Patents by Inventor James B. Kilfeather

James B. Kilfeather 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: 8630796
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. The candidate points are considered and refined using code phase measurements from a set of GPS satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Sullivan, James B. Kilfeather
  • Publication number: 20130021200
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. In one embodiment, the observation data is communicated to the processor using either a satellite communication network or through a mobile telephone network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Jay Brosius, James B. Kilfeather, Richard Burtner
  • Patent number: 8255149
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. In one embodiment, the observation data is communicated to the processor using either a satellite communication network or through a mobile telephone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Brosius, James B. Kilfeather, Richard Burtner
  • Publication number: 20040143392
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. The candidate points are considered and refined using code phase measurements from a set of GPS satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: SkyBitz, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Kilfeather, Mark C. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6725158
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. The candidate points are considered and refined using code phase measurements from a set of GPS satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Sullivan, James B. Kilfeather
  • Patent number: 6560536
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. Alternatively, candidate locations that are consistent with the carrier signal received from GPS satellites can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Eagle-Eye, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Sullivan, James B. Kilfeather
  • Patent number: 6480788
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. The candidate points are considered and refined using code phase measurements from a set of GPS satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Eagle-Eye, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Kilfeather, Mark C. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6243648
    Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. Only that portion of the arc within the region bounded by the satellite beam pattern is retained. Next, the time when the mobile terminal collected the GPS signal is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Eagle Eye, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Kilfeather, Mark C. Sullivan