Patents by Inventor Gary L. Hess

Gary L. Hess 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: 20230266354
    Abstract: A sensor system can include a sensor configured to output a sensor signal having a waveform output with noise and a peak detector module configured to receive the waveform output from the sensor and to detect a peak amplitude of the waveform output. The peak detector module can be configured to output a peak amplitude signal. The system can include a threshold module configured to receive the peak amplitude signal and to calculate a cutoff threshold based on the peak amplitude signal. The threshold module can be configured to output a cutoff threshold signal. The system can include a comparator operatively connected to the sensor and the threshold module. The comparator can be configured to receive the sensor signal and the cutoff threshold signal to compare the sensor signal and the cutoff signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Eric Petersen
  • Publication number: 20230195160
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments for monitoring clock drift. Embodiments may include an XOR gate that is configured to receive a first clock signal from a first clock source and a second clock signal from a second clock source, wherein the XOR logic gate is further configured to generate a switching output based on an XOR operation of the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and a rising edge detector and a falling edge detector that are configured to detect a rising edge and a falling edge of the switching output. Embodiments may also include an AND gate that is configured to threshold compare the rising edge to a configurable threshold to determine if a fault condition exists indicating clock drift between the first clock signal and the second clock signal and provide an indication of the fault condition based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Michael A. Wilson, Gary L. Hess
  • Patent number: 11428703
    Abstract: A speed detection device includes a comparator module, a sensor lead with a node connected to the comparator module, and a limit set module. The limit set module is connected to the sensor lead node and to the comparator by an upper limit lead and a lower limit lead to provide upper and lower limits to the comparator that vary according to amplitude variation in voltage applied to the sensor lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen
  • Patent number: 11360133
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for sinusoidal nulling are provided. Aspects include transmitting, by a controller, an excitation signal to a first sensor, determining, by the controller, a target harmonic based at least on one or more characteristics of the excitation signal, receiving a return signal from the first sensor, sampling the return signal at a first sample rate based on the target harmonic, and adjusting a phase of the sampled return signal to null the target harmonic amplitude to form an adjusted return signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Wilson, Gary L. Hess
  • Patent number: 11300986
    Abstract: A system comprises a first current balancer and a second current balancer. Each of the first and second current balancers includes a first input line for a first voltage source connected to a first output, a second input line for a second voltage source connected to a second output and is in parallel with the first input line, a first series pass element connected in series with the first input line, and a second series pass element connected in series with the second input line. The system further includes a controller operatively connected to the first series pass element and to the second series pass element to throttle at least one of the first series pass element and the second series pass element to balance output current in the first and second outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Wilson, Steven A. Avritch, Gary L. Hess
  • Patent number: 11231296
    Abstract: A resolver system includes a rotatable primary winding, a secondary winding fixed relative to the primary winding, and an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the secondary winding. A control module is operatively connected to analog-to-digital converter and is responsive to instructions to apply an excitation voltage with an oscillating waveform to the primary winding, induce a secondary voltage using the secondary winding using the excitation voltage, and acquire a plurality of voltage measurements from the secondary winding separated by a time interval corresponding to ?/3 of the excitation voltage oscillating waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kanwalpreet Reen
  • Patent number: 11209290
    Abstract: A resolver system includes a rotatable primary winding, a secondary winding fixed relative to the rotatable primary winding, a tertiary winding fixed relative to the rotatable primary winding and positioned ?/2 radians out of phase with respect to the fixed secondary winding, an excitation module electrically connected to the rotatable primary winding and configured to provide an excitation signal to the rotatable primary winding where the excitation signal is an alternating current waveform having a fundamental frequency, and a controller electrically connected to the secondary winding and configured to sample a voltage across the secondary winding at 18 times the fundamental frequency, sample a voltage across the tertiary winding at 18 times the fundamental frequency, and determine an amplitude of the fundamental frequency based on the sampled voltages across the secondary and tertiary windings, where the alternating current waveform includes a third harmonic frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen
  • Publication number: 20210263543
    Abstract: A system comprises a first current balancer and a second current balancer. Each of the first and second current balancers includes a first input line for a first voltage source connected to a first output, a second input line for a second voltage source connected to a second output and is in parallel with the first input line, a first series pass element connected in series with the first input line, and a second series pass element connected in series with the second input line. The system further includes a controller operatively connected to the first series pass element and to the second series pass element to throttle at least one of the first series pass element and the second series pass element to balance output current in the first and second outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Wilson, Steven A. Avritch, Gary L. Hess
  • Patent number: 11092464
    Abstract: A system for determining an amplitude of a sinusoidal output waveform from a sensor includes a controller configured to provide a sample signal having a sample frequency that is four times a frequency of a sinusoidal excitation waveform provided to the sensor. The sensor has inductively-coupled primary and secondary windings that produce the sinusoidal output waveform from the secondary winding when the excitation waveform is provided to the primary winding. An analog-to-digital converter measures a first and second voltage of the sensor waveform separated in time by the period of the sample frequency, and the system calculates the amplitude based on the measurements of the first and second voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Michael A. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20210190840
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for sinusoidal nulling are provided. Aspects include transmitting, by a controller, an excitation signal to a first sensor, determining, by the controller, a target harmonic based at least on one or more characteristics of the excitation signal, receiving a return signal from the first sensor, sampling the return signal at a first sample rate based on the target harmonic, and adjusting a phase of the sampled return signal to null the target harmonic amplitude to form an adjusted return signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Michael A. Wilson, Gary L. Hess
  • Publication number: 20200363442
    Abstract: A speed detection device includes a comparator module, a sensor lead with a node connected to the comparator module, and a limit set module. The limit set module is connected to the sensor lead node and to the comparator by an upper limit lead and a lower limit lead to provide upper and lower limits to the comparator that vary according to amplitude variation in voltage applied to the sensor lead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen
  • Patent number: 10801863
    Abstract: A system for determining a phase angle of a sensor waveform relative to an excitation waveform includes a controller that provides an excitation signal having an excitation frequency and a sample signal having four times the excitation frequency. An exciter provides a sinusoidal excitation waveform at the excitation frequency to a primary winding, thereby inducing a sensor waveform in a secondary winding. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) measures a first and second voltage of the sensor waveform separated in time by the period of the sample frequency, and a wrap-around ADC measures a first and second voltage of the sinusoidal excitation waveform. The first voltage measurements are made at the same time, and the second voltage measurements are made at the same time. The system calculates the phase angle based on the first voltage measurements and the second voltage measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Michael A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10761106
    Abstract: A speed detection device includes a comparator module, a sensor lead with a node connected to the comparator module, and a limit set module. The limit set module is connected to the sensor lead node and to the comparator by an upper limit lead and a lower limit lead to provide upper and lower limits to the comparator that vary according to amplitude variation in voltage applied to the sensor lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen
  • Patent number: 10759546
    Abstract: An aircraft electrical system includes a controller system having a self-testing system configured to test an operability of a transient voltage suppression device. A single line communication bus is connected to a communications output of the controller. A first lightning protection device including the transient voltage suppression device is configured to protect the controller from transient voltages. An enable/disable circuit comprising a normally closed switch connects a low side of the lightning protection device to a neutral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Eberts, Gary L. Hess
  • Publication number: 20200225062
    Abstract: A system for determining an amplitude of a sinusoidal output waveform from a sensor includes a controller configured to provide a sample signal having a sample frequency that is four times a frequency of a sinusoidal excitation waveform provided to the sensor. The sensor has inductively-coupled primary and secondary windings that produce the sinusoidal output waveform from the secondary winding when the excitation waveform is provided to the primary winding. An analog-to-digital converter measures a first and second voltage of the sensor waveform separated in time by the period of the sample frequency, and the system calculates the amplitude based on the measurements of the first and second voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Michael A. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20200225063
    Abstract: A system for determining a phase angle of a sensor waveform relative to an excitation waveform includes a controller that provides an excitation signal having an excitation frequency and a sample signal having four times the excitation frequency. An exciter provides a sinusoidal excitation waveform at the excitation frequency to a primary winding, thereby inducing a sensor waveform in a secondary winding. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) measures a first and second voltage of the sensor waveform separated in time by the period of the sample frequency, and a wrap-around ADC measures a first and second voltage of the sinusoidal excitation waveform. The first voltage measurements are made at the same time, and the second voltage measurements are made at the same time. The system calculates the phase angle based on the first voltage measurements and the second voltage measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Michael A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10564209
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a system and method for detecting an open circuit in a sensor measurement system. The system including a sensor having a direct current (DC) output, operably connected to a wiring harness and configured to transmit a sensor signal, and a controller, the controller operably connected to the wiring harness. The controller is configured execute a method including receiving a sensor signal from the sensor, AC coupling an AC signal with the sensor signal to form a coupled signal, measuring the coupled signal, determining if an open circuit is present based on the coupled signal and characterizing the sensor as failed if the open circuit is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Eric Petersen
  • Publication number: 20200011708
    Abstract: A resolver system includes a rotatable primary winding, a secondary winding fixed relative to the rotatable primary winding, a tertiary winding fixed relative to the rotatable primary winding and positioned ?/2 radians out of phase with respect to the fixed secondary winding, an excitation module electrically connected to the rotatable primary winding and configured to provide an excitation signal to the rotatable primary winding where the excitation signal is an alternating current waveform having a fundamental frequency, and a controller electrically connected to the secondary winding and configured to sample a voltage across the secondary winding at 18 times the fundamental frequency, sample a voltage across the tertiary winding at 18 times the fundamental frequency, and determine an amplitude of the fundamental frequency based on the sampled voltages across the secondary and tertiary windings, where the alternating current waveform includes a third harmonic frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen
  • Patent number: 10502590
    Abstract: A system for detecting a position of a dual solenoid device includes device configured to move between first and second positions, and a controller. The controller has first and second monitoring circuits in operable communication with first and second channels, respectively. The first and second channels are in operable communication with first and second solenoids, respectively. Each solenoid is configured to selectively operate as an active solenoid to move the device when the solenoid and its respective channel are in an active mode, and as a passive solenoid when the solenoid and its respective channel are in a passive mode to passively move with the active solenoid. Each of the monitoring circuits is configured to determine a position of the device when the channel the monitoring circuit is associated with is operating in the passive mode by monitoring an electrical parameter of the passive solenoid associated with that channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk A. Lillestolen, Gary L. Hess
  • Publication number: 20190293675
    Abstract: A speed detection device includes a comparator module, a sensor lead with a node connected to the comparator module, and a limit set module. The limit set module is connected to the sensor lead node and to the comparator by an upper limit lead and a lower limit lead to provide upper and lower limits to the comparator that vary according to amplitude variation in voltage applied to the sensor lead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Hess, Kirk A. Lillestolen