Raytheon Technologies Corporation

B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Rtx Corporation

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.

United Technologies Corporation

Goodrich Corporation

Rosemount Aerospace Limited

Arinc, Inc.

Utc Fire and Security Corporation

Sanjay Bajekal

Goran Djuknic

Joseph V Mantese

Coy Bruce Wood

Jonathan Gilson

Gurkan Gok

Brenda J Lisitano

Michael Anthony Lynch

Nicholas Charles Soldner

Vivek T Rathod

Adwait A Trikanad

Zaffir A Chaudhry

Jefferey M McKee

Scott P Harms

Vijaya Ramaraju Lakamraju

Travis J Vaninetti

John D Edquist

Frank E Hashberger

Peter Gerard Smith

Aswin Kumar Vallamkondu

Cagatay Tokgoz

Thomas Gietzold

Pranay Kanti Nath

Sivakumar Laguduwa

Frank Hashberger

Brian Dean Bouquillon

Michael W Hensler

Thomas Munson

Pierre J Vignal

Fangzhong Guo

Peter G Smith

Charles Soldner

Michael A Lynch

A system for localizing and object is disclosed herein. The system includes a radio transmitter disposed in a first location, a radio receiver disposed in a second location, a processor operatively coupled to the radio transmitter and to the radio receiver, and a memory operatively coupled to the processor. The memory includes instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a first command to the radio transmitter to transmit a continuous radio wave, send a second command to the radio receiver to receive a reflected radio wave, receive from the radio receiver a signal indicating the reflected radio wave is within a spatial region of interest, and determining a three-dimensional location of the object within the spatial region of interest based on the reflected radio wave.

Method to detect objects or obstacles using radio

A system may include a transmitter and receiver. The system may include an electromagnetic transmission line sensor configured as a passive sensor, configured to determine at least one of a presence of one or more objects or one or more additional sensing parameters, wherein the electromagnetic transmission line sensor is configured as a continuous sensor, wherein the electromagnetic transmission line sensor includes a first port; a second port, wherein one of the first port or the second port comprises the transmitter and another of the first port or the second port comprises the receiver; and a length of waveguide suitable for transmitting an electromagnetic wave, wherein the length of waveguide is configured to couple to auxiliary sensors, wherein the transmitter transmits a packet comprising the electromagnetic wave through the length of waveguide to the receiver, wherein the one or more processing elements of the receiver interprets the packet.

Electromagnetic transmission line sensors

A system for touchless control of a lavatory of an aircraft includes at least one sensor located in the lavatory and configured to detect detected data corresponding to the lavatory. The system further includes at least one actuator or light source located in the lavatory and configured to perform an action. The system further includes a central controller coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one actuator or light source and configured to make an inference based on the detected data and to control the at least one actuator or light source based on the inference.

Intelligent centralized lavatory controller architecture for touchless lavatory

A system of a machine includes a network of nodes distributed throughout the machine. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate through electromagnetic signals. The system also includes a radio frequency transceiver, a first antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver, a second antenna coupled to one or more sensor nodes, and a controller coupled to the radio frequency transceiver. The controller is configured to select at least one sensor node to interrogate, transmit one or more interrogation frequencies from the radio frequency transceiver through the first antenna to the second antenna, receive one or more sensor frequencies at the first antenna broadcast from the second antenna based on a frequency response of the at least one sensor node to the one or more interrogation frequencies, and determine one or more sensed values based on the sensor frequencies received at the radio frequency transceiver through the first antenna.

Radio frequency system sensor interface

A method may comprise receiving, via a processor, a first indication that an object is in a first zone of interest of a first sensor in the plurality of sensors; receiving, via the processor, a second indication that the object is in a second zone of interest of a second sensor in the plurality of sensors; and determining, via the processor, whether the first sensor or the second sensor is falsely detecting the object within the respective zone of interest.

Sensor systems and methods for an aircraft lavatory

A system of a machine includes a network of nodes distributed throughout the machine. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate using a plurality of electromagnetic signals. A controller is operable to communicate with the nodes using electromagnetic signals. A radio frequency-based repeater is in the network between the controller and at least one of the nodes. The radio frequency-based repeater is configured to operate using power extracted from at least one of the electromagnetic signals when a signal-to-noise ratio is above a threshold, and the radio frequency-based repeater is configured to use energy stored in an onboard energy storage system when the signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold.

Radio frequency-based repeater in a waveguide system

A system includes a network of nodes. A controller of the system is operable to communicate with the network of nodes through one or more electromagnetic signals. A plurality of waveguides is configured to guide transmission of the one or more electromagnetic signals. A radio frequency transceiver is configured to establish communication between the controller and a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides. A membrane is configured to support communication between the first waveguide and at least one node of the plurality of nodes.

Radio frequency waveguide communication in high temperature environments

A method for coordinating Wireless Avionics Intra-Communication (WAIC) communications with a radio altimeter signal includes monitoring a frequency band and recording a sequence of time stamps, each time stamp of the sequence of time stamps corresponding to a time at which a strength of the radio altimeter signal exceeds a threshold signal strength in the frequency band. The method further includes calculating time stamp intervals between successive time stamps to produce a sequence of time stamp intervals, and identifying a pattern of time stamp intervals in the sequence of time stamp intervals. The method further includes coordinating the WAIC communications with the pattern of time stamp intervals to avoid interference with the radio altimeter signal.

Coordination of wireless avionics intra-communications (WAIC) with radio altimeter signals

An integrated hand cleaning system includes a hand cleaning housing including dispensing spout and a sensor. An actuator is operatively connected to the housing. A cleaning substance reservoir is in fluid communication with the dispensing spout. A controller is operatively connected to the sensor and to the actuator. The controller is configured to activate the actuator based on detection of a user's hand by the sensor. A method for controlling a hand cleaning system includes receiving, with a controller, a sensor signal from a sensor in a hand cleaning housing. The method includes activating an actuator of a hand cleaning system with the controller based on the sensor signal.

Hand cleaning systems

A system of a machine includes a network of nodes distributed throughout the machine. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate using a plurality of electromagnetic signals. A controller is operable to communicate with the nodes using electromagnetic signals. The system also includes a plurality of waveguides configured to guide transmission of the electromagnetic signals between the controller and one or more of the nodes. A radio frequency-based repeater is coupled to at least two of the waveguides in the network between the controller and at least one of the nodes. The radio frequency-based repeater is configured to operate using power extracted from at least one of the electromagnetic signals when a signal-to-noise ratio is above a threshold, and the radio frequency-based repeater is configured to use energy stored in an onboard energy storage system when the signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold.

A system of a machine includes a network of nodes distributed throughout the machine. A means is operable to communicate with the network of nodes through one or more electromagnetic signals. A plurality of waveguides is configured to guide transmission of the one or more electromagnetic signals. A radio frequency antenna is coupled to a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides. A radio frequency transceiver is coupled between the means and the radio frequency antenna. A membrane is configured to support communication between the first waveguide and at least one node of the plurality of nodes.

A system of a machine includes a network of a plurality of nodes distributed throughout the machine. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals. A controller is operable to communicate with the network of nodes through the electromagnetic signals. The system also includes a plurality of waveguides configured to guide transmission of the electromagnetic signals between the controller and one or more of the nodes. A radio frequency-based repeater is coupled to at least two of the waveguides in the network between the controller and at least one of the nodes. The radio frequency-based repeater is configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic signals in a first waveguide and boost a transmission characteristic of the portion of the electromagnetic signals in a second waveguide.

A system of a machine includes a network of a plurality of nodes distributed throughout the machine. Each of the nodes is operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals. A controller is operable to communicate with the network of nodes through the electromagnetic signals. A plurality of waveguides is configured to confine transmission of the electromagnetic signals between the controller and one or more of the nodes. A radio frequency antenna is coupled to a first end of a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides. A radio frequency transceiver is coupled between the controller and the radio frequency antenna. A capacitively coupled membrane at a second end of the first waveguide is configured to establish communication between the first waveguide and at least one node of the plurality of nodes.

A method of data collection from a rotor system of an aircraft includes positioning a plurality of sensors at a plurality of locations of a rotating portion of the rotor system. One or more antennae are located at one or more rotationally fixed locations of the aircraft. Rotor system data is collected via the sensors and is wirelessly transmitted from the sensors to the antennae and is transferred from the antennae to a gateway where it is normalized and synchronized. In another embodiment, a data collection system for a rotor includes a plurality of sensors located at rotating locations of the rotor, the sensors configured to collect and wirelessly transmit rotor data. Antennae are located at a fixed location of the aircraft. The antennae are configured to send and receive data from the sensors. A gateway is connected to the antennae to normalize and synchronize the rotor data.

Growing community of inventors

Simsbury, CT, United States of America

Sanjay Bajekal