Patents by Inventor Greg Peter Wade Fixter
Greg Peter Wade Fixter 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: 11053926Abstract: A wind turbine including a support structure and one or more turbine blades is presented, that incorporates ways for reducing the radar cross section (RCS), wherein the support structure is notionally divided into an upper section in the shadow of the blade sweep area, and a lower section beneath the upper section, wherein the upper section is adapted to have the ways for reducing the RCS, and the lower section does not have the adaptation. The invention makes use of the realisation that the blade masking the tower as it rotates (or the blade being masked by the tower if facing away from a radar), contributes significantly to interference to radar systems, and so localised application of e.g. RAM can give good RCS reduction at a lower cost than treating the whole structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Christopher James Perry, Vincent Savage
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Publication number: 20200044355Abstract: A wind turbine including a support structure and one or more turbine blades is presented, that incorporates ways for reducing the radar cross section (RCS), wherein the support structure is notionally divided into an upper section in the shadow of the blade sweep area, and a lower section beneath the upper section, wherein the upper section is adapted to have the ways for reducing the RCS, and the lower section does not have the adaptation. The invention makes use of the realisation that the blade masking the tower as it rotates (or the blade being masked by the tower if facing away from a radar), contributes significantly to interference to radar systems, and so localised application of e.g. RAM can give good RCS reduction at a lower cost than treating the whole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Greg Peter Wade FIXTER, Christopher Douglas James SPOONER, Christopher James PERRY, Vincent SAVAGE
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Patent number: 10443573Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a support structure and one or more turbine blades is disclosed, that incorporates means for reducing the radar cross section (RCS), wherein the support structure is notionally divided into an upper section in the shadow of the blade sweep area, and a lower section beneath the upper section, wherein the upper section is adapted to have the means for reducing the RCS, and the lower section does not have the said adaptation. The invention makes use of the realization that the blade masking the tower as it rotates (or the blade being masked by the tower if facing away from a radar), contributes significantly to interference to radar systems, and so localized application of e.g. RAM can give good RCS reduction at a lower cost than treating the whole structure.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2014Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Christopher James Perry, Vincent Savage
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Patent number: 10060711Abstract: A thermally emissive apparatus (2) having an electro-thermal heating element (6) comprising a layer (8) of a first material having a first resistivity and a plurality of discrete regions (10) of a second material having a second resistivity substantially lower than that of the first material in electrical contact with the first material. The plurality of regions (10) of second material are arranged spatially so as to impart a predetermined effective sheet resistivity to the first layer (8). A plurality of heating elements may be used having a common first layer (30) of first material, wherein the spatial arrangement of the regions (10) of second material within a first heating element are optionally different to that within a second heating element. In this configuration the first and second heating elements may emit infrared radiation (14) having different intensities. The apparatus (2) finds applications as a thermal target and as an electro-thermal ice protection device.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Paul Barrie Adams, Andrew Shaun Treen
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Patent number: 9771158Abstract: An electrothermal heater mat for anti-icing or de-icing of a helicopter rotor blade or other aerodynamic surface comprises a substrate, such as a flexible polyimide sheet, bearing tracks of a material of selected electrical resistivity, these tracks being formed by printing onto the substrate with a thermosetting ink loaded with electrically conductive (e.g. carbon) particles. Electrical bus bars/terminals for the supply of electrical energy to the resistive tracks may also be printed, using an ink loaded with particles of higher conductivity material such as copper or silver.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2006Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Christopher John Gilmore, Greg Peter Wade Fixter
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Publication number: 20160254600Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation absorbing composition is described, comprising a magnetic filler material taking the form of a metallic flake, and a non-conductive binder, wherein the magnetic filler is present in the range of from 1 to 5 volume % of dried volume. The use of a magnetic filler material according to embodiments of the invention is able to provide relatively narrow-band attenuation spectra with good repeatability. The strong coupling that can be achieved between flakes in a flaked filler give desirable polarisation and magnetic properties, while maintaining a relatively low filling fraction. Embodiments may incorporate a flake comprising a permalloy, and of an average size in the range 1 to 100 microns.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2014Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Greg Peter Wade FIXTER, Shahid HUSSAIN, Alexandra Frances PATERSON
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Publication number: 20160153428Abstract: A wind turbine including a support structure and one or more turbine blades is presented, that incorporates ways for reducing the radar cross section (RCS), wherein the support structure is notionally divided into an upper section in the shadow of the blade sweep area, and a lower section beneath the upper section, wherein the upper section is adapted to have the ways for reducing the RCS, and the lower section does not have the adaptation. The invention makes use of the realisation that the blade masking the tower as it rotates (or the blade being masked by the tower if facing away from a radar), contributes significantly to interference to radar systems, and so localised application of e.g. RAM can give good RCS reduction at a lower cost than treating the whole structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2014Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Christopher James Perry, Vincent Savage
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Patent number: 9176056Abstract: A method of measuring the reflectivity of a region of an article to electromagnetic radiation, in particular for the characterisation of the radio-frequency (RF) properties of wind turbine blades. The article is arranged in the near-field of a transceiver antenna, which performs both illumination and measurement of reflected radiation from the region of the article undergoing measurement. The method is beneficial in that it can be used with an antenna in close proximity (or in contact) to the article to be measured, for example for use in on site measurement of specific regions of a turbine blade.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Shahid Hussain, Greg Peter Wade Fixter
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Patent number: 8992181Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a multilayer composite structure including a first reflective layer, and a second layer including a plurality of resistive circuit analog (CA) elements. The CA elements are tuned so as to interact with the first layer to provide absorption of electromagnetic (EM) energy over a desired frequency range. The parameters of the CA elements can be varied to provide for frequency tuning and to maintain absorption at a specific frequency range despite varying layer separation, while at the same time ensuring that the mechanical properties of the CA layer are compatible with integration into the turbine blade.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2010Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Christopher James Perry
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Publication number: 20130077098Abstract: A method of measuring the reflectivity of a region of an article to electromagnetic radiation, in particular for the characterisation of the radio-frequency (RF) properties of wind turbine blades. The article (10) is arranged in the near-field of a transceiver antenna (4), which performs both illumination and measurement of reflected radiation from the region of the article the article undergoing measurement. The method is beneficial in that it can be used with an antenna in close proximity (or in contact) to the article to be measured, for example for use in on site measurement of specific regions of a turbine blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Shahid Hussain, Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Stefan Szwarnowski
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Publication number: 20120207612Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a multilayer composite structure including a first reflective layer, and a second layer including a plurality of resistive circuit analogue (CA) elements. The CA elements are tuned so as to interact with said first layer to provide absorption of electromagnetic (EM) energy over a desired frequency range. The parameters of the CA elements can be varied to provide for frequency tuning and to maintain absorption at a specific frequency range despite varying layer separation, while at the same time ensuring that the mechanical properties of the CA layer are compatible with integration into the turbine blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Christopher James Perry
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Publication number: 20110147369Abstract: A thermally emissive apparatus (2) having an electro-thermal heating element (6) comprising a layer (8) of a first material having a first resistivity and a plurality of discrete regions (10) of a second material having a second resistivity substantially lower than that of the first material in electrical contact with the first material. The plurality of regions (10) of second material are arranged spatially so as to impart a predetermined effective sheet resistivity to the first layer (8). A plurality of heating elements may be used having a common first layer (30) of first material, wherein the spatial arrangement of the regions (10) of second material within a first heating element are optionally different to that within a second heating element. In this configuration the first and second heating elements may emit infrared radiation (14) having different intensities. The apparatus (2) finds applications as a thermal target and as an electro-thermal ice protection device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Douglas James Spooner, Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Paul Barrie Adams, Andrew Shaun Treen
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Publication number: 20110089239Abstract: Apparatus for interrogating a defined read space, including RFID reader antenna (408, 410) and at least one absorber panel (402, 404) arranged about said read space, and including an array of circuit analogue (CA) elements. Such apparatus is particularly useful in situations in which multiple readers are arranged in proximity, sometimes referred to as dense reader mode (DRM). The absorber can be tuned to a particular desired frequency, and can be less than a quarter of a wavelength of that desired frequency in thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2009Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner
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Publication number: 20100214176Abstract: A device for attenuating electromagnetic radiation in a desired transmission frequency band. The device includes a generally planar substrate, and a resistive pattern arranged on the substrate adapted to reflect a proportion of incident radiation in the transmission band. The resistive pattern may be screen printed using carbon based ink. This provides a simple, cheap and easy to fabricate device which can quickly and easily be affixed to the exterior of an antenna or antenna housing to attenuate the power of radiation in the transmission band, resulting in reduced range or sensitivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2010Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Greg Peter Wade Fixter, Christopher Douglas James Spooner, David Thomas Steele, Christopher James Perry