Patents by Inventor Michael A. Long

Michael A. Long 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: 12606296
    Abstract: Systems and methods of aircraft modal suppression informed by an underlying non-uniform vertical turbulence model and uniform lateral turbulence model. The systems and methods include receiving a plurality of signals from on-board inertial sensors of an aircraft, utilizing the plurality of signals to generate a plurality of observers, utilizing the observers to determine a control law command for controlling one or more control surfaces of the aircraft, and moving the one or more control surfaces of the aircraft in accordance with the determined control law command such that lateral mode vibrations of the aircraft are diminished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Paul C. Strefling, John M. Nappi, Jr., Jared D. Weaver, Sascha K. Ruegamer, William J. Wheeler, Tyler B. Wilhelm, Thomas D. Potter, Abraham J. Pachikara, Michael A. Long, Matthew E. Gajda, Christopher A. Jensen, Brad E. Xanthopoulos, Bryan A. Lopez, Brian L. Beechinor, Kimberly A. Hinson, Alexander C. Ho
  • Patent number: 12441462
    Abstract: A wheeled support structure is presented and may include a shock absorber strut assembly comprising a wheel, a truss structure, a drag brace, and a pivot joint. The pivot joint may connect the truss structure to the drag brace. The drag brace may have an upper drag brace that may be pivotingly attached to a vehicle, and may be pivotingly attached to a lower drag brace. The lower drag brace may be pivotingly attached to the upper drag brace, and may be pivotingly attached to the truss structure. The drag brace may be configured to move between a deployed position and a stowed position. The truss structure may be configured to pivotably attach to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2025
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Long, Justin Duane Cottet
  • Patent number: 12434820
    Abstract: An aircraft includes: a wing landing gear; and a body landing gear which includes a shock absorber strut assembly comprising a wheel, a fixed truss structure and an aircraft structure connection point, a drag brace, and a pivot joint that connects the fixed truss structure to the drag brace; and a body landing gear wheel well configured to store the body landing gear in a stowed position. The drag brace includes an upper drag brace, and a lower drag brace pivotingly attached to the upper drag brace. In a stowed position, the shock absorber strut assembly, the fixed strut structure, the upper drag brace and the lower drag brace may be positioned outside of a swing path of a wing landing gear of the aircraft. In the deployed position, the lower drag brace may be positioned in the swing path of the wing landing gear of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2025
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Long, Justin Duane Cottet, Christopher M. Newton
  • Publication number: 20250171133
    Abstract: A wheeled support structure is presented and may include a shock absorber strut assembly comprising a wheel, a truss structure, a drag brace, and a pivot joint. The pivot joint may connect the truss structure to the drag brace. The drag brace may have an upper drag brace that may be pivotingly attached to a vehicle, and may be pivotingly attached to a lower drag brace. The lower drag brace may be pivotingly attached to the upper drag brace, and may be pivotingly attached to the truss structure. The drag brace may be configured to move between a deployed position and a stowed position. The truss structure may be configured to pivotably attach to the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael A. LONG, Justin Duane COTTET
  • Publication number: 20250171134
    Abstract: An aircraft includes: a wing landing gear; and a body landing gear which includes a shock absorber strut assembly comprising a wheel, a fixed truss structure and an aircraft structure connection point, a drag brace, and a pivot joint that connects the fixed truss structure to the drag brace; and a body landing gear wheel well configured to store the body landing gear in a stowed position. The drag brace includes an upper drag brace, and a lower drag brace pivotingly attached to the upper drag brace. In a stowed position, the shock absorber strut assembly, the fixed strut structure, the upper drag brace and the lower drag brace may be positioned outside of a swing path of a wing landing gear of the aircraft. In the deployed position, the lower drag brace may be positioned in the swing path of the wing landing gear of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael A. LONG, Justin Duane COTTET, Christopher M. Newton
  • Publication number: 20250091711
    Abstract: Systems and methods of aircraft modal suppression informed by an underlying non-uniform vertical turbulence model and uniform lateral turbulence model. The systems and methods include receiving a plurality of signals from on-board inertial sensors of an aircraft, utilizing the plurality of signals to generate a plurality of observers, utilizing the observers to determine a control law command for controlling one or more control surfaces of the aircraft, and moving the one or more control surfaces of the aircraft in accordance with the determined control law command such that lateral mode vibrations of the aircraft are diminished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Paul C. Strefling, John M. Nappi, Jr., Jared D. Weaver, Sascha K. Ruegamer, William J. Wheeler, Tyler B. Wilhelm, Thomas D. Potter, Abraham J. Pachikara, Michael A. Long, Matthew E. Gajda, Christopher A. Jensen, Brad E. Xanthopoulos, Bryan A. Lopez, Brian L. Beechinor, Kimberly A. Hinson, Alexander C. Ho
  • Publication number: 20210358639
    Abstract: A system to manage pandemic health risk provides a pandemic app having a user interface that runs on a mobile device, a voluntary participant can register to use the pandemic app, and a trace contact is identified in the pandemic app by the participant through the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventor: Michael A. Long
  • Patent number: 9895761
    Abstract: A wireless control system (10) for a welding system (12) including an electrical control interface (18). The control system (10) may generally comprise a foot pedal (14) and a receiver (16). The foot pedal (14) may include a pivotable housing (20), a sensing element (22) operable to sense a position of the pivotable housing (20) and provide a corresponding pedal position signal, and a transmitter (24) operable to wirelessly transmit the pedal position signal. The receiver (16) may include an antenna (36) operable to wirelessly receive the pedal position signal generated by the foot pedal (14), a processor (38) operable to process the received pedal position signal, and a connector (40) operable to connect with the electrical control interface (18) associated with the welding system (12) to provide the processed pedal position signal thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Fredric A. Bland, Michael A. Long
  • Publication number: 20160184918
    Abstract: A wireless control system (10) for a welding system (12) including an electrical control interface (18). The control system (10) may generally comprise a foot pedal (14) and a receiver (16). The foot pedal (14) may include a pivotable housing (20), a sensing element (22) operable to sense a position of the pivotable housing (20) and provide a corresponding pedal position signal, and a transmitter (24) operable to wirelessly transmit the pedal position signal. The receiver (16) may include an antenna (36) operable to wirelessly receive the pedal position signal generated by the foot pedal (14), a processor (38) operable to process the received pedal position signal, and a connector (40) operable to connect with the electrical control interface (18) associated with the welding system (12) to provide the processed pedal position signal thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Fredric A. Bland, Michael A. Long
  • Publication number: 20160187186
    Abstract: Force and location sensing systems and methods are disclosed. A method comprises bending a L-beam at an initially unknown location on a force-supporting portion of the L-beam, the L-beam substantially having a tension side and a compression side, measuring a first local stress at a first location on the tension side, measuring a second local stress at a second location on the tension side, measuring a third local stress at a third location on the compression side, and measuring a fourth local stress at a fourth location on the compression side. A weight-sensing storage system capable of tracking removed items is disclosed with a product image captured via a camera, a plurality of sensors on an L-beam, a first signal from the plurality of sensors indicating a first state prior to change of the product image, and a second signal indicating lower strain on the L-beam than the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Nate J. Coleman, Michael A. LONG
  • Publication number: 20160187210
    Abstract: Force and location sensing systems and methods are disclosed. A method comprises bending a L-beam at an initially unknown location on a force-supporting portion of the L-beam, the L-beam substantially having a tension side and a compression side, measuring a first local stress at a first location on the tension side, measuring a second local stress at a second location on the tension side, measuring a third local stress at a third location on the compression side, and measuring a fourth local stress at a fourth location on the compression side. A weight-sensing storage system capable of tracking removed items is disclosed with a product image captured via a camera, a plurality of sensors on an L-beam, a first signal from the plurality of sensors indicating a first state prior to change of the product image, and a second signal indicating lower strain on the L-beam than the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Nate J. Coleman, Michael A. Long
  • Patent number: 9360383
    Abstract: Force and location sensing systems and methods are disclosed. A method comprises bending a L-beam at an initially unknown location on a force-supporting portion of the L-beam, the L-beam substantially having a tension side and a compression side, measuring a first local stress at a first location on the tension side, measuring a second local stress at a second location on the tension side, measuring a third local stress at a third location on the compression side, and measuring a fourth local stress at a fourth location on the compression side. A weight-sensing storage system capable of tracking removed items is disclosed with a product image captured via a camera, a plurality of sensors on an L-beam, a first signal from the plurality of sensors indicating a first state prior to change of the product image, and a second signal indicating lower strain on the L-beam than the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Nate J. Coleman and Aexius, LLC
    Inventors: Nate J. Coleman, Michael A. Long
  • Patent number: 9302340
    Abstract: A wireless control system (10) for a welding system (12) including an electrical control interface (18). The control system (10) may generally comprise a foot pedal (14) and a receiver (16). The foot pedal (14) may include a pivotable housing (20), a sensing element (22) operable to sense a position of the pivotable housing (20) and provide a corresponding pedal position signal, and a transmitter (24) operable to wirelessly transmit the pedal position signal. The receiver (16) may include an antenna (36) operable to wirelessly receive the pedal position signal generated by the foot pedal (14), a processor (38) operable to process the received pedal position signal, and a connector (40) operable to connect with the electrical control interface (18) associated with the welding system (12) to provide the processed pedal position signal thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Fredric A. Bland, Michael A. Long
  • Publication number: 20150107376
    Abstract: Force and location sensing systems and methods are disclosed. A method comprises bending a L-beam at an initially unknown location on a force-supporting portion of the L-beam, the L-beam substantially having a tension side and a compression side, measuring a first local stress at a first location on the tension side, measuring a second local stress at a second location on the tension side, measuring a third local stress at a third location on the compression side, and measuring a fourth local stress at a fourth location on the compression side. A weight-sensing storage system capable of tracking removed items is disclosed with a product image captured via a camera, a plurality of sensors on an L-beam, a first signal from the plurality of sensors indicating a first state prior to change of the product image, and a second signal indicating lower strain on the L-beam than the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Nate J. Coleman, Michael A. Long
  • Patent number: 8991753
    Abstract: A method of positioning landing gear of an airplane is provided that includes providing the landing gear including a shock strut, a truck beam operatively pivotally connected to the shock strut, first and second interconnected links operatively connected to the truck beam and a third link extending between the shock strut and the first and second links with the third link pivotally connected to the second link at a third pivot. When the landing gear is commanded to a lowered position, the third pivot is positioned in a first position to support a taxi mode, a take-off mode and a landing mode if the landing gear is operational and in a second position to support an alternate landing mode if the landing gear is not fully operational. When the landing gear is commanded to a raised position, the third pivot is in the second position to support a stow mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mitchell L. Mellor, Michael A. Long, Richard B. Odell
  • Patent number: 8985511
    Abstract: A method of positioning landing gear of an airplane is provided that includes providing the landing gear including a shock strut, a truck beam operatively pivotally connected to the shock strut, first and second interconnected links operatively connected to the truck beam and a third link extending between the shock strut and the first and second links with the third link pivotally connected to the second link at a third pivot. When the landing gear is commanded to a lowered position, the third pivot is positioned in a first position to support a taxi mode, a take-off mode and a landing mode if the landing gear is operational and in a second position to support an alternate landing mode if the landing gear is not fully operational. When the landing gear is commanded to a raised position, the third pivot is in the second position to support a stow mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mitchell L. Mellor, Michael A. Long, Richard B. Odell
  • Publication number: 20140299389
    Abstract: Force and location sensing systems and methods are disclosed. A method comprises bending a L-beam at an initially unknown location on a force-supporting portion of the L-beam, the L-beam substantially having a tension side and a compression side, measuring a first local stress at a first location on the tension side, measuring a second local stress at a second location on the tension side, measuring a third local stress at a third location on the compression side, and measuring a fourth local stress at a fourth location on the compression side. A weight-sensing storage system capable of tracking removed items is disclosed with a product image captured via a camera, a plurality of sensors on an L-beam, a first signal from the plurality of sensors indicating a first state prior to change of the product image, and a second signal indicating lower strain on the L-beam than the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Nate J. Coleman, Michael A. Long
  • Publication number: 20140151499
    Abstract: A method of positioning landing gear of an airplane is provided that includes providing the landing gear including a shock strut, a truck beam operatively pivotally connected to the shock strut, first and second interconnected links operatively connected to the truck beam and a third link extending between the shock strut and the first and second links with the third link pivotally connected to the second link at a third pivot. When the landing gear is commanded to a lowered position, the third pivot is positioned in a first position to support a taxi mode, a take-off mode and a landing mode if the landing gear is operational and in a second position to support an alternate landing mode if the landing gear is not fully operational. When the landing gear is commanded to a raised position, the third pivot is in the second position to support a stow mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Mitchell L. Mellor, Michael A. Long, Richard B. Odell
  • Publication number: 20130256455
    Abstract: A method of positioning landing gear of an airplane is provided that includes providing the landing gear including a shock strut, a truck beam operatively pivotally connected to the shock strut, first and second interconnected links operatively connected to the truck beam and a third link extending between the shock strut and the first and second links with the third link pivotally connected to the second link at a third pivot. When the landing gear is commanded to a lowered position, the third pivot is positioned in a first position to support a taxi mode, a take-off mode and a landing mode if the landing gear is operational and in a second position to support an alternate landing mode if the landing gear is not fully operational. When the landing gear is commanded to a raised position, the third pivot is in the second position to support a stow mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mitchell L. Mellor, Michael A. Long, Richard B. Odell
  • Patent number: 8448900
    Abstract: A semi-levered landing gear is provided that includes a shock strut, a truck beam pivotally connected to the shock strut and a semi-levered landing gear mechanism including at least three links configured to angularly orient the truck beam and a truck pitch actuation system operatively connected to at least one of the three links. The landing gear mechanism may be configured to cooperate with an extension of a shock strut by positioning the truck pitch actuator in a retracted position, thereby positioning a forward end of the truck beam in a raised position relative to the aft end of the truck beam. The landing gear mechanism may also be configured to cooperate with a retraction of the shock strut into the wheel well by extending the truck pitch actuator to position a forward end of the truck beam in a lower position relative to the aft end of the truck beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mitchell L. Mellor, Michael A. Long, Richard B. Odell