Patents Assigned to Airbus Defence and Space
  • Patent number: 11183970
    Abstract: A test device for testing a solar generator of a satellite or solar drone, the solar generator includes an array of solar cells, each junction being capable of converting photons of a respective wavelength band into electric current, the test device includes: an array of light sources including at least one row of light sources, wherein each light source emits light in each of the electrical conversion wavelength bands of the junction(s) of the solar cells, and a control unit for the array of light sources, and capable of controlling the turning on and off of each of the light sources of the array individually, wherein the array of light sources selectively illuminates each solar cell of the solar generator by turning on one or more light sources of the array, with the solar cell receiving an irradiance that is greater than at least 130W/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventors: Dominique Vergnet, Marc Sabathe
  • Patent number: 11178119
    Abstract: A unidirectional communication system to allow the sending of alerts and notification to remote operators while relieving the problem of the protection of a secured network against cyberattacks when the secured network has a need to communicate information from the secured network to a public network. In practice, the solution is based on the use of a data diode (also known under the name of network diode) to allow unidirectional transmission of information from the secured network to a public network, which makes a computer attack on the secured network from the public network impossible. Further, because of a commanded data diode, no sensitive information can leak from the secured network via the system according to the invention. The transmission of the message is only done after the message to be sent has been cleaned of sensitive information and then encrypted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventors: Gérard Dupont, Olivier Lagarde, Jean-Luc Marty
  • Publication number: 20210342576
    Abstract: An object identification unit contains an artificial neural network and is designed to identify human faces. For this purpose, a face is divided into a number of triangles. The relative component of the area of each triangle in the total of the areas of all triangles is ascertained to ascertain a rotational angle of the face. The relative component of the area of each triangle in the total of the area of all triangles is then scaled to a rotation-invariant dimension of the face. The scaled area of the triangles is supplied to the artificial neural network in order to identify a person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Hiebl
  • Patent number: 11162185
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed a process for the electrolytic polishing of a metallic substrate, including the steps of (i) providing an electrolyte in an electrolytic cell having at least one electrode, (ii) disposing a metallic substrate as an anode in the electrolytic cell, (iii) applying a current at a voltage of 270 to 315 V from a power source between the at least one electrode and the metallic substrate, and (iv) immersing the metallic substrate in the electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte includes at least one acid compound, at least one fluoride compound, and at least one complexing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Sarah Bagehorn, Tobias Mertens
  • Patent number: 11161320
    Abstract: A structural component, in particular for an aircraft, spacecraft or rocket, has a ply of fiber reinforced polymer; a first carbon nanotube mat; and a metallic layer, wherein the carbon nanotube mat and the metallic layer are arranged on the ply of fiber reinforced polymer to form a hybrid lightning strike protection layer. A component for manufacturing such a structural component, a method for manufacturing a component of this type, a method for manufacturing a structural component and an aircraft or spacecraft with such a structural component are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Karch, Blanka Lenczowski, Johannes Wolfrum, Yehoshua Yeshurun
  • Publication number: 20210337356
    Abstract: A method of localizing a device within an environment includes a step, in which a first location information is acquired that is representative of a first specified position. In another step, a first sensor information is acquired that is representative of the first specified position. In another step, the first sensor information is allocated to the first location information in order to generate a first condition information that is unique for the first specified position. In another step, a knowledge base is provided which includes the first condition information. In another step, the device provides a current sensor information indicating a current condition of the environment present at the current position of the device. In another step, the device is localized based on a matching between the current sensor information and the plurality of condition information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Mika Semann
  • Patent number: 11117644
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aircraft. The aircraft has a primary structural element, which extends along a main axis of the aircraft, and at least one monolithic structural component, which is produced by a three-dimensional printing method. The aircraft also has an aircraft system for carrying out an aircraft-specific function. The at least one monolithic structural component is fixed on the primary structural element by a fixing device, system, means, or mechanism. The monolithic structural component is embodied to accommodate the aircraft system. The disclosure also relates to a method for producing an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Schlueter
  • Publication number: 20210280982
    Abstract: A method for producing a layer of a device for electromagnetic radiation absorption, includes: providing a ply of powder material in the layer to be produced of the device; providing a predefined concentration distribution of particles for electromagnetic radiation absorption in the layer; providing a first binder and a second binder for the powder materials, wherein the first binder includes particles for the absorption of electromagnetic radiation, wherein the second binder includes a lower concentration of identical and/or different particles than the first binder; determining a mixing ratio between the first binder and the second binder for every position in the layer; selecting a position of the layer; mixing the first and second binder according to the mixing ratio for the selected position; wetting the powder material at the selected position using the mixed first and second binders; and repeating selecting, mixing, and wetting to produce the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Karch, Christian Metzner, Matthias Bleckmann, Heinrich Dinnebier
  • Patent number: 11111004
    Abstract: A device to fasten a system to a structure of a vehicle includes a drive unit that provides rotary movement of a drive element relative to the structure. The device has first and second supporting elements. The first supporting element is rotatably coupled to the drive element via a first rotation axis, and is rotatably mounted to the structure via a second rotation axis. The second supporting element is rotatably coupled to the first supporting element, and a first connecting element, which is rotatably mounted to the structure via a third rotation axis. The first connecting element is rotatably coupled to the second supporting element via a fourth rotation axis. The second supporting element is rotatably coupled to the first supporting element via a fifth rotation axis. During movement, the first supporting element has a different rotational speed than the second supporting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Cheikh Sarraf
  • Patent number: 11106910
    Abstract: A method for simulating the estimation of a time to acquire satellite images associated with at least one predetermined area of the Earth, by at least one Earth observation satellite having an optical imaging system, the predetermined area being previously divided into a grid of cells, the acquisition being scheduled to be triggered starting on an analysis start date is disclosed having the steps of: (a) conducting an inventory of the cells planned to be overflown by the satellite on a current iteration date, on the basis of the orbital characteristics of the satellite on the current iteration date, thus obtaining candidate cells, (b) identifying among the candidate cells, on the basis of a mission plan of the satellite, those cells for which acquisition of at least one satellite image is scheduled, thus obtaining scheduled cells, (c) obtaining at least a first cloudiness value for each of the scheduled cells, (d) identifying, among the scheduled cells, those for which the first associated cloudiness value is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventors: Cécilia Amselem, Eric Villeméjeanne, Jean-Christophe Angulo
  • Patent number: 11106549
    Abstract: Secure logging systems and methods using cryptography and/or encryption with crash recovery. In some embodiments, the secure logging system includes an initialization module to initialize cells of a logging database, including inserting a pseudorandom number into each cell of the logging database. In some embodiments, the secure logging system includes an addition module to encrypt new log messages and add them to the logging database in a given number of pseudorandom cells of the logging database. In some embodiments, the secure logging system includes a listing module to determine where in the logging database the log message was stored and then to decrypt the encrypted log messages. These systems and methods improve computer related technology including by improving crash reconstruction, root cause analysis, network systems security, and logging system encryption and security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Northeastern University
    Inventors: Erik-Oliver Blass, Guevara Noubir
  • Patent number: 11108128
    Abstract: A circuit board includes a substantially planar component carrier and a microstrip which is applied to a surface of the component carrier. The microstrip extends towards a connection transition which is arranged on a lateral edge of the component carrier. A waveguide portion of an antenna element which is produced by a 3D printing process is coupled to this connection transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Ziegler, Enric Miralles Navarro
  • Publication number: 20210261266
    Abstract: An aircraft structure has a fuselage, a wing and an air inlet for receiving air for an engine. The air inlet contains an elevation which rises from the fuselage and the wing. The elevation is arranged in a transition region between the wing and the fuselage and extends asymmetrically with respect to an angle bisector of an angle between a surface of the wing and the lateral surface of the fuselage. By virtue of this construction, a leading edge of the wing can be arranged further forward than the air inlet, and the air inlet configured according to these principles can positively influence a flow boundary layer on the aircraft structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Ehrmayr, Thomas Berens
  • Patent number: 11098412
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the metallization of an object including placing the object in an electrolyte, placing an anode in contact with the electrolyte, placing a metallization contact of a cathode in contact with the object, applying an electrical tension between the anode and the cathode, wherein the metallization contact is displaced in relation to the object during the metallization of the object to achieve a complete and continuous metallization of the object's surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Lidija Rafailovich, Sonja Nixon, Catherine Haas, Tomislav Tri{hacek over (s)}ovic, Hans Peter Karnthaler
  • Patent number: 11079568
    Abstract: A payload module (1) of a stratospheric drone including: a casing (10), and a piece of optical equipment (20) comprising an optical axis, mounted in the casing, wherein the module being includes a mirror (40) positioned on the optical axis facing the optical equipment, the mirror being swivelable about at least one axis, within an angular range, wherein the casing has a through-opening (11) shaped so that any light ray received or emitted by the optical equipment parallel to the optical axis and reflected by the mirror passes through the through-opening, over the entire angular range of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventors: Pierre-Luc Georgy, Pere Roca
  • Patent number: 11075384
    Abstract: A battery cell includes an anode, a cathode, and a separator between the anode and the cathode, wherein at least one of the anode or the cathode includes at least a carbon fiber ply comprising carbon fibers, the carbon fiber ply having a thickness of less than 90 micrometers. Also disclosed are a battery and an aircraft including such battery cell, and a method for manufacturing such battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Linde, Leif Asp, Dan Zenkert, Maciej Wysocki, Fredrik Ohlsson, Christian Metzner
  • Publication number: 20210214081
    Abstract: A device for accommodating and deploying at least one payload on a flying machine includes at least one housing. The housing includes at least two opposite first side surfaces which extend over at least a portion of a length of a payload to be accommodated. The payload to be accommodated is releasably held between the two first side surfaces of the housing. The housing is at least partially arranged in a cavity on an outer surface of a flying machine. The cavity includes at least one outwardly open first opening, and the housing can be at least partially moved out of the cavity for deploying and/or receiving the payload to be accommodated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Schlüter
  • Publication number: 20210188463
    Abstract: A system with a self-test function has at least one system component which has at least one technical function, a fault simulation unit integrated in the system, a self-test unit integrated in the system, and a verification control unit integrated in the system, wherein the at least one system component is coupled to the fault simulation unit, wherein the fault simulation unit is designed to influence the operation of the system component to the effect that the at least one technical function is selectively impaired, wherein the self-test unit is designed to monitor operating parameters of the system component and to respectively generate a warning signal which indicates impairment of the respective at least one technical function, and wherein the verification control unit is designed to compare the warning signals generated by the self-test unit with expected warning signals on the basis of the impaired technical functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Brenner
  • Publication number: 20210179297
    Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring a kinematic coupling between an actuator and an element controlled by the latter includes a first sensor to detect the operative movement of the actuator. A second sensor is designed to detect the actual movement of the controlled element. A computer unit, based on the operative movement of the actuator, determines an anticipated movement of the controlled element and compares this anticipated movement with the actual movement of the controlled element. An error message is emitted when a value of the deviation between the anticipated movement and the actual movement exceeds a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Köhler
  • Patent number: 11037011
    Abstract: A method for acquiring images of the surface of the earth, installing an aerial platform in a quasi-stationary position, equipped with an image acquisition system with a large field of view and a second, high-resolution, image acquisition system is disclosed. The method includes implementing successive observation cycles, each one including the acquisition of an image of a zone of interest by the first system, the partitioning of the image thus acquired into mesh units which each correspond to a sector of the zone of interest, the analysis of the image in order to detect the potential presence of unwanted marks, and the acquisition of an image by the second system for the mesh units for which no unwanted marks have been detected. Observation cycles are thereby implemented until images of the entire zone of interest have been acquired by the second system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventor: Pierre-Luc Georgy