Patents by Inventor Thomas Wayne Brooks

Thomas Wayne Brooks 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: 10890668
    Abstract: A rotorcraft includes a flight control computer (FCC), a GPS receiver configured to calculate a groundspeed based on a first carrier signal, and an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) configured to determine an acceleration of the rotorcraft. The AHRS is operable to receive an indication of the groundspeed from the GPS receiver and to calculate a velocity of the rotorcraft based on the indication of the groundspeed and the acceleration. The FCC is operable to receive an indication of the velocity from the AHRS, to generate the flight control device control signal according to the indication of velocity, and to send a flight control device control signal to one or more flight control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Worsham, II, Charles Eric Covington, Thomas Wayne Brooks
  • Patent number: 10611463
    Abstract: A rotorcraft with a fly-by-wire system includes a computing device having control laws. The control laws are operable to engage a stabilization maneuver in response to a perturbation of an otherwise stable operating condition of the rotorcraft, thereby returning the rotorcraft to the stable operating condition without requiring input from the pilot. One or more control laws are further operable to increase or decrease pitch angle, roll angle, yaw rate, or collective pitch angle. In representative aspects, perturbation of the stable operating condition may occur as a result of transient meteorological conditions (e.g., wind shear, wind gust, turbulence) experienced by a rotorcraft engaged in flight operations at airspeeds between 0 knots (e.g., a hover) and about 60 knots. The control laws are further operable to permit the rotorcraft to operate with Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) approval at substantially all airspeeds within a normal flight envelope of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Earl Worsham, II, Thomas Wayne Brooks
  • Publication number: 20200003908
    Abstract: A rotorcraft includes a flight control computer (FCC), a GPS receiver configured to calculate a groundspeed based on a first carrier signal, and an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) configured to determine an acceleration of the rotorcraft. The AHRS is operable to receive an indication of the groundspeed from the GPS receiver and to calculate a velocity of the rotorcraft based on the indication of the groundspeed and the acceleration. The FCC is operable to receive an indication of the velocity from the AHRS, to generate the flight control device control signal according to the indication of velocity, and to send a flight control device control signal to one or more flight control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Earl Worsham, II, Charles Eric Covington, Thomas Wayne Brooks
  • Patent number: 10457417
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to flight instrument warnings that are configured to automatically adjust a low airspeed warning band on an airspeed indicator based on available torque margin and radar altimeter height. Warnings may be presented on a primary flight display or on flight instruments when a low airspeed band is entered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Erik John Oltheten, Thomas Wayne Brooks
  • Publication number: 20190127082
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to flight instrument warnings that are configured to automatically adjust a low airspeed warning band on an airspeed indicator based on available torque margin and radar altimeter height. Warnings may be presented on a primary flight display or on flight instruments when a low airspeed band is entered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Erik John Oltheten, Thomas Wayne Brooks
  • Publication number: 20180290733
    Abstract: A rotorcraft with a fly-by-wire system includes a computing device having control laws. The control laws are operable to engage a stabilization maneuver in response to a perturbation of an otherwise stable operating condition of the rotorcraft, thereby returning the rotorcraft to the stable operating condition without requiring input from the pilot. One or more control laws are further operable to increase or decrease pitch angle, roll angle, yaw rate, or collective pitch angle. In representative aspects, perturbation of the stable operating condition may occur as a result of transient meteorological conditions (e.g., wind shear, wind gust, turbulence) experienced by a rotorcraft engaged in flight operations at airspeeds between 0 knots (e.g., a hover) and about 60 knots. The control laws are further operable to permit the rotorcraft to operate with Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) approval at substantially all airspeeds within a normal flight envelope of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Earl Worsham II, Thomas Wayne Brooks