Patents by Inventor James H. Francis, JR.

James H. Francis, JR. 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).

  • Flight vehicle autopilot
    Patent number: 9656593
    Abstract: An autopilot for a flight vehicle is described herein. Various configurations of the autopilot may be used in a gyro-less guidance and control system, which can be designed based on translational acceleration measurements only. In other configurations, the one or more components of the autopilot may be used as a backup to primary components of a guidance and control system. The autopilot may use state estimates to determine effector commands to control a flight vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kevin A. Wise, Eugene Lavretsky, Brian C. Roberts, James H. Francis, Jr.
  • Flight Vehicle Autopilot
    Publication number: 20160231753
    Abstract: An autopilot for a flight vehicle is described herein. Various configurations of the autopilot may be used in a gyro-less guidance and control system, which can be designed based on translational acceleration measurements only. In other configurations, the one or more components of the autopilot may be used as a backup to primary components of a guidance and control system. The autopilot may use state estimates to determine effector commands to control a flight vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin A. Wise, Eugene Lavretsky, Brian C. Roberts, James H. Francis, JR.