Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Goodrich Corporation

Scott Robert Durkee

William B Spillman, Jr

Naison E Mastrocola

Richard A Poisson

Michael Abbott

Bradley F Eid

Gary L Hess

Radoslaw Romuald Zakrzewski

David Henry Crowne

Mokhtar M Sadok

Robert Downing LaClair

Eric Joseph Reed

Mark George Walker

Andrew Slanker

Keith Patrick Darwin

Luis Carlos Rabelo

Robert Curtis North

Robert Alan Hess

Keith Eugene Coffman

Alexander White

Erik A Fjerstad

Brian Syverson

A laser diode drive system configured to output a drive signal to control a voltage provided to a laser diode can include a circuit sensor system configured to output a sensed signal indicative of a drive current of a laser diode, and a temperature sensor configured to output a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the laser diode or an ambient temperature of the laser diode. The system can include a temperature compensation system configured to output a correction signal based on the temperature signal to compensate for a temperature dependent factor in the sensed signal.

Laser diode drive systems

A resistance measurement system includes a plurality of resistors connected in series along a single line. The plurality of resistors includes N resistors. The system includes a plurality of capacitors for at least N−1 of the resistors. Each capacitor is connected in parallel to the single line with a respective resistor to form a respective resistor-capacitor (RC) pair. Each RC pair includes a different time constant such that each RC pair reaches a steady state voltage at a different time. The system includes a current supply connected to the single line to supply a current to the line. The system includes a control module configured to sense a total voltage across the single line and to successively determine resistance of each resistor from the total voltage based on the current, a known total steady state voltage, and known time-to-steady-state-voltages of each RC pair and/or resistors.

Resistance measurement systems

A switching device includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or MOSFET having a gate, an emitter, and a collector configured to allow current to pass between the emitter and the collector based on voltage applied to the gate. A stack of alternating layers of photo-sensitive p-n junction layers and insulating layers stacked on the gate for optical switching control of voltage through the IGBT or MOSFET.

Optically switched IGBT

A diode voltage measurement system includes a plurality of diodes connected in series along a single line. The plurality of diodes include N diodes. The system includes a plurality of capacitors for at least N−1 of the diodes. Each capacitor is connected in parallel to the single line with a respective diode to form a respective diode-capacitor (DC) pair. Each DC pair is configured such that each DC pair reaches a steady state voltage at a different time. The system includes a current supply connected to the single line to supply a current to the line. The system includes a control module configured to sense a total voltage across the single line and to successively determine voltage of each diode from the total voltage based on the current, a known total steady state voltage, and known time-to-steady-state-voltages of each DC pair and/or diode.

Diode voltage measurement systems

A method of measuring target proximity comprising the steps of transmitting a magnetic field signal by a controller of a proximity sensor at a target, measuring impedance of an inductor of a proximity sensor, calculating a relative position of the target in relation to a sensor face, and providing a near/far output status of the target at a predetermined rate.

Proximity sensor and method of use

Systems and methods for position determination in an electric machine are provided. Aspects include a DC power source connected to an inverter circuit, an electric motor comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein an output of the inverter circuit is connected to a plurality phase of windings, and a controller configured to operate the electric motor and the inverter circuit, wherein the controller is further configured to determine one or more inactive phase windings from the plurality of phase windings, supply a voltage to the inactive phase windings, receive, from a current sensor connected to the electric motor, a current for each inactive phase winding of the inactive phase windings, determine an inductance for each inactive phase winding of the inactive phase winding based on the current, and determine a position of the rotor in the electric motor based on the inductance for each inactive phase winding.

Sensorless position determination of an electric machine

An electronic braking arrangement includes a brake stack assembly, a driver circuit, a current limiter circuit, and a voltage limiter circuit. The driver circuit is operably connected to the brake stack assembly. The current limiter circuit and the voltage limiter circuit are connected in series between the driver circuit and the brake stack assembly to drive friction brake loads in the brake stack assembly with a voltage limited constant drive current.

Electronic braking arrangements

A controller for a brake may comprise a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising receiving, by the controller, a three-phase signal indicating a first duty cycle for a first phase signal, a second duty cycle for a second phase signal, and a third duty cycle for a third phase signal, determining, by the controller, a minimum value based upon the first phase signal, the second phase signal, and the third phase signal, and converting, by the controller, the minimum value to a zero value.

System and method for EMI reduction in an electric braking system

A circuit card is disclosed. The circuit card may have a strain relief aperture and a conductor contact. A conductor may extend through the strain relief aperture and connect in electrical continuity with the conductor contact. The circuit card may have a conformal coating, such as poly(p-xylylene) polymer applied. The conformal coating may be applied in layers, and the layers may have different thicknesses.

Circuit card

An interface circuit for a bridge sensor has a switch that connects to a resistive bridge circuit. The resistive bridge circuit includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a pair of resistive branches that connect between the first and second input terminals. Both of the resistive branches include an output terminal. The switch is connected to the first input terminal and is in series with both resistive branches for connecting and disconnecting a voltage source from the resistive branch output terminals.

Sensor interface circuits

An example apparatus includes a controller configured to control operation of a salient-type, multiphase motor in accordance with a technique including periodic on and off-times, the motor including a stator and a rotor. The controller is configured to calculate or receive values representing changes in current to the motor during the respective on and off-times or measurements proportional thereto, and calculate an inductance of the motor as a function of the values and a supply voltage to the motor. And the controller is configured to determine a position of the rotor based on the inductance of the motor, and control operation of the motor based on the position of the rotor.

Apparatus and method of determining rotor position in a salient-type motor

An example method includes receiving output voltage data from an array of at least four thermopiles placed around the circumference of a projectile such that for any rotation of the projectile during flight thereof, at least a pair of the thermopile having upwardly-facing fields of view referenced to the earth-fixed coordinate system. The method includes determining the pair of upwardly-facing thermopiles based on the output voltage data from the array, with the respective pair of thermopiles including a thermopile p and next adjacent thermopile p+1. The method includes determining a ratio of the output voltage data from thermopiles p and p+1, and applying the ratio to a function associating, for any pair of thermopiles n and n+1, a ratio of output voltage data from thermopiles n and n+1, and a roll angle &#x3b8;of thermopile n referenced to the earth-fixed coordinate system.

Ratio-metric horizon sensing using an array of thermopiles

An aircraft ultrasonic system for fuel gauging and battle damage detection comprises: at least one ultrasonic transducer disposed at a fuel tank of the aircraft; a first circuit for exciting the at least one ultrasonic transducer to transmit an acoustic pulse toward a surface of fuel in the tank, the at least one ultrasonic transducer operative to receive acoustic echo pulses reflected from the fuel surface and convert the acoustic echo pulses to electrical echo pulses, the at least one ultrasonic transducer also operative to receive acoustic compression wavefront pulses impinging thereon and convert the acoustic compression wavefront pulses to electrical compression wavefront pulses; and a second circuit for receiving and processing the electrical echo and compression wavefront pulses from the at least one ultrasonic transducer, the second circuit operative to perform fuel quantity measurements using the electrical echo pulses and to perform battle damage detection using the electrical compression wavefront pulses. A counterpart method is further disclosed.

Ultrasonic system and method of gauging aircraft fuel and detecting battle damage

A liquid measurement system including interface apparatus for sharing the excitation and signal processing of an ultrasonic transonic transducer and temperature measuring device remotely located at a liquid container is disclosed. The interface apparatus includes a common conduction path coupled to both of the ultrasonic transducer and the temperature device for conducting first excitation signals to the ultrasonic transducer and the corresponding echo signals therefrom, and for conducting second excitation signals to the temperature measuring device and the response signals therefrom, and an interface circuit for governing the conduction of the first and second excitation signals over the common conduction path from their generating sources and for providing a balanced interface for receiving both of the echo signals and response signals from the common conduction path. In one embodiment, the liquid measurement signal includes a processor that is coupled to the interface circuit for receiving the echo signals and the response signals therefrom for determining liquid level in the container based on the received signals.

Growing community of inventors

New Haven, VT, United States of America

Scott Robert Durkee