Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Wright

Daniel J. Wright 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: 11238675
    Abstract: A ground-based visual-inspection system includes a ground-based visual-inspection apparatus and a control system. The ground-based visual-inspection apparatus includes a mobile base, an actuatable arm coupled to the mobile base, and an effector coupled to the actuatable arm. The actuatable arm is locatable in a three dimensional space. The end effector includes a camera configured to capture images of a structure, such as an aircraft. The control system is configured to determine location information of the camera relative to a reference location and associate the location information with the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright, Gary E. Georgeson
  • Patent number: 10913122
    Abstract: A forming tool for forming leading edges of turbine blades is disclosed. In various embodiments, a forming tool may comprise a cylindrically-shaped body having a notch around the circumference of the cylindrically-shaped body. The notch may be positioned perpendicularly to a center axis of the cylindrically-shaped body. Further, the notch may have a notch contour with an upper notch contour and a lower notch contour, and where the notch contour is a relief of a selected turbine blade leading edge. The forming tool may be a grinding tool or a cutting tool. Moreover, a forming process may comprise forming, by a forming tool, a first portion of a turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result, and forming, by a milling cutter, a second portion of the turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Fromerth, Daniel J Wright, Chung Y. Wu
  • Patent number: 10845775
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: 10788462
    Abstract: A dual function non-destructive inspection apparatus comprises a frame structure, a thermographic inspection system, a displacement system, and an ultrasonic inspection system. The frame structure has a channel, a first end, and a second end. The channel extends through the frame structure from the first end to the second end. The thermographic inspection system is associated with the first end of the frame structure. The displacement system is connected to the second end of the frame structure. The ultrasonic inspection system is connected to the displacement system such that the displacement system moves the ultrasonic inspection system relative to the channel of the frame structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Daniel J. Wright, Scott W. Lea, Gary Ernest Georgeson
  • Publication number: 20200233393
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: 10649433
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: 10613041
    Abstract: A system for quantifying x-ray backscatter system performance is disclosed. The system includes one or more x-ray backscatter detectors, an x-ray tube, a support, and a plurality of rods mounted on the support and arranged in groups. Each group of rods includes at least two rods having the same width. The system also includes a user interface configured to connect to the x-ray backscatter detectors to receive a backscatter signal from the x-ray backscatter detectors associated with the x-ray tube, where the user interface plots a modulation transfer function representing x-ray backscatter for each rod of the plurality of rods from x-rays transmitted by the x-ray tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Grimshaw, Talion Edwards, Gary E. Georgeson, Daniel J. Wright, James E. Engel, Morteza Safai, Yuan-Jye Wu, Taisia Tsukruk Lou, Rodney S. Wright
  • Publication number: 20200003707
    Abstract: A system for quantifying x-ray backscatter system performance is disclosed. The system includes one or more x-ray backscatter detectors, an x-ray tube, a support, and a plurality of rods mounted on the support and arranged in groups. Each group of rods includes at least two rods having the same width. The system also includes a user interface configured to connect to the x-ray backscatter detectors to receive a backscatter signal from the x-ray backscatter detectors associated with the x-ray tube, where the user interface plots a modulation transfer function representing x-ray backscatter for each rod of the plurality of rods from x-rays transmitted by the x-ray tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew T. Grimshaw, Talion Edwards, Gary E. Georgeson, Daniel J. Wright, James E. Engel, Morteza Safai, Yuan-Jye Wu, Taisia Tsukruk Lou, Rodney S. Wright
  • Publication number: 20200003734
    Abstract: A dual function non-destructive inspection apparatus comprises a frame structure, a thermographic inspection system, a displacement system, and an ultrasonic inspection system. The frame structure has a channel, a first end, and a second end. The channel extends through the frame structure from the first end to the second end. The thermographic inspection system is associated with the first end of the frame structure. The displacement system is connected to the second end of the frame structure. The ultrasonic inspection system is connected to the displacement system such that the displacement system moves the ultrasonic inspection system relative to the channel of the frame structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Daniel J. Wright, Scott W. Lea, Gary Ernest Georgeson
  • Publication number: 20190339659
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Publication number: 20190311555
    Abstract: A ground-based visual-inspection system includes a ground-based visual-inspection apparatus and a control system. The ground-based visual-inspection apparatus includes a mobile base, an actuatable arm coupled to the mobile base, and an effector coupled to the actuatable arm. The actuatable arm is locatable in a three dimensional space. The end effector includes a camera configured to capture images of a structure, such as an aircraft. The control system is configured to determine location information of the camera relative to a reference location and associate the location information with the images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright, Gary E. Georgeson
  • Patent number: 10436724
    Abstract: A system for quantifying x-ray backscatter system performance may include a support; a plurality of rods mounted on the support; the rods of the plurality of rods arranged parallel to each other, having generally curved outer surfaces, and being arranged in groups of varying widths, each group of the groups having at least two of the rods of a same width; and a user interface configured to be connected to receive a backscatter signal from an x-ray backscatter detector associated with an x-ray tube, apply a transfer function to generate a transfer curve representing x-ray backscatter for each rod of the plurality of rods from x-rays transmitted by the x-ray tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Grimshaw, Talion Edwards, Gary E. Georgeson, Daniel J. Wright, James E. Engel, Morteza Safai, Yuan-Jye Wu, Taisia Tsukruk Lou, Rodney S. Wright
  • Patent number: 10409252
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: 10347109
    Abstract: An automated human personnel fall arresting system including a holonomic base platform, a boom arm movably mounted to and depending from the base platform, at least a portion of the arm being movable in three degrees-of-freedom relative to the base platform, a tether supported by the arm, an operator harness coupled to the tether so as to be dependent from the arm, at least one sensor disposed on the arm and configured to sense movement of the portion of the arm in two degrees-of-freedom of the three degrees-of-freedom, and a controller mounted to the base platform and communicably coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to automatically control position of the base platform in two orthogonal translational directions and one rotation direction controlled independently from translation, relative to the operator harness, based on signals from the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Gary E. Georgeson, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright, Karl E. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10286556
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a workpiece using a multi-axis compliant end-effector for attachment to a robotic device. The end-effector is positioned at a nominal location of a workpiece feature on which the operation is to be performed. The end-effector is passively aligned with the workpiece feature by contacting the end-effector with the workpiece feature. The operation is performed on the workpiece feature in response to aligning the end effector with the workpiece feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Daniel J. Wright, Scott W. Lea
  • Publication number: 20190099815
    Abstract: A forming tool for forming leading edges of turbine blades is disclosed. In various embodiments, a forming tool may comprise a cylindrically-shaped body having a notch around the circumference of the cylindrically-shaped body. The notch may be positioned perpendicularly to a center axis of the cylindrically-shaped body. Further, the notch may have a notch contour with an upper notch contour and a lower notch contour, and where the notch contour is a relief of a selected turbine blade leading edge. The forming tool may be a grinding tool or a cutting tool. Moreover, a forming process may comprise forming, by a forming tool, a first portion of a turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result, and forming, by a milling cutter, a second portion of the turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Fromerth, Daniel J Wright, Chung Y. Wu
  • Patent number: 10173273
    Abstract: A forming tool for forming leading edges of turbine blades is disclosed. In various embodiments, a forming tool may comprise a cylindrically-shaped body having a notch around the circumference of the cylindrically-shaped body. The notch may be positioned perpendicularly to a center axis of the cylindrically-shaped body. Further, the notch may have a notch contour with an upper notch contour and a lower notch contour, and where the notch contour is a relief of a selected turbine blade leading edge. The forming tool may be a grinding tool or a cutting tool. Moreover, a forming process may comprise forming, by a forming tool, a first portion of a turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result, and forming, by a milling cutter, a second portion of the turbine blade leading edge with a rough edge result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Fromerth, Daniel J. Wright, Chung Y. Wu
  • Publication number: 20180330596
    Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing situational awareness for a tool operator and an individual approaching a working field of the tool are described. An example method includes activating a first device, where the first device has a working field and has an operational path configured to intersect a barrier. A proximity sensor of the second device then detects a presence of an object in a sensor zone of the second device. The second device transmits a wireless signal to the first device indicating the presence of the object in the sensor zone of the second device. Then at least one of the first device and the second device issues a first alert indicating the presence of the object in the sensor zone of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Gary E. Georgeson, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Publication number: 20180329384
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: RE48257
    Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing situational awareness for a tool operator and an individual approaching a working field of the tool are described. An example method includes activating a first device, where the first device has a working field and has au operational path configured to intersect a barrier. A proximity sensor of the second device then detects a presence of an object in a sensor zone of the second device. The second device transmits a wireless signal to the first device indicating the presence of the object in the sensor zone of the second device. Then at least one of the first device and the second device issues a first alert indicating the presence of the object in the sensor zone of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Troy, Gary E. Georgeson, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright