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: 10336438
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10093415
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Fortenbaugh, Jillian Samantha Alfred, Luke Dafydd Gillett
  • Publication number: 20180265190
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Lee Fortenbaugh, Jillian Samantha Alfred, Luke Dafydd Gillett
  • Publication number: 20180001995
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9771145
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20170137113
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9399511
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20150274282
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung K. Kim, Christopher M. Bothwell, Robert Lee Fortenbaugh