Patents by Inventor Richard Donovan Jones
Richard Donovan Jones 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).
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Publication number: 20230339628Abstract: Systems and methods for receiving a descending rocket, which may be at sea. The rocket may descend vertically with the nose higher than the nozzle. The rocket body may be angled as it descends. A boom arm with hooks may extend at an angle to the rocket body to engage a cable suspended by a semisubmersible platform at sea. The platform may include a dampened cable and lateral straps for securing and rotating the rocket into a horizontal orientation. The platform may receive a ship and purge water to elevate the platform for placing the horizontal rocket onto the ship.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2022Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Emmanuel John Grillos, II, Richard Donovan Jones
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Patent number: 10737694Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing autonomous control of a vehicle. A vehicle can be manually controlled by an operator. An autonomous system can monitor the operator's control inputs and the environment of the vehicle to determine whether the control inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If control inputs are not safe, then the autonomous system can modify the operator's unsafe inputs into safe inputs. In various instances, the autonomous system can operate the vehicle without operator input. In the event an operator attempts to apply control inputs to the vehicle while the autonomous system is otherwise in control, the autonomous system can check to see whether the operator's inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If the operator's control inputs are safe, then the autonomous system can replace its autonomous commands with the operator's commands.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Richard Donovan Jones, David A. Whelan, Lynne Wenberg
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Publication number: 20190152475Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing autonomous control of a vehicle. A vehicle can be manually controlled by an operator. An autonomous system can monitor the operator's control inputs and the environment of the vehicle to determine whether the control inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If control inputs are not safe, then the autonomous system can modify the operator's unsafe inputs into safe inputs. In various instances, the autonomous system can operate the vehicle without operator input. In the event an operator attempts to apply control inputs to the vehicle while the autonomous system is otherwise in control, the autonomous system can check to see whether the operator's inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If the operator's control inputs are safe, then the autonomous system can replace its autonomous commands with the operator's commands.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2018Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: Richard Donovan Jones, David A. Whelan, Lynne Wenberg
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Patent number: 10124800Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing autonomous control of a vehicle. A vehicle can be manually controlled by an operator. An autonomous system can monitor the operator's control inputs and the environment of the vehicle to determine whether the control inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If control inputs are not safe, then the autonomous system can modify the operator's unsafe inputs into safe inputs. In various instances, the autonomous system can operate the vehicle without operator input. In the event an operator attempts to apply control inputs to the vehicle while the autonomous system is otherwise in control, the autonomous system can check to see whether the operator's inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If the operator's control inputs are safe, then the autonomous system can replace its autonomous commands with the operator's commands.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2014Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Richard Donovan Jones, David A. Whelan, Lynne Wenberg
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Patent number: 9551776Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine a position using light sources are disclosed. An example method includes processing an output of a photodetector based on anticipated codes to identify multiple light sources from which the photodetector receives light at a first position, determining locations of the identified light sources; and determining a location of the first position based on the locations of the identified light sources.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2014Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Richard Donovan Jones, Darin W. Brekke, Dan J. Clingman
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Patent number: 9297326Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for managing a state of a platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise receiving a desired state for the platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise receiving the state of the platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise selecting a combination of thrusters from a plurality of thrusters to operate. The combination of thrusters is selected to adjust the state of the platform to the desired state. The methods and apparatuses operate the combination of thrusters to adjust the state of the platform to the desired state.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2015Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Teresa Anne Claggett, Darin William Brekke, Richard Donovan Jones
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Publication number: 20150346724Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing autonomous control of a vehicle. A vehicle can be manually controlled by an operator. An autonomous system can monitor the operator's control inputs and the environment of the vehicle to determine whether the control inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If control inputs are not safe, then the autonomous system can modify the operator's unsafe inputs into safe inputs. In various instances, the autonomous system can operate the vehicle without operator input. In the event an operator attempts to apply control inputs to the vehicle while the autonomous system is otherwise in control, the autonomous system can check to see whether the operator's inputs result in safe operation of the vehicle. If the operator's control inputs are safe, then the autonomous system can replace its autonomous commands with the operator's commands.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Richard Donovan JONES, David A. WHELAN, Lynne WENBERG
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Publication number: 20150323647Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine a position using light sources are disclosed. An example method includes processing an output of a photodetector based on anticipated codes to identify multiple light sources from which the photodetector receives light at a first position, determining locations of the identified light sources; and determining a location of the first position based on the locations of the identified light sources.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2014Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Richard Donovan Jones, Darin W. Brekke, Dan J. Clingman
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Publication number: 20150239582Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for managing a state of a platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise receiving a desired state for the platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise receiving the state of the platform. The methods and apparatuses comprise selecting a combination of thrusters from a plurality of thrusters to operate. The combination of thrusters is selected to adjust the state of the platform to the desired state. The methods and apparatuses operate the combination of thrusters to adjust the state of the platform to the desired state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: Teresa Anne Claggett, Darin William Brekke, Richard Donovan Jones
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Patent number: 9115662Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for managing a plurality of thrusters in a platform. The method and apparatuses comprise operating the plurality of thrusters in the platform with a thruster control system. The methods and apparatuses comprise estimating a vehicle response resulting from the operation of the plurality of thrusters to form an estimated vehicle response. The methods and apparatuses also comprise comparing the estimated vehicle response to a desired vehicle response to develop objective function errors. Also, the methods and apparatuses comprise developing a number of commands configured to correct the objective function errors.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Teresa Anne Claggett, Darin William Brekke, Richard Donovan Jones
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Patent number: 9073624Abstract: Methods and apparatus to cooperatively lift a payload are disclosed. An example method to control a lift vehicle includes determining a first positional state of the lift vehicle with respect to a payload controlled by a plurality of lift vehicles including the lift vehicle, determining a second positional state of the lift vehicle with respect to a goal location, detecting distances to the other ones of the plurality of lift vehicles, determining a third positional state of the lift vehicle based on the distances to the other ones of the plurality of lift vehicles, and calculating a control command to control the lift vehicle based on the first positional state, the second positional state, and the third positional state.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Richard Donovan Jones, Michael Duffy
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Publication number: 20150158576Abstract: Methods and apparatus to cooperatively lift a payload are disclosed. An example method to control a lift vehicle includes determining a first positional state of the lift vehicle with respect to a payload controlled by a plurality of lift vehicles including the lift vehicle, determining a second positional state of the lift vehicle with respect to a goal location, detecting distances to the other ones of the plurality of lift vehicles, determining a third positional state of the lift vehicle based on the distances to the other ones of the plurality of lift vehicles, and calculating a control command to control the lift vehicle based on the first positional state, the second positional state, and the third positional state.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Richard Donovan Jones, Michael Duffy