Aeronautical Vehicle Patents (Class 701/3)
  • Patent number: 10156205
    Abstract: A nacelle for a turbofan engine includes a variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) and a proximity sensor that is attached to a nacelle forward portion to sense the presence of the VAFN when stowed. The proximity sensor is not attached to the VAFN, thereby enabling the use of a proximity sensor such as linear variable displacement transformer having a relatively compact operational stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Robert Scanlon, Geoffrey Pinto
  • Patent number: 10152894
    Abstract: An example method for flight path variation of an aircraft for noise management includes receiving noise inquiries of a community related to aircraft noise during flight over the community, receiving an output from noise sensors positioned within the community, determining a noise distribution plan for additional aircraft flying over the community so as to steer the additional aircraft and distribute additional aircraft noise in response to the noise inquiries and the output from the noise sensors, and based on flight path data of the additional aircraft and the noise distribution plan, assigning a flight path modification to aircraft via a data communication link. The flight path modification informs the aircraft to adjust the flight path to remain within associated margins of a required navigation performance (RNP) instrument flight procedure and to reduce noise impact to the community underneath the flight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles Otis Adler, Sheila Ruth Conway, Douglas A. Stoll
  • Patent number: 10152195
    Abstract: A computer-implemented flight display system including a computer processor that is capable of determining a current energy situation of an aircraft, an electronic display device, and a graphical user interface (GUI) provided on the electronic display device. The GUI includes a current aircraft position symbol, an optimal aircraft position symbol, and at least one symbol indicating a position for changing aircraft configuration. Relative positioning on the GUI of the optimal aircraft position system and the at least one symbol indicating a position for changing aircraft configuration is based at least in part on the determined current energy situation of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ivan Lacko, Yujia Cao, Zdenek Moravek, Stepan Dopita
  • Patent number: 10153830
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems, and machine-readable mediums for a dynamic shield system of cellular signals for an antenna of an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. An example method may include receiving a navigation route for an unmanned aerial vehicle to execute during flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and determining an orientation of a radio signal shield for an antenna of the unmanned aerial vehicle using ground level signal propagation information of radio signals for a network and the navigation route, wherein the radio signal shield prevents the radio signals from being received by the antenna from directions based on the orientation. The method may further include adjusting the radio signal shield using the orientation and communicating with a cellular base station of the network using the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYI, L.P.
    Inventors: Mario Kosseifi, Joseph Thomas, Giuseppe De Rosa
  • Patent number: 10154094
    Abstract: A method and a system for providing access to a cloud computer from a vehicle. The method carried out by the system includes providing at least one client (e.g., an e-glovebox device). The method also includes configuring a cloud server to allow access to one or more clients and accessing the cloud server using the e-glovebox. The access may include uploading one or more data members to the cloud server. The access may also include downloading one or more data members from the cloud server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL MOTORS LLC
    Inventors: David S. Cheney, Steven P. Schwinke, Hassan A. Elnajjar
  • Patent number: 10140873
    Abstract: An example method for modifying a flight path of an aircraft includes receiving real time positioning estimates for an aircraft, receiving an actual navigation performance (ANP) of the aircraft informative of uncertainty in the position estimate, receiving a required navigation performance (RNP) instrument flight procedure for the aircraft, receiving spacing input from an air traffic controller that indicates spacing requirements between the aircraft and one or more other aircraft, receiving information relating to communities underneath the flight path, calculating, by a system onboard the aircraft, a modification to the flight path to be flown by the aircraft that causes the aircraft to remain within the containment boundaries of the RNP instrument flight procedure while reducing noise impact to the communities underneath the flight path and meeting the spacing requirements of the air traffic controller, and displaying a visual representation of a modified flight path for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles Otis Adler, Sheila Ruth Conway, Douglas A. Stoll
  • Patent number: 10140875
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and apparatus for joint optimization of multi-UAV task assignment and path planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HEFEI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: He Luo, Guoqiang Wang, Zhengzheng Liang, Xiaoxuan Hu, Shanlin Yang, Huawei Ma, Wei Xia, Peng Jin, Moning Zhu, Yanqiu Niu, Xiang Fang
  • Patent number: 10129249
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for randomizing state transitions for one-time authentication tokens. A user authentication passcode is generated by determining a generation time within an epoch for initiating computation of the user authentication passcode; initiating computation of the user authentication passcode at the determined generation time; and presenting the user authentication passcode at a presentation time that is de-coupled from the generation time. The generation time occurs, for example, at a random offset from a start of the epoch. A time difference between the presentation time and a completion of the computation of the user authentication passcode comprises, e.g., a uniformly distributed random variable over a range of values having a finite mean value. The epoch optionally comprises pre-computation epochs and a variable number of user authentication passcodes are optionally computed during a given pre-computation epoch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Nikolaos Triandopoulos, Marten van Dijk, John Brainard, William M. Duane
  • Patent number: 10121081
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted sensor to be mounted on a vehicle includes: a light emission unit that emits infrared light of a first wavelength range and infrared light of a second wavelength range into space outside the vehicle, a water molecule having respective different light absorption factors to the infrared light of the first wavelength range and the infrared light of the second wavelength range; a light detection unit that detects the infrared light of the first wavelength range and the infrared light of the second wavelength range separately; and a water detection unit that detects water in the space outside the vehicle on the basis of a difference between a light amount of the infrared light of the first wavelength range and that of the infrared light of the second wavelength range detected by the light detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SMK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsubasa Tanaka, Haruhiko Kondo, Natsumi Ito
  • Patent number: 10120384
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for facilitating delivery, via autonomous ground vehicles, of products ordered by customers of a retailer to physical locations of vehicles designated by the customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce W. Wilkinson, Brian G. McHale, Donald R. High, Todd D. Mattingly
  • Patent number: 10120662
    Abstract: A protocol compiler to generate flight code and routing tables is disclosed. In various embodiments, one or more definition files are received. The one or more definition files are parsed to extract flight control system definition data. A communication topology comprising a set of entities of the flight control system and communication links between said entities is determined based on the flight control system definition data. A set of one or more routing tables is generated programmatically based at least in part on the communication topology and message type definition data. Flight code to implement a flight control system defined at least in part by said flight control system definition data is generating programmatically, based at least in part on the flight control system definition data, including code to route messages according to said one or more routing tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Furman, Chad Smith, Brian Robert Viele, Patrick Kim, Allen H. Ibara, Dejapong Suwaratana, Matthew Walker, Gary Stempler
  • Patent number: 10118696
    Abstract: A method for controlling a flying projectile which rotates during flight, comprising: determining an angle of rotation of an inertial mass spinning about an axis during flight; and controlling at least one actuator for altering at least a portion of an aerodynamic structure, selectively in dependence on the determined angle of rotation and a control input, to control aerodynamic forces during flight. An aerodynamic surface may rotate and interact with surrounding air during flight, to produce aerodynamic forces. A sensor determines an angular rotation of the spin during flight. A control system, responsive to the sensor, produces a control signal in dependence on the determined angular rotation. An actuator selectively alters an aerodynamic characteristic of the aerodynamic surface in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: Steven M. Hoffberg
  • Patent number: 10118091
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus includes a display, a touch panel, and a controller. The display displays an image thereon. The touch panel is provided so as to cover a display screen of the display and outputs a position signal corresponding to a point touched by a player. The controller receives the position signal from the touch panel and changes the image in accordance with the number of position signals simultaneously received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Kogo
  • Patent number: 10122833
    Abstract: A technology is described for converting a time tag in a message. The message can be received from a military standard-1760 (MIL-STD-1760) bus controller. The message can include a time tag in accordance with a first time stamping technique. The time tag in the message can be detected as being in accordance with the first time stamping technique based on contents of the message. A recomputed time tag for the message can be determined in accordance with a second time stamping technique. The message with the recomputed time tag can be transmitted to a Universal Armament Interface (UAI) remote terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Bradley Bomar Hammel
  • Patent number: 10112710
    Abstract: A motor vehicle system includes a motor vehicle including an aircraft landing portion, and an actively propelled unmanned aircraft configured to be supported on the aircraft landing portion. The vehicle and aircraft are configured such that the vehicle can provide at least one of fuel and electrical energy to the aircraft while the aircraft is supported on the aircraft landing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Stephen L. Malaska, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Robert C. Petroski, Thomas Allan Weaver, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10106268
    Abstract: A power plant comprising two engine groups and a main power transmission gearbox. Each engine group drives the main gearbox mechanically in order to rotate a main rotor of an aircraft at a frequency of rotation NR. A first engine group comprising two main engines is regulated on a first setpoint NR* for the frequency of rotation NR, while a second engine group comprising a secondary engine is regulated on a second setpoint W2* for power. The second setpoint W2* for power is determined so that each secondary engine operates only when a flight power Wvol necessary for the flight of the aircraft is greater than the sum of the main maximum powers WMax1 from each main engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Regis Rossotto
  • Patent number: 10101748
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for launching and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) including multi-rotor aircrafts. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein utilize positional change of the UAV, visual signal, or other means to effect the launch or landing. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein are user friendly, particularly to amateur UAV users lacking practice of operating a UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mingyu Wang
  • Patent number: 10098014
    Abstract: The disclosure includes embodiments for performing beam alignment based on driving intentions. A method includes receiving a wireless message that includes first vehicle data that describes a first vehicle position, a first vehicle speed, a first vehicle heading, and a first vehicle driving intention. The method further includes determining whether a blockage is predicted to occur based on a second vehicle position, a second vehicle driving intention, and the first vehicle data. The method further includes, responsive to the blockage being predicted to occur, determining a non-line of sight (NLOS) path based on the second vehicle position, the second vehicle driving intention, and the first vehicle data. The method further includes before the blockage is predicted to occur, performing beam alignment between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the NLOS path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Inventors: Takayuki Shimizu, Gaurav Bansal
  • Patent number: 10095087
    Abstract: Provided are an unmanned aerial vehicle system for taking a close-up picture of a facility and a photography method using the same. The unmanned aerial vehicle system can safely bring a drone, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle, close to a facility surface, which is a subject, using supports and settling members to precisely photograph damage, deterioration, and defects on the facility surface and can safely bring the unmanned aerial vehicle close to the facility and fix the unmanned aerial vehicle on the facility in a perpendicular direction with respect to the subject surface of the facility to improve the quality of an image captured by a camera when the unmanned aerial vehicle is remotely controlled or autonomously navigates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Hyeong Yeol Kim
  • Patent number: 10094667
    Abstract: The new invention is a method for a self-contained multifunctional navigation device. It computes 3D-Spatial velocity of the vehicle and of fluid medium surrounding the vehicle, using a movement sensor system comprising low power Transmitter and plurality of Receivers placed close to the Transmitter. The said computation measures propagation time delay of low frequency pulse envelope modulating carrier EM (radio) waves using Time to Digital Converter (TDC). Orientation, direction, position and movement data are derived using well known mathematical formulae. Derived movement data are displayed graphically on a Visual Display Screen. A commercial computer comprising real time operating system, stored digitalized Navigation data and digitalized map facilitates data computation and control and guidance. The method and movement sensor device can be used in any type of vehicle (airborne, surface, sub-surface, marine, sub-marine or space) as a means for navigation and control guidance aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Inventor: Amiya Das Adhikary
  • Patent number: 10096254
    Abstract: A method of visually guiding a pilot flying an aircraft using one or more conformal symbols whose position is dynamically updated throughout the guidance is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: determining a desired flight route of an aircraft, based on a user-selected maneuver; presenting to a pilot, on a display, at least one 3D visual symbol that is: (i) earth-space stabilized, and (ii) positioned along a future location along the desired route; computing an updated desired route based on repeatedly updated aircraft flight data that include at least one of: location, speed, and spatial angle, of the aircraft; and repeating the presenting of the at least one 3D visual symbol with its updated location along the updated desired route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Ron Nauman, Ilan Efrat, Roee Hartuv, Eyal Halifa, Ofer Klein, Hagay Makov, Eran Galed
  • Patent number: 10089890
    Abstract: A device receives a request for a flight path from a first location to a second location in a region, and calculates the flight path based on the request and based on one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, regulatory information, or historical information associated with the region. The device determines required capabilities for the flight path based on the request, and selects, from multiple UAVs, a particular UAV based on the required capabilities for the flight path and based on a ranking of the multiple UAVs. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path, and provides the flight path instructions to the particular UAV to permit the particular UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Gurpreet Ubhi, Ashok N. Srivastava, Douglas M. Pasko, Hani Batla, Igor Kantor
  • Patent number: 10083614
    Abstract: A system and method to alter pilots of the presence of drone aircraft and to document or report errant drone flight operations, in particular to alert and report drone aircraft which may present a hazard to a piloted aircraft and/or are operating outside governing regulations. In one embodiment, the system comprises a surveillance subsystem configured to identify a drone operating in an airspace adjacent the aircraft; an imaging subsystem configured to acquire at least one image of the drone; a triggering subsystem interconnected with the surveillance subsystem and configured to activate the imaging subsystem; a navigational subsystem configured to provide aircraft state data associated with the at least one image; and a communication subsystem configured to transmit the at least one image and the associated aircraft state data to a receiving station; wherein the at least one image and the associated aircraft state data are transmitted to the receiving station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Drone Traffic, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Eric Zelenka
  • Patent number: 10077119
    Abstract: A flight management assembly for an aircraft and method for monitoring such an assembly. The flight management assembly includes two guidance systems each provided with a flight management system, the flight management systems being independent, each of the flight management systems carrying out at least one calculation of roll commands for the aircraft, the flight management assembly also comprising a data generating unit, preferably forming part of a guidance computer, for calculating a roll command and a monitoring unit for carrying out a monitoring of the roll commands calculated by the two flight management systems and by the data generating unit in such a way as to be able to detect and identify a defective flight management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Mere
  • Patent number: 10074284
    Abstract: A method for emergency shutdown and landing by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) includes detecting an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is one of distressed and rogue; determining timing for a shutdown and a location for landing; and communicating the determined timing and the landing location to the UAV by the Air Traffic Control system via one or more wireless networks comprising at least one cellular network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 10067736
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for altering and combining real and simulated audio streams. For example, a system can determine a location of a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system can then determine a location of an object and can receive an audio stream associated with the object. The system can then determine a distance between the location of the first UAV and the location of the object. The system can adjust the audio stream volume according to the distance. The system can then send the audio stream to a listener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Michael Taylor, Dennis Dale Castleman
  • Patent number: 10065647
    Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle navigating a roadway, including a perception module that generates sensor data and outputs a cost map and traffic data associated with traffic objects, a behavior planning module that receives the cost map and the traffic data from the perception module and generates planner primitives, a training module that receives the cost map and the traffic data from the perception module, receives driver input from a vehicle operator, and trains the behavior planning module, a local planning module comprising a set of task blocks that receives the cost map from the perception module and the planner primitives from the behavior planning module, selects a task block, and generates control commands using the selected task block; and a control module comprising an actuation subsystem, wherein the control module receives the control commands from the local planning module and controls the actuation subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Starsky Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Tiwari, Stefan Seltz-Axmacher
  • Patent number: 10065637
    Abstract: A method for operating a driver assistance system (DAS) to avoid a collision of a vehicle with an object At least one object in the vehicle environment is detected by vehicle-mounted environmental sensors, and is evaluated in terms of risk of collision with the vehicle, an an automatic intervention into the vehicle movement is carried out depending on this evaluation. During the automatic intervention, the following steps are performed: 1) Carrying out an automatic braking of the vehicle depending on the evaluation of collision risk, and 2) permitting a steering intervention by the driver to perform an evasive steering maneuver, in reaction to which the automatic braking is terminated. The driver-initiated steering intervention must occur before a point-in-time at which the DAS has determined the collision cannot be avoided by steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Arndt, Sabine Notelaers, Helmuth Bosch, Peter W. A. Zegelaar, Aaron L. Mills, Steven Yellin Schondorf
  • Patent number: 10060741
    Abstract: Topology based adaptive data gathering is disclosed herein. Payload data gathering by an unmanned aerial vehicle can be adjusted based on topological or topographical characteristics of the area of flight by the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle collects payload data over an area and may scale up the rate of payload data gathering or slow down the flight as the unmanned aerial vehicle flies over a high or complex structure. Conversely, the unmanned aerial vehicle may advantageously scale down the rate of payload data gathering or speed up the flight as the unmanned aerial vehicle flies over a simple structure or an empty area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Kespry Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Parker Clark
  • Patent number: 10061318
    Abstract: A fact checking system utilizes social networking information and analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The social networking fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information and/or provides a status of the information, including automatically modifying a web page to include the fact check results. The fact checking system is able to be implemented utilizing a drone device. The drone device is able to be implemented in conjunction with a security system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Inventor: Lucas J. Myslinski
  • Patent number: 10055647
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring processes and/or operating states in logistics facilities, in particular in roofed logistics facilities, comprising: providing a system which comprises at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (20), having at least one sensor, and comprises at least one data processing machine and at least one output device, detecting a current state of at least one characteristic in the logistics facility by means of the at least one sensor of the at least one aerial vehicle and transmitting the data representing the current state to the data processing machine, processing the data representing the current state by the data processing machine, wherein at least one processing result is obtained, and transmitting the at least one processing result to the output device, outputting the processing result by the output device, wherein the processing of the data transmitted by the at least one sensor comprises comparing the detected current state with a predetermined target state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: JUNGHEINRICH AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Kai Beckhaus, Manuel Preisker
  • Patent number: 10055984
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system includes a command center having a computing device an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a body, the UAV to communicate wirelessly with the command center via a network, the UAV having a control system with a power source, a geospatial tracking device, and a multi-channel communication portal; a camera secured to the body and in communication with the control system; and one or more equipment attachment sites; site assessment tools to attach to or within the one or more equipment attachment sites, each of the site assessment tools to record a data associated with an emergency site, such as weather conditions, road conditions, traffic, visibility, radiation, and chemical exposure; the UAV is to receive commands from the command center to deploy to the emergency site; and the UAV is to receive the data and transmit the data to the command center via the multi-channel communication portal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Inventors: Lee Schaeffer, Norman Seals, James Nelson Dearien, II, William Jennings Dearian
  • Patent number: 10054941
    Abstract: A system and related method for regulating the location of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) determines the current position of the UAS via onboard sensors or via decoding and derivation of ADS-B signals received from other vehicles. The system may operate in inert mode, where the position of the UAS is not broadcast, or alert mode, where the position of the UAS is continually broadcast via ADS-B Out signal. Based on the position of the UAS, the system detects proximate vehicles, restricted airspaces, or other problem statuses of the UAS. If a problem status is detected, the UAS may activate the alert mode. If a problem status is critical, the UAS may execute an auto-landing or correct course to exit a restricted airspace or avoid a detected vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: uAvionix Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Beard
  • Patent number: 10049589
    Abstract: Techniques for providing an object awareness guidance to clear a landing space may be provided. For example, during delivery an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may capture an image of a potential landing zone and identify one or more objects in the image that may impede or obstruct delivery of the item in the potential landing zone. The UAV may be configured to generate and provide instructions to a user device to move or remove the identified one or more objects from the potential landing zone thereby creating a safe and unobstructed landing zone to deliver the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Patrick Boyd, Chengwu Cui, Sarah Graber, Barry James O'Brien, Joshua John Watson, Scott Michael Wilcox
  • Patent number: 10049508
    Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating data related to aircraft operations such as data from flight logs, flight tracker, maintenance, connectivity, router into modules, for a specific aircraft that can be communicated to and displayed on a single device display in real-time. Systems and methods for integrating data related to aircraft operations into modules, that is both aircraft-specific (engine data, take-off and landing times) and personnel specific (i.e. crew scheduling, passenger manifestos), that includes a web-based interface which incorporates multiple data fields, and can display and communicate on devices, including but not limited to desktop computers, portable devices, such as smart phones, tablets and laptops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Satcom Direct, Inc.
    Inventors: James Jensen, Jason Natwick, Greg Romano, Brian Rudloff, David Greenhill, Derek Donahue, Christopher Moore
  • Patent number: 10049583
    Abstract: A framework for combining a weather risk analysis with appropriate operational rules includes a data initialization component, a rules processing component, and one or more weather risk analysis and assessment tools to evaluate a flight condition. The framework applies current, historical, predicted and forecasted weather data to the one or more operational rules governing a mission, a payload, a flight plan, a craft type, and a location of the mission for aircraft such as an unmanned aerial vehicle or remotely-piloted vehicle, and generates advisories based on the evaluation of flight conditions such as a mission compliance status, instructions for operation of unmanned aircraft, and management advisories. The flight condition advisories include either a ā€œflyā€ advisory or a ā€œno-flyā€ advisory, and the framework may also provide a mission prioritization and optimization system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: CLEARAG, INC.
    Inventors: Dustin M. Salentiny, John J. Mewes
  • Patent number: 10037702
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for simulating an interval management (IM) procedure for an ownship aircraft and a target aircraft before the start of the performance of the IM procedure. The method comprises receiving an IM clearance message from air traffic control (ATC), parsing the received IM clearance message into parsed information components identifying the complexity of the IM clearance message based on the number of elements in the information components, generating a flight chart depicting the area over which the proposed IM procedure is to traverse using the mapping information wherein the flight chart includes a vertical view and a plan view, and simulating the IM procedure on the generated flight chart before any steps of the IM procedure are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rajanikanth Nagaraj Kashi, Vinayak Manohar Chitragar, Sathish Pakki
  • Patent number: 10037632
    Abstract: Upon detecting a failure in a sensor in a vehicle, a request for a surrogate sensor is sent. Communications are established with an unmanned aerial vehicle carrying the surrogate sensor. A vehicle subsystem is actuated based at least in part on data from the surrogate sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 10025315
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to an unmanned vehicle for use with a companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a location unit that is configured to determine a current position of the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a path planning unit that generates a planned path. The unmanned vehicle receives a planned path of the companion unmanned vehicle and a current position of the companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle includes a position unit that is configured to determine a relative position between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle based on at least the planned paths and the current positions of the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle also includes a control unit that is configured to control a movement of the unmanned vehicle based on at least the relative position between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: PROXY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Klinger, Patrick C. Cesarano
  • Patent number: 10019906
    Abstract: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) air traffic control method is implemented in a UAV during a flight, for concurrently utilizing a plurality wireless networks for air traffic control. The UAV air traffic control method includes maintaining communication with a first wireless network and a second wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks; communicating first data with the first wireless network and second data with the second wireless network throughout the flight, wherein one or more of the first data and the second data is provided to an air traffic control system configured to maintain status of a plurality of UAVs in flight and perform control thereof; adjusting the flight based on one or more of the first data and the second data and control from the air traffic control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 10018724
    Abstract: A system and method for scanning a surface and a computer program implementing the method. The method is suitable for performing the functions carried out by the system of the invention. The computer program implements the method of the invention. The system means for illuminating illuminates different sub-areas (Si) of a surface (S) with a light beam (Be) in an alternating manner, and receives and detects the portions of reflected light (Br) reflected on same, including: one or more light detectors (D); and light redirection means including a determined spatial distribution model (Qr) of the light redirection elements (GM), which receive the portions of reflected light (Br) and sequentially redirect them towards the light detector or detectors (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA
    Inventors: Santiago Royo Royo, Jordi Rius Gras
  • Patent number: 10012517
    Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating an inertial measurement unit (IMU) via images of a calibration target are provided herein. The method may include: measuring parameters via an IMU; capturing a plurality of calibration images of a scene that contains at least one calibration target, wherein the calibration images are taken from different locations and/or orientations, wherein each of the calibration images shares a common calibration target with at least one other calibration image; calculating, based on the at least one common calibration target, a position and orientation of the sensing device relative to the calibration target, for each location of the capturing of the calibration images; and calibrating the IMU by comparing relative motion between two of the calibration images based on the calculated relative position and orientation, to measurements of the parameters taken by the IMU in time ranges corresponding to the at least two calibration images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Infinity Augmented Reality Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Matan Protter, Motti Kushnir
  • Patent number: 10008122
    Abstract: Apparatus to generate aircraft intent and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Hardt, Francisco A. Navarro Felix
  • Patent number: 10007265
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting and recovering from hostile takeovers of aerial vehicles is described. In some examples, this can include receiving, at an aerial device at a first time, a first signal expected according to a communication scheme. It can be determined that a second signal was not received at a second time based at least in part on the communication scheme. In response, an alarm signal can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Glen C. Larsen
  • Patent number: 9994315
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in medical emergencies are disclosed herein. The systems and methods include receiving at a first UAV an indication of a medical emergency and coordinating with a second UAV based on the second UAV's capabilities. The first UAV determines if the capabilities of the second UAV complement the capabilities of the first UAV based on the indicated medical emergency. The disclosed systems and methods deploy both the first and second UAVs to the medical emergency if the capabilities of the second UAV complement those of the first UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Physio-Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Walker, Mitchell Smith, Kristina Furlan, John Daynes, Michael Arbuck, Alex Esibov, Melissa Pochop-Miller, Dennis Skelton
  • Patent number: 9984389
    Abstract: Provided is a flying type in-store advertising system which advertises to many customers dispersed to respective counters while flying above an in-store passage for a commodity, an event or the like. In a flying type in-store advertising system of allowing an unmanned aircraft 11 displaying an in-store advertisement to fly in accordance with flight route data of an in-store passage, which is sent from a flight control terminal 12, the unmanned aircraft 11 has an aircraft side communication means 26 and an aircraft flight means 27 for allowing the unmanned aircraft 11 to fly in accordance with the flight route data, and the flight control terminal has a flight route setting means 35, a storage means 36 for storing the flight route data, a terminal side communication means 37 and a terminal side control means 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ENUKANTO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshio Nozawa
  • Patent number: 9977428
    Abstract: A method may include monitoring location information associated with a drone. The method may also include comparing the location information with an authorized zone. The method may also include, based on the comparison, determining a violation by the drone of a rule associated with the authorized zone. The method may include, in response to the violation, augmenting control of the drone to alter operation of the drone. The location information may include at least one of a current or predicted future location of the drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert J. Hall
  • Patent number: 9978285
    Abstract: A navigation system including a vehicle dynamic model (VDM) that serves as the main process model within a navigation filter is described. When used in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the navigation system may work in communication with inertial measurement units (IMUs) and environment dependent sensors such as GNSS receivers. Particularly, the navigation system is beneficial in the case of GNSS signal reception outages, where conventional IMU coasting drifts quickly. Yet, the navigation system may also be employed in other scenarios, for example during GNSS presence for improved positioning, velocity and attitude determination, or in combination with GNSS when no IMU is available by design or due to a failure. In the navigation system, a solution to VDM equations provides an estimate of position, velocity, and attitude, which can be updated within a navigation filter based on available observations, such as IMU data or GNSS measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventors: Mehran Khaghani, Jan Skaloud
  • Patent number: 9969485
    Abstract: An inceptor apparatus (10) for controlling a vehicle, in particular an aircraft comprises a control stick (15) for operation by a user and a user feedback generator (28) coupled to the control stick and configured to receive signals from a vehicle condition indicator (40) remote from the inceptor apparatus. The apparatus also has a first vehicle condition sensor (54,56) dedicated to the operation of the inceptor apparatus. In a first mode of operation, the user feedback generator (28) is operable to generate tactile feedback to the user via the control stick in dependence upon signals received from the vehicle condition indicator (40). In a second mode of operation, in the event that no signal is received from the vehicle condition indicator (40), the user feedback generator (28) is operable to generate tactile feedback to the user via the control stick in dependence upon signals received from the first vehicle condition sensor (54,56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS Plc
    Inventor: Robin William Davies
  • Patent number: 9963247
    Abstract: A method of automatic determination of a descent and approach profile for an aircraft is based on a backward computation of propagation of a state of the aircraft along segments S(i) from a backward computation start point to the start point DECEL of onset of the deceleration of the aircraft. The method of automatic determination comprises for each segment S(i) a step of determining an optimal speed VOPT(i) of the aircraft over the range of speeds of the next aerodynamic configuration C(j+1) to be implemented as a function of a predetermined deceleration strategy and/or of predetermined constraints inherent in the flight procedure or introduced by the pilot in his flight plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Johan Boyer, BenoƮt Dacre-Wright