Patents by Inventor Jose A. Fregnani

Jose A. Fregnani 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: 11674837
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically calculating a total fuel uplift quantity for an aircraft scheduled to fly a flight route. In one aspect, a method comprises: (a) polling a plurality of sources to receive data indicative of: (i) real-time weather conditions in remaining flight sectors in the flight route, and (ii) delay information in the remaining sectors; (b) calculating for the remaining sectors a respective fuel consumption factor; (c) based on (i) respective fuel quotations in the remaining sectors, (ii) the real-time weather conditions, and (iii) the delay information, generating a linear model for calculating a respective fuel uplift quantity at arrival stations in the remaining sectors; (d) calculating using the linear model the respective fuel uplift quantity at the arrival stations; and (e) periodically performing operations (a)-(d) to update a calculation of the respective fuel uplift quantities to account for changing factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jose Fregnani, Italo Romani de Oliveira, Glaucia Balvedi
  • Publication number: 20210372839
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically calculating a total fuel uplift quantity for an aircraft scheduled to fly a flight route. In one aspect, a method comprises: (a) polling a plurality of sources to receive data indicative of: (i) real-time weather conditions in remaining flight sectors in the flight route, and (ii) delay information in the remaining sectors; (b) calculating for the remaining sectors a respective fuel consumption factor; (c) based on (i) respective fuel quotations in the remaining sectors, (ii) the real-time weather conditions, and (iii) the delay information, generating a linear model for calculating a respective fuel uplift quantity at arrival stations in the remaining sectors; (d) calculating using the linear model the respective fuel uplift quantity at the arrival stations; and (e) periodically performing operations (a)-(d) to update a calculation of the respective fuel uplift quantities to account for changing factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Jose Fregnani, Italo Romani de Oliveira, Glaucia Balvedi
  • Patent number: 11125599
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically calculating a total fuel uplift quantity for an aircraft scheduled to fly a flight route. In one aspect, a method comprises: (a) polling a plurality of sources to receive data indicative of: (i) real-time weather conditions in remaining flight sectors in the flight route, and (ii) delay information in the remaining sectors; (b) calculating for the remaining sectors a respective fuel consumption factor; (c) based on (i) respective fuel quotations in the remaining sectors, (ii) the real-time weather conditions, and (iii) the delay information, generating a linear model for calculating a respective fuel uplift quantity at arrival stations in the remaining sectors; (d) calculating using the linear model the respective fuel uplift quantity at the arrival stations; and (e) periodically performing operations (a)-(d) to update a calculation of the respective fuel uplift quantities to account for changing factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jose Fregnani, Italo Romani de Oliveira, Glaucia Balvedi
  • Patent number: 11094206
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for vertical flight path optimization by generating a plurality of waypoints with allowable parameters for a flightpath at which a course, including elements for heading, altitude, and speed, of an aircraft is adjustable; calculating a number of unique trajectories available based on the plurality of waypoints; when the number of unique trajectories is greater than a threshold number of trajectories, performing a probabilistic assessment of the unique trajectories to identify an elite set of trajectories that include those trajectories with efficiency metrics within an upper range of a set of assessed trajectories; identifying mobile waypoints in trajectories of the elite set of trajectories; performing a global optimal path assessment, wherein positions of mobile waypoints are adjusted within an associated trajectory to identify an optimal trajectory for the aircraft on the flightpath; and providing the optimal trajectory to the aircraft to follow the flightpath according to the optimal t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Louis J. Bailey, Jose A. Fregnani, Italo Romani De Oliveira
  • Publication number: 20200116542
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically calculating a total fuel uplift quantity for an aircraft scheduled to fly a flight route. In one aspect, a method comprises: (a) polling a plurality of sources to receive data indicative of: (i) real-time weather conditions in remaining flight sectors in the flight route, and (ii) delay information in the remaining sectors; (b) calculating for the remaining sectors a respective fuel consumption factor; (c) based on (i) respective fuel quotations in the remaining sectors, (ii) the real-time weather conditions, and (iii) the delay information, generating a linear model for calculating a respective fuel uplift quantity at arrival stations in the remaining sectors; (d) calculating using the linear model the respective fuel uplift quantity at the arrival stations; and (e) periodically performing operations (a)-(d) to update a calculation of the respective fuel uplift quantities to account for changing factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Jose Fregnani, Italo Romani de Oliveira, Glaucia Balvedi
  • Publication number: 20200105147
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for vertical flight path optimization by generating a plurality of waypoints with allowable parameters for a flightpath at which a course, including elements for heading, altitude, and speed, of an aircraft is adjustable; calculating a number of unique trajectories available based on the plurality of waypoints; when the number of unique trajectories is greater than a threshold number of trajectories, performing a probabilistic assessment of the unique trajectories to identify an elite set of trajectories that include those trajectories with efficiency metrics within an upper range of a set of assessed trajectories; identifying mobile waypoints in trajectories of the elite set of trajectories; performing a global optimal path assessment, wherein positions of mobile waypoints are adjusted within an associated trajectory to identify an optimal trajectory for the aircraft on the flightpath; and providing the optimal trajectory to the aircraft to follow the flightpath according to the optimal t
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Louis J. BAILEY, Jose A. FREGNANI, Italo ROMANI DE OLIVEIRA
  • Patent number: 10580309
    Abstract: An example method includes determining a probable flight trajectory for each respective flight; modifying the probable flight trajectory based on constraints imposed by Air Traffic Controller (ATC) rules to generate a modified flight trajectory; assigning respective arrival slots for modified flight trajectories; receiving trajectory exchange information indicating that two aircraft operators have exchanged two respective flight trajectories associated with two respective flights operated by the two aircraft operators; based on the trajectory exchange information, modifying: (i) the two respective flight trajectories, and (ii) respective arrival slots assigned to the two respective flight trajectories; and transmitting, by the computing device, the modified two respective flight trajectories to respective aircraft assigned to perform the two respective flights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Italo Romani de Oliveira, Jose A. Fregnani
  • Patent number: 10486823
    Abstract: An aircraft is provided that includes a fuel storage tank for aviation fuel, and avionics systems interconnected by an avionics bus. The fuel storage tank receives aviation fuel during a fuel uplift for a flight according to a flight plan that includes and depends on a predicted fuel burn determined based on a reference lower heating value (LHV) of the aviation fuel. The avionics systems include temperature and density sensors, and a flight management system (FMS). The temperature and density sensors measure respectively the temperature and density of the aviation fuel. The FMS receives the measurements, estimates an actual LHV that is different from the reference LHV based on the measurements, and determines an adjusted predicted fuel burn for the flight based on the predicted fuel burn and the actual LHV. The FMS displays the adjusted predicted fuel burn and enable adjustment of the flight plan based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jose A. Fregnani, James D. Kinder, Onofre Andrade
  • Patent number: 10302451
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing takeoff performance by displaying symbology representing an initial pitch angle target that optimizes the amount of payload that can be carried by an airplane. This is accomplished by determining an optimum initial pitch angle at rotation during takeoff which is associated with an optimum ratio of the takeoff safety speed to the stall speed that satisfies a specific set of climb/obstacle constraints. Targeting this optimum initial pitch angle allows the maximum takeoff gross weight that corresponds to the optimum takeoff safety speed/stall speed ratio to be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Geun Il Kim, Jose A. Fregnani, Timothy C. Rohr
  • Publication number: 20190127078
    Abstract: A method for improving inflight fuel efficiency of an aircraft includes sensing aircraft fuel weight in the aircraft fuel tanks and reading the fuel weight by a flight management system during aircraft flight; calculating a current center of gravity position from the fuel weight; calculating an aircraft longitudinal trim drag factor from the current center of gravity; and adjusting a fuel burn prediction utilizing the longitudinal trim drag factor. A system for improving aircraft inflight fuel efficiency includes a flight management system programmed to calculate a current center of gravity position from a current aircraft fuel weight, calculate a longitudinal trim drag factor from the current center of gravity, adjust a fuel burn prediction, and display in the flight deck an adjusted fuel burn prediction for each leg of aircraft flight, which is used to adjust aircraft performance automatically by the flight control system or by the pilot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Geun I. KIM, José A. FREGNANI, Tim ROHR
  • Publication number: 20190112067
    Abstract: An aircraft is provided that includes a fuel storage tank for aviation fuel, and avionics systems interconnected by an avionics bus. The fuel storage tank receives aviation fuel during a fuel uplift for a flight according to a flight plan that includes and depends on a predicted fuel burn determined based on a reference lower heating value (LHV) of the aviation fuel. The avionics systems include temperature and density sensors, and a flight management system (FMS). The temperature and density sensors measure respectively the temperature and density of the aviation fuel. The FMS receives the measurements, estimates an actual LHV that is different from the reference LHV based on the measurements, and determines an adjusted predicted fuel burn for the flight based on the predicted fuel burn and the actual LHV. The FMS displays the adjusted predicted fuel burn and enable adjustment of the flight plan based thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Jose A. Fregnani, James D. Kinder, Onofre Andrade
  • Publication number: 20180261103
    Abstract: An example method includes determining a probable flight trajectory for each respective flight; modifying the probable flight trajectory based on constraints imposed by Air Traffic Controller (ATC) rules to generate a modified flight trajectory; assigning respective arrival slots for modified flight trajectories; receiving trajectory exchange information indicating that two aircraft operators have exchanged two respective flight trajectories associated with two respective flights operated by the two aircraft operators; based on the trajectory exchange information, modifying: (i) the two respective flight trajectories, and (ii) respective arrival slots assigned to the two respective flight trajectories; and transmitting, by the computing device, the modified two respective flight trajectories to respective aircraft assigned to perform the two respective flights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Italo Romani de Oliveira, Jose A. Fregnani
  • Publication number: 20180261106
    Abstract: An example method includes determining a probable flight trajectory for each respective flight; modifying the probable flight trajectory based on constraints imposed by Air Traffic Controller (ATC) rules to generate a modified flight trajectory; assigning respective arrival slots for modified flight trajectories; receiving trajectory exchange information indicating that two aircraft operators have exchanged two respective flight trajectories associated with two respective flights operated by the two aircraft operators; based on the trajectory exchange information, modifying: (i) the two respective flight trajectories, and (ii) respective arrival slots assigned to the two respective flight trajectories; and transmitting, by the computing device, the modified two respective flight trajectories to respective aircraft assigned to perform the two respective flights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Italo Romani de Oliveira, Jose A. Fregnani
  • Patent number: 10074283
    Abstract: An example method includes determining a probable flight trajectory for each respective flight; modifying the probable flight trajectory based on constraints imposed by Air Traffic Controller (ATC) rules to generate a modified flight trajectory; assigning respective arrival slots for modified flight trajectories; receiving trajectory exchange information indicating that two aircraft operators have exchanged two respective flight trajectories associated with two respective flights operated by the two aircraft operators; based on the trajectory exchange information, modifying: (i) the two respective flight trajectories, and (ii) respective arrival slots assigned to the two respective flight trajectories; and transmitting, by the computing device, the modified two respective flight trajectories to respective aircraft assigned to perform the two respective flights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Italo Romani de Oliveira, Jose A. Fregnani