Patents by Inventor Michael DARBY

Michael DARBY 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: 11371911
    Abstract: Methods and systems for sensor fault management are provided. A plurality of potential faults associated with a sensor are obtained. Accommodation approaches are associated with the plurality of potential faults. Severity levels are associated to the plurality of potential faults to produce a hierarchy of potential faults. A fault management tool is generated based on the hierarchy, the fault management tool defining a framework implementable by a controller associated with the sensor for accommodating faulty behaviour of the sensor by following the accommodation approaches of the hierarchy for the plurality of potential faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Betty Augustyniak, Michael Darby, Farzad Baghernezhad, Michael Chun, Dave Sellors
  • Publication number: 20210215104
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of an engine using an engine controller are described herein. A status of the controller is set at an initial state. Pilot input for control of the engine is received and one or more engine parameters are obtained. The status of the controller is updated according to engine specific requirements based on at least one of the pilot input and the one or more engine parameters. The engine specific requirements defining conditions for transitioning the status of the controller for the engine. Operation of the engine is controlled based on the status of the controller, the pilot input, and the one or more engine parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Michael DARBY, Mohammad Khashayar Donyaee, Teuvo Saario, Frederic Giroux
  • Publication number: 20210190638
    Abstract: Methods and systems for sensor fault management are provided. A plurality of potential faults associated with a sensor are obtained. Accommodation approaches are associated with the plurality of potential faults. Severity levels are associated to the plurality of potential faults to produce a hierarchy of potential faults.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Betty AUGUSTYNIAK, Michael Darby, Farzad Baghernezhad, Michael Chun, Dave Sellors
  • Patent number: 10920729
    Abstract: There are described methods and systems for testing operation of a solenoid valve in a control system. A valve command is sent to successively open and close a solenoid valve. A flow command from a control system is monitored to detect a change in the flow command in response to the valve command. The flow command is associated with regulation of fluid flow in a process controlled by the control system. Operation of the solenoid valve is confirmed when the change in flow command is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Michael Darby
  • Patent number: 10683810
    Abstract: A system and a method for detecting a shaft shear event in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The system comprises a sensor configured to detect a shaft shear force exerted by a shaft on a support structure supporting the shaft where the shaft shear force is indicative of shearing of the shaft. The system also comprises a controller operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to initiate a shutdown of the gas turbine engine in response to the detection of the shaft shear force by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Darby, Reza Pedrami
  • Publication number: 20190170068
    Abstract: A system and a method for detecting a shaft shear event in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The system comprises a sensor configured to detect a shaft shear force exerted by a shaft on a support structure supporting the shaft where the shaft shear force is indicative of shearing of the shaft. The system also comprises a controller operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to initiate a shutdown of the gas turbine engine in response to the detection of the shaft shear force by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Michael DARBY, Reza PEDRAMI
  • Publication number: 20180223785
    Abstract: There are described methods and systems for testing operation of a solenoid valve in a control system. A valve command is sent to successively open and close a solenoid valve. A flow command from a control system is monitored to detect a change in the flow command in response to the valve command. The flow command is associated with regulation of fluid flow in a process controlled by the control system. Operation of the solenoid valve is confirmed when the change in flow command is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventor: MICHAEL DARBY
  • Patent number: 9382011
    Abstract: The multiple aircraft engine control system having a corresponding engine controller associated with each one of the engines, each one of the engine controllers having at least two independent channels, each one of the at least two independent channels having at least two communication buses, each one of the at least two communicating buses of each channel being connected to a respective one of the at least two communicating buses of each one of the other channels. The method can time-interweave originating data of the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Darby, Brant Duke
  • Publication number: 20150291286
    Abstract: The multiple aircraft engine control system having a corresponding engine controller associated with each one of the engines, each one of the engine controllers having at least two independent channels, each one of the at least two independent channels having at least two communication buses, each one of the at least two communicating buses of each channel being connected to a respective one of the at least two communicating buses of each one of the other channels. The method can time-interweave originating data of the channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael DARBY, Brant DUKE