| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080249680 | DATA RECORDER - Systems and methods for recording information in a vehicle data recorder device. The vehicle data recorder device includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a crash survivable unit having memory, and a microcontroller in data communication with the IMU and the memory. The microcontroller receives angular rate information and acceleration information from the IMU and stores the received angular rate information and acceleration information in the memory. The IMU includes two or more MEMS gyroscopes or ring laser gyroscopes. In one example, the microcontroller stores angular rate information and acceleration information in the memory until a threshold event has occurred. The threshold event includes at least one of the angular rate information or acceleration information indicating zero with respect to a rotating earth coordinate frame for a predetermined period of time. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20090125196 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE STABILITY OF A CONSTRUCTION MACHINE - Systems and methods for monitoring the stability of a construction machine are provided. A gyroscope is configured to detect an angle of inclination of the construction machine relative to a vertical axis and generate an inclination signal representative thereof. A processor in operable communication with the gyroscope is configured to receive the inclination angle and generate a warning signal when the angle of inclination exceeds a predetermined threshold. An alarm device in operable communication with the processor is configured to generate an alarm to indicate to a user of the construction machine when the angle of inclination has exceeded the predetermined threshold. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090188031 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING JET AIRCRAFT OPERATING EFFICIENCY - A disposal system is provided. In an embodiment, by way of example, the disposal system can include a first tank adapted to be at least partially filled with waste fluid. The disposal system can also include a waste processing device adapted to receive waste fluid and adjust one or more properties of the waste fluid. Additionally, the waste disposal system can include a jet engine comprising a first chamber adapted to contain a fluid undergoing compression. The jet engine can be in fluid communication with the waste processing device to receive the waste fluid from the waste processing device. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20100116806 | AUTOMATED HEATING SYSTEM FOR PORTS SUSCEPTIBLE TO ICING - An improved heating system air pressure sensing port. An example aircraft pitot tube heater uses Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) switching thermistors arranged to automatically sense the outside air temperature and heat to a design set point temperature. When a high outside air temperature is experienced, the pitot tube will not turn on. The pitot tube heater only turns on below the design set point and will consumes less current than the standard aircraft pitot tube heaters when operating at very cold temperatures. Virtually no current is drawn when the pitot tube increases past the set point, thus reducing the power drain on the aircraft system. The use of multiple thermistors gives the example pitot tube a level of failure redundancy that is not available in current pitot tube heaters. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100127894 | MAGNETO SENSOR FOR AN AIRCRAFT IGNITION SYSTEM - Systems and methods for indicating status of a piston engine magneto (MAG). An example system includes a MAG sensing circuit that senses a signal from the MAG and an indication device that output an indication of the operational status of the MAG based on the sensed signal. The MAG sensing circuit samples a signal from a P-lead of the MAG. The indication device determines if the sampled signal is below a predefined threshold value. The indication device includes a field effect transistor (FET) that receives the sampled signal at its gate. The FET is placed in an on state if the sampled signal is above the predefined threshold value, and the FET is placed in an off state if the sampled signal is below the predefined threshold value. A light is activated when the FET is in the on state and deactivated when the FET is in the off state. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100188506 | SYNTHETIC WINDOW FOR LIMITED VISIBILITY VEHICLES - Provided are methods, systems and devices for providing a synthetic window system for vehicles with limited visibility for passengers. Various embodiments include demountably affixing video display devices within one or more interior bulkheads such that all marginal edge portions of a viewing screen of the video display device are flushly surrounded by the first interior bulkhead. A video capture device provides a video signal to the video display device, the video capture device capturing a view from a vantage point located outside of the vehicle and in proximity to the video display device for viewing on the viewing screen of the video display device via the video signal. | 07-29-2010 |