Patents by Inventor Timothy M. Mitchell

Timothy M. Mitchell 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: 10635804
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for securing electrical power and/or data communications between a ground system and an aircraft by monitoring characteristics of the electrical power and/or the data communications from the ground system. The ground system may be prevented from providing electrical power and/or data communications to the aircraft when the characteristics are different than expected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Larry L. Lewis, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10615848
    Abstract: A system includes server that performs operations including obtaining, from sensors, measurements of physical parameters related to electrical power transmission and data transfer corresponding to a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) data links and a multi-use power interface configured to be electrically and communicatively coupled to a vehicle via the BPL data links. The operations also include receiving identification and location information, and a timestamp associated with a connector of the multi-use power interface, and then storing the measurements, the identification and location information, and the timestamp. The operations further include detecting a change of the connector, and identifying trends in parameters by comparing the measurements and the identification and location information to historical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Everett D. Brown, Payal Shah, Shahram Nameni, Donald E. Dillenburg, Navpreet Singh, Michael D. McInnis
  • Publication number: 20200106481
    Abstract: A system includes server that performs operations including obtaining, from sensors, measurements of physical parameters related to electrical power transmission and data transfer corresponding to a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) data links and a multi-use power interface configured to be electrically and communicatively coupled to a vehicle via the BPL data links. The operations also include receiving identification and location information, and a timestamp associated with a connector of the multi-use power interface, and then storing the measurements, the identification and location information, and the timestamp. The operations further include detecting a change of the connector, and identifying trends in parameters by comparing the measurements and the identification and location information to historical data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Everett D. Brown, Payal Shah, Shahram Nameni, Donald E. Dillenburg, Navpreet Singh, Michael D. McInnis
  • Publication number: 20200106480
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-use power interface configured to be electrically and communicatively coupled to a vehicle via Broadband over Power Line (BPL) data links. The system also includes sensors configured to collect power quality data and load management data for the BPL data links and the multi-use power interface. The multi-use power interface includes a user interface, a processor, and a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the multi-use power interface to perform operations. The operations include receiving power quality data and load management data from the sensors. The operations also include determining, based on the received data, functional health statuses of the multi-use power interface and the BPL data links. The operations further include transmitting the functional health statuses, the power quality data, and the load management data to a data store, and indicating, in the user interface, the functional health statuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Everett D. Brown, Payal Shah, Redmond Nameni, Donald E. Dillenburg, Navpreet Singh, Michael D. McInnis
  • Publication number: 20200092308
    Abstract: A vehicle network system is configured to detect unauthorized intrusions by a passenger-owned device, and to identify the passenger-owned device based at least in part on stored information representative of network communications. The vehicle network system can be further configured to determine a position of the intruding passenger-owned device within a passenger area of the vehicle and to obtain a name and/or camera image of a passenger associated with the device. The position of the intruding device can be identified based at least in part on communications between the intruding device and one or more network-access devices distributed throughout the passenger area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Vanguardia, Daniel Nguyen, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10589873
    Abstract: Techniques for enforcing stratified aircraft security are presented. The techniques are performed using an aircraft-based authentication and authorization unit and a wireless transceiver, where the authentication and authorization unit includes an electronically stored machine learning classifier. The techniques include: receiving and verifying authentication data for an employee from a mobile access device; receiving employee data from the mobile access device, the employee data including at least information representing an access event of the employee with the aircraft; providing an input to the machine learning classifier, the input including at least aircraft data and the employee data; obtaining an output from the machine learning classifier, the output indicating a level of access authorized; and providing an alert in response to a level of access by the at least one employee for the access event exceeding the level of access authorized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jack Lawson, Timothy M. Mitchell, Richard P. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10554256
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for terrestrial data transmission between aircrafts and external networks, such as airline and/or airport computer systems. When an aircraft is parked at the gate, the aircraft is connected to and powered by an electrical cable, such as a stinger cable. This cable may be also be used for wired data transmission between the aircraft and the gate using broadband over power line (BPL) technology. The gate and the aircraft are each equipped with a BPL module. The aircraft may include other communication modules, such as a Wi-Fi module, a cellular module, and/or an Ethernet module. These other modules can be also used for data transmission in addition to or instead of communication through the BPL module. A communication link manager may be used to select one or more communication modules depending on availability of communication links, costs, speed, and other parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Anil Kumar
  • Publication number: 20200028539
    Abstract: A broadband over powerline (BPL) master control unit is provided. The BPL master control unit includes a processor, a local memory device, a first wireless transceiver, a second wireless transceiver and a powerline transceiver. The processor is configured to transmit and receive data over a power line via the powerline transceiver. The processor is further configured to receive a plurality of data via the powerline transceiver, determine whether to route the plurality of data through the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver, and transmit the plurality of data via one of the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Nha Thanh Nguyen, Timothy M. Mitchell, Anil Kumar
  • Patent number: 10541725
    Abstract: A broadband over powerline (BPL) master control unit is provided. The BPL master control unit includes a processor, a local memory device, a first wireless transceiver, a second wireless transceiver and a powerline transceiver. The processor is configured to transmit and receive data over a power line via the powerline transceiver. The processor is further configured to receive a plurality of data via the powerline transceiver, determine whether to route the plurality of data through the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver, and transmit the plurality of data via one of the first wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Nha Thanh Nguyen, Timothy M. Mitchell, Anil Kumar
  • Publication number: 20190368875
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a communications interface configured to receive, at a first aircraft, data related to a radiofrequency (RF) survey of a particular location. The RF survey is based on RF samples from at least a second aircraft. The apparatus further includes a radio, an onboard network system (ONS) configured to determine that the first aircraft is approaching the particular location, and a radio controller coupled to the radio. The radio controller is configured to automatically adjust, based on the RF survey and responsive to determining that the first aircraft is approaching the particular location, a parameter of the radio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Donald B. Lee, Mike Hood, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20190356356
    Abstract: A method for communicating data between a vehicle and a ground system comprises receiving, by a vehicle bus multiplexer on the vehicle, the data via a plurality of vehicle data buses from an onboard system. The method further comprises multiplexing, by the vehicle bus multiplexer, the data into at least one data path of a multi-use power interface. Also, the method comprises transmitting, by the multi-use power interface via at least one data path, the data from the vehicle bus multiplexer to a ground bus multiplexer associated with the ground system. In addition, the method comprises demultiplexing, by the ground bus multiplexer, the data from at least one data path of the multi-use power interface into a plurality of ground data buses associated with the ground system. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the ground bus multiplexer, the data via the plurality of ground data buses to the ground system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Donald B. Lee, Timothy M. Mitchell, Brian E. Ward
  • Publication number: 20190356510
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for a multi-use optical data, powerline data, and ground power interface for an airplane are disclosed. A method for communicating data between a vehicle and a ground system comprises disposing a pin of a connector of a multi-use power interface, which is connected to the ground system, into a socket of a connector of the vehicle such that a lens located on an end of the pin mates with an interior surface of a bottom of the socket. The pin and the socket each comprise an optical portion and a power portion. The method further comprises providing, by the ground system, power to an onboard system on the vehicle via the power portions of the pin and socket. Further, the method comprises communicating data between the onboard system and the ground system via the optical portions and the power portions of the pin and socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Donald B. Lee, Timothy M. Mitchell, Brian E. Ward
  • Patent number: 10484099
    Abstract: A system configured to communicate with a vehicle on-board system of a vehicle. The system includes a ground sub-system configured to provide power to and to communicate with the vehicle on-board system. The ground sub-system includes an integrated power and communications connector including a socket having a conductive portion and an optical communication portion. The integrated power and communications connector is configured to supply power to the vehicle on-board system via the conductive portion, and is configured to communicate data between the vehicle on-board system and the ground sub-system via the optical communication portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Donald B. Lee, Brian Edward Ward, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10462073
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to updating information in devices of remote systems over a network. A method includes receiving, via a first switch, a first selection. The method also includes activating, based on the first selection, a data partition in a storage device corresponding to the first device. The method further includes deactivating based on the first selection, data partitions in the storage device corresponding to non-selected devices. Additionally, the method includes storing information in the data partition corresponding to the first device. Moreover, the method includes receiving, via a second switch, a second selection. The method also includes determining that the first selection matches the second selection. The method further includes retrieving, based on the determining, the information from said activated data partition. Additionally, the method includes providing the retrieved information to a first device that corresponds to the first selection and the second selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Nguyen, Jason W. Shelton, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10451743
    Abstract: Aircraft tracking and emergency location avionics architectures that integrate existing fixed Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) installations, their associated aircraft avionics systems and existing flight deck interfaces with an Autonomous Distress Tracker (ADT) transceiver unit in a coupled configuration. Some of the architectures allow the ADT unit and its advanced distress detecting and reporting capabilities to monitor the activation control path for the ELT and the associated ELT activation outputs. Other architectures place the ADT unit and its advanced distress detection capabilities and ground-controlled capabilities in the activation control path for the ELT. Additional architectures entail the connection of an ADT unit to an ELT remote panel on the flight deck of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles O. Adler, Timothy A. Murphy, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20190303188
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to emulating special-purpose hardware devices using virtual hardware. A process in accordance with various implementations consistent with the present disclosure includes emulating hardware devices using virtual devices of a virtualization system configured to emulate the hardware devices. The process also includes installing in a physical system, instances of the virtualization system including the virtual devices. The process further includes emulating the hardware devices of the physical system using the virtual devices. Additionally, the process includes communicating with equipment of the physical system using the virtual devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Jason W. Shelton, Jonthan N. Hotra, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10432258
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-use power interface configured to be electrically and communicatively coupled to a vehicle via Broadband over Power Line (BPL) data links. The system also includes sensors configured to collect power quality data and load management data for the BPL data links and the multi-use power interface. The multi-use power interface includes a user interface, a processor, and a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the multi-use power interface to perform operations. The operations include receiving power quality data and load management data from the sensors. The operations also include determining, based on the received data, functional health statuses of the multi-use power interface and the BPL data links. The operations further include transmitting the functional health statuses, the power quality data, and the load management data to a data store, and indicating, in the user interface, the functional health statuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Everett D. Brown, Payal Shah, Shahram Nameni, Donald E. Dillenburg, Navpreet Singh, Michael D. McInnis
  • Publication number: 20190281026
    Abstract: Systems for and methods of securely communicating between a ground station and an aircraft are presented. The communications are among a plurality of nodes, including a ground based node and a plurality of aircraft based nodes. Each node stores at least a respective portion of a blockchain representing interactions among at least some of the nodes. Control nodes may initiate a privileged network action by: broadcasting to the plurality of control nodes a blockchain record representing the privileged network action, receiving from control nodes a plurality of votes representing validation results of the privileged network action, determining that a consensus from the control node votes indicates that the privileged action is permissible, and publishing to respective blockchain portions of each of the plurality of nodes a derivation of the blockchain record representing the privileged action, where the system implements the privileged action based on the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, Daniel Nguyen, Adonis X. Williams, Michael R. Vanguardia
  • Patent number: 10412085
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for authenticating aircraft communications using detected difference of on board electronics. One embodiment is a method that includes detecting a request for an exchange of data between an aircraft and an off-board system, and selecting a Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) of the aircraft based on at least one parameter of the request. The method also includes issuing a challenge to a Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) connected with at least one electronic component of the LRU, and obtaining a hardware signature based on a response of the at least one electronic component of the LRU to the challenge. The PUF derives the hardware signature from a unique physical property of the at least one electronic component. The method further includes validating the hardware signature to authenticate the request and initiate the exchange of data between the aircraft and the off-board system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jack Lawson, Timothy M. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10401319
    Abstract: A structural health monitoring system may include a structural health monitoring device comprising a measuring circuit attachable to a target area of a workpiece. The measuring circuit may be communication with a radio circuit having an antenna configured to facilitate offboard communication. The measuring circuit may be configured to measure an impedance of the target area of the workpiece, and the processing circuit may be configured to determine a change in the impedance of the target area indicative of a change in structural health of the workpiece. An ambient energy harvester circuit may be configured to provide electrical power to the measuring circuit. A remote reader may wirelessly interrogate the structural health monitoring device to obtain information regarding the change in the impedance of the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Timothy M. Mitchell, John Michael Hood, Devon Alexander Baughen