Patents by Inventor Andrew R. Hooks

Andrew R. Hooks has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11176836
    Abstract: A flight control module for detecting anomalies ILS localizer signals during landing of an aircraft is provided. The flight control module includes a communication interface coupled to a processor. The communication interface is configured to receive an ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to compute a plurality of localizer deviations and compare the ILS localizer deviation to an average of the plurality of localizer deviations to detect a low-frequency anomaly in the ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to initiate a transition from controlling the aircraft based on the ILS localizer deviation to controlling the aircraft based on a selected one of the plurality of localizer deviations when the low-frequency anomaly is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert E. McLees, Andrew R. Hooks, Prachya Panyakeow
  • Publication number: 20180374369
    Abstract: A flight control module for detecting anomalies ILS localizer signals during landing of an aircraft is provided. The flight control module includes a communication interface coupled to a processor. The communication interface is configured to receive an ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to compute a plurality of localizer deviations and compare the ILS localizer deviation to an average of the plurality of localizer deviations to detect a low-frequency anomaly in the ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to initiate a transition from controlling the aircraft based on the ILS localizer deviation to controlling the aircraft based on a selected one of the plurality of localizer deviations when the low-frequency anomaly is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Robert E. McLees, Andrew R. Hooks, Prachya Panyakeow
  • Patent number: 10089892
    Abstract: A flight control module for detecting anomalies in ILS localizer signals during landing of an aircraft is provided. The flight control module includes a communication interface and a processor coupled thereto. The communication interface is configured to receive inertial data, GPS data, and an ILS localizer deviation for the aircraft. The processor is configured to compute an inertial localizer deviation based on the inertial data and a GPS localizer deviation based on the GPS data. The processor is configured to compare the ILS localizer deviation to an average of the inertial localizer deviation and the GPS localizer deviation to detect a low-frequency anomaly in the ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to initiate a transition from controlling the aircraft based on the ILS localizer deviation to controlling the aircraft based on the inertial localizer deviation when the low-frequency anomaly is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert E. McLees, Andrew R. Hooks, Prachya Panyakeow
  • Publication number: 20180122248
    Abstract: A flight control module for detecting anomalies in ILS localizer signals during landing of an aircraft is provided. The flight control module includes a communication interface and a processor coupled thereto. The communication interface is configured to receive inertial data, GPS data, and an ILS localizer deviation for the aircraft. The processor is configured to compute an inertial localizer deviation based on the inertial data and a GPS localizer deviation based on the GPS data. The processor is configured to compare the ILS localizer deviation to an average of the inertial localizer deviation and the GPS localizer deviation to detect a low-frequency anomaly in the ILS localizer deviation. The processor is configured to initiate a transition from controlling the aircraft based on the ILS localizer deviation to controlling the aircraft based on the inertial localizer deviation when the low-frequency anomaly is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Robert E. McLees, Andrew R. Hooks, Prachya Panyakeow
  • Patent number: 9098999
    Abstract: Automated systems and methods that utilize high-accuracy landing system data to correct the position of a synthetic runway presentation on a pilot display. This is achieved by first computing the “synthetic” lateral and vertical rectilinear deviations of the airplane from an ideal beam using the airplane's GPS position and barometric altitude, the runway location and orientation contained in an airborne database, and approach angle information. This synthetic deviation data is then compared to rectilinear deviation data computed by the computer system as received from a ground installation. The computer system is programmed to determine the differences between the ground-based and GPS-based rectilinear deviation data and then compute a corrected position vector using those differences. The position of the synthetic runway symbology on the pilot display is adjusted as a function of the corrected position vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Paul T. Snow, Andrew R. Hooks
  • Publication number: 20150081143
    Abstract: Automated systems and methods that utilize high-accuracy landing system data to correct the position of a synthetic runway presentation on a pilot display. This is achieved by first computing the “synthetic” lateral and vertical rectilinear deviations of the airplane from an ideal beam using the airplane's GPS position and barometric altitude, the runway location and orientation contained in an airborne database, and approach angle information. This synthetic deviation data is then compared to rectilinear deviation data computed by the computer system as received from a ground installation. The computer system is programmed to determine the differences between the ground-based and GPS-based rectilinear deviation data and then compute a corrected position vector using those differences. The position of the synthetic runway symbology on the pilot display is adjusted as a function of the corrected position vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul T. Snow, Andrew R. Hooks