Patents by Inventor Alexander E. MacDonald

Alexander E. MacDonald has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10545243
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to systems and methods for determining three-dimensional atmospheric and ionospheric density using refraction of electromagnetic waves. A method is provided for receiving, at a processing system, and from a plurality of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) stations, navigation data corresponding to computed positions of the plurality of GNSS stations. The method can further include determining, based at least in part on received navigation data and received GNSS transmitter information, ionosphere and atmosphere refractivity corresponding to intersections of two or more GNSS signals. The method can include calculating, based on the determined 3D density states, data fields of a model representing the three-3D density states. The method can include transmitting position adjustment data to calibrate a navigation position of at least one of the plurality of the GNSS stations based at least in part on the calculated data fields of the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SPIRE GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander E. MacDonald, Peter Platzer
  • Publication number: 20190146092
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to systems and methods for determining three-dimensional atmospheric and ionospheric density using refraction of electromagnetic waves. A method is provided for receiving, at a processing system, and from a plurality of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) stations, navigation data corresponding to computed positions of the plurality of GNSS stations. The method can further include determining, based at least in part on received navigation data and received GNSS transmitter information, ionosphere and atmosphere refractivity corresponding to intersections of two or more GNSS signals. The method can include calculating, based on the determined 3D density states, data fields of a model representing the three-3D density states. The method can include transmitting position adjustment data to calibrate a navigation position of at least one of the plurality of the GNSS stations based at least in part on the calculated data fields of the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Alexander E. MacDonald, Peter Platzer
  • Patent number: 6937210
    Abstract: A system for projecting images on an object with a reflective surface. A plurality of image projectors are spaced around the object and synchronized such that each projector projects an individual image whose union on the surface of the object forms a composite image. The composite image displayed totally covers the surface. The object may represent the Earth with the projected images representing topographical features of the Earth. If environmental satellite data, such as data from a Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite System is used, real time weather conditions may be displayed on this Earth representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventor: Alexander E. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 6421010
    Abstract: A system for wind profiling comprises sondes for being borne through the atmosphere by balloons and transmitting signals enabling identifying the sondes, and received by receivers capable of determining the angle of arrival (AOA) of the signals from the sondes, so that they can be tracked. In the preferred embodiment, the signal transmitted by each sonde is a phase-shift-keyed (PSK) signal. The carrier phase difference as measured at two spaced antennas is measured to provide an accurate but ambiguous measure of the difference in distance of the path length between the sonde and receivers, and the symbol phase difference is employed to remove the ambiguity. The difference in path length is then used to determine AOA. Atmospheric data and the sonde identification are encoded using a psuedo-random sequence (PRS) of the PSK symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Russell B. Chadwick, Alexander E. MacDonald