Patents by Inventor Michael W. Hardt

Michael W. Hardt 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).

  • Navigation aids for unmanned aerial systems in a GPS-denied environment
    Patent number: 11099582
    Abstract: Example navigation aids for increasing the accuracy of a navigation system are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein identifying, with an aircraft intent description language (AIDL) aid, an AIDL instruction as associated with a first dynamic activity level of a plurality of dynamic activity levels and determining, with the AIDL aid, an aircraft state to be affected by the AIDL instruction. The example method also includes changing, with a navigation filter, a weighting scheme for a measurement of the aircraft state obtained by an inertial navigation system (INS) of the aircraft and estimating, with the navigation filter, a trajectory of the aircraft based on the weighting scheme and the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Eduardo Gallo, Francisco A. Navarro, Glenn Scott Bushnell
  • Systems and methods for winged drone platform
    Patent number: 10967967
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided for a winged drone platform. In one example, a drone can be provided. The drone can include a drone body, a plurality of wings, a plurality of tiling propeller assemblies, and a drone controller. The wings can be coupled to the drone body and configured to generate lift when the drone travels in a first travel direction. The tilting propeller assemblies can each be supported by one of the wings, can include a propeller and a propeller powerplant connected to the propeller, and can be configured to move between at least a first position and a second position. The drone controller can provide instructions to the tilting propeller assemblies to move between at least the first position and the second position. Additional systems and related methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Grzegorz M. Kawiecki, Michael W. Hardt
  • NAVIGATION AIDS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS IN A GPS-DENIED ENVIRONMENT
    Publication number: 20200149891
    Abstract: Example navigation aids for increasing the accuracy of a navigation system are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein identifying, with an aircraft intent description language (AIDL) aid, an AIDL instruction as associated with a first dynamic activity level of a plurality of dynamic activity levels and determining, with the AIDL aid, an aircraft state to be affected by the AIDL instruction. The example method also includes changing, with a navigation filter, a weighting scheme for a measurement of the aircraft state obtained by an inertial navigation system (INS) of the aircraft and estimating, with the navigation filter, a trajectory of the aircraft based on the weighting scheme and the measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Eduardo Gallo, Francisco A. Navarro, Glenn Scott Bushnell
  • Navigation aids for unmanned aerial systems in a GPS-denied environment
    Patent number: 10648814
    Abstract: Example navigation aids for increasing the accuracy of a navigation system are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein identifying, with an aircraft intent description language (AIDL) aid, an AIDL instruction as associated with a first dynamic activity level of a plurality of dynamic activity levels and determining, with the AIDL aid, an aircraft state to be affected by the AIDL instruction. The example method also includes changing, with a navigation filter, a weighting scheme for a measurement of the aircraft state obtained by an inertial navigation system (INS) of the aircraft and estimating, with the navigation filter, a trajectory of the aircraft based on the weighting scheme and the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Eduardo Gallo, Francisco A. Navarro, Glenn Scott Bushnell
  • Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods
    Patent number: 10614723
    Abstract: Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Francisco A. Navarro Felix
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WINGED DRONE PLATFORM
    Publication number: 20190061934
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided for a winged drone platform. In one example, a drone can be provided. The drone can include a drone body, a plurality of wings, a plurality of tiling propeller assemblies, and a drone controller. The wings can be coupled to the drone body and configured to generate lift when the drone travels in a first travel direction. The tilting propeller assemblies can each be supported by one of the wings, can include a propeller and a propeller powerplant connected to the propeller, and can be configured to move between at least a first position and a second position. The drone controller can provide instructions to the tilting propeller assemblies to move between at least the first position and the second position. Additional systems and related methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Grzegorz M. Kawiecki, Michael W. Hardt
  • APPARATUS TO GENERATE AIRCRAFT INTENT AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20180261101
    Abstract: Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Francisco A. Navarro Felix
  • Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods
    Patent number: 10008122
    Abstract: Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Francisco A. Navarro Felix
  • NAVIGATION AIDS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS IN A GPS-DENIED ENVIRONMENT
    Publication number: 20180010914
    Abstract: Example navigation aids for increasing the accuracy of a navigation system are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein identifying, with an aircraft intent description language (AIDL) aid, an AIDL instruction as associated with a first dynamic activity level of a plurality of dynamic activity levels and determining, with the AIDL aid, an aircraft state to be affected by the AIDL instruction. The example method also includes changing, with a navigation filter, a weighting scheme for a measurement of the aircraft state obtained by an inertial navigation system (INS) of the aircraft and estimating, with the navigation filter, a trajectory of the aircraft based on the weighting scheme and the measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Eduardo Gallo, Francisco A. Navarro, Glenn Scott Bushnell
  • APPARATUS TO GENERATE AIRCRAFT INTENT AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20170092135
    Abstract: Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Francisco A. Navarro Felix