Patents by Inventor Brent J. Nelson

Brent J. Nelson 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: 11595314
    Abstract: A system includes a first and at least one second processing circuit, a configuration engine, and a switch. The configuration engine stores a virtual link configuration for a plurality of virtual links, which indicates a priority and a predetermined network pathway for communicating data packets from the first processing circuit to the at least one second processing circuit. The configuration engine automatically assigns priority to a first virtual link of the plurality of virtual links based on at least one of latency or jitter. The switch receives a first data packet from the first processing circuit. A first virtual link identifier is extracted from the first data packet. A first priority and a first predetermined network pathway corresponding to the first virtual link identifier from the virtual link configuration are retrieved. The first data packet is transmitted along the first predetermined network pathway based on the first priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Miller, James M. Zaehring
  • Publication number: 20210328935
    Abstract: A system includes a first and at least one second processing circuit, a configuration engine, and a switch. The configuration engine stores a virtual link configuration for a plurality of virtual links, which indicates a priority and a predetermined network pathway for communicating data packets from the first processing circuit to the at least one second processing circuit. The configuration engine automatically assigns priority to a first virtual link of the plurality of virtual links based on at least one of latency or jitter. The switch receives a first data packet from the first processing circuit. A first virtual link identifier is extracted from the first data packet. A first priority and a first predetermined network pathway corresponding to the first virtual link identifier from the virtual link configuration are retrieved. The first data packet is transmitted along the first predetermined network pathway based on the first priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Miller, James M. Zaehring
  • Patent number: 11095563
    Abstract: A system includes a first and at least one second processing circuit, a configuration engine, and a switch. The configuration engine stores a virtual link configuration for a plurality of virtual links, which indicates a priority and a predetermined network pathway for communicating data packets from the first processing circuit to the at least one second processing circuit. The configuration engine automatically assigns priority to a first virtual link of the plurality of virtual links based on at least one of latency or jitter. The switch receives a first data packet from the first processing circuit. A first virtual link identifier is extracted from the first data packet. A first priority and a first predetermined network pathway corresponding to the first virtual link identifier from the virtual link configuration are retrieved. The first data packet is transmitted along the first predetermined network pathway based on the first priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Miller, James M. Zaehring
  • Patent number: 10938734
    Abstract: A device for avionics full-duplex switched Ethernet (AFDX) communication can include a transmit port for transmitting AFDX data and a processor. The processor can be configured to obtain AFDX data frames for transmission over a plurality of sub-virtual links (subVLs) of a virtual link (VL), and maintain, for each of the plurality of subVLs, a corresponding data queue by storing AFDX data frames associated with that subVL in the corresponding data queue. The processor can transmit the AFDX data frames from the plurality of data queues on the plurality subVLs via the transmit port according to a scheduling policy that is based on subVL prioritization. The scheduling policy that is based on subVL prioritization can include static priority (SPn) scheduling, earliest deadline first (EDF) scheduling, or least laxity first (LLF) scheduling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Miller, James M. Zaehring, Nicholas H. Bloom
  • Patent number: 10577120
    Abstract: A flight display system for a cockpit of an aircraft. The flight display system includes a first plurality of flight display units configured to communicate with each other in a daisy chain network. Each of the first plurality of flight display units includes a first physical network interface configured to communicate with one of the first plurality of flight display units, a second physical network interface configured to communicate with another of the first plurality of flight display units, and a flight display circuit. The flight display circuit is configured to receive avionics data via the first physical network interface and determine whether the avionics data is destined for the flight display unit receiving the data. The flight display circuit is configured to send the avionics data to the other flight display unit of the plurality of the first plurality of flight display units via the second physical network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, Gregory A. Crawford, Darin M. Underwood, Daniel R. Nagawiecki, Jessica L. Horaney
  • Patent number: 10541944
    Abstract: An improved AFDX switch, as described herein, can include an embedded integrity monitoring module that is functionally fault-independent of the switching module or other components of the AFDX switch. The integrity monitoring module can include a delay monitoring module for monitoring delays of data packets within the AFDX switch and/or a routing module for monitoring or detecting data packets routing errors or failures. The delay monitoring module can assign a timestamp to a data frame at arrival to the AFDX switch, determine a time delay of the data frame within the AFDX switch based on the timestamp, and compare the time delay to a threshold value to detect erroneous time delays. The routing monitoring module can compare the input port and/or the output port at which the data frame arrives while in the AFDX switch to the corresponding preassigned input port or output port to detect routing failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, Matthew P. Corbett, Jason R. Owen
  • Patent number: 10454656
    Abstract: Improved AFDX switches can handle various types of data traffics beyond a predefined AFDX related communication protocol. An AFDX switch can determine a mismatch between a MAC address of a received data frame and a MAC address constant specific to the predefined AFDX related protocol. In response to the mismatch, the AFDX switch can determine a data traffic type associated with the data frame based on a first portion of a header of the data frame. The AFDX switch can compare, responsive to determining a data traffic type associated with the data frame, a second portion of the header of the data frame to identifiers of a plurality of communication flows. Responsive to identifying a communication flow with a matching identifier, the AFDX switch can route the data frame based on communication flow parameters of the identified communication flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, Matthew P. Corbett, Nicholas H. Bloom
  • Patent number: 10362117
    Abstract: A network interface devices includes a configuration engine, a mode modification engine, and a switch. The configuration engine defines a static routing configuration for communicating one or more first data packets received from a first processing circuit along a network pathway to a predetermined one or more second processing circuits. The mode modification engine is configured to receive an indication of a networking mode and modify the network pathway based on the indication of the networking mode. The switch is configured to communicate the first data packets along the network pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventor: Brent J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10290216
    Abstract: Systems and methods for symbolically representing text-based obstacle data on an electronic map are disclosed. In embodiments, a system includes a receiver in communication with a remote server. The receiver is configured to receive one or more textual communications from the remote server. The system further includes an aircraft display system with a display and a controller. The controller is in communication with the display, the receiver, and a memory. The controller is configured to generate an electronic map at the display based on map data retrieved from the memory, wherein the map data includes geographic information and predetermined obstacle information. The controller is further configured to receive the one or more textual communications from the receiver and update the electronic map to include one or more symbolic representations based on obstacle data derived from the one or more textual communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. McCusker, Douglas A. Bell, Sarah Barber, Michael J. Schmitt, Brent J. Nelson, Travis S. Vanderkamp
  • Patent number: 10235890
    Abstract: Systems and methods for navigating an aircraft display with a mobile device are disclosed. In embodiments, a system includes an aircraft display and a controller in communication with the aircraft display and a mobile device. The controller is configured to generate a graphical user interface at the aircraft display and mirror the graphical user interface at the mobile device. The controller is further configured to receive a user input via the mobile device and configured to update the graphical user interface at the aircraft display and the mobile device based upon the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. McCusker, Douglas A. Bell, Travis S. Vanderkamp, Sarah Barber, Michael J. Schmitt, Brent J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10170010
    Abstract: A system may include a display, an avionics server, and an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) receiver implemented in an aircraft. The avionics server may include a processor configured to host applications. The ADS-B receiver may be configured to receive ADS-B In data associated with traffic information from other aircraft in a vicinity of the aircraft. Execution of the applications may be configured to cause the processor to: generate geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data; output the geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data to the display; receive the ADS-B In data from the ADS-B receiver; generate geo-referenced traffic graphics data based on the received ADS-B In data; and output the geo-referenced traffic graphics data to the display. The display may be configured to receive the geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data and the geo-referenced traffic graphics data and display an image of a selected aeronautical chart overlaid with the traffic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. McCusker, Douglas A. Bell, Travis S. Vanderkamp, Sarah Barber, Michael J. Schmitt, Brent J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9973515
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for identification and response to an unauthorized transmission to a networked critical system. The invention employs a pre-defined parameter which matches trusted sources with defined destinations to enable secure access to the networked critical system. Once the method receives a transmission to the destination, it filters the transmissions based on specific architecture constraints. Should the transmission survive, the method continues with a plurality of layers of system level checks to verify the source matches the pre-defined parameter of a trusted source. Should the transmission fail any of the layers of system level checks, the method provides an appropriate response. Once the transmission survives, the method continuously monitors the data stream for possible threats and allows access the transmission to reach the destination and the networked critical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew P. Corbett, Brent J. Nelson, Eric N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9922651
    Abstract: A method includes detecting an initiation command to begin outputting text data received from a voice recognition system to a text buffer of an aircraft. The method includes recognizing user speech as the text data and outputting the text data to the text buffer for presentation to a user. The method further includes detecting an end command to end outputting the text data received from the voice recognition system to the text buffer. The method also includes receiving a confirmation input from the user, the confirmation input indicating that the user has confirmed accuracy of the text data of the text buffer. The method additionally includes receiving a destination selection from the user, the destination selection indicating a destination selected by the user for the text data of the text buffer. The method further includes outputting the text data of the text buffer to the destination selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Gribble
  • Patent number: 9432611
    Abstract: A method includes receiving text data corresponding to user speech recognized by a voice recognition system. The method also includes determining a desired radio and a desired radio frequency based at least on the text data. Additionally, the method includes performing one or more radio tuning operations to tune the desired radio to the desired radio frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent J. Nelson, David A. Gribble
  • Patent number: 9243910
    Abstract: A present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for generating a route image presentable on a display unit is disclosed, where a route may be presented to draw a viewer's attention to one or more objects located along or below the route. An image generator (“IG”) may be configured to receive navigation data; receive object data; construct one or more raised ground track profiles as a function of the first elevations and one or more object clearance distances; identify, if any, one or more penetrated segments of one or more raised ground track profiles; and generate an image data set representative of an image of a divisible route configured to present a plurality of route section highlighters comprised of one or more first route section highlighters corresponding to non-penetrated segment(s) and at least one second or subsequent route section highlighters corresponding to first or subsequent penetrated segment(s), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Esno, Keith J. Feldkamp, Charles F. Steffen, Brent J. Nelson