Patents by Inventor Brian K. Underhill

Brian K. Underhill 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).

  • Hierarchical strategy for singularity avoidance in arrays of control moment gyroscopes
    Patent number: 7805226
    Abstract: A control system for adjusting the attitude of a spacecraft comprises a set of control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) configured to allow null space maneuvering. The control system further comprises a momentum actuator control processor coupled to the set of CMGs and configured to determine a mandatory null space maneuver to avoid singularities and determine an optional null space maneuver to increase available torque. The mandatory null space maneuver can be calculated based upon certain gimbal angles, and can be implemented by augmenting the inverse-Jacobian control matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Hamilton, Brian K. Underhill
  • Method and system for controlling sets of collinear control moment gyroscopes with offset determination without attitude trajectory of spacecraft
    Patent number: 7693619
    Abstract: A control system of a spacecraft for controlling two or more sets of collinear control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) comprises an attitude control system. The attitude control system is configured to receive a command to adjust an orientation of the spacecraft, determine an offset for a momentum disk for each of the two or more sets of CMGs that maximizes torque, determine a momentum needed from the two or more sets of CMGs to adjust the orientation of the spacecraft, and calculate a total torque needed by taking the derivative of the momentum. The control system further comprises a momentum actuator control processor coupled to the attitude control system, the momentum actuator control processor configured to calculate a required gimbal movement for each of the CMGs in each of the two or more sets of collinear CMGs from total torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Elgersma, Daniel P. Johnson, Mason A. Peck, Brian K. Underhill, Gunter Stein, Blaise G. Morton, Brian J. Hamilton
  • Hierarchical strategy for singularity avoidance in arrays of control moment gyroscopes
    Publication number: 20080105787
    Abstract: A control system for adjusting the attitude of a spacecraft comprises a set of control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) configured to allow null space maneuvering. The control system further comprises a momentum actuator control processor coupled to the set of CMGs and configured to determine a mandatory null space maneuver to avoid singularities and determine an optional null space maneuver to increase available torque. The mandatory null space maneuver can be calculated based upon certain gimbal angles, and can be implemented by augmenting the inverse-Jacobian control matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Brian J. Hamilton, Brian K. Underhill