The Boeing Company

Cargill Inc.

Douglas Conrad Cameron, Jr

Christopher Pete Benson

Timothy Walter Abraham

Paula M Hicks

Sara C McFarlan

John P Rosazza

Dwayne C Merna

David Paul Weiner

Lishan Zhao

James R Millis

Michael J Duffy

Peng Zeng

Manu Sharma

Robert J Atmur

Naveed Moayyed Hussain

William Patrick Sargent

John Jian Dong

Deborah Ann Beron-Rawdon

Kevin T Colangelo

Steven John Gort

Fernando A Sanchez-Riera

Leonard Jon Quadracci

Mary Eileen Beckman

Suhat Limvorapun

Andrew Leung

Bradley Jerome Rafferty

Mervyn L deSouza

Eric D Brown

Krish R Krothapalli

Walter Von Klein, Jr

Todd M Williams

Mary Jo Zidwick

Leonard J Quadracci

Sara C Mcfarlan

Walter Von Klein

Joseph Dalluge

Russell J Hobson

John Rosazza

Jim Millis

David P Weiner

Michael James Duffy

Zeng Peng

Jack Rosazza

Example active flow control systems and methods for aircraft are described herein. An example an active flow control system includes a plenum, a plurality of nozzles fluidly coupled to the plenum, configured to eject high pressure air across a control surface, a compressor to supply pressurized air to the plenum, an electric motor to drive the compressor, and a control system to determine an amount of power input to the electric motor, determine a current speed of the electric motor, and determine a fault has occurred in the active flow control system based on the current speed of the electric motor.

Active flow control systems and methods for aircraft

A multi-rotor vehicle includes a plurality of electric motors and edge computing systems (ECSs). The electric motors are operatively coupled to respective rotors, and cause the respective rotors to rotate relative to the airframe. The ECSs are independent, distinct and distributed to the electric motors, each operatively coupled to a respective electric motor and thereby a respective rotor. Each ECS is configured to acquire and process sensor data for the respective rotor to determine rotor status information, and execute motor commands to control the respective electric motor and thereby the respective rotor. Each ECS is configured as an integrated flight computer and motor controller.

Multi-rotor vehicle with edge computing systems

A multi-rotor vehicle includes a plurality of electric motors and edge computing systems (ECSs). The electric motors are operatively coupled to respective rotors, and cause the respective rotors to rotate relative to the airframe. The ECSs are independent, distinct and distributed to the electric motors, each operatively coupled to a respective electric motor and thereby a respective rotor. Each ECS is configured to acquire and process sensor data for the respective rotor to determine rotor status information, and execute motor commands to control the respective electric motor and thereby the respective rotor. The ECSs are configured according to a model in which any of the ECSs is selectable as a primary ECS, and others of the ECSs are operable as secondary ECSs, the secondary ECSs configured to communicate respective rotor status information to the primary ECS, and the primary ECS configured to provide the motor commands to the secondary ECSs.

A method and apparatus for controlling an electric aircraft. An apparatus comprises a motor, a power source, and a four-quadrant controller. The motor operates in four quadrants of operational space and operates in one of an accelerating state and a regenerative braking state. A total current flows through the motor. The power source is connected to the motor, and when the motor operates in the regenerative braking state, the total current flows through the power source. The power source has a maximum allowable current. The four-quadrant controller is programmed to identify a recharging parameter, brake the motor to initiate the regenerative braking state when the recharging parameter is present, recharge the power source with the total current during the regenerative braking state, and control a duty cycle of the motor such that the total current does not exceed the maximum allowable current during the regenerative braking state.

Aircraft with electric motor and rechargeable power source

Feedback control circuitry includes rate limiter circuitry configured to generate a rate limited position command based on a position command for a controlled component and based on a speed command for the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry also includes error adjustment circuitry configured to apply a control gain to an error signal to generate an adjusted error signal. The error signal is based on position feedback and the rate limited position command, and the position feedback indicates a position of the controlled component. The feedback control circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output a current command generated based on the adjusted error signal.

System and method for position and speed feedback control

Demodulation circuitry includes an input terminal configured to be coupled to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and configured to receive a plurality of ADC outputs. The plurality of ADC outputs are generated based on resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry also includes a rectifier configured to rectify the plurality of ADC outputs. Rectifying the plurality of ADC outputs preserves a phase of the plurality of ADC outputs. The demodulation circuitry includes amplitude determination circuitry configured to determine, based on the rectified plurality of ADC outputs, demodulated amplitude values corresponding to the resolver outputs. The demodulation circuitry further includes angle computation circuitry configured to generate position outputs based on the demodulated amplitude values.

System and method for demodulation of resolver outputs

An apparatus includes a coarse resolver configured to output coarse position signals indicative of a coarse position of a drive shaft of a motor. The apparatus also includes a fine resolver configured to output fine position signals indicative of a fine position of the drive shaft of the motor. The apparatus further includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive the coarse position signals from the coarse resolver and the fine position signals from the fine resolver and generate an initial position output, based on the coarse position signals, that indicates an initial position of the drive shaft. The control circuit is further configured to generate a subsequent position output, based on the fine position signals, that indicates a subsequent position of the drive shaft.

System and method for dual speed resolver

A pulse-width modulation control circuit includes a first transistor and a signal generator. The first transistor includes a first terminal coupled to a power source and a second terminal coupled to a first input of a controlled component. The signal generator includes a first node coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The signal generator is configured to receive a comparison value and a comparison criterion and to compare the comparison value to a counter value based on the comparison criterion. In response to the comparison value satisfying the comparison criterion with respect to the counter value, the signal generator is configured to send a control signal to the gate of the first transistor to generate a pulse edge of a pulse of a pulse-width modulated signal.

System and method for pulse-width modulation using an adjustable comparison criterion

Embodiments described herein provide active dampening of flexible modes of a UAV during flight operations. During operation of a UAV having a flexible airframe, the thrust and/or torque of the motor(s) coupled to propellers can induce flexing in the airframe that reduces the flight performance of the UAV. Measurements of a linear acceleration and/or an angular rate at a location proximate to the motor are performed, and flexible modes in the airframe of the UAV are identified based on the measurements. An operation of the motor(s) is modified based on the measurements to dampen the flexible mode.

Active damping of flexible modes for unmanned aerial vehicles

An apparatus a housing structure and a magnetic assembly. The magnetic assembly is configured to slide within the housing structure in a first direction associated with a direction of travel of the housing structure and in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction. The magnetic assembly includes a first pole plate having a first polarity and a second pole plate having a second polarity that is opposite of the first polarity.

Brake device

Dither circuitry includes harmonic signal generation circuitry configured generate a high order even harmonic of a base excitation signal. The dither circuitry also includes a combiner configured to generate a dithered excitation signal based on the high order even harmonic and the base excitation signal. The dither circuitry further includes an output terminal configured to output the dithered excitation signal to a sensor device.

System and method for generation of dithered excitation signals

A method and apparatus for controlling regeneration for a motor. An instantaneous voltage provided by a power supply to the motor is identified using a voltage signal received from a voltage sensor. A new average voltage is computed for the motor using the instantaneous voltage, a previously computed average voltage, and a weight factor for the instantaneous voltage. A difference between the new average voltage and the instantaneous voltage is compared to a selected threshold to determine whether a regeneration condition exists. Operation of the motor is controlled such that a duty cycle of the motor does not decrease in response to a determination that the regeneration condition exists.

Management of motor regeneration

A method and apparatus for controlling commutation of a motor. A voltage is measured at each of a plurality of windings of a motor using an electric circuit. A controller computes an overall back electromotive force for the motor using the voltage measured at each winding in the plurality of windings. The controller generates a result having either a first value or a second value based on the overall back electromotive force. The controller adjusts the commutation phase and the commutation period of the motor using the result.

Method and apparatus for adjusting motor commutation phase and period

An apparatus includes a housing structure and a magnetic assembly. The magnetic assembly is configured to slide within the housing structure in a first direction associated with a direction of travel of the housing structure and in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction. The magnetic assembly includes a first pole plate having a first polarity and a second pole plate having a second polarity that is opposite of the first polarity.

Thrust reverser actuator systems are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a first controller to communicate with a first flight computer and a second flight computer of an aircraft. The example apparatus also includes a second controller to communicate with the first flight computer and the second flight computer. The example apparatus further includes a thrust reverser and a first electrical actuator coupled to the thrust reverser. The first electrical actuator is to be communicatively coupled to the first controller and the second controller. The example apparatus also includes a second electrical actuator coupled to the thrust reverser. The second electrical actuator is to be communicatively coupled to the second controller. The first electrical actuator and the second electrical actuator are to synchronously actuate the thrust reverser.

Growing community of inventors

Ladera Ranch, CA, United States of America

Douglas Conrad Cameron, Jr