Patents by Inventor Derek H. Geiger

Derek H. Geiger 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: 11442446
    Abstract: A rotary-wing aircraft and system for flying a rotary-wing aircraft. The aircraft includes a servo system for actuating a rotor of the aircraft. A hydraulic system provides hydraulic power to the servo system, and a sensor measures a parameter of the hydraulic system. A processor determines a condition of the hydraulic system from the parameter and enforces an effective flight envelop based on the condition of the hydraulic system in order to fly the aircraft within the effective flight envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Derek H. Geiger, Joseph T. Driscoll, Ole Wulff
  • Patent number: 11275373
    Abstract: A method for providing adaptive control to a fly-by-wire aircraft includes measuring via at least one first sensor a characteristic of at least one component of the aircraft and measuring via at least one second sensor a state of the aircraft. Using the characteristic of at least one component and the state of the aircraft, a determination of at least one of an actual damage and remaining life of the at least one component is made. The operational envelope of the aircraft is adapted based on the at least one of actual damage and remaining life of the at least one component. Adapting the operational envelope includes adjusting an outer boundary thereof to prohibit operation exceeding a safe operation threshold and generating an intermediate boundary of the operational envelope. Operation of the aircraft within the intermediate boundaries minimizes further damage accrual of the at least one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Glen A. Knaust, Derek H. Geiger
  • Patent number: 11203414
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for controlling an aircraft based on detecting and mitigating fatiguing conditions and aircraft damage conditions is disclosed. According to one example, a computer-implemented method includes detecting, by a processing system, a health condition of a component of the aircraft. The method further includes determining, by the processing system, whether the health condition is one of a fatigue condition or a damage condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a first action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a fatigue condition to mitigate the fatigue condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a second action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a damage condition to mitigate the damage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Ole Wulff, Derek H. Geiger, Mark W. Davis, Andrew M. Brookhart, Christopher A. Thornberg, Stephen T. Kubik
  • Patent number: 10759528
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a rotor of an aircraft is disclosed. A desired rotor speed for the rotor is received and a torque command that generates the received rotor speed is calculated. A fuel adjustment signal is calculated based on the torque command and a dynamic rotor measurement of the aircraft. The fuel adjustment signal is provided to the aircraft to track the rotor speed to the desired rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ole Wulff, Derek H. Geiger
  • Publication number: 20200198770
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for controlling an aircraft based on detecting and mitigating fatiguing conditions and aircraft damage conditions is disclosed. According to one example, a computer-implemented method includes detecting, by a processing system, a health condition of a component of the aircraft. The method further includes determining, by the processing system, whether the health condition is one of a fatigue condition or a damage condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a first action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a fatigue condition to mitigate the fatigue condition. The method further includes implementing, by the processing system, a second action based at least in part on determining that the health condition is a damage condition to mitigate the damage condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Ole Wulff, Derek H. Geiger, Mark W. Davis, Andrew M. Brookhart, Christopher A. Thornberg, Stephen T. Kubik
  • Publication number: 20200103897
    Abstract: A method for providing adaptive control to a fly-by-wire aircraft includes measuring via at least one first sensor a characteristic of at least one component of the aircraft and measuring via at least one second sensor a state of the aircraft. Using the characteristic of at least one component and the state of the aircraft, a determination of at least one of an actual damage and remaining life of the at least one component is made. The operational envelope of the aircraft is adapted based on the at least one of actual damage and remaining life of the at least one component. Adapting the operational envelope includes adjusting an outer boundary thereof to prohibit operation exceeding a safe operation threshold and generating an intermediate boundary of the operational envelope. Operation of the aircraft within the intermediate boundaries minimizes further damage accrual of the at least one component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Glen A. Knaust, Derek H. Geiger
  • Publication number: 20190337634
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for controlling an aircraft based on detecting control element damage is disclosed. According to one example, a computer-implemented method includes detecting, by a processing system, damage to a control element of the aircraft. The method further includes characterizing, by the processing system, the damage to determine a corrective action to take based at least in part on the detected damage. The method further includes controlling, by the processing system, the aircraft based at least in part on the corrective action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Derek H. Geiger, Matthew A. White, Mark W. Davis
  • Publication number: 20190072952
    Abstract: A rotary-wing aircraft and system for flying a rotary-wing aircraft. The aircraft includes a servo system for actuating a rotor of the aircraft. A hydraulic system provides hydraulic power to the servo system, and a sensor measures a parameter of the hydraulic system. A processor determines a condition of the hydraulic system from the parameter and enforces an effective flight envelop based on the condition of the hydraulic system in order to fly the aircraft within the effective flight envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Derek H. Geiger, Joseph T. Driscoll, Ole Wulff
  • Publication number: 20190002095
    Abstract: A rotary-wing aircraft and system for controlling a flight of the rotary-wing aircraft. The aircraft includes a main rotor, a propeller and a variable speed transmission for transferring power from the main rotor to the propeller. A propeller command module controls operation of the variable speed transmission. The propeller command module varies a transfer of power from the main rotor to the propeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Derek H. Geiger, Ole Wulff, Jonathan Aaron Litwin, Michael Peter Strauss
  • Publication number: 20180134380
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a rotor of an aircraft is disclosed. A desired rotor speed for the rotor is received and a torque command that generates the received rotor speed is calculated. A fuel adjustment signal is calculated based on the torque command and a dynamic rotor measurement of the aircraft. The fuel adjustment signal is provided to the aircraft to track the rotor speed to the desired rotor speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Ole Wulff, Derek H. Geiger