Patents by Inventor John Knag

John Knag 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: 11686879
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20210341644
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Patent number: 11067719
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Fjord Weather Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20200393596
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Patent number: 10795055
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Fjord Weather Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Patent number: 10336436
    Abstract: A method for controlling a propeller of an aircraft, comprises receiving, with a processor, one or more signals indicative of commanded collective pitch of the propeller; receiving, with the processor, one or more sensed signals indicative of propeller axial speed, propeller rotational speed, and air density; estimating, with the processor, a propeller torque and propeller thrust from one or more of the propeller axial speed, the propeller rotational speed, and the air density; determining, with the processor, information indicative of an error value between a desired torque and a measured torque in the propeller; determining, with the processor, information indicative of a corrected pitch command in response to the determining of the error value; combining, with the processor, the corrected pitch command with the propeller rotational speed into an adjustment solution; providing, with the processor, the propeller with the adjustment solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sunny K. Siu, Cody Fegely, Kenneth S. Wittmer, John Knag, Aaron L. Greenfield
  • Patent number: 10329013
    Abstract: A method for controlling a differential rotor roll moment for a coaxial helicopter with rigid rotors, the method including receiving, with a processor, a signal indicative of a displacement command from a controller; receiving, with the processor via a sensor, one or more signals indicative of a longitudinal velocity, an angular velocity of one or more rotors and an air density ratio for the helicopter; determining, with the processor, a ganged collective mixing command in response to the receiving of the displacement command; determining, with the processor, a rotor advance ratio as a function of the longitudinal velocity and the angular velocity; and determining, with the processor, a corrective differential lateral cyclic command for the rigid rotors that controls the differential rotor roll moment to a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cody Fegely, Erez Eller, Kenneth S. Wittmer, Aaron L. Greenfield, John Knag
  • Patent number: 10086932
    Abstract: A method of counteracting a rotor moment of one or more rotors of a concentric dual-rotor helicopter includes sensing angular velocity and angular acceleration of a helicopter during a flight maneuver. The angular velocity and angular acceleration are compared to a set of control parameters and one or more control servos change the cyclic pitch of the one or more rotors to counteract the rotor moment. A control system for counteracting a rotor moment of one or more rotors of a concentric dual-rotor helicopter includes one or more sensors configured to sense angular velocity and angular acceleration of a helicopter during a flight maneuver. A computer is operably connected to the one or more sensors and configured to compare sensor data to a set of control parameters. A plurality of control servos change the cyclic pitch of the one or more rotors to counteract the rotor moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Erez Eller, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20180203159
    Abstract: A distributed weather system includes a storage, a plurality of wireless weather stations, a server, and an interface. Each of the plurality of wireless weather stations is associated with a user and has a battery, a location sensor generating location information, an anemometer generating apparent wind speed, a transmitter transmitting the location information with the apparent wind speed to a network at periodic intervals, and a receiver receiving control commands that include a length of the periodic intervals. The server receives the location information with the apparent wind speed and stores them in the storage. The interface is accessible by a mobile computer, and receives the control commands from a user and sends them to the receiver of the wireless weather station associated with the user. The interface displays a true wind speed for each of the plurality of wireless weather stations, which is calculated using the apparent wind speed, the location information, and historical location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Drew Lambert, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20170334556
    Abstract: A method for controlling a differential rotor roll moment for a coaxial helicopter with rigid rotors, the method including receiving, with a processor, a signal indicative of a displacement command from a controller; receiving, with the processor via a sensor, one or more signals indicative of a longitudinal velocity, an angular velocity of one or more rotors and an air density ratio for the helicopter; determining, with the processor, a ganged collective mixing command in response to the receiving of the displacement command; determining, with the processor, a rotor advance ratio as a function of the longitudinal velocity and the angular velocity; and determining, with the processor, a corrective differential lateral cyclic command for the rigid rotors that controls the differential rotor roll moment to a desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Cody Fegely, Erez Eller, Kenneth S. Wittmer, Aaron L. Greenfield, John Knag
  • Patent number: 9727059
    Abstract: One aspect is a flight control system for independent speed and attitude control of a rotary wing aircraft that includes a main rotor system and a translational thrust system. The flight control system includes a flight control computer configured to interface with the main rotor system and the translational thrust system. The flight control computer includes processing circuitry configured to execute control logic. A pitch attitude reference generator provides a pitch attitude reference to a main rotor controller to command the main rotor system based on pilot input. A longitudinal reference generator produces a longitudinal reference as a longitudinal position or longitudinal velocity based on pilot input. An attitude-to-propulsor crossfeed converts the pitch attitude reference into a propulsor trim adjustment. A propeller pitch controller combines the longitudinal reference and the propulsor trim adjustment into a propeller command, and provides the propeller command to the translational thrust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, John Knag, Stephen Kubik
  • Publication number: 20170210461
    Abstract: A method for controlling a propeller of an aircraft, comprises receiving, with a processor, one or more signals indicative of commanded collective pitch of the propeller; receiving, with the processor, one or more sensed signals indicative of propeller axial speed, propeller rotational speed, and air density; estimating, with the processor, a propeller torque and propeller thrust from one or more of the propeller axial speed, the propeller rotational speed, and the air density; determining, with the processor, information indicative of an error value between a desired torque and a measured torque in the propeller; determining, with the processor, information indicative of a corrected pitch command in response to the determining of the error value; combining, with the processor, the corrected pitch command with the propeller rotational speed into an adjustment solution; providing, with the processor, the propeller with the adjustment solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Sunny K. SIU, Cody FEGELY, Kenneth S. WITTMER, John KNAG, Aaron L. GREENFIELD
  • Patent number: 9682771
    Abstract: Controlling rotor blades of a rotor assembly includes determining an azimuthal position of a rotor assembly and identifying a lateral control command value, a longitudinal control command value and a collective control command value of a rotor assembly control system. A sine value and a cosine value of the azimuthal position are calculated and separate blade commands signals are generated for each separate blade of the rotor assembly to control a position of each blade independent of each other blade. The blade command signals are generated based on combining the sine and cosine values of the azimuthal position with the lateral control command value, the longitudinal control command value and the collective control command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Knag, Anthony Litwinowicz
  • Publication number: 20170059692
    Abstract: Described are systems and methods for drone interdiction. A target aircraft is detected based on data from one or more of one or more radars, a fixed camera image from one or more fixed cameras, and an interceptor aircraft image from a camera mounted to an interceptor aircraft. An interception location is generated describing where the interceptor aircraft and the target aircraft are expected to meet. The interceptor aircraft is directed to the interception location to immobilize the target aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Eric David Laufer, John Knag, Rodney Petr
  • Patent number: 9233753
    Abstract: A method of controlling a helicopter having a rotor with blades is provided. The method includes receiving, by a computing device comprising a processor, at least one input associated with the helicopter; generating, by the computing device, control signals configured to counteract blade bending associated with the rotors based on the received at least one input; measuring, by the computing device, blade signals using sensors for the blades; extracting, by the computing device, harmonic loads from the measured blade signals; adapting, by the computing device, the control signals based on the harmonic loads; and controlling, by the computing device, servos connected to the blades to adjust the blades according to the adapted control signals to reduce vibratory loads on the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Erez Eller, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20150367937
    Abstract: One aspect is a flight control system for independent speed and attitude control of a rotary wing aircraft that includes a main rotor system and a translational thrust system. The flight control system includes a flight control computer configured to interface with the main rotor system and the translational thrust system. The flight control computer includes processing circuitry configured to execute control logic. A pitch attitude reference generator provides a pitch attitude reference to a main rotor controller to command the main rotor system based on pilot input. A longitudinal reference generator produces a longitudinal reference as a longitudinal position or longitudinal velocity based on pilot input. An attitude-to-propulsor crossfeed converts the pitch attitude reference into a propulsor trim adjustment. A propeller pitch controller combines the longitudinal reference and the propulsor trim adjustment into a propeller command, and provides the propeller command to the translational thrust system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, John Knag, Stephen Kubik
  • Patent number: 9174730
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to causing, by a computing device comprising a processor, a rotating tail rotor to operate in a tail rotor mode when an aircraft is operating at a speed less than a rudder control power threshold, receiving, by the computing device, a command that indicates a request to transition the aircraft, determining, by the computing device, that a rudder of the aircraft has control power in an amount greater than a second threshold based on receiving the command, and causing, by the computing device, the rotating tail rotor to operate in a pusher propeller mode based on determining that the rudder has control power in the amount greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, James Rigsby, Cody Fegely, Mark W. Scott, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20150307203
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining data pertaining to at least: a rate of descent of an aircraft and a measured distance of the aircraft from at least one of an obstacle and the ground, processing, by a processing device, the data to obtain a flight envelope, generating a tactile cue corresponding to the flight envelope, and applying the tactile cue to an inceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Alex Faynberg, John Knag, William Fell
  • Publication number: 20150053815
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to causing, by a computing device comprising a processor, a rotating tail rotor to operate in a tail rotor mode when an aircraft is operating at a speed less than a rudder control power threshold, receiving, by the computing device, a command that indicates a request to transition the aircraft, determining, by the computing device, that a rudder of the aircraft has control power in an amount greater than a second threshold based on receiving the command, and causing, by the computing device, the rotating tail rotor to operate in a pusher propeller mode based on determining that the rudder has control power in the amount greater than the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Litwinowicz, James Rigsby, Cody Fegely, Mark W. Scott, John Knag
  • Publication number: 20150050142
    Abstract: Controlling rotor blades of a rotor assembly includes determining an azimuthal position of a rotor assembly and identifying a lateral control command value, a longitudinal control command value and a collective control command value of a rotor assembly control system. A sine value and a cosine value of the azimuthal position are calculated and separate blade commands signals are generated for each separate blade of the rotor assembly to control a position of each blade independent of each other blade. The blade command signals are generated based on combining the sine and cosine values of the azimuthal position with the lateral control command value, the longitudinal control command value and the collective control command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: John Knag, Anthony Litwinowicz