Patents by Inventor Dwayne C. Merna

Dwayne C. Merna 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: 10913550
    Abstract: Feedback control circuitry includes rate limiter circuitry configured to generate a rate limited position command based on a position command for a controlled component and based on a speed command for the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry also includes error adjustment circuitry configured to apply a control gain to an error signal to generate an adjusted error signal. The error signal is based on position feedback and the rate limited position command, and the position feedback indicates a position of the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output a current command generated based on the adjusted error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna
  • Patent number: 10911061
    Abstract: Demodulation circuitry includes an input terminal configured to be coupled to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and configured to receive a plurality of ADC outputs. The plurality of ADC outputs are generated based on resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry also includes a rectifier configured to rectify the plurality of ADC outputs. Rectifying the plurality of ADC outputs preserves a phase of the plurality of ADC outputs. The demodulation circuitry includes amplitude determination circuitry configured to determine, based on the rectified plurality of ADC outputs, demodulated amplitude values corresponding to the resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry further includes angle computation circuitry configured to generate position outputs based on the demodulated amplitude values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Patent number: 10830591
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a coarse resolver configured to output coarse position signals indicative of a coarse position of a drive shaft of a motor. The apparatus also includes a fine resolver configured to output fine position signals indicative of a fine position of the drive shaft of the motor. The apparatus further includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive the coarse position signals from the coarse resolver and the fine position signals from the fine resolver and generate an initial position output, based on the coarse position signals, that indicates an initial position of the drive shaft. The control circuit is further configured to generate a subsequent position output, based on the fine position signals, that indicates a subsequent position of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Patent number: 10673368
    Abstract: A pulse-width modulation control circuit includes a first transistor and a signal generator. The first transistor includes a first terminal coupled to a power source and a second terminal coupled to a first input of a controlled component. The signal generator includes a first node coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The signal generator is configured to receive a comparison value and a comparison criterion and to compare the comparison value to a counter value based on the comparison criterion. In response to the comparison value satisfying the comparison criterion with respect to the counter value, the signal generator is configured to send a control signal to the gate of the first transistor to generate a pulse edge of a pulse of a pulse-width modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna
  • Publication number: 20190296761
    Abstract: Demodulation circuitry includes an input terminal configured to be coupled to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and configured to receive a plurality of ADC outputs. The plurality of ADC outputs are generated based on resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry also includes a rectifier configured to rectify the plurality of ADC outputs. Rectifying the plurality of ADC outputs preserves a phase of the plurality of ADC outputs. The demodulation circuitry includes amplitude determination circuitry configured to determine, based on the rectified plurality of ADC outputs, demodulated amplitude values corresponding to the resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry further includes angle computation circuitry configured to generate position outputs based on the demodulated amplitude values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190294200
    Abstract: A pulse-width modulation control circuit includes a first transistor and a signal generator. The first transistor includes a first terminal coupled to a power source and a second terminal coupled to a first input of a controlled component. The signal generator includes a first node coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The signal generator is configured to receive a comparison value and a comparison criterion and to compare the comparison value to a counter value based on the comparison criterion. In response to the comparison value satisfying the comparison criterion with respect to the counter value, the signal generator is configured to send a control signal to the gate of the first transistor to generate a pulse edge of a pulse of a pulse-width modulated signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna
  • Publication number: 20190291898
    Abstract: Feedback control circuitry includes rate limiter circuitry configured to generate a rate limited position command based on a position command for a controlled component and based on a speed command for the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry also includes error adjustment circuitry configured to apply a control gain to an error signal to generate an adjusted error signal. The error signal is based on position feedback and the rate limited position command, and the position feedback indicates a position of the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output a current command generated based on the adjusted error signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna
  • Publication number: 20190293429
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a coarse resolver configured to output coarse position signals indicative of a coarse position of a drive shaft of a motor. The apparatus also includes a fine resolver configured to output fine position signals indicative of a fine position of the drive shaft of the motor. The apparatus further includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive the coarse position signals from the coarse resolver and the fine position signals from the fine resolver and generate an initial position output, based on the coarse position signals, that indicates an initial position of the drive shaft. The control circuit is further configured to generate a subsequent position output, based on the fine position signals, that indicates a subsequent position of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Publication number: 20190291899
    Abstract: Dither circuitry includes harmonic signal generation circuitry configured generate a high order even harmonic of a base excitation signal. The dither circuitry also includes a combiner configured to generate a dithered excitation signal based on the high order even harmonic and the base excitation signal. The dither circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output the dithered excitation signal to a sensor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Patent number: 10414519
    Abstract: Dither circuitry includes harmonic signal generation circuitry configured generate a high order even harmonic of a base excitation signal. The dither circuitry also includes a combiner configured to generate a dithered excitation signal based on the high order even harmonic and the base excitation signal. The dither circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output the dithered excitation signal to a sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna, Manu Sharma
  • Patent number: 9986660
    Abstract: Conductive cooled gimbaled inertial measurement units are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes an inertial measurement unit, a gimbal assembly in which the inertial measurement unit is disposed, the gimbal assembly having gaps between each gimbal of the gimbal assembly, the gaps including a gas to conduct heat from the gimbal assembly, and an isothermal dome at least partially surrounding the gimbal assembly, the isothermal dome having a cooling tube disposed on an external surface of the isothermal dome to transfer heat from the gimbal assembly via conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Stephen Butscher, James K. Gingrich, Shaun Detloff, Joseph Brent Templeton, Dwayne C. Merna, Joseph Eugene Justin
  • Publication number: 20170231114
    Abstract: Conductive cooled gimbaled inertial measurement units are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes an inertial measurement unit, a gimbal assembly in which the inertial measurement unit is disposed, the gimbal assembly having gaps between each gimbal of the gimbal assembly, the gaps including a gas to conduct heat from the gimbal assembly, and an isothermal dome at least partially surrounding the gimbal assembly, the isothermal dome having a cooling tube disposed on an external surface of the isothermal dome to transfer heat from the gimbal assembly via conduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen Butscher, James K. Gingrich, Shaun Detloff, Joseph Brent Templeton, Dwayne C. Merna, Joseph Eugene Justin
  • Publication number: 20100007554
    Abstract: A system and a method wherein future navigation data is broadcast on one channel and current navigation data is broadcast on another channel. By instituting minor changes in message structure, anti-jamming capability can be enhanced. In accordance with one method, future navigation data is distributed by satellites to receivers for tracking of a conventional channel. In accordance with another method, part of the future navigation data (i.e., ephemeris and clock data) is distributed by satellites to receivers for use with a dataless channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Hanching Grant Wang, Dwayne C. Merna