Patents by Inventor Thomas Heuer

Thomas Heuer 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: 11757631
    Abstract: An apparatus for releasing received command data includes a processor unit with a code generator, a cryptography module, and a comparison module. The code generator generates a transaction code. The apparatus has a transmitting unit which provides the transaction code via an unsecured data connection, a receiving unit which receives an external authentication code and command data via the unsecured data connection, and a memory unit which stores data of a predefined private key. Also disclosed is a transmission apparatus for command data. The transmission apparatus has a basic receiving unit which receives the transaction code, an input unit which receives the command data, a basic memory unit which stores the data of the predefined private key, a basic processor unit which has a basic cryptography module, and a basic transmitting unit which provides the external authentication code and the command data via the unsecured data connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heuer, Riqaq Woolnough
  • Patent number: 11584514
    Abstract: An airfoil for flow control is disclosed having an outer skin in contact with an ambient air flow, wherein the outer skin extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge with two opposite lateral sides, and surrounds an interior space. The outer skin comprises a porous section in the area of the leading edge, a pressure chamber arranged in the interior space and fluidly connected to the porous section, an air inlet fluidly connected to the pressure chamber, and an air outlet fluidly connected to the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heuer, Volker Piezunka
  • Patent number: 11565795
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20210214072
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas HEUER
  • Patent number: 10974817
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 10967955
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) including an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25) with opposite lateral sides (27a, 27b), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) has a porous section at the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), and an air outlet (19) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20200369376
    Abstract: An airfoil for flow control is disclosed having an outer skin in contact with an ambient air flow, wherein the outer skin extends between a leading edge and a trailing edge with two opposite lateral sides, and surrounds an interior space. The outer skin comprises a porous section in the area of the leading edge, a pressure chamber arranged in the interior space and fluidly connected to the porous section, an air inlet fluidly connected to the pressure chamber, and an air outlet fluidly connected to the pressure chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas HEUER, Volker PIEZUNKA
  • Publication number: 20200184834
    Abstract: A method for operating an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft, wherein a flight is performed according to a prior flight plan in an airspace controlled by a control instance. A flight direction is determined during the flight via a control device influenced via a data connection by a control instance. The data connection is temporarily unavailable, and a hazardous or emergency situation requiring deviation from the flight plan, is identified by the control device based on first sensor data. An avoidance route is determined by the control device based on a second sensor data, the avoidance route including a avoidance manoeuvre avoiding the hazardous or emergency situation, the avoidance route is used in the meantime to fly towards a destination area with the least possible volume of air traffic; and the necessary avoidance manoeuvre(s) are performed based on the second data by the control device in an autonomous staggering procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Lohmiller, Jörg Meyer, Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 10607495
    Abstract: A method for operating an, at least temporarily, unmanned aircraft or spacecraft wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan. To have available a method which makes it possible for an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft to react independently to particular dangerous and/or emergency situations and to avoid damaging events, a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft independently uses a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Winfried Lohmiller, Joerg Meyer, Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20190258240
    Abstract: An apparatus for releasing received command data includes a processor unit with a code generator, a cryptography module, and a comparison module. The code generator generates a transaction code. The apparatus has a transmitting unit which provides the transaction code via an unsecured data connection, a receiving unit which receives an external authentication code and command data via the unsecured data connection, and a memory unit which stores data of a predefined private key. Also disclosed is a transmission apparatus for command data. The transmission apparatus has a basic receiving unit which receives the transaction code, an input unit which receives the command data, a basic memory unit which stores the data of the predefined private key, a basic processor unit which has a basic cryptography module, and a basic transmitting unit which provides the external authentication code and the command data via the unsecured data connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas HEUER, Riqaq WOOLNOUGH
  • Publication number: 20190161196
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system for an aircraft has a fresh air line, a recirculation device, an air-mixing device, an air distribution system with multiple cabin air outlets, and a control unit. The control unit is designed to determine or to receive flight-specific parameters characterizing the flight state of the aircraft, and to determine or to receive environment-specific parameters which characterize an air quality in the environment of the aircraft. A first operating state of the air-conditioning system is brought about in the case of a predefined limit value of at least one environment-specific parameter being exceeded, and a second operating state of said system is brought about during a second flight state, which is outside the first flight state. In the second operating state, the fresh air line is fluidically connected to the air-mixing device, and in the first operating state, the fresh air line is separated from the air-mixing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heuer, Patrick Bäumle, Thomas Scherer
  • Publication number: 20190106202
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas HEUER
  • Publication number: 20190106201
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) including an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25) with opposite lateral sides (27a, 27b), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) has a porous section at the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), and an air outlet (19) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas HEUER
  • Patent number: 10040570
    Abstract: A sensing orifice for an aircraft, an aircraft with such a sensing orifice and a method for assembling a sensing orifice for an aircraft are provided. The aircraft may be an airplane, a helicopter, a UAV, a drone or similar. The static sensing orifice includes a passage through an outer skin of the aircraft and a moisture protection body. The passage is designed to connect with a pressure line in the interior of the aircraft. The moisture protection body is gas-permeable and water-impermeable, and the moisture protection body is disposed such that the passage is gas-permeably and water-impermeably sealed. The method for assembling the static sensing orifice for the aircraft, includes the following steps: providing the passage through the outer skin of the aircraft for connecting to the pressure line in the interior of the aircraft, providing a gas-permeable and water-impermeable moisture protection body, and gas-permeable and water-impermeable sealing of the passage by the moisture protection body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heuer, Horst Altmann
  • Publication number: 20180005533
    Abstract: A method for operating an, at least temporarily, unmanned aircraft or spacecraft wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan. To have available a method which makes it possible for an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft to react independently to particular dangerous and/or emergency situations and to avoid damaging events, a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft independently uses a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Winfried Lohmiller, Joerg Meyer, Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20160046384
    Abstract: A sensing orifice for an aircraft, an aircraft with such a sensing orifice and a method for assembling a sensing orifice for an aircraft are provided. The aircraft may be an airplane, a helicopter, a UAV, a drone or similar. The static sensing orifice includes a passage through an outer skin of the aircraft and a moisture protection body. The passage is designed to connect with a pressure line in the interior of the aircraft. The moisture protection body is gas-permeable and water-impermeable, and the moisture protection body is disposed such that the passage is gas-permeably and water-impermeably sealed. The method for assembling the static sensing orifice for the aircraft, includes the following steps: providing the passage through the outer skin of the aircraft for connecting to the pressure line in the interior of the aircraft, providing a gas-permeable and water-impermeable moisture protection body, and gas-permeable and water-impermeable sealing of the passage by the moisture protection body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas HEUER, Horst ALTMANN
  • Patent number: 9248912
    Abstract: A method for emergency ventilation of an aircraft cabin is provided. The method includes controlling a first valve to supply air from the aircraft environment into a first aircraft fuselage area through the opened first valve and into the aircraft cabin. The method further includes controlling a second valve to conduct air from the aircraft cabin into a second aircraft fuselage area and out to the aircraft environment through the opened second valve. In their normal operation, the first and second valves serve as air outlet valves of an aircraft cabin pressure control system. The method further includes controlling a recirculation fan of an air-conditioning system to draw air supplied through the first valve into a mixing chamber of the air-conditioning system and to direct air from the mixing chamber into the aircraft cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 8915776
    Abstract: An air outlet valve for use in an aircraft is adapted during normal operation of the aircraft as a component of a cabin pressure control system for adjusting a desired pressure level in an aircraft cabin to remove air from an interior of the aircraft into the environment around the aircraft. The air outlet valve is further adapted during emergency ventilation operation of the aircraft as a component of a system for emergency ventilation of the aircraft cabin to introduce air from the environment around the aircraft into the interior of the aircraft. The air outlet valve comprises a nose-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a nose-side portion of an air outlet valve aperture, and a tail-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a tail-side portion of the air outlet valve aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20110306285
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for emergency ventilation of an aircraft cabin (36), comprising controlling a first valve (14) arranged in a first aircraft fuselage area (28), said valve serving as an air outlet valve of an aircraft cabin pressure control system in its normal operation, such that air is supplied from the aircraft environment into the first aircraft fuselage area (28) through the opened first valve (14) and is conducted from the first aircraft fuselage area (28) into the aircraft cabin. A second valve (16), arranged in a second aircraft fuselage area (38) spaced apart from the first aircraft fuselage area (28) along a longitudinal axis (22) of the aircraft (10) and is serving as an additional air outlet valve of the aircraft cabin pressure control system in its normal operation, is controlled such that air from the aircraft cabin (36) is conducted into the second aircraft fuselage area (38) and discharged into the aircraft environment through the opened second valve (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Publication number: 20100216385
    Abstract: An air outlet valve for use in an aircraft is adapted during normal operation of the aircraft as a component of a cabin pressure control system for adjusting a desired pressure level in an aircraft cabin to remove air from an interior of the aircraft into the environment around the aircraft. The air outlet valve is further adapted during emergency ventilation operation of the aircraft as a component of a system for emergency ventilation of the aircraft cabin to introduce air from the environment around the aircraft into the interior of the aircraft. The air outlet valve comprises a nose-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a nose-side portion of an air outlet valve aperture, and a tail-side valve flap, which is pivotable about an axis and is adapted to open or close a tail-side portion of the air outlet valve aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer