Patents by Inventor Curtis Harvey Cline

Curtis Harvey 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).

  • Patent number: 11261812
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a system that includes a closed-loop reference module, an adaptation module, and a control module. The closed-loop reference module is configured to execute a reference model that represents operation of an engine and determine a reference control signal and a reference state trajectory signal. The adaptation module is configured to determine an adaptation signal based on a difference between the reference state trajectory signal and an engine state trajectory signal representative of actual operation of the engine. The control module is configured to receive the reference control signal from the closed-loop reference module, the adaptation signal from the adaptation module, and the engine state trajectory signal. The control module is further configured to determine a demand signal based on the engine state trajectory signal, the adaptation signal, and the reference control signal, and output the demand signal to control operation of at least one engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Stanislaw Zak
  • Patent number: 10530163
    Abstract: A micro grid power control system may control a plurality of different sources of electrical energy, such as generators, renewable energy sources, and stored energy sources. The micro grid power control system may include hierarchical levels of control. At a system level, the micro grid power control system may include a system controller configured to selectively allocate the sources and centrally control electrical distribution of electric power within the micro grid based on system conditions to optimize system operation. Optimization of system operation may be dynamically varied by the system controller based on priorities and modeling of system operation. At a source level, each of the sources may include a source controller configured to optimize generation of electrical energy of the respective source. Optimization of a source with a respective source controller may be based on a source objective independently associated with each of the sources and source modeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Rigoberto Jorge Rodriguez, Robert J Zeller, Richard Joseph Skertic, Michael P Dougherty, Curtis Harvey Cline
  • Publication number: 20190316536
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a system that includes a closed-loop reference module, an adaptation module, and a control module. The closed-loop reference module is configured to execute a reference model that represents operation of an engine and determine a reference control signal and a reference state trajectory signal. The adaptation module is configured to determine an adaptation signal based on a difference between the reference state trajectory signal and an engine state trajectory signal representative of actual operation of the engine. The control module is configured to receive the reference control signal from the closed-loop reference module, the adaptation signal from the adaptation module, and the engine state trajectory signal. The control module is further configured to determine a demand signal based on the engine state trajectory signal, the adaptation signal, and the reference control signal, and output the demand signal to control operation of at least one engine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Stanislaw Zak
  • Patent number: 10309330
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a system that includes a closed-loop reference module, an adaptation module, and a control module. The closed-loop reference module is configured to execute a reference model that represents operation of an engine and determine a reference control signal and a reference state trajectory signal. The adaptation module is configured to determine an adaptation signal based on a difference between the reference state trajectory signal and an engine state trajectory signal representative of actual operation of the engine. The control module is configured to receive the reference control signal from the closed-loop reference module, the adaptation signal from the adaptation module, and the engine state trajectory signal. The control module is further configured to determine a demand signal based on the engine state trajectory signal, the adaptation signal, and the reference control signal, and output the demand signal to control operation of at least one engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Stanislaw Zak
  • Patent number: 10240544
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a system that includes a real-time engine model module and an adaptive control module. The real-time engine model module is configured to determine an engine parameter estimate signal based on at least one feedback signal indicative of an operating parameter of an engine. The adaptive control module is configured to receive a power request signal and receive, from the real real-time engine model module, the engine parameter estimate signal. The adaptive control module is further configured to determine a power demand signal based on the power request signal and the engine parameter estimate signal, wherein the adaptive control module is configured to determine the power demand signal based on the power request signal using a set of control laws. The adaptive control module is further configured to output the power demand signal to control at least one component of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Zeller, Curtis Harvey Cline, Michael P. Dougherty, Richard Joseph Skertic
  • Publication number: 20180269689
    Abstract: A micro grid power control system may control a plurality of different sources of electrical energy, such as generators, renewable energy sources, and stored energy sources. The micro grid power control system may include hierarchical levels of control. At a system level, the micro grid power control system may include a system controller configured to selectively allocate the sources and centrally control electrical distribution of electric power within the micro grid based on system conditions to optimize system operation. Optimization of system operation may be dynamically varied by the system controller based on priorities and modeling of system operation. At a source level, each of the sources may include a source controller configured to optimize generation of electrical energy of the respective source. Optimization of a source with a respective source controller may be based on a source objective independently associated with each of the sources and source modeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Rigoberto Jorge Rodriguez, Robert J. Zeller, Richard Joseph Skertic, Michael P. Dougherty, Curtis Harvey Cline
  • Patent number: 10038397
    Abstract: A multi-engine power system is described that includes a load requiring a total amount of electrical power, a first engine configured to provide a first portion of the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load, and a second engine configured to provide a second portion of the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load. The system further includes a controller configured to determine the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load, estimate a respective service time associated with each of the first and second engines, and control each of the first and second engines to provide the total amount of electrical power to the load and to coordinate the respective service times associated with the first and second engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Michael P. Dougherty, Richard Joseph Skertic, Robert J. Zeller
  • Publication number: 20180119628
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a system that includes a real-time engine model module and an adaptive control module. The real-time engine model module is configured to determine an engine parameter estimate signal based on at least one feedback signal indicative of an operating parameter of an engine. The adaptive control module is configured to receive a power request signal and receive, from the real real-time engine model module, the engine parameter estimate signal. The adaptive control module is further configured to determine a power demand signal based on the power request signal and the engine parameter estimate signal, wherein the adaptive control module is configured to determine the power demand signal based on the power request signal using a set of control laws. The adaptive control module is further configured to output the power demand signal to control at least one component of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Robert J. Zeller, Curtis Harvey Cline, Michael P. Dougherty, Richard Joseph Skertic
  • Publication number: 20180119629
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a system that includes a closed-loop reference module, an adaptation module, and a control module. The closed-loop reference module is configured to execute a reference model that represents operation of an engine and determine a reference control signal and a reference state trajectory signal. The adaptation module is configured to determine an adaptation signal based on a difference between the reference state trajectory signal and an engine state trajectory signal representative of actual operation of the engine. The control module is configured to receive the reference control signal from the closed-loop reference module, the adaptation signal from the adaptation module, and the engine state trajectory signal. The control module is further configured to determine a demand signal based on the engine state trajectory signal, the adaptation signal, and the reference control signal, and output the demand signal to control operation of at least one engine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Stanislaw Zak
  • Publication number: 20170324360
    Abstract: A multi-engine power system is described that includes a load requiring a total amount of electrical power, a first engine configured to provide a first portion of the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load, and a second engine configured to provide a second portion of the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load. The system further includes a controller configured to determine the total amount of electrical power to be provided to the load, estimate a respective service time associated with each of the first and second engines, and control each of the first and second engines to provide the total amount of electrical power to the load and to coordinate the respective service times associated with the first and second engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Curtis Harvey Cline, Michael P. Dougherty, Richard Joseph Skertic, Robert J. Zeller