Abstract: A thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft that has a frame and a skin coupled to the frame such that the skin has a first segment and a second segment includes a first network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the first segment of skin. The first network of heat pipes is configured to heat the first segment of skin using heat from the heat source. The thermal management system further includes a second network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the second segment of skin. The second network of heat pipes is configured to heat the second segment of skin using heat from the heat source. The thermal management system is configured to selectively deactivate the first network of heat pipes and the second network of heat pipes.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 6, 2013
Publication date:
March 12, 2015
Applicants:
GE Aviation Systems LLC, General Electric Company
Inventors:
Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, Jonathan Mark Dunsdon, Michel Engelhardt
Abstract: A multispectral staring array comprises, amongst other things, at least two sensors where each sensor is adapted to detect an image in a different predetermined spectral sensitivity; a first lens to focus capture spectral bands; a spectral filter between the lens and the sensors to subdivide the incident spectral bands; and a second lens to direct and focus the subdivided incident spectral bands on each of the sensors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 9, 2012
Date of Patent:
March 10, 2015
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Thomas Baby Sebastian, Sarah Christine Maas Stotz, Eric Daniel Buehler, Benjamin Thomas Occhipinti
Abstract: Methods of illustrating one or more derated takeoffs of an aircraft on a runway where such illustrations are on a flight display in a cockpit of the aircraft and are based on various information and may allow pilots to make more accurate decisions related to derated takeoffs and full thrust takeoffs of the aircraft.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
March 10, 2015
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Timothy Donal Paul Burns, Aaron James Gannon, Dashiell Matthews Kolbe, Darrin Walter Wargacki, Gerhard Walter Moeller
Abstract: A constant frequency starter/generator for a turbine engine includes a first inverter/converter, a second inverter/converter, a DC link electrically connecting the first inverter/converter to the second inverter/converter, and an electric machine having a synchronous main machine, wherein the constant frequency starter/generator is operable in a start mode and a run mode.
Abstract: A method for displaying a flight plan having at least one waypoint on a flight display of a flight deck of an aircraft having known flight constraints, including receiving a user input for a user-inputted waypoint and generating an alternative waypoint when the user-inputted waypoint is not suitable and displaying same.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 26, 2012
Date of Patent:
February 24, 2015
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems, LLC
Inventors:
Dashiell Matthews Kolbe, Philip Dewing Sugimoto, Peter Jacob Conrardy
Abstract: A method of providing maintenance to an aircraft having multiple aircraft systems and a method of operating an aircraft having multiple aircraft systems, with at least some of the aircraft systems outputting one or more visual indicia indicative of a status of a system of the aircraft where the method provides information based on such visual indicia. An aircraft system for at least one of operating and maintaining the aircraft, which may retrieve information based on such visual indicia.
Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotor, a stator having a slot liner including an electrical insulator which extends beyond the stator ends, and a strengthening element provided at each of the slot liner ends, wherein the strengthening strip reduces the splitting of the corresponding slot liner end.
Abstract: A method of providing synchronization and integrity checking in a high integrity processing system having at least two redundant processing lanes, with each lane having an application processor, with the application processors running the same application software in a non-lockstep configuration, and outputting transactions requiring access to an addressable space.
Abstract: The invention relates to a method of evaluating the confidence of matching signatures of a hyperspectral image of at least one tracked object, defined by pixels on an image sensor, to a hyperspectral image template in real time while tracking the at least one tracked object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 17, 2012
Date of Patent:
November 18, 2014
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Ana Isabel Del Amo, Eric Daniel Buehler, Benjamin Thomas Occhipinti, Konrad Robert Kuczynski
Abstract: A method of removing a hyperspectral signature from at least one hyperspectral image, includes among other things, selecting a hyperspectral signature and determining a dissimilarity value between each pixel in the at least one hyperspectral image and the selected at least one hyperspectral signature. If the dissimilarity value between the signature of a given pixel in the at least one hyperspectral image and the selected at least one hyperspectral signature is less than a predetermined threshold value then the value of the signature for the given pixel is set to zero to create a signature-subtracted hyperspectral image.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 9, 2012
Date of Patent:
November 18, 2014
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Thomas Baby Sebastian, Eric Daniel Buehler, Benjamin Thomas Occhipinti, Konrad Robert Kuczynski, Richard Shawn Kelly
Abstract: A method of optically locating an aircraft relative to an airport having standardized signage, including markings, the method includes generating an image of at least a portion of the airport from an optical sensor mounted on the aircraft, determining the location of the aircraft, and providing an indication of the determined location within the aircraft.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 2, 2012
Date of Patent:
November 4, 2014
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Norman Leonard Ovens, Michael Eric Figard
Abstract: A relative navigation system projects a grid into space from a grid generator and an object, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, may use the projected grid to aid in the landing of the object. Methods of adjusting the projected grid including stabilizing the projected grid and orienting the grid generator relative to the earth.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 1, 2011
Date of Patent:
October 28, 2014
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Michael Steven Feldmann, Frank Saggio, III, John Robert Washburn
Abstract: A method of improving a spectral reflectance profile of an object using a hyperspectral imaging device includes, among other things, obtaining a series of hyperspectral images of the object where there is relative motion between the object and the hyperspectral imaging device; determining one or more parameters of the relative motion; mapping the parameters to determine an orientation of the object in each hyperspectral image in the series; identifying two or more spatial portions of the object in each hyperspectral image in the series; assigning a spectral signature to each spatial portion; and generating a multi-dimensional spectral reflectance profile from the orientation, the spatial portions, and the spectral signatures.
Type:
Application
Filed:
April 18, 2013
Publication date:
October 23, 2014
Applicant:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Eric Daniel Buehler, Benjamin Thomas Occhipinti
Abstract: A method of predicting an electrical fault in an electrical network, wherein a signal indicative of a transmission is received, compared to a reference signal, a determination is made and if the comparison suggests a fault, indicating the determination of the fault.
Abstract: A method and system for operating an aircraft having an autoflight system comprising flight guidance functionality and autoland functionality providing input to a flight control system such that both the autoflight and autoland functionality and their corresponding systems are operated at a Design Assurance Level A.
Abstract: A method of optically locating and guiding a vehicle relative to an airport having standardized signage where the method includes generating an image of at least a portion of the airport from an optical sensor mounted on the vehicle, determining the location of the vehicle, and providing guidance for operation of the vehicle.
Abstract: A method of projecting into space, from a first object, a plurality of modulated lines to form a grid defining a first relative reference frame, the method includes projecting polarized light having a first orientation to form a horizontal grid line projecting from the first object and projecting polarized light having a second orientation different than the first orientation to from a vertical grid line projecting from the first object and modulating the horizontal grid line and the vertical grid line to carry first and second grid words, respectively.
Abstract: A method for starting an electric motor, the motor having a main machine, exciter, and permanent magnet generator (PMG), each having a stator and a rotor, with each rotor mounted to a common shaft, the method comprising starting the main machine in an asynchronous mode by applying a starting current to the stator of the main machine to induce a damper current in a damper winding of the main rotor to generate a starting torque that initiates the rotation of the common shaft, and then running the main machine in synchronous mode by supplying running current from the exciter rotor to the main machine rotor.
Abstract: A system and method of transmitting sensor signals in a waveguide environment are provided. A sensor assembly is configured to wirelessly receive a sensor interrogation signal, determine an input power level of the sensor interrogation signal, and transmit a message including the determined power level. The system also includes a sensor controller configured to transmit a sensor interrogation signal determine an output power of the transmitted sensor interrogation signal at a plurality of frequencies, receive an indication of the received input power level of the sensor interrogation signal from the sensor assembly at the plurality of frequencies, compare the transmitted output power of the sensor interrogation signal to the received power indication, and select a transmit frequency for transmitting messages between the sensor assembly and the sensor controller based on the comparison.
Abstract: Method for conditioning a power supply for starting a jet engine having an electrical starting system with an auxiliary power unit in parallel with a DC power supply.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 18, 2012
Date of Patent:
August 26, 2014
Assignee:
GE Aviation Systems LLC
Inventors:
Dinesh Nath Taneja, Krishna Jonnalagadda, Pranav N. Patel