Compensation For Environmental Conditions Patents (Class 701/10)
  • Patent number: 8386097
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for assisting guidance of an aircraft. A flight management system is used to determine guidance instructions that include speed instructions having at least one flight time constraint to guide the aircraft to a check-point. An accuracy level for complying with the flight time constraint and at least one error level for at least one flight parameter are generated by an accuracy generating unit. An operating margin for at least one second parameter is determined from the determined accuracy and error levels, with the operating margin being representative of air speed criterion values of the aircraft. A range determining unit is used to determine whether the range of air speed criterion values is within an air speed envelope of the aircraft, and the speed instructions are modified when the range of air speed criterion values is not within the air speed envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Jean-Louis de Menorval, Fabrice Lucas, David Gerasimovic
  • Patent number: 8380425
    Abstract: Autonomous collision avoidance systems for unmanned aerial vehicles are disclosed. Systems illustratively include a detect and track module, an inertial navigation system, and an auto avoidance module. The detect and track module senses a potential object of collision and generates a moving object track for the potential object of collision. The inertial navigation system provides information indicative of a position and a velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The auto avoidance module receives the moving object track for the potential object of collision and the information indicative of the position and the velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The auto avoidance module utilizes the information to generate a guidance maneuver that facilitates the unmanned aerial vehicle avoiding the potential object of collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: L-3 Unmanned Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Duggan, David A. Felio, Craig S. Askew
  • Patent number: 8373579
    Abstract: A monitoring system for alerting pilots of aircraft or operators of vehicles when the aircraft or vehicle is approaching a geographical feature of interest, such as a runway, includes a database including at least one geo-referenced chart; a processor; a positioning system configured to identify at least one of the position, heading, track and velocity of the vehicle, and transmit such data to the processor; and a display unit configured to display the present position of the aircraft on the at least one geo-referenced chart. After receiving the position, heading, track and/or velocity data, the processor determines whether the aircraft has entered a containment area associated with a geographical feature of interest, and if so, provides a visible notification to the pilot or operator, which may comprise a change in display of the geographical feature of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Avionics Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Joachim Laurenz Naimer, Frank Hummel, John Jorgensen, Patrick Krohn
  • Patent number: 8359128
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing solar power collection. A position of the sun is identified relative to an aerospace vehicle while the aerospace vehicle is moving along a flight path. A level of power generation is identified by a solar power generation system while the aerospace vehicle moves along the flight path using a threat management module and equivalent radar signature data. The threat management module uses the equivalent radar signature data to identify the level of power generation by the aerospace vehicle from different positions of the sun relative to the aerospace vehicle, and the equivalent radar signature data is based on solar power generation signature data identifying the level of power generation for the different positions of the sun relative to the aerospace vehicle. A change in the flight path that results in a desired level of power generation is identified by the solar power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew Jonathan Segal, Kevin Andrew Wise
  • Patent number: 8359130
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for attenuating vertical turbulence encountered by an aircraft during flight. Incorporated into the method and device is a wind determination device, which is used to determine a vertical wind component existing outside the aircraft. A severity level determination unit is used to determine a severity level of the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. A control unit calculates at least one control order based on the vertical wind component determined by the wind determination device. In addition, the control unit determines the actual existence of activation conditions determined according to the severity level determined by the severity level determination unit. Upon verifying the activation conditions, the control unit transmits the control order to at least one actuator of the at least one controllable movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Alexandre Colomer, Xavier Dal Santo
  • Patent number: 8340840
    Abstract: A method and device for reducing on an aircraft lateral effects of a turbulence. The device (1) includes means (2, 3, 5, 7, A1, A2) for calculating and applying a roll control command and a yaw control command enabling the side effects generated by a turbulence event to be attenuated on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventor: Stéphane Puig
  • Patent number: 8340896
    Abstract: A road shape recognition device includes: distance and height detecting means for detecting distance data having a distance and height in real space regarding a road surface where a vehicle is traveling at multiple mutually different points; approximation line calculating means for dividing the plurality of distance data into near and far groups as viewed from the vehicle to calculate an approximation line of the distance data for each group each time the distance data of the boundary portion between the two groups is transferred from one of the groups to the other; statistics calculating means for calculating statistics from the corresponding approximation line for each group where the distance data is transferred; and road shape model generating means for selecting one out of combinations of the approximation lines to generate a road shape model using the selected combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Saito
  • Patent number: 8332084
    Abstract: A method of determining environmental data along a trajectory of an aircraft may assist in the evaluation of flight conditions along the trajectory. Environmental data may be at least one of collected, derived, and fused from a plurality of weather sources using at least one processor. The environmental data may be filtered, extrapolated, and fused, using the at least one processor, within at least one selected volume of airspace over a trajectory of the aircraft based on selected weather-applicability time intervals, and on at least one of user-selected parameters and weighted environmental data criteria. The trajectory may comprise at least one of a planned trajectory, a current trajectory, and an intent trajectory of the aircraft. An effect of the filtered, extrapolated, and fused environmental data on the trajectory may be determined using the at least one processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Louis J. Bailey, Gregory T. Saccone
  • Patent number: 8321075
    Abstract: Biodynamic feedthrough in a master control system can be mitigated. An accelerometer is used to measure the acceleration of an environment. In one embodiment, mitigation damping forces can then be determined based on the velocity of an effector of a haptic manipulator and the measured accelerations. The haptic manipulator applies the mitigation damping forces as force feedback. In another embodiment, biodynamic feedthrough can be filtered from the input signal. Parameters for a model can be accessed based on the position of the effector, and the model can be used to predict biodynamic feedthrough from the measured accelerations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Thomas Low, Kevin Hufford
  • Patent number: 8311686
    Abstract: A method for monitoring airplane noise and emissions may include receiving a predetermined set of engine performance data for an airplane and receiving a predetermined set of airplane flight data for the airplane. The method may also include predicting at least one of a noise level and an emissions level from the airplane at each of a plurality of ground based noise and emissions monitoring stations based on the predetermined set of engine performance data and the predetermined set of airplane flight data. Each of the plurality of ground based noise and emissions monitoring stations is located at a predetermined geographic location along an expected flight path of the airplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William H. Herkes, Kevin A. Burnside, Ronald F. Olsen
  • Patent number: 8306679
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of protecting an aircraft in approach by signalling against the risks of collision with the terrain in steep-sided environments, in order to avoid unwanted warnings emanating from the clearance sensors of the onboard TAWS system while protecting the aircraft when it fails to observe the published procedure, and this equally in a landing procedure and in a take-off procedure. The method includes conferring an additional function on the conventional TAWS functions, specific to the detection of the potential risks of collision of the aircraft with the terrain when following procedures of reduced protection corridor type, and this without modifying either the logics or the characteristics of the clearance sensor or sensors as currently defined in the TAWSs of the state of the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Hugues Meunier, Nicolas Marty, Aurélie Sallier
  • Patent number: 8290696
    Abstract: Methods for evaluating and implementing air traffic management tools and approaches for managing and avoiding an air traffic incident before the incident occurs. A first system receives parameters for flight plan configurations (e.g., initial fuel carried, flight route, flight route segments followed, flight altitude for a given flight route segment, aircraft velocity for each flight route segment, flight route ascent rate, flight route descent route, flight departure site, flight departure time, flight arrival time, flight destination site and/or alternate flight destination site), flight plan schedule, expected weather along each flight route segment, aircraft specifics, airspace (altitude) bounds for each flight route segment, navigational aids available. The invention provides flight plan routing and direct routing or wind optimal routing, using great circle navigation and spherical Earth geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Banavar Sridhar, Kapil S. Sheth, Gano Broto Chatterji, Karl D. Bilimoria, Shon Grabbe, John F. Schipper
  • Patent number: 8275496
    Abstract: In one embodiment of a method to reduce vertical position errors of an aircraft, a disturbance input acting on the aircraft may be determined. The magnitude of the disturbance may be converted into a delta lift command if the magnitude of the disturbance is outside a criteria. The delta lift command may be post processed. The delta lift command may be converted into symmetric lateral surface position commands for control surfaces. The symmetric lateral surface position commands may be communicated to lateral control surface actuators to move the control surfaces according to the symmetric lateral surface position commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brian K. Rupnik, Sean J. Flannigan
  • Patent number: 8275497
    Abstract: A method and device for assisting in driving a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, having a surroundings detector for detecting at least a partial area of the surroundings of the vehicle, an output device for the output of information concerning the vehicle surroundings obtained from the surroundings detection to a driver, and an evaluation unit for determining a risk level based on the vehicle-surroundings information. To facilitate driving of the vehicle, it is provided that at least a portion of the vehicle-surroundings information provided for determining the risk level, and the risk level determined by the evaluation unit are output continuously by the output device to the driver during operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Koch-Groeber, Werner Uhler, Marc Arnon, Danny Jaeger
  • Patent number: 8275495
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device, which provide an enhanced ability to monitor the navigation of an aircraft during a phase of flight in which the aircraft is close to the ground in which the aircraft uses positional information supplied by a satellite positioning system for the navigation. A display screen is used to display a first characteristic sign representing a selected setpoint value for a height parameter of the aircraft. The display screen also displays a second characteristic sign representing a current auxiliary value expressed in the form of an achievable height parameter. An alert is emitted when the second characteristic sign is determined to be within a predetermined height value of the first characteristic sign, and the alert is shown in visual format on the display screen. An alarm is also emitted following a predetermined time after the alert is emitted, if the setpoint value is not replaced by a new setpoint value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignees: Airbus Operations SAS, Airbus
    Inventors: Fabien Joyeux, Adrien Ott, Melanie Morel, Romain Merat, Stephane Dattler, Francois Barre, Armelle Seillier
  • Patent number: 8271186
    Abstract: A synthetic vision type viewing system SVS for a first aircraft includes at least position sensors of the first aircraft, a traffic detection system for calculating the position and the dangerousness of at least one second aircraft presenting a risk of collision with the first aircraft based on data obtained from sensors or from the TCAS or ADS-B, an electronic computer, a human-machine interface device and a display screen. The computer includes a processing unit configured to process different information obtained from the database, from the sensors and from the interface device. The processing unit is configured to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the space surrounding the first aircraft and center on the latter. The image includes at least one first symbol of the first aircraft and a second representation of the past and present trajectory of the second aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Christian Nouvel, Corinne Bacabara, Jean-Noel Perbet
  • Patent number: 8265812
    Abstract: An autopilot system includes a navigation application for computing angular position and angular turn rate of a pilot line and an autopilot steering application for calculating steering commands for a ship steering device. The pilot line provides directional guidance to a ship and is a vector having one end attached to a point on the ship and a second end pointing to a desired direction. The autopilot steering application receives the computed pilot line angular position and angular turn rate and calculates angular position steering commands for the steering device. The steering commands are calculated by taking into account the difference between the pilot line angular position and the ship's angular position and the difference between the pilot line angular turn rate and the ship's angular turn rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventor: William M Pease
  • Patent number: 8249799
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of presenting zones at risk for an aircraft comprising a system of databases, a processor, an anticollision device and a viewing device, wherein to display on the viewing device the zones at risk in relation to the obstacles, the processor carries out the steps of: acquiring obstacle data, the data corresponding to obstacles situated in the aircraft's close displacement zone; calculating the risk of collision with each of the obstacles of the displacement zone; calculating the limits of the zones at risk of collision in the close displacement zone, these limits representing the positions from which the anticollision device might possibly produce collision alerts in relation to the obstacles if the aircraft were to steer towards the obstacle while maintaining the instantaneous flight parameters; and displaying the limits of zones at risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Laurent Flotte, Nicolas Marty, Fabien Vittoz
  • Patent number: 8229604
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for managing a convoy of aircraft during taxiing. Taxi management is carried out by exchanging, by a first data transmission unit, information between the aircraft of the convoy concerning aircraft flight parameters of the aircraft within the convoy, and exchanging, between the aircraft of the convoy and at least one control station that manages the convoy collectively, information relating to the collective convoy. The exchange can be carried out by a second data transmission unit, with the ground control station receiving from each aircraft in the convoy information relating to convoy status, centralizing the received information, scheduling the convoy, and transmitting to each aircraft a convoy status table that indicates overall status of the convoy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Fabrice Villaume, Pierre Scacchi
  • Patent number: 8219266
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for attenuating lateral effects on an aircraft due to turbulence encountered by the aircraft during flight. The lateral effects are attenuated by applying a roll control order to control a first controllable movable member that acts on aircraft roll and minimizes aircraft roll-wise disturbances due to wind, and a yaw control order that controls a second controllable movable member to act on aircraft yaw. The roll and yaw control orders are calculated based on a sideslip value of the aircraft, while the yaw control order is calculated as a function of the roll control order to compensate for aircraft lateral effects due to turbulence, as well as lateral effects due to application of the roll control order to the first movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Stephane Puig, Romeo Byzery
  • Patent number: 8219317
    Abstract: A system and method is provided that uses one or more points, e.g., “smart via” input points, e.g., a center of a city such as a large city, to determine one or more points, e.g., smart via output points. A smart via output point determined from a smart via input point can be used, together with origination and destination points, to identify an optimal navigational route between the origination and destination points. A navigational route generated using the smart via output point, an origination point and a destination point travels in proximity to the smart via input point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitac International Corporation
    Inventors: Olivier Berot, Simon Louvet
  • Patent number: 8209071
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for an in-flight air turbulence detection system. In one embodiment, a system includes an air turbulence detector and a transmitter to transmit turbulence information. In another embodiment, a system includes a receiver, a detection processing module, an aircraft ID module, and a route modification module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Anthony Ross
  • Patent number: 8200421
    Abstract: An altitude profile representative of the terrain overflown by an aircraft is established. Thereafter, an altitude limit curve which comprises an intersection with the altitude profile upon the engagement of a terrain avoidance maneuver is determined. As soon as there is no longer any intersection of the limit curve with the altitude profile, the terrain avoidance maneuver is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Nicolas Caule, Christelle Ledauphin, Jerome Bailly, Isabelle Lacaze, Sylvain Thezelais, Jerome Goyet
  • Patent number: 8200377
    Abstract: The system for securing an aircraft flight plan has a flight management system delivering: a flight plan and points comprising passage setpoints in terms of speed, altitude and time; an avionics computer; at least one resource for storing environmental data constituting a hazard for the aircraft; a performance model of the aircraft defining limiting flight conditions according to the performance capabilities of said aircraft; at least one resource for processing the aircraft's avoidance trajectories. It makes it possible, based on a sampling of points of the flight plan, to calculate a set of avoidance trajectories and correlate them with the environmental data in order to detect the engagement points requiring a corrective maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Nicolas Marty, Aurélie Sallier, Philippe Salmon
  • Patent number: 8195813
    Abstract: The invention concerns a communication system via ACARS messages intended to be placed onboard an aircraft, said system comprising a router (310, 310?) adapted to route said messages from and to a plurality of VHF, HF, SATCOM sub-networks. The system comprises a switch (360, 365) and an AoIP conversion gateway (380), the switch being connected to an HF or SATCOM transceiver module (340, 350) by means of a first two-way link (341, 351), and to said AoIP gateway by means of a second two-way link (381), the switch being adapted to select said first two-way link when it lies in a first switch position and the second two-way link when it lies in a second switch position, the switch lying in the second switch position if the aircraft is on the ground or less than a predetermined distance from the ground, otherwise it lies in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations
    Inventors: Pierre Gruyer, David Rose, Christophe Servieres-Bordes
  • Patent number: 8190308
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting a risk of collision of an aircraft, having a profile unit having knowledge of the terrain profile, a determination unit for determining effective values of particular flight parameters, a checking unit for verifying whether a flight path determined by the effective values is compatible with the terrain profile, and a transmitting unit for emitting a warning signal in case of incompatibility. The checking unit includes at least one element for calculating a height variation due to an energy transfer and a total slope variation generated by a speed reduction, during an evasive action, an element deter mining an evasive course using the height variation, and an element verifying whether the evasive course determined is compatible with the terrain profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Fabien Pitard, Jean-Pierre Demortier, Florence Aubry
  • Patent number: 8190307
    Abstract: The control optimization method for helicopters carrying suspended loads during hover flight utilizes a controller based on time-delayed feedback of the load swing angles. The controller outputs include additional displacements, which are added to the helicopter trajectory in the longitudinal and lateral directions. This simple implementation requires only a small modification to the software of the helicopter position controller. Moreover, the implementation of this controller does not need rates of the swing angles. The parameters of the controllers are optimized using the method of particle swarms by minimizing an index that is a function of the history of the load swing. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the controller in suppressing the swing of the slung load while stabilizing the helicopter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
    Inventor: Hanafy M. Omar
  • Patent number: 8185259
    Abstract: The fuzzy logic-based control method for helicopters carrying suspended loads utilizes a controller based on fuzzy logic membership distributions of sets of load swing angles. The anti-swing controller is fuzzy-based and has controller outputs that include additional displacements added to the helicopter trajectory in the longitudinal and lateral directions. This simple implementation requires only a small modification to the software of the helicopter position controller. The membership functions govern control parameters that are optimized using a particle swarm algorithm. The rules of the anti-swing controller are derived to mimic the performance of a time-delayed feedback controller. A tracking controller stabilizes the helicopter and tracks the trajectory generated by the anti-swing controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
    Inventor: Hanafy M. Omar
  • Patent number: 8170730
    Abstract: A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Shyhpyng Jack Shue
  • Patent number: 8165731
    Abstract: A system for launching, controlling and delivering in a preselected target pattern a plurality of low-cost, guided fire-retardant-containing vehicles, i.e., “smart water bombs” equipped with control surfaces sufficient to provide limited lift and maneuverability to respond to guidance command to place it at a selected GPS coordinate within a large footprint in time and space and to discharge its payload of fire retardant at a preselectable altitude in a very precise manner and dispersion pattern. A controller determines bombing patterns and timing for all bombs and trajectories for each guided bomb. Dynamic differential equations are used to determine location and time of release of the guided bombs to achieve the target while avoiding collisions among guided bombs and aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Lonestar Inventions, L.P.
    Inventor: Osman Ersed Akcasu
  • Patent number: 8165790
    Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide a system comprising a weather band selection process and a processor unit. The processor unit is configured to run the weather band selection process. The weather band selection process identifies a flight trajectory associated with an aircraft, identifies weather information for the flight trajectory, and identifies a weather band selection for the aircraft using the flight trajectory, aircraft information and the weather information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Louis J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 8145366
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved real-time, interactive sonic boom display for aircraft. By using physical properties obtained via various sensors and databases, the invention determines, in real-time, sonic boom impacts locations and intensities for aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds. The information is provided to a pilot via a display that lists a selectable set of maneuvers available to the pilot to mitigate sonic boom issues. Upon selection of a maneuver, the information as to the result of the maneuver is displayed and the pilot may proceed with making the maneuver, or provide new data to the system in order to calculate a different maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Edward A. Haering, Jr., Kenneth J. Plotkin
  • Patent number: 8140260
    Abstract: A system for enhancing a vehicle operator's orientation and ability to navigate a vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a display unit, a data storage unit, a position determining unit and a processor communicatively connected to the display unit, the data storage unit and the position determining unit. The processor is configured to obtain a position and heading of the vehicle from the position determining unit, to obtain terrain data from the data storage unit, and to control the display unit to display a three-dimensional representation of a terrain representative of an actual terrain proximate the vehicle. The processor controls the display unit to overlay a three-dimensional compass onto the three-dimensional representation of the terrain to display both the heading of the vehicle and the location of the vehicle with respect to the actual terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Thea L. Feyereisen, Troy Nichols, John G. Suddreth
  • Patent number: 8140264
    Abstract: The field of the invention is that of onboard terrain anticollision systems for aircraft. Collisions with the terrain while the aircraft is fully controlled have been and still remain one of the main causes of air disasters. Several generations of devices for warning of risk of collision with the terrain have been developed for some thirty years now. The most advanced of these systems comprise means of alarm differing according to the maneuver to be performed by the pilot. It is of course vital that the recommended maneuver best guarantee the safety of the aircraft. The device according to the invention proposes a device comprising the calculation of several different safety surfaces or profiles. Their comparisons with the topographic data of the surrounding terrain make it possible to deduce therefrom the best alarm and the best maneuver to be performed to avoid the collision between the aircraft and the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Philippe Salmon, Hugues Meunier
  • Publication number: 20120022725
    Abstract: Method and device for updating a target altitude for an emergency descent of an aircraft. The device (1) comprises means (2, 3, 4, 7) for determining an updated target altitude which takes into account variations of barometric pressure and which is able to replace a target altitude that must be reached at the end of the emergency descent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Erwin Grandperret, Lucas Burel, Thierry Bourret
  • Patent number: 8082070
    Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying assistance messages to aircraft operators are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes receiving an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck, comparing a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic, and, if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, displaying an assistance message to the aircraft operator. The assistance message can include a complying input and/or an instruction for creating a complying input. The input and the assistance message can be displayed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Peter D. Gunn, John C. Griffin, III
  • Patent number: 8073578
    Abstract: A method of creating and modifying a flight plan using a cursor control device and a display to represent the flight plan in the context of terrain. The method includes inserting waypoints, including origin and destination waypoints, into a flight plan using a cursor control device to position the waypoints in a display and commanding a flight management system (FMS) to connect the waypoints into a flight plan. The flight plan is drawn in the context of terrain on a display where conflicts between the flight plan and terrain are indicated. Selected elements of the flight plan are selected with a cursor control device and the selected elements are dragged to new positions on the display until terrain conflicts are eliminated, thus generating a modified flight plan. The modified flight plan is reviewed in the context of terrain to determine its acceptability and making further modifications thereof if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick D. McCusker
  • Publication number: 20110282523
    Abstract: A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventor: Shyhpyng Jack Shue
  • Patent number: 8060261
    Abstract: A method of determining effectiveness of an aircraft braking system on an aircraft during an aircraft landing including generating a scalar deceleration value when a predefined braking event occurs that corresponds to effectiveness of a braking system associated with an aircraft landing operation during occurrence of a predefined braking event on an aircraft; and disseminating the generated scalar deceleration value to downstream users. A system includes a data collection module adapted to collect data relating to braking data associated with each of an associated plurality of segments of deceleration of the aircraft during a predefined braking event; a calculation module adapted to generate a scalar deceleration value based on data obtained; and a communication module in signal communication with the calculation module and with at least one downstream user of the system adapted to communicate the scalar deceleration value to at least one downstream user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William L. Goodman, Thomas Imrich
  • Patent number: 8055394
    Abstract: A method for estimating engine thrust values of an aircraft is disclosed, the method comprising calculating estimated thrust value of an engine based on an equation of longitudinal motion, aircraft data measured during flight and calibrated drag/lift models, and a method for determining the thrust of an aircraft engine, based on information available from tracking the aircraft air-speed, acceleration, and position, the method comprising calculating the thrust, using the following equation: Thrust=mg{dot over (H)}/V+m{dot over (V)}+Drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Aviv Tzidon
  • Patent number: 8041471
    Abstract: A vertical take-off and landing aircraft that includes AC motors, which drive fans that propel the aircraft, and a control device for controlling the AC motors adaptively based on a thrust control amount from an attitude controller. In particular, the drive controller performs switching to convert DC from a power source to three-phase AC at a predetermined frequency to be supplied to the AC motors. The drive controller reduces the control frequency of the three-phase AC to be applied to the AC motor to reduce the control resolution when the flight mode is switched from a vertical flight control mode to a horizontal flight control mode, in which the control amount to correct the external forces is smaller. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the power loss in the controller and thus the power consumption compared to conventional vertical take-off and landing aircrafts, in which the control resolution is always constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatsugu Ishiba
  • Patent number: 8024080
    Abstract: A throttle control system that is compensated for mountain wave conditions includes an auto throttle computer and a detector for detecting the pitch or pitch angle of the aircraft. The computer is used for determining the rate of change of pitch i.e. the first derivative of pitch angle and the rate of change of the rate of change of pitch i.e. the second derivative for generating a signal indicative of the rate of change of the rate of change of pitch. The signal from the auto throttle computer is combined with the signal from the signal indicative of the second derivative to produce a combined signal which is fed to a servo assemble and motor for adjusting the throttle of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Safe Flight Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard M. Greene, Richard A. Sporn, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8010282
    Abstract: A system, comprising a first computing device receiving data from an input feed, the data corresponding to one of operations data and revenue data of an airport facility, the first computing device organizing the data into files which are viewable by users of the system and an additional computing device connected via a communication network to the first computing device, receiving the files organized by the first computing device and displaying the files to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: PASSUR Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: James T. Barry, Matthew Marcella, Ron Dunsky
  • Patent number: 8000849
    Abstract: An aid for remotely controlling unmanned aircraft and particular helicopters, which allow the pilot at least approximately to directly stir the angle of inclination, thus for instance a pitch(elevator) and/or roll angle, so that on neutralizing of the steering stick, the respective angle of attitude returns autonomously, and to a large extent goes back to the horizontal position. To this end, a closed-loop control of the inclination is carried out, in that an angular rate signal is being integrated to an actual value, and a nominal value is admixed behind the forming of the integral, wherein the time of integration is shortened in order to avoid null drifts, in particular by feeding a portion of the actual value and/or the nominal value back into the input of the integrator. Furthermore, a vectorial rotation of the integrated actual values by a yaw signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Inventor: Stefan Reich
  • Patent number: 8000847
    Abstract: A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Shyhpyng Jack Shue
  • Patent number: 8000845
    Abstract: A device detects an air disturbance and controls the deflection of aircraft control surfaces when the disturbance is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Nathalie Fabre-Raimbault, Marco Adurno, Mathieu Berthereau, Stéphane Cote
  • Patent number: 7991516
    Abstract: A system for supervising the landing of an aircraft by a supervisor in a control station, each of the aircraft being incapable of being controlled by any personnel onboard, the system comprises a control station and onboard aircraft control apparatus. The station includes an input device, responsive to the supervisor, for producing a control signal for controlling the landing of the aircraft; and a transmitting device, coupled to the input device, for communication with the aircraft. The aircraft apparatus includes a receiving device for communication with the station; a logic device, coupled to the receiving device, for controlling the aircraft which is programmed to pilot the aircraft to the vicinity of the airfield. The control signal is selected by the supervisor, based on the supervisor's observations of the aircraft and is transmitted to the logic device; in response thereto, the logic device controls the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Matos
  • Patent number: 7938004
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement that combine a small footprint with hardening and isolation technologies that allow it to function in acceleration, angular rate, noise and vibration environments that cause other gyroscopes to either fail or to produce erroneous outputs. An example embodiment contains a triad of accelerometers, a triad of gyroscopes, analog and digital ancillary electronics and a processor housed within a housing which is also filled with vibration reducing encapsulating compound. The disclosed systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement are capable of measuring and correcting internal errors and perturbations caused by the longitudinal and angular accelerations and temperature excursions of aerospace vehicles, isolating the gyroscope elements from the effects of acoustic noise and vibration, and accurately measuring the relatively small pitch and yaw oscillations of the vehicle in its flight path trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: James P. Brunsch, Jr., David A. Bittle, Julian L. Cothran, Gary T. Jimmerson, Russell S. Garner
  • Patent number: 7933714
    Abstract: A device includes a current position unit for determining a current position of a aircraft, a mapping database, a navigation system, a current heading unit for determining the current heading of the aircraft, and a display system for displaying on a viewing screen, at least a partial map of the airport and, thereon, an aircraft symbol which is positioned at the current position and which is oriented in accordance with the current heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Fabien Fetzmann, Pierre Coldefy, Thierry Malaval, Stéphane Collins
  • Patent number: 7930073
    Abstract: A method of measuring the state of flow above an airfoil using an estimation of the velocity field based on a combination of Particle Image Velocimetry PIV and multiple surface pressure measurements processed through a POD/mLSE algorithm. Integral to the POD/mLSE algorithm is the estimation of the global POD coefficients. The utility of these time dependent coefficients, which are estimated from surface pressure only, are demonstrated in a simple proportional feedback loop (as the time series to drive the actuators) to keep the flow attached. This method requires realistic feedback flow control since surface measurements and not inflow measurements are required for practical applications. The estimation method works well with dynamic strain on flexible bodies and is not limited to estimation from pressure only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Syracuse University
    Inventors: Mark Glauser, Hiroshi Higuchi