Patents by Inventor Eric Lee Nicks
Eric Lee Nicks 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).
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Patent number: 11731493Abstract: A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, James Ralph Hamilton
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Publication number: 20210002940Abstract: A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2019Publication date: January 7, 2021Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, James Ralph Hamilton
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Patent number: 10583927Abstract: A system may include an air treatment assembly configured to deliver treated air to an enclosed space within a vehicle, at least one upstream sensor upstream from the air treatment assembly, and at least one downstream sensor downstream from the air treatment assembly. The upstream sensor(s) and the downstream sensor(s) are configured to detect at least one attribute of air, such as air pressure. An air treatment monitoring system is in communication with the sensors. The air treatment monitoring system receives one or more sensor signals from the sensors, and calculates an attribute differential (such as a pressure differential) based on the one or more signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2014Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: David Allan Followell, Eric Lee Nicks, Javier Cortez
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Patent number: 10513339Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufactures for aircraft cabin temperature control using temperature data from mobile electronic devices are described herein. An example mobile electronic device described herein includes a transceiver to receive a climate characteristic value measured by a personal mobile electronic device in a cabin of an aircraft and a cabin air manager to calculate an updated climate characteristic setting for an environmental control system (ECS) of the aircraft based on a current climate characteristic setting of the ECS and the climate characteristic value.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2017Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventor: Eric Lee Nicks
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Publication number: 20190366966Abstract: A method of determining a seat back status of a passenger seat in a vehicle. The method includes monitoring a seat back orientation sensor coupled to a seat back of the passenger seat and monitoring a reference orientation sensor coupled at a fixed position within the vehicle. The seat back orientation sensor determines an orientation of the seat back relative to Earth, and the reference orientation sensor determines an orientation of the vehicle relative to Earth. The method further includes determining an orientation of the seat back relative to the vehicle based on a comparison between the orientation of the seat back and the orientation of the vehicle relative to Earth, and transmitting seat back orientation data, of the seat back relative to the vehicle, to a remote monitoring unit, wherein the remote monitoring unit is configured to display a first notification when the seat back is not fully upright.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventor: Eric Lee Nicks
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Patent number: 10479305Abstract: A method of determining a seat back status of a passenger seat in a vehicle. The method includes monitoring a seat back orientation sensor coupled to a seat back of the passenger seat and monitoring a reference orientation sensor coupled at a fixed position within the vehicle. The seat back orientation sensor determines an orientation of the seat back relative to Earth, and the reference orientation sensor determines an orientation of the vehicle relative to Earth. The method further includes determining an orientation of the seat back relative to the vehicle based on a comparison between the orientation of the seat back and the orientation of the vehicle relative to Earth, and transmitting seat back orientation data, of the seat back relative to the vehicle, to a remote monitoring unit, wherein the remote monitoring unit is configured to display a first notification when the seat back is not fully upright.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Eric Lee Nicks
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Patent number: 10336472Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing health of a motor in an aircraft is presented. A first group of motor parameters and a second group of external bias parameters in sensor data received from a sensor system associated with the aircraft in which the first group of motor parameters is for an environment affected by operation of the motor in the aircraft and the second group of external bias parameters modifies an effect of the first motor group of motor parameters in identifying a health of the motor is monitored. The health of the motor is identified based on the first group of motor parameters and the second group of external bias parameters. An action is performed based on the health of the motor identified, wherein a controller enables increasing a confidence level in indicating the health of the motor.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, David Allan Followell, Javier Cortez
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Patent number: 10228299Abstract: A component monitoring system is configured to indirectly monitor an operative health status of an operative component. The component monitoring system includes an ambient condition sensor within a chamber, an operative component coupled to the chamber. The ambient condition sensor is configured to sample an ambient condition within the chamber when the operative component is active. The ambient condition sensor is configured to output ambient condition data indicative of the ambient condition detected by the ambient condition sensor. At least one control unit is in communication with the ambient condition sensor. The control unit(s) is configured to indirectly determine the operative health status of the operative component through an analysis of the ambient condition data.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, Stephen Gregory Dame
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Publication number: 20190061957Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufactures for aircraft cabin temperature control using temperature data from mobile electronic devices are described herein. An example mobile electronic device described herein includes a transceiver to receive a climate characteristic value measured by a personal mobile electronic device in a cabin of an aircraft and a cabin air manager to calculate an updated climate characteristic setting for an environmental control system (ECS) of the aircraft based on a current climate characteristic setting of the ECS and the climate characteristic value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventor: Eric Lee Nicks
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Publication number: 20180308037Abstract: A task management system is configured to assign tasks to one or more attendants of a vehicle. The task management system includes one or more passenger interfaces associated with one or more passenger seats within an interior cabin of the vehicle. The passenger interface(s) are configured to output service request signals indicative of service requests from passengers that are input into the passenger interface(s). One or more attendant devices are configured to be carried by the one or more attendants. A task manager includes a management control unit that is in communication with the passenger interface(s) and the attendant device(s). The management control unit receives the service request signals from the passenger interface(s) and assigns tasks to the attendant device(s) based, at least in part, on the service request signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2017Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Cedar Cloyd, Eric Lee Nicks
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Publication number: 20180052068Abstract: A component monitoring system is configured to indirectly monitor an operative health status of an operative component. The component monitoring system includes an ambient condition sensor within a chamber, an operative component coupled to the chamber. The ambient condition sensor is configured to sample an ambient condition within the chamber when the operative component is active. The ambient condition sensor is configured to output ambient condition data indicative of the ambient condition detected by the ambient condition sensor. At least one control unit is in communication with the ambient condition sensor. The control unit(s) is configured to indirectly determine the operative health status of the operative component through an analysis of the ambient condition data.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2016Publication date: February 22, 2018Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, Stephen Gregory Dame
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Patent number: 9872250Abstract: A data acquisition node for coupling to a system of a vehicle includes a processor coupled to a communication interface. The processor is configured to transition from a sleep mode to a start-up detect mode after an imminent-event message is received at the communication interface. The communication interface is substantially deactivated while in the start-up detect mode. The processor also is configured to monitor sensor data from at least one sensor while in the start-up detect mode. The at least one sensor is operable to generate a signal that is representative of a physical characteristic of the system.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2014Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Eric Lee Nicks, David Allan Followell, Javier Cortez
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Patent number: 9784638Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a probability of below-specified performance of a low temperature limit control valve. During operation of an environmental control system (ECS) for a vehicle, current operation parameters related to the ECS are sensed. Historical operation parameters related to the ECS are retrieved. A probability of below-specified performance of the low temperature limit control valve is determined based on a predetermined relationship between the stored current operation parameters, the historical operation parameters, and the probability of below-specified performance of the low temperature limit valve.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2015Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: David Allan Followell, Eric Lee Nicks, Nail Hanov
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Patent number: 9633489Abstract: A system and method of processing information onboard a vehicle. Execution attributes on the vehicle are read by a computer program running on a data processing system on the vehicle. The execution attributes define a number of information processing actions. The number of information processing actions are performed on the vehicle by the computer program running on the data processing system on the vehicle using the execution attributes.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey Alan Schmitz, Eric Lee Nicks, Timothy Joseph Wilmering, Javier Cortez, Jeanne C. Maggiore
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Publication number: 20160107768Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing health of a motor in an aircraft is presented. A first group of motor parameters and a second group of external bias parameters in sensor data received from a sensor system associated with the aircraft in which the first group of motor parameters is for an environment affected by operation of the motor in the aircraft and the second group of external bias parameters modifies an effect of the first motor group of motor parameters in identifying a health of the motor is monitored. The health of the motor is identified based on the first group of motor parameters and the second group of external bias parameters. An action is performed based on the health of the motor identified, wherein a controller enables increasing a confidence level in indicating the health of the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2014Publication date: April 21, 2016Inventors: Eric Lee Nicks, David Allan Followell, Javier Cortez
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Publication number: 20160101665Abstract: A system may include an air treatment assembly configured to deliver treated air to an enclosed space within a vehicle, at least one upstream sensor upstream from the air treatment assembly, and at least one downstream sensor downstream from the air treatment assembly. The upstream sensor(s) and the downstream sensor(s) are configured to detect at least one attribute of air, such as air pressure. An air treatment monitoring system is in communication with the sensors. The air treatment monitoring system receives one or more sensor signals from the sensors, and calculates an attribute differential (such as a pressure differential) based on the one or more signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: David Allan Followell, Eric Lee Nicks, Javier Cortez
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Publication number: 20160071335Abstract: A system and method of processing information onboard a vehicle. Execution attributes on the vehicle are read by a computer program running on a data processing system on the vehicle. The execution attributes define a number of information processing actions. The number of information processing actions are performed on the vehicle by the computer program running on the data processing system on the vehicle using the execution attributes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Schmitz, Eric Lee Nicks, Timothy Joseph Wilmering, Javier Cortez, Jeanne C. Maggiore
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Publication number: 20160073346Abstract: A data acquisition node for coupling to a system of a vehicle includes a processor coupled to a communication interface. The processor is configured to transition from a sleep mode to a start-up detect mode after an imminent-event message is received at the communication interface. The communication interface is substantially deactivated while in the start-up detect mode. The processor also is configured to monitor sensor data from at least one sensor while in the start-up detect mode. The at least one sensor is operable to generate a signal that is representative of a physical characteristic of the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Eric Lee Nicks, David Allan Followell, Javier Cortez