Patents by Inventor Dennis Clifton Whitaker

Dennis Clifton Whitaker 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).

  • Architecture for an integrated mobile and fixed telecommunications system including a spacecraft
    Patent number: 5907541
    Abstract: A communication system (10) includes a plurality of fixed terrestrial gateway terminals (14) and fixed village terminals (18), and also includes a plurality of mobile user terminals (16). The system includes a first satellite (12m) which provides communication in a bent-pipe manner between user terminals (16) lying in spot-beams of the first satellite's antenna and gateway terminals (18) lying in a broad antenna beam. The system also includes a second satellite which provides communications in a bent-pipe manner between or among the gateways/village terminals. The village terminals differ from the gateways in that the village terminals do not include the subscriber of user home or visitor registers. The village terminal includes a wireless local communication system such as a WLL, for communicating with user terminals (16) lying within its range. The user terminals (16) are dual-mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel Wayne Fairholm, Dennis Clifton Whitaker