Patents Assigned to Rockwell Collins
  • Patent number: 11924341
    Abstract: A method for updating a cryptographic key via a computation unit configured with one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors is disclosed. The method includes loading a base key into a cryptographic storage unit integrated with a cryptographic application. The method includes generating a temporal key based on the base key using a one-way key update algorithm via cryptographic application logic integrated within the cryptographic application. The temporal key is assigned an update count based on the number of updates performed on the temporal key. The method further includes comparing the update count value to a required update count, updating the temporal key if the update count is less than the required update count, and zeroizing the temporal key if the update count is more than the required update count, in which the temporal key may be regenerated with the required update count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: William T. A. Tollefson
  • Patent number: 11920922
    Abstract: A system for detecting an alignment of a relay lens assembly and a combiner of a head-up display is disclosed. The system includes an illuminated reticle spatially coupled to the relay lens assembly, an optical sensor spatially coupled to the combiner, and a control module configured to receive an input from the optical sensor, determine a position of the combiner relative to the relay lens assembly based on the received input; and generate an output based on a determined position of the combiner relative to the relay lens assembly. In another system, the illuminated reticle is spatially coupled to the combiner, and the optical sensor is spatially coupled to the relay lens assembly. The system may also participate in a feedback loop with the head-up display to reduce jitter in the head-up display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric P. Stratton, Ian M. Meyer
  • Patent number: 11921927
    Abstract: A cabin control apparatus for installation in a cabin surface of an aircraft or other vehicle includes a set of haptic display devices in a housing, each haptic display device having a compact touch-sensitive display surface via which a passenger or user may provide control input for cabin services (e.g., lighting, seat adjustment, crew call, in-flight entertainment (IFE)). Each haptic display device includes haptic actuators for simulating the movement and feel of a mechanical button or switch. Each haptic display device provides information to the user as to the currently controlled cabin service or system, and the set of devices may be toggled between different operating modes wherein the set of devices controls a different set of services. Cabin services and systems controlled by the cabin control module may include passenger-specific context as well as network context, e.g., based on the time of day or the position of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Kuker, Christopher M. Avgenackis, Stephanie L. Cooper
  • Patent number: 11924997
    Abstract: A cold plate apparatus is disclosed. A cold plate includes a first set of sinusoidal conduits and a second set of sinusoidal conduits formed therein. The first set of sinusoidal conduits is arranged in a first direction, and the second set of sinusoidal conduits is arranged in a second direction. Crests of the first set of sinusoidal conduits overlap troughs of the second set of sinusoidal conduits. Crests of the second set of sinusoidal conduits overlap troughs of the first set of sinusoidal conduits. A first set of header plates is fluidically coupled to the first set of sinusoidal conduits, and a second set of header plates is fluidically coupled to the second set of sinusoidal conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Turney, Kimberly Saviers, Ram Ranjan, Robert H. Dold, Kathryn L Kirsch
  • Publication number: 20240067343
    Abstract: An endurance haptic system is disclosed herein. The endurance haptic system includes a plurality of tactors, a plurality of air bladders, a tactor driver operably coupled to the plurality of tactors and configured to send vibration commands to the plurality of tactors in response to a first signal received from an aircraft controller, and an air bladder driver operably coupled to the plurality of air bladders and configured to inflate and deflate the plurality of air bladders in response to a second signal received from the aircraft controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassidy L. Carson, John L. Hampton, Glen Shaw, Daniel R. Tribble, Larry Parker, Donald Borchelt, John R. Skola, James Donald Womack
  • Publication number: 20240067345
    Abstract: A system is disclosed herein, including a cushion including a plurality of tactors and a plurality of air bladders disposed adjacent the plurality of tactors, a pump assembly operably connected to the plurality of bladders, a processor, and a memory operatively coupled to the processor. The memory includes instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an inflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, determine a deflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, output commands to the pump assembly corresponding to the inflation sequence and the deflation sequence, and output vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassidy L. Carson, John L Hampton, Glen Shaw, Daniel R. Tribble, Larry Parker, Donald Borchelt, John R. Skola, James Donald Womack
  • Patent number: 11915389
    Abstract: A system may include a computer readable medium and a processor communicatively coupled to the computer readable medium. The processor may be configured to: obtain a graphical image file, the graphical image file including an image, wherein the image includes at least one sequence of repeating pattern elements, each of the at least one sequence including the repeating pattern elements that are repeated along a linear direction; and convert the graphical image file to at least one file including hardware directives that when executed cause a recreation of the image of the graphical image file to be drawn, wherein a file size of the at least one file is smaller than the graphical image file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff M. Henry, Kyle R. Peters, Reed A. Kovach
  • Patent number: 11914763
    Abstract: A system and method for conformal alignment of an aircraft-based head worn display (HWD) system defines far-field features in view of the HWD display, each far-field feature having a 3D truth position in a navigational reference frame. The aircraft GPS/IRS determines pointing vectors to each feature in the aircraft reference frame. The HWD user estimates a nominal head pose for orienting the far-field features in the HWD display, and the HWD system renders the far-field features based on the nominal head pose and pointing vectors. The rendered far-field features are aligned to their real-world 3D truth positions (either manually or with the assistance of witness cameras) and a latched pose of the HWD headtracker system determined based on a successful alignment within accuracy bounds. Based on the latched headtracker pose, the HWD headtracker alignment and the alignment of the HWD display reference frame to the aircraft reference frame are updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Boggs, Gavin P. Haentjens, William T. Kirchner, Brandon E. Wilson, Kurt I. Jaeger
  • Patent number: 11912431
    Abstract: A system and method for displaying dynamic time-based ranging over a moving map determines position, heading, and airspeed information of an ownship. Based on the positioning information of the ownship, the moving map projects the ownship forward in time and superimposes on the moving map (which may already include distance-based ranging information) time-based ranging information indicating a projected range of positions of the ownship at future or subsequent times relative to the current time. The displayed time-based ranging indicators may be arcuate in shape but adjusted to account for dynamic factors such as headwinds or tailwinds that may affect the time required for the ownship to reach a target at a given distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Krenz, Ellen L McGaughy
  • Patent number: 11916647
    Abstract: A communications system for line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications using a single aperture includes one or more operators positioned within an environment, wherein each operator includes a common aperture, one or more low-earth orbit satellites communicatively coupled to a plurality of communications sub-systems disposed on the operators. In one embodiment, the communications sub-systems may include a first antenna element to transmit and receive first radio frequency signals along a first directional link via the common aperture. In another embodiment, the communications sub-systems may include a second antenna element to transmit and receive second radio frequency signals along a second directional link via the common aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph T. Graf, James A. Stevens
  • Patent number: 11910864
    Abstract: A helmet assembly for a spacesuit or other protective suit is disclosed. In embodiments, the helmet assembly includes an external face shield attachable to the spacesuit and providing the spacesuit user with a forward field of view. The helmet assembly includes suit status displays hard-mounted to the external face shield at a periphery or edge of the forward field of view (e.g., upper, lower, left, right). Each suit status display includes a linear or one-dimensional array of individual light emitting diodes (LED) in communication with a suit controller of the spacesuit. Each LED array receives from the suit controller suit status data (e.g., consumables levels, suit performance, position data) communicated to the user by illuminating one or more of the individual LED units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher A. Keith
  • Patent number: 11908329
    Abstract: A system and related methods for providing unusual attitude symbology for recovering from an unusual attitude condition. By the unusual attitude symbology, a pilot may visually determine corrective actions needed to recover from the unusual attitude condition with a minimal recovery time and similarly with a minimal cognitive workload. The pilot may thus establish stable flight, even under a high-stress situation. The unusual attitude symbology includes pitch direction indicators, roll direction indicators, a roll recovery arc, an unusual attitude warning indicator, and a roll entry chevron. Path based symbology may also be used to provide unusual attitude recovery while maintaining spatial orientation of the aircraft to the outside scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Lenard E Noice
  • Patent number: 11903124
    Abstract: A through connector device is disclosed. The device may include a coaxial cable receiver portion defined by one or more surfaces, the coaxial cable receiver portion configured to couple to a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable, the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable protruding above a dielectric material of the coaxial cable. The device may include a beam lead positioned adjacent to the coaxial cable receiver portion. The device may include a planar transmission line contact pad configured to make electrical contact with a planar transmission line of a printed circuit board. The device may include a step configured to electrically and mechanically couple the beam lead to the planar transmission line contact pad, the step configured to create a gap between a bottom surface of the beam lead and a top surface of an outer conductor portion of the coaxial cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel S. Shaw
  • Patent number: 11889399
    Abstract: A communication system is disclosed. The communication system includes a first core network that is mobile, and a radio access network, which includes a first central unit and one or more distributed units. The first central unit includes a first router containing a multi-level security guard configured to route user plane data and control plane data to the first core network. The first central unit further includes a transceiver, a control plane interface coupled to the core network, and a second router configured to communicate user plane data and control plane data to one or more first distributed units. The central unit configures at least one network function of radio resource control (RRC). The one or more distributed units configures at least one network function of packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical link (PHY) network functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: John V. Thommana, James A. Stevens
  • Patent number: 11887222
    Abstract: A method and system for converting a filled shape to a run length encoded RLE vector is disclosed. The method includes creating a virtual pixel array of pixel cells corresponding to a graphical array of pixels comprising the filled shape. The method includes determining a border on the virtual pixel array corresponding to the filled shape, storing a pixel-type value within each pixel cell that corresponds to a border line element within the pixel, and creating a shape RLE group corresponding to a line of pixels aligned along a first axis of the virtual pixel array. Once created, the position and length of the shape RLE group is stored as an RLE vector. The method for clipping filled shapes is also disclosed, which includes converting a clipping region to a clip RLE group, then comparing the clip RLE group to the shape RLE group, forming a clipped image RLE vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeff M. Henry
  • Patent number: 11887486
    Abstract: A context driven alerting system and method is described in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The alerting system and method may consider a pilot's physiological, psychological, and behavioral state during a given mission context. The system may include biometric information which is fused with a context of the flight. The context may be based on one or more of a mission profile data or an aircraft state data. The fused data may be time synchronized and provided to an alerting algorithm. The alerting algorithm may then provide an alert to the pilot which includes a priority, intensity, frequency, or modality determined based on the fused information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Arjun Harsha Rao, Peggy Wu, Christopher L George, Timothy J. Wittkop, Michael P. Matessa, Wade T. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11884417
    Abstract: A system and method for emergency manual flight direction to a non-pilot enables the non-pilot an ability to safely land an aircraft after an event causing a single pilot of the aircraft to become unable to perform pilot tasks. The emergency flight director (EFD) receives inputs from a plurality of sources and displays information, maneuver, configuration and communication commands to the non-pilot on a flight deck display. Inputs to the system include aircraft state data as well as airport and current weather information associated with each available airport. The EFD determines an appropriate emergency landing runway and presents simplified commands coupled with animated aircraft specific graphics to the non-pilot to manually fly the aircraft to a safe landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel B. Goldman
  • Patent number: 11880503
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting an estimated head pose solution of a head worn display (HWD) at a future time selects or determines, for each HWD rotational axis, a relative angular rate of a head reference frame relative to a body reference frame. By sampling the relative angular rate, a relative angular acceleration is determined. Based on a projection time associated with estimated display latency, angular increment vectors for each rotational axis are determined for relative angular rate and relative angular acceleration. The current head pose solution is adjusted with respect to one or more axes based on the angular increment vectors to project the head pose estimate ahead based on the projection time, the resulting projected head pose solution corresponding to a predicted orientation of the head frame relative to the body frame at the future time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Gavin P. Haentjens, Christopher M. Boggs, Troy D. Driscoll, William T. Kirchner, Brandon E. Wilson
  • Patent number: 11880034
    Abstract: A high-assurance headtracking system for a head worn display (HWD) incorporating ground-truth fiducials is disclosed. In embodiments, the headtracking system includes a camera fixed to a mobile platform (e.g., an aircraft cockpit) and oriented toward a pilot wearing the HWD. Images captured by the camera detect fiducial markers attached to the HWD (and fixed in a device reference frame) and static fiducial markers fixed to the mobile platform, each static fiducial marker including a constellation of individual markers having a known position and orientation in the platform reference frame. The headtracking system include control processors for analyzing the images and identifying therein the device-frame and static fiducial markers. The headtracking system determines a device pose of the HWD relative to the platform reference frame and monitors the device pose for drift or error based on the known positions of the identified static fiducial markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlo L. Tiana, Brandon E. Wilson, Alexander D. Reid, David I. Han
  • Publication number: 20240019640
    Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: DigiLens Inc., Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Waldern, Alastair John Grant, Milan Momcilo Popovich, James H. Stanley, Robert D. Brown