Patents by Inventor Bruce L. McKinley
Bruce L. McKinley 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).
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Patent number: 10267888Abstract: An anticipated direction to a signal source is determined by a communication device having an antenna. The communication device receives video images in a field of view of a camera and determines, using sensors of the communication device, an antenna direction. The antenna direction is the direction that the antenna of the communication device is pointing. The communication device displays, using a display screen, the video images, an antenna direction indicator, and a guiding icon. The antenna direction indicator indicates the antenna direction relative to the field of view of the camera, and the guiding icon represents a direction offset from the anticipated direction. An energy value of a signal received from the signals source is determined by the communication device using the antenna, and a position of the guiding icon on the display screen is updated based on the anticipated direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Higher Ground LLCInventors: Robert S. Reis, Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce L. McKinley
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Patent number: 10164723Abstract: Satellite acquisition, for enabling a user device to engage in satellite communications, may be implemented using augmented reality (AR). An AR display may be presented to a user, and the user may use the AR display to point the user device toward a desired satellite. The process may include offsetting the position of a satellite icon representing the desired satellite in the AR display if acquisition is unsuccessful and thus indicating that the user device should be pointed to the offset position. In the case of a non-geosynchronous earth-orbit (non-GEO) satellite, such as a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite, the position of the satellite icon representing such a non-GEO satellite may be compensated for satellite movement during a satellite acquisition attempt.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Higher Ground LLCInventors: Robert S. Reis, Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce L. McKinley
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Publication number: 20180316401Abstract: A communication device, having an antenna, determines a direction substantially in a direction to an intended transceiver. A desired direction that is different from the direction to the intended transceiver, and an anticipated direction that is offset from the desired direction, are determined. Based on the desired direction, parameters of expected energy values corresponding to a multiple pre-defined antenna directions of the antenna around the desired direction are determined. The communication device receives, using the antenna, multiple measured energy values corresponding to multiple antenna directions of the antenna around the anticipated direction. A directional offset is calculated using the multiple expected energy parameters and the multiple measured energy values. An updated anticipated direction is generated by updating the anticipated direction using the calculated directional offset.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2017Publication date: November 1, 2018Applicant: Higher Ground LLCInventors: Robert S. Reis, Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce L. McKinley
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Publication number: 20180316885Abstract: An anticipated direction to a signal source is determined by a communication device having an antenna. The communication device receives video images in a field of view of a camera and determines, using sensors of the communication device, an antenna direction. The antenna direction is the direction that the antenna of the communication device is pointing. The communication device displays, using a display screen, the video images, an antenna direction indicator, and a guiding icon. The antenna direction indicator indicates the antenna direction relative to the field of view of the camera, and the guiding icon represents a direction offset from the anticipated direction. An energy value of a signal received from the signals source is determined by the communication device using the antenna, and a position of the guiding icon on the display screen is updated based on the anticipated direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2017Publication date: November 1, 2018Applicant: Higher Ground LLCInventors: Robert S. Reis, Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce L. McKinley
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Patent number: 10116893Abstract: A communication device, having an antenna, determines a direction substantially in a direction to an intended transceiver. A desired direction that is different from the direction to the intended transceiver, and an anticipated direction that is offset from the desired direction, are determined. Based on the desired direction, parameters of expected energy values corresponding to a multiple pre-defined antenna directions of the antenna around the desired direction are determined. The communication device receives, using the antenna, multiple measured energy values corresponding to multiple antenna directions of the antenna around the anticipated direction. A directional offset is calculated using the multiple expected energy parameters and the multiple measured energy values. An updated anticipated direction is generated by updating the anticipated direction using the calculated directional offset.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: HIGHER GROUND LLCInventors: Robert S. Reis, Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce L. McKinley
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Publication number: 20180270000Abstract: Satellite acquisition, for enabling a user device to engage in satellite communications, may be implemented using augmented reality (AR). An AR display may be presented to a user, and the user may use the AR display to point the user device toward a desired satellite. The process may include offsetting the position of a satellite icon representing the desired satellite in the AR display if acquisition is unsuccessful and thus indicating that the user device should be pointed to the offset position. In the case of a non-geosynchronous earth-orbit (non-GEO) satellite, such as a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite, the position of the satellite icon representing such a non-GEO satellite may be compensated for satellite movement during a satellite acquisition attempt.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2017Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Robert S. REIS, Shmuel SHAFFER, Bruce L. MCKINLEY
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Patent number: 9887730Abstract: Apparatus and methods for symbol timing synchronization in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum receiver may use non-coherent integration, thresholding, peak selection, and curve fitting to determine appropriate timing instants at which to select despread samples for further processing, such as demodulation and decoding. The curve fitting may be used to search backwards and/or forwards in time to obtain the timing instants.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Higher Ground LLCInventor: Bruce L. McKinley
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Patent number: 9692587Abstract: Techniques for pilot-aided carrier frequency and phase synchronization may use a three-pass process. In a first pass, initial frequency offset may be addressed, and a frame start time may be established. In a second pass, a fine frequency correction may be performed. In a third pass, phase variation may be tracked and corrected using a minimum set of pilot symbols.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Higher Ground LLCInventor: Bruce L. McKinley
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Publication number: 20170149471Abstract: Apparatus and methods for symbol timing synchronization in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum receiver may use non-coherent integration, thresholding, peak selection, and curve fitting to determine appropriate timing instants at which to select despread samples for further processing, such as demodulation and decoding. The curve fitting may be used to search backwards and/or forwards in time to obtain the timing instants.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventor: Bruce L. MCKINLEY
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Publication number: 20170118004Abstract: Techniques for pilot-aided carrier frequency and phase synchronization may use a three-pass process. In a first pass, initial frequency offset may be addressed, and a frame start time may be established. In a second pass, a fine frequency correction may be performed. In a third pass, phase variation may be tracked and corrected using a minimum set of pilot symbols.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2015Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventor: Bruce L. McKinley
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Patent number: 9548790Abstract: Apparatus and methods for symbol timing synchronization in a direct-sequence spread-spectrum receiver may use non-coherent integration, thresholding, peak selection, and curve fitting to determine appropriate timing instants at which to select despread samples for further processing, such as demodulation and decoding. The curve fitting may be used to search backwards and/or forwards in time to obtain the timing instants.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2015Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Higher Ground LLCInventor: Bruce L. McKinley
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Patent number: 8982928Abstract: A method for detecting multi-user signals including conducting a first energy burst detection detecting a first plurality of user signals as a first energy burst, attempting to decode a user signal from the first plurality of signals within the first energy burst, cancelling out a first user signal from the first energy burst if the first user signal is successfully decoded from the first energy burst, determining a second user signal to be discarded if the second user signal is not successfully decoded from the first energy burst, conducting a second energy burst detection detecting a second plurality of signals as a second burst, and iteratively cancelling out the first user signal successfully decoded from the first energy burst from the second energy burst, wherein the second energy burst detection is conducted when all user signals within the first energy burst are either cancelled out or determined to be discarded.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Comtech Mobile Datacom CorporationInventors: Richard Candell, Paul Ebert, John Fossaceca, Greg Handermann, Mark Holland, Lajuana Johnson, Bruce L. McKinley, Bo Wang, Ralph Eugene Crenshaw
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Publication number: 20140029649Abstract: A method for detecting multi-user signals including conducting a first energy burst detection detecting a first plurality of user signals as a first energy burst, attempting to decode a user signal from the first plurality of signals within the first energy burst, cancelling out a first user signal from the first energy burst if the first user signal is successfully decoded from the first energy burst, determining a second user signal to be discarded if the second user signal is not successfully decoded from the first energy burst, conducting a second energy burst detection detecting a second plurality of signals as a second burst, and iteratively cancelling out the first user signal successfully decoded from the first energy burst from the second energy burst, wherein the second energy burst detection is conducted when all user signals within the first energy burst are either cancelled out or determined to be discarded.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventors: Richard Candell, Paul Ebert, John Fossaceca, Greg Handermann, Mark Holland, Lajuana Johnson, Bruce L. McKinley, Bo Wang, Ralph Eugene Crenshaw
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Patent number: 8548107Abstract: A method for detecting multi-user signals including conducting a first energy burst detection detecting a first plurality of user signals as a first energy burst, attempting to decode a user signal from the first plurality of signals within the first energy burst, cancelling out a first user signal from the first energy burst if the first user signal is successfully decoded from the first energy burst, determining a second user signal to be discarded if the second user signal is not successfully decoded from the first energy burst, conducting a second energy burst detection detecting a second plurality of signals as a second burst, and iteratively cancelling out the first user signal successfully decoded from the first energy burst from the second energy burst, wherein the second energy burst detection is conducted when all user signals within the first energy burst are either cancelled out or determined to be discarded.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2010Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Comtech Mobile Datacom CorporationInventors: Richard Candell, Paul Ebert, John Fossaceca, Greg Handermann, Mark Holland, Lajuana Johnson, Bruce L. McKinley, Bo Wang, Ralph Eugene Crenshaw