Patents by Inventor Curtis H. Cline

Curtis H. Cline 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).

  • System and method for coordinated control of a power system
    Patent number: 10583931
    Abstract: An integrated gas turbine engine, electrical power subsystem and thermal management subsystem for aerospace application includes a first motor/generator coupled to a low pressure (LP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, a second motor/generator coupled to a high pressure (HP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, and a system controller coupled to each of the gas turbine engine, a first motor generator and a second motor/generator, wherein the controller receives engine thrust demand and electrical power demand and is programmed to determine total system power demand and the amount of power sharing between the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to meet thrust and electrical power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis H. Cline, Michael J. Armstrong
  • Fuel-air ratio control of gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 10436122
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a fan connected to a fan shaft, a combustion chamber, and an electric motor/generator in communication with the fan shaft. A controller is configured to direct power into the electric motor/generator during engine accelerations from steady state such that air flow to the combustion chamber is increased. The controller is further configured to direct power out of the electric motor/generator during engine decelerations from steady state such that air flow to the combustion chamber is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis H. Cline, Richard J. Skertic, Russell E. White, Jr., Steven D. Phillips
  • System and method for optimizing component life in a power system
    Patent number: 10048168
    Abstract: An aircraft includes first and second gas turbine engines having a first component and a second component that is redundant with the first component, and an engine health monitoring system (EHMS) coupled to the first and second gas turbine engines. The EHMS is configured to calculate a remaining useful life (RUL) of the first component and of the second component, calculate a rate-of-life consumption of the first component and of the second component, predict when failure of the first component and failure of the second component will occur based on the RUL of each and based on the respective rate-of-life consumption of each, and provide instructions for altering operation of the aircraft that affects the RUL of the first or second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Armstrong, Christopher K. Ruff, John W. Smith, Curtis H. Cline
  • FUEL-AIR RATIO CONTROL OF GAS TURBINE ENGINES
    Publication number: 20160010567
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a fan connected to a fan shaft, a combustion chamber, and an electric motor/generator in communication with the fan shaft. A controller is configured to direct power into the electric motor/generator during engine accelerations from steady state such that air flow to the combustion chamber is increased. The controller is further configured to direct power out of the electric motor/generator during engine decelerations from steady state such that air flow to the combustion chamber is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Curtis H. Cline, Richard J. Skertic, Russell E. White, JR., Steven D. Phillips
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COORDINATED CONTROL OF A POWER SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150191252
    Abstract: An integrated gas turbine engine, electrical power subsystem and thermal management subsystem for aerospace application includes a first motor/generator coupled to a low pressure (LP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, a second motor/generator coupled to a high pressure (HP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, and a system controller coupled to each of the gas turbine engine, a first motor generator and a second motor/generator, wherein the controller receives engine thrust demand and electrical power demand and is programmed to determine total system power demand and the amount of power sharing between the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to meet thrust and electrical power demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Curtis H. Cline, Michael J. Armstrong
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING COMPONENT LIFE IN A POWER SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150185111
    Abstract: An aircraft includes first and second gas turbine engines having a first component and a second component that is redundant with the first component, and an engine health monitoring system (EHMS) coupled to the first and second gas turbine engines. The EHMS is configured to calculate a remaining useful life (RUL) of the first component and of the second component, calculate a rate-of-life consumption of the first component and of the second component, predict when failure of the first component and failure of the second component will occur based on the RUL of each and based on the respective rate-of-life consumption of each, and provide instructions for altering operation of the aircraft that affects the RUL of the first or second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Michael J. Armstrong, Christopher K. Ruff, John W. Smith, Curtis H. Cline