
    Abstract: Systems and methods to protect the flight envelope in both manual flight and flight by a commercial autopilot are provided. A system can comprise: an inertial measurement unit (IMU); a computing device in data communication with the IMU; an application executable by the computing device comprising: logic that estimates an angle of attack; a slip angle; and a speed of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based at least in part on data received from the UAV. A method can comprise estimating, via a computing device, flight data of a UAV based at least in part on data received from an IMU; comparing the estimated flight data with measured flight data; and triggering an error indication in response to a determination that the measured flight data exceeds a predefined deviation of the estimated flight data. The estimated speed can comprise an estimated airspeed, vertical speed and/or ground velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Christian Claudel, Mohammad Shaqura
  • Patent number: 9639085
    Abstract: A new apparatus and method for determining trajectories for hypersonic glide vehicles significantly reduces integrated, or total, heat load, with little reduction in time to distance and maximum range. The new approach identifies a trajectory having large phugoid oscillations and plotting a glide trajectory along the peaks of the phugoid oscillations. The glide trajectory is determined by calculating a first altitude that results in a maximum lift to drag ratio trajectory having damped or small phugoid oscillations, then calculating a different altitude that results in larger phugoid oscillations, and higher phugoid peaks, and finally plotting a trajectory from the first altitude that follows the peaks of the higher phugoid oscillation trajectory. The thus calculated trajectory can be input into a glide vehicle guidance system for controlling the trajectory of the glide vehicle from a point where it reaches the first altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Barry M. Hellman
  • Patent number: 9586695
    Abstract: A system and method for illuminating one or more sidestick controllers within a cockpit of an aircraft is described. In some embodiments, the system includes a sidestick controller having lighting components that display lighting behaviors representing the movement and/or control of an aircraft. In some embodiments, the system illuminates various different lighting components on a sidestick controller based on information received from aircraft control systems, cockpit lighting systems, and other systems associated with an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Edward Voros
  • Patent number: 9555897
    Abstract: The drone (10) comprises a camera with a hemispherical-field lens of the fisheye type pointing to a fixed direction (?) with respect to the drone body. A capture area (36) of reduced size is extracted from the image formed by this lens (42), the position of this area being function of the signals delivered by an inertial unit measuring the Euler angles characterizing the attitude of the drone with respect to an absolute terrestrial reference system. The position of this area is dynamically modified in a direction (44) opposite to that of the changes of attitude (38) of the drone detected by the inertial unit. The raw pixel data are then processed to compensate for the geometric distortions introduced by the fisheye lens in the image acquired in the region of the capture area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: PARROT
    Inventors: Pierre Eline, Adrien Fontvielle
  • Patent number: 9550579
    Abstract: Method of estimation of the speed of an aircraft relative to the surrounding air, in a reference frame tied to the aircraft estimates an estimated static pressure on the basis of measurements of geographical altitude. The process then estimates a first intermediate variation of the speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air using explicitly the fact that the pressure measured by the static probe is falsified by a known quantity under the effect of the speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air. Finally, temporal integration of the first intermediate variation of the speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air provides an estimated speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Christian Mehlen, Jacques Coatantiec
  • Patent number: 9335883
    Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices for facilitating presentation of search result items having varying prominence is provided. The method includes referencing a search result item to be presented within a search results page in response to a search query. Thereafter, a determination is made that a size prominence of the search result item is to be modified. Such a determination can be based on a result attribute(s) associated with the search result item and a result attribute(s) associated with other search result items within the search results page. The size of the search result item is adjusted in accordance with the determination that the size prominence of the search result item is to be modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alec John Berntson, Sanaz Ahari, Kieran Richard McDonald, Muhammad Arif Iqbal
  • Patent number: 9254909
    Abstract: A system for optimizing a flap setting of an aircraft may include a flap optimizing computer configured to compute an optimum flap setting for one or more flaps of an aircraft. The system may further include a flap control system communicatively coupled to the flap optimizing computer. The flap control system may be operable to select any one of a plurality of flap settings including a designated flap setting. The flap control system may be configured to automatically command the one or more flaps from a first position to a second position corresponding to the optimum flap setting in response to the selection of one of the plurality of flap settings using the flap control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew A. Moser, Michael R. Finn, Benjamin M. Liu