Patents by Inventor Keith A. Stover

Keith A. Stover 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: 11150653
    Abstract: A system and related method operates to receive autopilot selection and monitor aircraft systems to control which autopilot is actively flying the aircraft. During certain flight operations in which a single autopilot is in use, the system reverts to the next available autopilot should the active and selected autopilot disconnect for any reason (e.g., faults and/or failures). The system maintains a redundant ability for pilot use of each pilot selectable mode of each autopilot channel including altitude hold, speed hold, heading hold, etc. For an indication to a pilot or remote operator that the system has reverted to a second autopilot, the system commands a momentary aural warning and a visual message/lights. For failures resulting in timely but necessary maneuver requirements, the system maintains autopilot control laws, control authority and roll authority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Fannin, Keith A. Stover, Eric N. Anderson, Andrew R. Markofski, James E. Walton
  • Patent number: 11081011
    Abstract: A system may include a display and a processor. The display may be configured to present images to a user, the display in an ownship. The processor may be communicatively coupled to the display and in the ownship. The processor may be configured to: receive aircraft traffic data and ownship data; at least one of determine or adjust a threshold range based at least on the aircraft traffic data and the ownship data, the threshold range representing a time or distance threshold to designated traffic; generate and update a graphical threshold indicator, the threshold indicator representing a time or distance from the threshold range to the designated traffic; and output the graphical threshold indicator as graphical data to the display. The display may be configured to display the graphical threshold indicator to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric N. Anderson, Keith A. Stover, Timothy R. Fannin
  • Patent number: 11004348
    Abstract: A system and method operate to leverage high assurance positioning systems to determine a hybrid deviation from an expected position, altitude, and path to generate a lateral and vertical signal indicating deviation from a desired position. As a filtered or alternative to conventional precision landing systems, the hybrid positioning system receives sensor data from a plurality of sensors and compares the received sensor data to known values to determine a deviation of position and trajectory. Extending the capability of existing auto-land systems, relative-to-runway sensors and/or filtered high assurance hybrid solutions are employed as an alternative to conventional precision landing systems. The sensors provide position data that is compared to an expected position and path to provide deviations in lateral, vertical, and speed augmenting traditional RF-based systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Weston J. Lahr, Robert A. Armstrong, Carlo L. Tiana, Geoffrey A. Shapiro, Timothy R. Fannin, Keith A. Stover
  • Patent number: 10971020
    Abstract: A system may include a display and a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive aircraft traffic data and ownship data; generate and update a linear map based on the aircraft traffic data and the ownship data; and output the linear map as graphical data to the display. The display may be configured to display the linear map to a user. The linear map may depict a one-dimensional relationship between an ownship and designated traffic. The linear map may convey a range between the ownship and the designated traffic and may convey a closure rate between the ownship and the designated traffic. The linear map may include: a graphical threshold indicator; a graphical ownship indicator; a graphical scale; and a graphical designated traffic indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Fannin, Keith A. Stover, Eric N. Anderson, Sarah Barber, Felix B. Turcios
  • Patent number: 10723480
    Abstract: An aircraft-based stall prediction and recovery system may be embodied in a flight control system connected to aural/visual annunciators and flight controls (e.g., throttles and control surfaces). Based on received environmental data, the stall prediction and recovery system may detect imminent upset conditions (e.g., underspeed or overspeed) based on minimum and maximum operating speeds for the current airframe, altitude, and atmospheric conditions. The stall prediction and recovery system may notify the crew of the imminent upset and advise corrective measures. If a stall warning is received, the stall prediction and recovery system may engage an auto-recovery mode, notifying the crew of the engagement and restoring the aircraft to a safe target airspeed via automated recovery procedures, e.g., correcting the aircraft angle of attack and/or attitude. Upon resolution of the stall, the stall prediction and recovery system may disengage the auto-recovery mode, notifying the crew via the annunciators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. McCusker, Keith A. Stover
  • Patent number: 10247821
    Abstract: A weather radar system for an aircraft includes a weather radar system and a processing circuit. The weather radar system is configured to determine weather data, the weather data including an indication of precipitation at a plurality of altitudes, a plurality of azimuth angles, and at a plurality of ranges from the aircraft. The processing circuit is configured to receive the weather data from the weather radar system and generate an overhead display from an overhead perspective based on the weather data. The overhead display visually illustrates the precipitation at a particular distance from the aircraft and at a particular azimuth angle. The processing circuit is configured to generate a face-on on display based on the weather data and cause a display screen to display the overhead display and the face-on display. The face-on display visually illustrates a particular altitude of the precipitation and the azimuth angle of the precipitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Keith A. Stover, Eric N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9714081
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes determining via a processor in an avionics system that a personal electronic device is in communication with the avionics system, and establishing a limitation on the functionality of the personal electronic device with respect to the avionics system via the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan N. Hall, III, Kaushik Raghu, Eric N. Anderson, Sara A. Jump, Rachel D. Sparks, Jesse B. Pate, Keith A. Stover, Daniel E. Mazuk
  • Patent number: 9552737
    Abstract: A system, device, and method for generating a landing distance indicator (LDI) are disclosed. The LDI generating system may include one or more sources of navigation data, one or more sources of landing distance (LD) factor data, published LD data source, an image generator (IG), and a presentation system. The IG may be configured to navigation data; acquire LD factor data; define LD data; and generate image data as a function of the navigation data and the LD data. The navigation data could include a runway reference point, and the LD data could an LD. The image data could be representative of at least an image of an LDI comprised of a first boundary is based upon a location of the runway reference point, and a second boundary is based upon the runway reference point and the landing distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricky J. Theriault, Keith A. Stover, Eric N. Anderson, Travis S. VanDerKamp
  • Patent number: 8743020
    Abstract: A high integrity, high availability avionics display architecture for an avionics display system. The architecture includes a plurality of display processing computers (DPC) and a plurality of display integrity feedback interfaces. Each DPC includes at least two independent processing channels. Each independent processing channel includes at least two independent lanes. Each independent lane includes an I/O section and a processor section. Furthermore, each independent processing channel comprises an operative graphics section. At least one of the independent lanes provides a critical display function that provides commands to the graphics section to drive a display signal to displays of the avionics system. A number of display integrity feedback interfaces from the displays of the avionics display system provide integrity by allowing the integrity monitor functions to detect faults within the display signals and/or originating from the displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Mazuk, Eric N. Anderson, Rachel D. Sparks, Sara A. Murphy, Clifford R. Klein, Keith A. Stover, Matthew P. Corbett