Patents by Inventor William F. Potter

William F. Potter 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: 8522196
    Abstract: A computer-readable medium and method may include instructions for providing a graphical model in a computing environment, where the graphical model includes a plurality of graphical affordances. Generated code may be provided based on the graphical model, where the generated code includes a plurality of code segments. A traceability report may be generated based on the graphical model and the generated code, wherein the traceability report includes a mapping of the plurality of code segments to corresponding ones of the plurality of graphical affordances. The traceability report may be stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesung Kim, Kai Tuschner, Justin Shriver, William F. Potter
  • Patent number: 7182296
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for more reliably transferring operational control for various aircraft flight control surfaces from a first sub-system to a second sub-system. The present invention provides an Actuator Control Electronics (ACE) wrap-back module that monitors the output of the normal mode control module and switches control to the direct control module based upon the detection of an error condition. The switching function is controlled by a monitoring system that monitors the output from an integrated heartbeat module that emits a pre-programmed signal. The pre-programmed signal is encoded and sent over a communication bus where it is then decoded and validated by comparing the decoded signal to the expected results. Any irregularity in the heartbeat signal automatically triggers a change of control from the first flight control sub-system to the second flight control sub-system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Yount, Dale D. Davidson, William F. Potter, Alan B. Hickman, Willard A. Blevins
  • Patent number: 5826834
    Abstract: A self adaptive limiter for use in aircraft control systems during approach and landing is disclosed. Estimated flight path angle is continuously computed during the glidepath tracking phase until a predetermined lock altitude above ground when a nominal flight path angle is latched. Nominal vertical speed is continuously computed below the lock altitude as a function of the latched nominal flight path angle and ground speed of the aircraft. A vertical speed limit function is generated as a function of the nominal vertical speed and radio altitude. During approach and landing a pitch limit is computed from the vertical speed limit, vertical speed, ground speed, and pitch. When a pitch command to the autopilot exceeds the pitch limit(i.e. commands excessive pitch down attitude), it is limited to the pitch limit thus preventing the aircraft from descending below a safe altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Potter, Byron F. Birkedahl
  • Patent number: 5694014
    Abstract: A hand controller system which provides the proper feel of the hand controller during aircraft operation. In both non-redundant and redundant embodiments, torque, and position measurements are made from the hand controller movements and processed to provide a feedback to a control motor in mechanical connection with the hand controller. The system includes self-monitoring of the motor, as well as the signals provided by the position, and torque sensors. Connections are provided from the hand controller system so that cross-coupling may be provided between the pilot's and copilot's hand controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Hegg, Larry J. Yount, William F. Potter