Patents by Inventor Andrew Vincent LOUIS
Andrew Vincent LOUIS 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).
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Patent number: 11899451Abstract: In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.Inventors: Stephen Yibum Chung, Russell C. Peters, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Patent number: 11630467Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with a thrust array attached thereto. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A landing gear assembly is coupled to the airframe and includes a plurality of landing feet. An altitude sensor array includes a plurality of altitude sensors each of which is disposed within one of the landing feet such that when the aircraft is in the VTOL orientation, the altitude sensor array is configured to obtain multifocal altitude data relative to a landing surface. The flight control system is configured to generate a three-dimensional terrain map of the surface based upon the multifocal altitude data.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, Jr., Russell C. Peters, Aaron Hitchcock, William Ben Johns, Levi Charles Hefner, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Publication number: 20230104255Abstract: In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: Stephen Yibum Chung, Russell C. Peters, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Patent number: 11543819Abstract: In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.Inventors: Stephen Yibum Chung, Russell C. Peters, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Publication number: 20220197308Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe with a thrust array attached thereto. The thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies that are independently controlled by a flight control system. A landing gear assembly is coupled to the airframe and includes a plurality of landing feet. An altitude sensor array includes a plurality of altitude sensors each of which is disposed within one of the landing feet such that when the aircraft is in the VTOL orientation, the altitude sensor array is configured to obtain multifocal altitude data relative to a landing surface. The flight control system is configured to generate a three-dimensional terrain map of the surface based upon the multifocal altitude data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: Textron Innovations Inc.Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, JR., Russell C. Peters, Aaron Hitchcock, William Ben Johns, Levi Charles Hefner, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Publication number: 20210089057Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is performed by a computer system in an aircraft. The method includes receiving an advance indication of a take-off or landing event to be executed by the aircraft in proximity to a landing area such that the landing area includes an arrangement of a plurality of emitters of electromagnetic radiation. The method further includes, responsive to the receiving, detecting, via a sensor in communication with the computer system, emission states of at least some of the plurality of emitters. In addition, the method includes transforming the detected emission states into an instruction set for the take-off or landing event. The method also includes initiating monitoring of the aircraft relative to the instruction set as the aircraft executes the take-off or landing event in proximity to the landing area.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: Bell Textron Inc.Inventors: Michael Kevin MCNAIR, Andrew Vincent LOUIS
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Patent number: 10890926Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is performed by a computer system in an aircraft. The method includes receiving an advance indication of a take-off or landing event to be executed by the aircraft in proximity to a landing area such that the landing area includes an arrangement of a plurality of emitters of electromagnetic radiation. The method further includes, responsive to the receiving, detecting, via a sensor in communication with the computer system, emission states of at least some of the plurality of emitters. In addition, the method includes transforming the detected emission states into an instruction set for the take-off or landing event. The method also includes initiating monitoring of the aircraft relative to the instruction set as the aircraft executes the take-off or landing event in proximity to the landing area.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Michael Kevin McNair, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Patent number: 10884015Abstract: A pitot-static array system for a tail-sitting aircraft has a disk with a plurality of edge ports arrayed about an edge of the disk. Each of a plurality of pressure transducers is configured to measure air pressure at one of the edge ports. The edge ports are arrayed about an axis parallel to a pitch axis of the aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.Inventors: Andrew Vincent Louis, Daniel Bryan Robertson, Matthew Edward Louis
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Publication number: 20200348332Abstract: A pitot-static array system for a tail-sitting aircraft has a disk with a plurality of edge ports arrayed about an edge of the disk. Each of a plurality of pressure transducers is configured to measure air pressure at one of the edge ports. The edge ports are arrayed about an axis parallel to a pitch axis of the aircraft.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Andrew Vincent Louis, Daniel Bryan Robertson, Matthew Edward Louis
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Publication number: 20200272141Abstract: In one embodiment, a remote controller for a vehicle includes at least one control element for controlling operation of at least one aspect of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a remote-control mode; an actuator connected the at least one control element for controlling a position of the at least one control element when the vehicle is in an autonomous operations mode; and a processing system for receiving a first control signal from the vehicle indicative of a state of operation of the vehicle. In operation, the processing system generates a second control signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to control a position of the control element such that it corresponds to and indicates the state of operation of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2019Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Stephen Yibum Chung, Russell C. Peters, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Publication number: 20200148345Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft including at least one propulsion assembly; a cargo area for receiving payload to be transported by the aircraft; and a control system for determining characteristics of the received payload; automatically determining optimal control gains for operating the aircraft including the payload based on the determined payload characteristics; and providing control signals to at least one of the at least one propulsion assembly and a control assembly of the aircraft to control operation of the at least one propulsion assembly in accordance with the determined optimal control gains.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2018Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: John Robert Wittmaak, JR., Russell C. Peters, Andrew Vincent Louis
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Publication number: 20200073412Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is performed by a computer system in an aircraft. The method includes receiving an advance indication of a take-off or landing event to be executed by the aircraft in proximity to a landing area such that the landing area includes an arrangement of a plurality of emitters of electromagnetic radiation. The method further includes, responsive to the receiving, detecting, via a sensor in communication with the computer system, emission states of at least some of the plurality of emitters. In addition, the method includes transforming the detected emission states into an instruction set for the take-off or landing event. The method also includes initiating monitoring of the aircraft relative to the instruction set as the aircraft executes the take-off or landing event in proximity to the landing area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2018Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Michael Kevin MCNAIR, Andrew Vincent LOUIS