Patents by Inventor Daniel R. Smith

Daniel R. Smith 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).

  • Publication number: 20260123573
    Abstract: A mowing vehicle may access a work site representing the field, the work site a data structure comprising polygons representing workable areas and polygons representing unworkable areas. A mowing vehicle may access a set of machine constraints for the autonomous mowing machine. A mowing vehicle may apply a first model to the work site and set of machine constraints to generate a plurality of tracks through the field for the autonomous mowing machine. A mowing vehicle may apply a second model to the plurality of tracks and the plurality of areas to generate a scheduled order of passes for the autonomous mowing machine. A mowing vehicle may control the autonomous mowing machine to traverse the plurality of passes through the field according to the path schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Inventors: Steven R. Procuniar, Qiang R. Liu, Jeffrey S. Puhalla, Christopher J. Marry, Daniel R. Smith
  • Publication number: 20260116577
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assembling an aircraft. The method includes receiving an upper half barrel section of fuselage that is in a crown up orientation and installing a crown module into the upper half barrel section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2025
    Publication date: April 30, 2026
    Inventors: Daniel R. SMITH, Darrell D. JONES, Jeremy Evan JUSTICE
  • Publication number: 20260035387
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I?), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and its use in, e.g. treating a condition, disease, or disorder in which lowering mutant huntingtin protein (“mHTT”) in a subject is of therapeutic benefit, specifically in treating Huntington disease (“HD”). This disclosure also features a composition containing the same as well as methods of using and making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 5, 2026
    Inventors: Magnus Pfaffenbach, Eric Stefan, Daniel R. Smith, Philippe Bolduc, Nupur Bansal, Chaofan Xu, Emily Anne Peterson
  • Patent number: 12509247
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assembling a structure. The systems and method including micro pulsing a structure along a track in a process direction by less than a length of the structure. The structure is indexed to one or more work stations by mating indexing features in a manufacturing excess of the structure to complementary features at the work stations. The work stations would the perform work on the structure at the work stations while the structure is indexed to the work stations. Iteratively repeating the micro pulsing and indexing and working upon the structure until it is ready to advance to the next assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Frederick M. Swanstrom
  • Publication number: 20250353841
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a compound of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and its use in, e.g. treating a condition, disease, or disorder in which lowering mutant huntingtin protein (“mHTT”) in a subject is of therapeutic benefit, specifically in treating Huntington disease (“HD”). This disclosure also features a composition containing the same as well as methods of using and making the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Magnus Pfaffenbach, James Harvey Harvey, Daniel R. Smith, Philippe Bolduc, Nupur Bansal, Chaofan Xu, Emily Anne Peterson, Sarah Elizabeth Huff, Darsheed Nasser Mustafa, Adam Thomas Antoszewski, Dibyendu Mondal
  • Publication number: 20250256471
    Abstract: An apparatus and system is provided for fabricating composite parts. The system includes subdividing a laminate into zones, laying up tows of fiber reinforced material for the laminate over a layup mandrel via multiple laminations such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone, and splicing the zones together to form the laminate during the laying up of the tows while moving the layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of the composite parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2025
    Publication date: August 14, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Michael Kenneth-Que Louie, Richard Allen Miller, II, Jordan Seth Erickson
  • Publication number: 20250250601
    Abstract: Microorganisms and methods are provided for producing biomass that includes PHB and protein in weight ratios and polymer lengths that are beneficial in feed and nutritional supplement compositions. The compositions also may be used for improvement in feed compositions that improve survivability of livestock and aquaculture species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2024
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Feinberg, Daniel R. Smith, Martha A. Sholl, Sophana Sopha, Bonnie D. McAvoy, Catherine J. Pujol-Baxley
  • Patent number: 12350776
    Abstract: Systems are provided for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft. The system includes advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line, laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations, uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel; and splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Paul T. Pritchard, Jason A. Medenciy, Stephen Keith Kirchmeier, Kurtis Shuldberg Willden, Robert William Whiting, Michael Beerman, Raviendra Sidath Suriyaarachchi, Jeremy Evan Justice, Paul Chace Wilcoxson
  • Patent number: 12319398
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating multiple segment spars for an aircraft. In one example the method includes fabricating preforms of fiber reinforced material for spar segments, hardening the preforms to form the spar segments, and bonding the spar segments together to form a completed spar detail. In addition to bonding, other examples include co-curing and fastening the spar segments. In additional examples, the spar segments include kinks or sub-kinks as described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Darrell D. Jones, Daniel R. Smith, Carlos Walker, Kurtis Shuldberg Willden, Hiteshkumar M. Patel, Jacob E. Koopmans, Scott Krajca, James P. Dobberfuhl, Marcus C. Hart, Gregory R. Klempel, Steven Kuan-Chi Wu, Justin K. Alfred
  • Patent number: 12319015
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. The method includes subdividing a laminate into zones, laying up tows of fiber reinforced material for the laminate over a layup mandrel via multiple laminations such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone, and splicing the zones together to form the laminate during the laying up of the tows while moving the layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of the composite parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Michael Kenneth-Que Louie, Richard Allen Miller, II, Jordan Seth Erickson
  • Patent number: 12296984
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assembling a wing. Methods include suspending an upper wing panel of an aircraft beneath a shuttle, translating a rib to a position it, and placing the rib into contact with, then affixing the rib to, the upper wing panel, while suspended. Some methods include installing ribs and spars to the upper wing panel, and joining a lower wing panel to the ribs and spars, while the upper wing panel is suspended. Some methods involve joining ribs to spars (e.g., all, or some) to produce a support structure that is then affixed to the upper wing panel. Systems include a shuttle that suspends an upper wing panel, and a cart that includes supports to hold a rib, a chassis to translate the rib to a position beneath the upper wing panel, and a lifting apparatus to lift the rib into contact with the upper wing panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones
  • Patent number: 12259362
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for inspecting aircraft fuselages. Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) stations inspect sections of a fuselage via pulsed-line assembly techniques. After each pulse, a section of fuselage is moved by less than its length, and one or more NDI stations disposed at different portions of the section to inspect the section of fuselage for out-of-tolerance conditions. A method for inspecting a structure for inconsistencies which includes advancing a structure along a track in a process direction through a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station, indexing the structure to the NDI station and inspecting the structure with the NDI station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Barry A. Fetzer, Jeremy Evan Justice, James C. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 12252271
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assembling an aircraft. The method includes receiving an upper half barrel section of fuselage that is in a crown up orientation and installing a crown module into the upper half barrel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Jeremy Evan Justice
  • Patent number: 12246852
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for assembling aircraft fuselages. One embodiment is a method for assembling a fuselage of an aircraft. The method includes indexing an arcuate section of a fuselage to a frame installation station, feeding a frame at the frame installation station into a concavity defined by the arcuate section, placing the frame against an Inner Mold Line (IML) of the arcuate section while the frame is within the concavity, and affixing the frame to the arcuate section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Farahnaz Sisco, Kwok Tung Chan, Riley HansonSmith
  • Publication number: 20250058489
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for fabrication of a structure, for example, a half barrel section of a fuselage. The apparatus includes an indexing unit dimensioned for coupling to an indexing feature disposed on the structure. The structure proceeds along a process direction during fabrication. A cutting station cuts out manufacturing excess from the structure to form, for example, openings for windows and doors. A method for fabrication of a structure includes indexing a structure to a cutting station based on an indexing feature associated or located on the structure. The method includes operating the cutting station to cut manufacturing excess from the structure. A method includes removing cut sections of the manufacturing excess and routing these sections away from the cutting station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Monte D. Wright
  • Patent number: 12202164
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for inspecting a structure. One embodiment is a method for inspecting a structure. The method includes advancing a structure along a track in a process direction, aligning a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station at the track with an edge of the structure that was trimmed upstream of the cleaning station, imaging the edge via the Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station, characterizing the edge based on the imaging, and advancing the structure further in the process direction via the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Darrell D. Jones, Daniel R. Smith
  • Patent number: 12194651
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for fabrication of a structure, for example, a half barrel section of a fuselage. The apparatus includes an indexing unit dimensioned for coupling to an indexing feature disposed on the structure. The structure proceeds along a process direction during fabrication. A cutting station cuts out manufacturing excess from the structure to form, for example, openings for windows and doors. A method for fabrication of a structure includes indexing a structure to a cutting station based on an indexing feature associated or located on the structure. The method includes operating the cutting station to cut manufacturing excess from the structure. A method includes removing cut sections of the manufacturing excess and routing these sections away from the cutting station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones, Monte D. Wright
  • Patent number: 12195201
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a preform for a portion of an aircraft includes acquiring a sheet of broad good fiber reinforced material, trimming the sheet to form layup pieces having boundaries, placing the boundaries into alignment, arranging the layup pieces in a layup pattern to form a ply, performing a placement operation that transports the layup pattern onto a layup mandrel, and shaping the layup pattern into conformance with a contour of the layup mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Jeremy Evan Justice
  • Patent number: 12187457
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for installing ribs and/or spars to a wing panel while a contour is enforced. Methods include suspending a wing panel beneath a shuttle that enforces the contour, advancing the wing panel through work stations via the shuttle, and installing a rib or a spar (or another wing panel) at a work station, while the contour is enforced. Other methods include locating a wing panel beneath a shuttle, coupling adjustable-length pogos to the wing panel at locations distinct from those corresponding with an installation location, e.g. for a rib or a spar, and controlling the length of the pogos to enforce a contour to the wing panel. Some systems include a track, work stations disposed along the track, and a shuttle to advance along the track and convey a wing panel to each of the work stations while enforcing a contour onto the wing panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel R. Smith, Darrell D. Jones
  • Patent number: 12178149
    Abstract: System and methods for generating a work plan for a headland of an agricultural field (e.g., the portion of the agricultural field that is used by an agricultural machine to perform edge turns while working a main work partition of the field). A field boundary polygon indicative of a workable area of the agricultural field is segmented into multiple segments including a headland polygon and a work partition polygon. A seed track is generated based on a shape of a portion of the boundary of the headland polygon that is shared in common with the boundary of the field boundary polygon. The work plan is generated by replicating the seed track at a defined spacing throughout the headland polygon. In some implementations, the agricultural machine is operated autonomously or semi-autonomously to work the headland area based on the defined work plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory L. Peter, David A. Johnson, Jeffrey S. Puhalla, Daniel R. Smith, Heather R. Bradford