Patents by Inventor Thomas Karl Berger

Thomas Karl Berger 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: 11731757
    Abstract: An aircraft uses trajectory-based control algorithms for blade pitch (or twist). This approach greatly enhances the ability of the actuator to accurately achieve the desired blade pitch and to track the commanded pitch position. An actuator includes an electronic rotor blade controller that converts communicated or desired changes in pitch (or similar parameter) to actual physical effects that match the desired changes as closely as possible. The controller preferably includes a motor drive circuit, such as an h-bridge, a communication circuit for connection to external commands, and a processor with associated enabling circuitry (e.g. memory, I/O) to coordinate and implement the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Karl Berger, David Wade Milanes, James Stewart Robertson
  • Publication number: 20230142439
    Abstract: An aircraft uses trajectory-based control algorithms for blade pitch (or twist). This approach greatly enhances the ability of the actuator to accurately achieve the desired blade pitch and to track the commanded pitch position. An actuator includes an electronic rotor blade controller that converts communicated or desired changes in pitch (or similar parameter) to actual physical effects that match the desired changes as closely as possible. The controller preferably includes a motor drive circuit, such as an h-bridge, a communication circuit for connection to external commands, and a processor with associated enabling circuitry (e.g. memory, I/O) to coordinate and implement the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Karl Berger, David Wade Milanes, James Stewart Robertson
  • Publication number: 20160087726
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus of establishing a free-space communication link through a medium. The medium can be an occluded environment with increased absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength suitable for transmission through the medium without suffering excessive optical losses due to absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted optical signal. The transmitter-receiver pair is configured to efficiently transmit optical signals at the suitable wavelength over a distance between about 1 mm and about 50 m. The transmitter and the receiver can be configured as portions of a fiber-optic connector assembly that can be used to connect two fiber-optic cables in an occluded environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Brian Edward Roberds, Timothy Clyde Collins, Jayant Kumar Gupta, Jaclyn Marie Nascimento, Gregory Joseph Pietrangelo, Michael John Talmadge, Nathan Verner Whittenton, Thomas Karl Berger, Christopher Ryan Collins, Tristan Dennis Jones
  • Patent number: 9236942
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus of establishing a free-space communication link through a medium. The medium can be an occluded environment with increased absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength suitable for transmission through the medium without suffering excessive optical losses due to absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted optical signal. The transmitter-receiver pair is configured to efficiently transmit optical signals at the suitable wavelength over a distance between about 1 mm and about 50 m. The transmitter and the receiver can be configured as portions of a fiber-optic connector assembly that can be used to connect two fiber-optic cables in an occluded environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Edward Roberds, Timothy Clyde Collins, Jayant Kumar Gupta, Jaclyn Marie Nascimento, Gregory Joseph Pietrangelo, Michael John Talmadge, Nathan Verner Whittenton, Thomas Karl Berger, Christopher Ryan Collins, Tristan Dennis Jones