Patents by Inventor Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
Robert Lee Fortenbaugh 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: 10336438Abstract: A flight control system includes a pilot control module configured to receive commands from a pilot, a flight control module operable to transmit an instruction to change at least one operating condition of an aircraft, and a flight control computer in communication between the flight control module and the pilot control module. The flight control computer is configured to receive a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer may instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a first operating condition of the aircraft and instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a second operating condition of the aircraft to at least partially offset the expected change to the second flight characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
-
Patent number: 10093415Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a rotorcraft includes operating the rotorcraft in a heading control mode that includes activating a yaw channel path of a heading controller and deactivating a roll channel path of the heading controller when a speed of the rotorcraft is less than a first speed threshold or a heading error is less than a heading error threshold, and activating the roll channel path of the heading controller and deactivating the yaw channel path of the heading controller when the speed of the rotorcraft is greater than a second speed threshold and the heading error is not less than the heading error threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventors: Robert Lee Fortenbaugh, Jillian Samantha Alfred, Luke Dafydd Gillett
-
Publication number: 20180265190Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a rotorcraft includes operating the rotorcraft in a heading control mode that includes activating a yaw channel path of a heading controller and deactivating a roll channel path of the heading controller when a speed of the rotorcraft is less than a first speed threshold or a heading error is less than a heading error threshold, and activating the roll channel path of the heading controller and deactivating the yaw channel path of the heading controller when the speed of the rotorcraft is greater than a second speed threshold and the heading error is not less than the heading error threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2017Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Robert Lee Fortenbaugh, Jillian Samantha Alfred, Luke Dafydd Gillett
-
Publication number: 20180001995Abstract: A flight control system includes a pilot control module configured to receive commands from a pilot, a flight control module operable to transmit an instruction to change at least one operating condition of an aircraft, and a flight control computer in communication between the flight control module and the pilot control module. The flight control computer is configured to receive a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer may instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a first operating condition of the aircraft and instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a second operating condition of the aircraft to at least partially offset the expected change to the second flight characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
-
Patent number: 9771145Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flight control system includes a pilot control assembly and a flight control computer. The pilot control assembly can receive commands from a pilot. The flight control computer can receive, from the pilot control assembly, a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the received pilot command, the flight control system to change a first operating condition of the flight control system based on an inherently-coupled relationship between the first flight characteristic and the second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the expected change to the second flight characteristic, the flight control system to change a second operating condition of the flight control system.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
-
Publication number: 20170137113Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flight control system includes a pilot control assembly and a flight control computer. The pilot control assembly can receive commands from a pilot. The flight control computer can receive, from the pilot control assembly, a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the received pilot command, the flight control system to change a first operating condition of the flight control system based on an inherently-coupled relationship between the first flight characteristic and the second flight characteristic. The flight control computer can instruct, in response to the expected change to the second flight characteristic, the flight control system to change a second operating condition of the flight control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2016Publication date: May 18, 2017Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
-
Patent number: 9399511Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flight control system includes a pilot control module configured to receive commands from a pilot, a flight control module operable to transmit an instruction to change at least one operating condition of an aircraft, and a flight control computer in communication between the flight control module and the pilot control module. The flight control computer is configured to receive a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer may instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a first operating condition of the aircraft and instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a second operating condition of the aircraft to at least partially offset the expected change to the second flight characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
-
Publication number: 20150274282Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flight control system includes a pilot control module configured to receive commands from a pilot, a flight control module operable to transmit an instruction to change at least one operating condition of an aircraft, and a flight control computer in communication between the flight control module and the pilot control module. The flight control computer is configured to receive a pilot command to change a first flight characteristic, wherein changing the first flight characteristic would result in an expected change to a second flight characteristic. The flight control computer may instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a first operating condition of the aircraft and instruct the flight control module to transmit an instruction to change a second operating condition of the aircraft to at least partially offset the expected change to the second flight characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh