Aeronautical Vehicle Patents (Class 701/3)
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Patent number: 11993393Abstract: A flight guidance panel for an aircraft includes a subpanel display, a joystick, rotary encoders, a deflection sensor, and a processor. The subpanel display indicates autopilot modes and flight value goals and has a top-level state and a subpanel control state. The joystick is for user interaction with the subpanel display. The rotary encoder is coupled with the joystick to receive rotation inputs from a user of the joystick. The deflection sensor is coupled with the joystick to detect a deflection input from the user of the joystick. The processor is programmed to: change a state of the subpanel display to the subpanel control state corresponding to a selected subpanel in response to receiving the deflection input while the subpanel display is in the top-level state; and change the flight value goals in response to receiving the rotation inputs while the subpanel display is in the subpanel control state.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2023Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATIONInventors: Jeffrey Hausmann, Kristin Medin, Jim Jordan, Scott Bohanan
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Patent number: 11993396Abstract: A package delivery drone comprises at least one propeller for generating lift and an article containment area for containing an article to be carried by the drone. The floor of the article containment area comprises a dynamic support surface for supporting the article and allowing the article to move into, out of and through the article containment area. The package delivery drone interfaces with a docking station having a shelf for exchanging packages with the drone.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2019Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.Inventors: Bryant G. Ragan, Mark Costanzo, Matthew A. Lignieres
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Patent number: 11995996Abstract: A drone for delivering plural repeaters in a hostile environment and method of delivering plural repeaters from the drone. The drone is controllable from a remote base station and carries a payload of repeaters on a round tray. The tray has a dispensing hole, complementary to the geometry of the repeater for dispensing the repeaters as needed. Repeaters are consecutively dispensed at stations as determined by an operator. A central radial arm sweeps each repeater around the tray, in turn, until the hole is encountered and the repeater gravity drops to a surface below. The drone may have two or more vertically stacked trays to increase payload without increasing footprint.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2022Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ForceInventors: Joseph Puglisi, Nicholas Black, Mary Hood, Michael Anderson, Joseph Anderson
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Patent number: 11987357Abstract: A gaseous matter capture system and method comprising an aerial unit configured to capture gaseous matter directly from the atmosphere and further comprising storage means configured to transfer said gaseous matter for further processing in a non-aerial unit for the purposes of climate change mitigation and further use of captured gases.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2022Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: HIGH HOPES LABS LTD.Inventor: Eran Oren
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Patent number: 11989035Abstract: Systems and methods to control gain of an electric aircraft are provided in this disclosure. The system may include gain scheduling to provide stability of the electric aircraft at various dynamic states of operation. The system may include a sensor to obtain measurement datum of an operating state. The system may further include a controller that adjusts a control gain of the electric aircraft as a function of the measurement datum. The gain control may be determined by a gain schedule generated by the controller.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2023Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: BETA AIR, LLCInventors: Jordan Potvin, Jacob Nealy
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Patent number: 11990049Abstract: A projected recovery trajectory for an aircraft autopilot system is precomputed by providing a stored set of predefined recovery mode segments, including: a mode 1 segment that models the aircraft coasting; a mode 2 segment that models the aircraft executing a nose high recovery; a mode 3 segment that models the aircraft executing a nose low recovery; a mode 4 segment that models the aircraft executing a throttle only recovery; and a mode 5 segment that models the aircraft executing a terrain avoidance recovery. A processor generates at least one projected recovery trajectory based on a current state of the aircraft, where the processor selectively concatenates selected ones of the predefined recovery mode segments into a sequence and uses that sequence to generate the projected trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2019Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATIONInventors: Kevin Prosser, Thomas Landers, Abhishek Vaidya, Blake Finlayson, Alborz Sakhaei
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Patent number: 11987375Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an aircraft having two or more engines are described. The method comprises receiving an engine availability confirmation when a set of engine parameters meet engine operating conditions for an asymmetric operating regime, receiving an aircraft availability confirmation when a set of aircraft parameters meet aircraft operating conditions for the asymmetric operating regime, outputting an availability message to a cockpit of the aircraft in response to receiving the engine availability confirmation and the aircraft availability confirmation, receiving a pilot-initiated request to operate the engine in the asymmetric operating regime, and commanding the engines to operate in the asymmetric operating regime in response to the pilot-initiated request.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Patrick Manoukian, Keith Morgan
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Patent number: 11989039Abstract: A control system includes at least one memory storing program code and at least one processor. The program code is configured to cause the at least one processor to estimate size of a short visibility airspace, based on a location of a first point at which an aircraft detects the short visibility airspace, a location of a second point at which the aircraft determines that the aircraft has entered the short visibility airspace, and sensing information acquired at the first point. The program code also causes the at least one processor to perform control to cause the aircraft to move to a safe airspace that is set based on the estimated size of the short visibility airspace when it is determined that flight continuation along a route passing through the short visibility airspace is impracticable.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2021Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.Inventor: Toshiaki Tazume
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Patent number: 11984038Abstract: Examples relate to a method for generating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) controller model for controlling an UAV, a system including an UAV, a wind generator, a motion-tracking system and a control module, and to an UAV. The method for training the UAV controller model includes providing a wind generator control signal to a wind generator, to cause the wind generator to emit a wind current towards the UAV. The method includes operating the UAV using the UAV controller model. A flight of the UAV is influenced by the wind generated by the wind generator. The method includes monitoring the flight of the UAV using a motion-tracking system to determine motion-tracking data. The method includes training the UAV controller model using a machine-learning algorithm based on the motion-tracking data.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2020Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Peter Dürr
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Patent number: 11975823Abstract: The present invention provides a method for maneuvering and aligning aircraft equipped and driven during ramp ground travel with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems that have deviated from taxi line travel paths and for maneuvering the electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft to park accurately to align with locations of parking stops when the aircraft nose landing gear wheels stop beyond or short of a parking stop. The aircraft pilot can, without waiting for a tug or starting aircraft engines, precisely maneuver the aircraft with the electric taxi drive systems while viewing the taxi line and parking stop location in real time with an optional camera and sensor system while maneuvering the aircraft in forward or reverse and lateral directions to align the aircraft nose wheels with the taxi line path and to accurately position the nose landing gear wheels at the parking stop.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Borealis Technical LimitedInventor: Nechama Cox
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Patent number: 11978346Abstract: A system includes a radio configured to transmit and receive voice transmissions to and from air traffic control (ATC), the radio installed onboard an aircraft. The system includes a processor communicatively coupled to the radio and installed onboard the aircraft. The processor is configured to: receive an ATC voice command via the radio; transcribe the ATC voice command into an ATC command; and when the ATC command includes an aircraft identification associated with the aircraft, categorize the ATC command into components, each of the components being categorized based on a criticality level associated with said component, wherein the criticality level is or is associated with a required accuracy confidence level of transcribed speech for a given component.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey A. Shapiro, Katarina Vuckovic
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Patent number: 11976633Abstract: A control system for limiting power turbine torque (QPT) of a gas turbine engine includes a controller including a processor and memory configured to control the gas turbine engine, the controller including an engine control module that provides an effector command signal to a gas generator of the gas turbine engine; a power turbine governor module that outputs a preliminary torque request (QPT_req_pre); and a power turbine torque (QPT) optimal limiter module that outputs a maximum torque topper (QPT_max) to limit a power turbine speed overshoot of the gas turbine engine; wherein the controller outputs a minimum value between the preliminary torque request (QPT_req_pre) and the maximum torque topper (QPT_max) to the engine control module.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Chaohong Cai, Timothy J Crowley, David Lei Ma, Richard P Meisner
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Patent number: 11978351Abstract: A beacon unit (2) configured to generate a virtual point (TP) which is moveable along a virtual trajectory (TR), from one or more data item(s) of a kinematics of the aircraft (AC). The device includes a control unit (4) configured to generate an order to move the aircraft towards a dynamic point (TP) and thus along the target trajectory (TR).Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2021Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: AIRBUS (SAS)Inventors: Francois Courbun, Mario Cassaro
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Patent number: 11970266Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a flight control mechanism for controlling flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle by controlling collision between the vehicle and a boundary surface, an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with the mechanism, and a method for using the mechanism and the vehicle. Provided is a flight control mechanism for an unmanned aerial vehicle including: a first initial collision member; a second initial collision member; and a holding member that holds the first and second initial collision members with a space therebetween above the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle, is tiltable with respect to the vehicle body by rotating about a predetermined position inside or above the vehicle body toward the side of the vehicle body, and rotates in response to collision between the first or second initial collision member and a boundary surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignees: ACSL, Ltd., NJS Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Kuroiwa, Shosuke Inoue, Yusuke Inagaki
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Patent number: 11970294Abstract: An apparatus for determining a resource remaining datum of an electric aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus includes a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor. The memory contains instructions configuring the processor to receive aircraft data from at least a sensing device, wherein the at least a sensing device is configured to measure at least a parameter of a battery pack of the electric aircraft and generate aircraft data as a function of the at least a parameter of the battery pack of the electric aircraft. The memory contains instructions configuring the processor to determine a reserve energy as a function of a flight mode of the electric aircraft and determine a resource remaining datum as a function of the aircraft data and the reserve energy, wherein the resource remaining datum is related to the battery pack of the electric aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Beta Air, LLCInventors: Steven J. Foland, Thomas Henck, Herman Wiegman
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Patent number: 11971713Abstract: An architecture to provision one-stop parking, charging, storage, and/or maintenance facilities and/or functionalities for drone equipment. A method can comprise identifying a drone entering a defined airspace monitored by the network equipment; in response to establishing a communication channel with the drone, receiving data representing a physical dimension associated with the drone; based on the physical dimension associated with the drone, allocating a space within a defined area to which the drone is to navigate and then cease moving; and sending, to the drone via the communication channel, notification data that notifies the drone to navigate to the space.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Jackie Chen, Kevin Ackerman, Clayton Cotton, Roque Rios, III
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Patent number: 11971717Abstract: An aircraft including a wing system, a plurality of control surfaces, a camera mounted on a camera pod, and a control system. The camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view only in yaw, relative to the aircraft, between a directly forward-looking orientation and a side-looking orientation. The control system controls the control surfaces such that they induce a significant aircraft yaw causing an identified target to be within the field of view of the camera with the camera in the directly forward-looking orientation.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2020Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.Inventors: William J. Nicoloff, Eric M. Sornborger, Lars B. Cremean
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Patent number: 11968026Abstract: A network for providing high speed data communications may include multiple terrestrial transmission stations that are located within overlapping communications range and a mobile receiver station. The terrestrial transmission stations provide a continuous and uninterrupted high speed data communications link with the mobile receiver station employing a wireless radio access network protocol.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: SMARTSKY NETWORKS LLCInventor: Donald Alcorn
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Patent number: 11967091Abstract: A technique for detecting an environmental change to a delivery zone via an unmanned aerial vehicle includes obtaining an anchor image and an evaluation image, each representative of the delivery zone, providing the anchor image and the evaluation image to a machine learning model to determine an embedding score associated with a distance between representations of the anchor image and the evaluation image within an embedding space, and determining an occurrence of the environmental change to the delivery zone when the embedding score is greater than a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: WING Aviation LLCInventors: Ali Shoeb, Dinuka Abeywardena
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Patent number: 11966223Abstract: A control system an unmanned vehicle includes a first processing unit configured to execute a primary autopilot process for controlling the unmanned vehicle. The control system further includes a programmable logic array in operative communication with the first processing unit. The control system also includes a state machine configured in the programmable logic array. The state machine is configured to enable control of the unmanned vehicle according to a backup autopilot process in response to an invalid output of the first processing unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLCInventors: Stefano Angelo Mario Lassini, Ryan Daniel Gorby, John Andrew Ingersoll
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Patent number: 11961020Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to a light electric vehicle. More specifically, this disclosure describes how to limit or restrict access to a light electric vehicle based on determined or anticipated environmental conditions. The disclosure also describes how to change one or more capabilities or operating parameters of the light electric vehicle based on determined and/or anticipated environmental conditions.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Nicholas Foley, Michael Beckmann
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Patent number: 11961150Abstract: The present invention relates to a national forest resources continuous inventory cloud platform and sample plot monitoring method. The cloud platform includes a perception layer, a network layer, a platform layer, a data layer, an application layer, and a user layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2023Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignees: Sichuan Forestry and Grassland Investigation and Planning Institute, Sichuan Yangdi Shikong Technology Co., LtdInventors: Fei Gao, Zhifang Zhu, Nana Li
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Patent number: 11958096Abstract: A transport system (10) for transporting workpieces (12) on a transport path between two production process stations, includes a set of drones (18, 20), each of which includes at least one gripper (26), which is designed to releasably couple to a surface (28) of a workpiece, and a control device for the simultaneous coordinated control of the drones (18, 20) of the set in such a way that the grippers (26) of the drones (18, 20) couple to different coupling positions on the surface (28) of the workpiece (12) and the orientation of the workpiece (12) can be changed on a transport path between the production process stations by changing the relative positions of the drones (18, 20) while maintaining the relative distances of the coupling positions from one another.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2019Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Strothmann Machines & Handling GmbHInventors: Nihat Demir, Andreas Senge, Tim Büllesbach
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Patent number: 11960596Abstract: A network interface device comprises a first area of trust comprising a first part of the network interface device, the first part comprising one or more first kernels. A second area of trust comprising a second part of the network interface device different to said first part is provided, the second part comprising one or more second kernels. A communication link is provided between the first area of trust and the second area of trust. At least one of the first and second areas of trust is provided with isolation circuitry configured to control which data which is passed to the other of the first and second areas via the communication link.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Steven Leslie Pope, Derek Edward Roberts, Dmitri Kitariev, Neil Duncan Turton, David James Riddoch, Ripduman Sohan
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Patent number: 11955020Abstract: Systems and methods for operating done flights over public roadways are disclosed herein. An example method includes transmitting, by a first drone, a drone safety message, the drone safety message being received by a vehicle or a roadside infrastructure device located along a first planned flight path, determining an emergency condition for the first done, transmitting a warning message over a vehicle-to-everything communication that indicates that the first drone is experiencing the emergency condition. A connected vehicle or mobile device receives the warning message over the vehicle-to-everything communication. Determining drone operating evidence as the first drone traverses along the first planned flight path, and storing the drone operating evidence in a distributed ledger.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Syed Amaar Ahmad, Krishna Bandi, Richard Ortman
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Patent number: 11952105Abstract: A system for flight control in electric aircraft includes a flight controller configured to provide an initial vehicle torque signal including a plurality of attitude commands. The system includes a mixer configured to receive the initial vehicle torque signal and a vehicle torque limit, receive prioritization data including a prioritization datum corresponding to each of the plurality of attitude command, determine a plurality of modified attitude commands as a function of the vehicle torque limit, the attitude commands, and the prioritization data, generate, as a function of modified attitude commands, an output torque command including the initial vehicle torque signal adjusted as a function of the vehicle torque limit, generate, as a function of the output torque command, a remaining vehicle torque. The system includes a display, wherein the display is configured to present, to a user, the remaining vehicle torque and the output torque command.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: BETA Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Giroux, Timothy Gerard Richter, Nicholas Moy
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Patent number: 11949558Abstract: A method of automatic configuration of a communications interface of an unknown data network, the method comprising connecting an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) to the unknown data network, attempting to open communication ports, in response to attempting to open communication ports, receiving data from the unknown data network, determining, by a controller module, if the selected communications interface can interpret the received data, and operating the communications interface of the EFB in accordance with the selected communications interface.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLCInventors: Víctor Mario Leal Herrera, Joachim Karl Ulf Hochwarth, Jason Chung-Jo Ling
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Patent number: 11939914Abstract: There is described a method of operating a multi-engine system of an helicopter. The multi-engine system has a first turboshaft engine having a first shaft, a second turboshaft engine having a second shaft, a gearbox having a clutch system, and a range of rotation speeds defined as a placarded zone. The method generally has rotating the first shaft at a flight rotation speed when clutched and rotating the second shaft at a first idle rotation speed when unclutched, the first idle rotation speed above the placarded zone; decreasing a rotation speed of the first shaft from the flight rotation speed to a given rotation speed within the placarded zone; decreasing a rotation speed of the second shaft to the given rotation speed; clutching the second shaft; and decreasing the rotation speeds of the first and second shafts to a second idle rotation speed below the placarded zone.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Philippe Beauchesne-Martel, Gaetan De Lussy, Jeremie Hebert, Daniel Coutu
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Patent number: 11943041Abstract: Dynamic shielding of cellular signals for an antenna of an unmanned aerial vehicle is disclosed. An example method may include receiving a navigation route for an unmanned aerial vehicle to execute during flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and determining an orientation of a radio signal shield for an antenna of the unmanned aerial vehicle using ground level signal propagation information of radio signals for a network and the navigation route, wherein the radio signal shield prevents the radio signals from being received by the antenna from directions based on the orientation. The method may further include adjusting the radio signal shield using the orientation and communicating with a cellular base station of the network using the antenna.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.Inventors: Mario Kosseifi, Joseph Thomas, Giuseppe De Rosa
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Patent number: 11932387Abstract: A tailsitter aircraft includes an airframe, a thrust array attached to the airframe and a flight control system. The thrust array includes propulsion assemblies configured to transition the airframe from a forward flight orientation to a VTOL orientation at a conversion rate for an approach to a target ground location in a forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase. The flight control system implements an adaptive transition system including a transition parameter monitoring module configured to monitor parameters including a ground speed and a distance to the target ground location. The adaptive transition system includes a transition adjustment determination module configured to adjust the conversion rate of the airframe from the forward flight orientation to the VTOL orientation based on the ground speed and the distance to the target ground location such that the airframe is vertically aligned with the target ground location in the VTOL orientation of the forward flight-to-VTOL transition phase.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, Jr., Russell C. Peters, William Alexander Dean, Spencer Hancock
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Patent number: 11934205Abstract: Methods and devices for optimizing the climb of an aircraft or drone are provided. After an optimal continuous climb strategy has been determined, a lateral path is determined, in particular in terms of speeds and turn radii, based on vertical predictions computed in the previous step. Subsequently, computation results are displayed on one or more human-machine interfaces and the climb strategy is actually flown. Embodiments describe the use of altitude and speed constraints and/or settings in respect of speed and/or thrust and/or level-flight avoidance and/or gradient-variation minimization, and iteratively fitting parameters in order to make the profile of the current path coincide with the constrained profile in real time depending on the selected flight dynamics (e.g. energy sharing, constraint on climb gradient, constraint on the vertical climb rate). System (e.g. FMS) and software aspects are described.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: THALESInventors: Johan Boyer, Geoffrey Durand, Jérôme Sacle
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Patent number: 11926436Abstract: Systems and methods for fusing and analyzing multiple sources of data from a plurality of aircraft-related data sources for fault determination and other integrated vehicle health management (IVHM) diagnostics are provided. More particularly, one or more portions of data from a plurality of aircraft-related data sources for one or more aircraft are accessed. One or more alerts indicative of a data anomaly within the one or more portions of aircraft-related data sources can be detected, wherein a type of alert and originating data source associated with each alert as well as optional related confidence scores can be identified. One or more aircraft faults can be determined based at least in part on a correlation of identified types and data sources for detected alerts. An output indicative of the determined one or more aircraft faults can be provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Taleris LimitedInventors: Frank Beaven, Maria Louise Watson
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Patent number: 11928505Abstract: Offline task-based feature processing for aerial vehicles is provided. A system can extract features from a world model generated using sensor information captured by sensors mounted on an aerial vehicle. The system generates a label for each of the features and identifies identify processing levels based on the features. The system selects a processing level for each feature of a subset of features based on a task performed by the aerial vehicle and the label associated with the feature. The system generates one or more processed features by applying the processing level to a respective feature of the subset of the plurality of features. The system presents the one or more processed features on a display device of the aerial vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATIONInventors: Navid Dadkhah Tehrani, Daniel Montrallo Flickinger, Igor Cherepinsky
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Patent number: 11927677Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for distributed vehicle navigation processing for a vehicle. For instance, the method may include: by the vehicle: obtaining reference data from one or a combination of an imaging system, an antenna system, and/or a radar system of the vehicle; in response to obtaining the reference data, determining whether a GNSS signal is below a threshold; and in response to determining the GNSS signal is below the threshold, transmitting a navigation supplementation request message including the reference data to an edge node or a cloud node. By the edge node or the cloud node: in response to receiving the navigation supplementation request message from the vehicle, performing a position resolution process to determine and transmit a position of the vehicle by one or more functions. By the vehicle: performing a navigation control process based on the determined position.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Sreenivasan Govindillam, George Rajan Koilpillai, Mohandas Amarnathan, Ramakrishnan Raman, Shunmugavel Madasamy, Yogananda Vasudev Jeppu
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Patent number: 11920999Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control method includes obtaining target flight data and current flight data; determining a control state variable based on the target flight data and the current flight data; and calibrating a center of gravity of the UAV based on the control state variable.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Kai Wang, Xiang Gao
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Patent number: 11914369Abstract: A method for controlling a UAV in an environment includes receiving first and second sensing signals from a vision sensor and a proximity sensor, respectively, coupled to the UAV. The first and second sensing signals include first and second depth information of the environment, respectively. The method further includes selecting the first and second sensing signals for generating first and second portions of an environmental map, respectively, based on a suitable criterion associated with distinct characteristics of various portions of the environment or distinct capabilities of the vision sensor and the proximity sensor, generating first and second sets of depth images for the first and second portions of the environmental map, respectively, based on the first and second sensing signals, respectively, combining the first and second sets of depth images to generate the environmental map; and effecting the UAV to navigate in the environment using the environmental map.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Ang Liu, Weiyu Mo, Yonggen Ling
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Patent number: 11915599Abstract: The present invention provides a method for planning a shortest possible three-dimensional path for autonomous flying robots to traverse from one location to the other in a geographical region, including translating a three-dimensional (3D) environment, discretizing the 3D environment into a graph of many grid cells or nodes, employing a modified any-angle path planning algorithm to calculate non-uniform traversal cost of each grid cell and by averaging the total traversal costs along the path to shorten the corresponding computation time, whilst incorporating operational costs other than the traversal cost specific to the autonomous flying robots to be traversed. The shortest possible path found by the present method does not only consider the path length, but also takes different costs of traversing and operating the flying robots into account, which increases its feasibility and flexibility to be applied in a wide variety of situations and technological areas.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignees: City University of Hong Kong;, Hangzhou Antwork Network Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Lishuai Li, Fang He, Lei Zhang
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Patent number: 11912412Abstract: A substrate working system includes a plurality of substrate working apparatuses, a component storage that stores a device and a component to be used by the substrate working apparatuses, and a component conveyance flight vehicle. The component conveyance flight vehicle conveys a conveyance article by flying from the component storage to a predetermined position corresponding to a predetermined substrate working apparatus while holding the conveyance article based on necessary article information of the substrate working apparatuses.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Nakano, Tomoyoshi Utsumi
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Patent number: 11912394Abstract: A propulsion assembly for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), includes a motor, a propeller seat configured to be driven by the motor and to receive a propeller, and a sensor configured to collect sensing data useful for determining a type of the propeller disposed on the propeller seat and controlling the motor based on the type of the propeller.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Bin Jiang
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Patent number: 11912410Abstract: Aspects of the current subject matter relate to enhanced operation services provided by an unmanned vehicle with cloud-based connectivity for real-time exchange of data and command/control operations. Data collected during a mission for an operation service, such as a particular inspection activity, is transmitted in real-time to a server for analysis to provide real-time or near real-time feedback in the form of command and/or control signals to the unmanned vehicle to improve the operation service while it is being carried out. The collected data is also used for simulations and to create historical content for future operation services.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Unmanned LaboratoryInventor: Giovani D. Diniz
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Patent number: 11907833Abstract: A method includes receiving input data including a plurality of feature vectors and labeling each feature vector based on a temporal proximity of the feature vector to occurrence of a fault. Feature vectors that are within a threshold temporal proximity to the occurrence of the fault are labeled with a first label value and other feature vectors are labeled with a second label value. The method includes determining, for each feature vector of a subset, a probability that the label associated with the feature vector is correct. The subset includes feature vectors having labels that indicate the first label value. The method includes reassigning labels of one or more feature vectors of the subset having a probability that fails to satisfy a probability threshold and, after reassigning the labels, training an aircraft fault prediction classifier using supervised training data including the plurality of feature vectors and the labels.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Rashmi Sundareswara, Franz David Betz, Tsai-Ching Lu
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Patent number: 11905030Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device with control panel (1) for air vehicles and for controlling the suitability of inputs entered into the control panel (CP) by a pilot in order to operate air vehicle and to give automatic input to the control panel (CP) independent of pilot in the event that predetermined conditions are met.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2018Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: TUBITAKInventors: Fatih Geridönmez, Tu{umlaut over (g)}rul Adigüzel
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Patent number: 11900821Abstract: An method for controlling an autonomous vehicle fleet, including obtaining, by a fleet controller, from a master schedule, a mission for a vehicle of a fleet of autonomous vehicles, where the mission is associated with a mission entry of the master schedule, generating vehicle commands according to mission parameters associated with the mission, maintaining a persistent connection with the vehicle, sending the vehicle commands to the vehicle using the connection, the vehicle commands causing the vehicle to execute the mission under control of the fleet controller, and monitoring operation of the vehicle during performance of the mission.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.Inventors: Grant Mark Bristow, Matthew David Holvey, Naveed Ahmed Siddiqui
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Patent number: 11891919Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a pitch angle of the vanes or blades of a propellant body of a turbine engine, comprising generating a pitch command (ifinal) according to a rotational speed of the propeller (XNmes) and a speed setpoint (XNcons), the method comprises a nominal regulating chain (13), wherein the pitch command is further generated according to a value of a pitch angle (?mes) of the vanes or blades of the propellant body, and an off-nominal regulating chain (16), wherein the pitch command is generated independently of a value of a pitch angle of the vanes or blades of the propellant body.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Sébastien Jean Fernand Deneuve, Charles Ying
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Patent number: 11891043Abstract: A control system includes: a plurality of sub-power managers that control respective output power of a plurality of subsystems that actualize functions of the vehicle; and an integrated power manager that performs integrated control of output power in the overall vehicle by exchanging information with the plurality of sub-power managers. The information that is exchanged between the plurality of sub-power managers and the integrated power manager includes information that enables calculation of a physical quantity that is expressed by at least either of a power dimension and an energy dimension. The plurality of subsystems respectively corresponds to a plurality of domains that each include one or more apparatuses and a storage unit. The integrated power manager plans a stored energy quantity of the storage unit in each of the domains that respectively correspond to the plurality of sub-power managers.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaro Ito, Mitsuharu Higashitani
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Patent number: 11884392Abstract: An aircraft assistance method for reducing drag on the aircraft. The method includes flying an autonomous aircraft near the aircraft. An optimal position where vortices created by the autonomous aircraft or the aircraft interact with the other aircraft and/or autonomous aircraft to reduce drag and/or increase lift on the aircraft is determined. The autonomous aircraft is positioned in the optimal position. The method may include a landing assistance system with at least one autonomous aircraft configured to provide the aircraft with information regarding a desired position relative to a runway. The at least one autonomous aircraft may be configured to communicate with the aircraft through a processor and/or a display in the aircraft. The autonomous aircraft may be subject to a drone control system for a plurality of drones configured to position the plurality of drones in a formation.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Inventor: Ahmad Fareed AlDarwish
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Patent number: 11886204Abstract: A supervision method for a flight state of an unmanned aerial vehicle includes respectively establishing communication connections with the unmanned aerial vehicle and a supervision server, receiving identity information about the unmanned aerial vehicle and flight information about the unmanned aerial vehicle sent by the unmanned aerial vehicle, automatically sending the identity information about the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight information to the supervision server in an on-line mode, receiving at least one of a flight restriction instruction or warning information sent by the supervision server, and forwarding the flight restriction instruction to the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle executes the flight restriction instruction, thereby restricting flight behaviour of the unmanned aerial vehicle in an on-line flight mode via the flight restriction instruction.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Ming Chen, Ming Gong, Yongsen Chen, Zhun Ding
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Patent number: 11880288Abstract: A system for capturing hardware telemetry includes a hardware component encoded with hardware logic for emitting a telemetry stream into memory of a computing device. The system further includes a hardware component driver stored in the memory that is configured to parse the telemetry stream, populate telemetry structures defined within a telemetry event schema based on values parsed from the telemetry stream, and generate a telemetry record including the populated telemetry structures.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Jacob Kappeler Oshins, Hari Angepat
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Patent number: 11881108Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for virtual parking lot space allocation. An example method may include receiving, by a processor and from a first vehicle, sensor data relating to a first location. The example method may also include generating, by the processor and based on the sensor data, a first virtual parking space of a virtual parking location within the first location.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jordan Barrett, Brendan Diamond, Michael Alan Mcnees, Keith Weston, Andrew Denis Lewandowski, Stuart C. Salter, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
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Patent number: 11874676Abstract: An embodiment provides unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for infrastructure surveillance and monitoring. One example includes monitoring power grid components such as high voltage power lines. The UAVs may coordinate, for example using swarm behavior, and be controlled via a platform system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: JAR Scientific, LLCInventors: Justin Starr, Ashish Basuray, Roman Kazantsev