Patents by Inventor James Larry Alford
James Larry Alford 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: 7750573Abstract: The invention consists, generally, of a method for automatically reducing power to an electron emitting cathode by sensing an operating condition of the electron emitting cathode, calculating a condition number based upon the operating condition, comparing the condition number to a threshold value, and reducing the power to the electron emitting cathode when the condition number is greater than the threshold. The apparatus and method may be implemented upon a system having a high voltage power source, an RF tube, a control processor, and a signal processor.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2006Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson, Ron Killpack
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Patent number: 7683828Abstract: A device and method for measuring phase and power shifts in a simultaneous dual polarization radar system comprises an access port, a quadrature mixer, and a power detector. The access port is configured to couple to the simultaneous dual polarization radar system near the antenna of the simultaneous dual polarization radar system. The quadrature mixer is configured to mix a first signal from a first polarization and a second signal from a second polarization. The first signal and the second signal are sampled through the access port. The first power detector is configured to measure the power level of the first signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Patent number: 7551123Abstract: A system for simultaneously propagating dual polarized signals in a polarimetric radar system includes a system for shifting the phase of one of the two signals. The simultaneous dual polarization weather radar transmits signals in both the horizontal and vertical orientations at the same time. Upon reception, the signals in each channel are isolated and a number of standard and polarimetric parameters characterizing atmospheric conditions are determined. The accuracy upon which these parameters can be determined depends partially upon the interference between these two channels. The system and method isolates the vertical and horizontal channels by using the phase information from the signals to minimize the interference.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2006Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Patent number: 7439899Abstract: A system for simultaneously propagating dual polarized signals in a polarimetric radar system includes a system for coding at least one of the two signals. The simultaneous dual polarization weather radar transmits signals in both the horizontal and vertical orientations at the same time. Upon reception, the signals in each channel are decoded and a number of standard and polarimetric parameters characterizing atmospheric conditions are determined. The accuracy upon which these parameters can be determined depends partially upon the interference between these two channels. The system and method isolates the vertical and horizontal channels to minimize the interference.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Patent number: 7405693Abstract: A system for synthesizing data received from a weather radar system includes a digital signal processor, a data synthesizer, a convolution filter, and data storage. The digital signal processor digitizes reflectivity data from a radar antenna. The data synthesizer generates an M×N matrix for a digitized reflectivity data point and populates each element in the M×N matrix with the value of the digitized reflectivity data point. The convolution filter calculates a filtered value for each element in the M×N matrix. The data storage stores the M×N matrix for display.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2006Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James Larry Alford, Michael B. Knight
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Publication number: 20080143588Abstract: A system for synthesizing data received from a weather radar system includes a digital signal processor, a data synthesizer, a convolution filter, and data storage. The digital signal processor digitizes reflectivity data from a radar antenna. The data synthesizer generates an M×N matrix for a digitized reflectivity data point and populates each element in the M×N matrix with the value of the digitized reflectivity data point. The convolution filter calculates a filtered value for each element in the M×N matrix. The data storage stores the M×N matrix for display.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2006Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James Larry Alford, Michael B. Knight
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Patent number: 7369082Abstract: A method of reducing power to an electron emitting cathode comprises the steps of sensing a weather condition; calculating a condition number based upon the weather condition; comparing the condition number to a threshold; and reducing the power to the electron emitting cathode when the condition number is greater than the threshold. The apparatus and method may be implemented upon a system having a high voltage power source, an RF tube, a control processor, and a signal processor.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Publication number: 20080012656Abstract: The invention consists, generally, of a method for automatically reducing power to an electron emitting cathode by sensing an operating condition of the electron emitting cathode, calculating a condition number based upon the operating condition, comparing the condition number to a threshold value, and reducing the power to the electron emitting cathode when the condition number is greater than the threshold. The apparatus and method may be implemented upon a system having a high voltage power source, an RF tube, a control processor, and a signal processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2006Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson, Ron Killpack
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Publication number: 20080012757Abstract: A method of reducing power to an electron emitting cathode comprises the steps of sensing a weather condition; calculating a condition number based upon the weather condition; comparing the condition number to a threshold; and reducing the power to the electron emitting cathode when the condition number is greater than the threshold. The apparatus and method may be implemented upon a system having a high voltage power source, an RF tube, a control processor, and a signal processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2006Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Publication number: 20080012756Abstract: A device and method for measuring phase and power shifts in a simultaneous dual polarization radar system comprises an access port, a quadrature mixer, and a power detector. The access port is configured to couple to the simultaneous dual polarization radar system near the antenna of the simultaneous dual polarization radar system. The quadrature mixer is configured to mix a first signal from a first polarization and a second signal from a second polarization. The first signal and the second signal are sampled through the access port. The first power detector is configured to measure the power level of the first signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2006Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
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Patent number: 7049997Abstract: A simultaneous dual polarization radar system is disclosed that utilizes a RF power divider to replace the high speed dual polarization switches utilized in current dual polarization radar systems. The disclosed systems allow for transmission and reception in both horizontal and vertical signal modes simultaneously while repositioning critical receiver components above the elevation rotary coupler in a radar pedestal. A bypass switch is also utilized to allow for mode switching of a radar system and a dual polarization reception design is shown to allow for the economical capturing of linear depolarization ratios of selected atmospheric areas. These new designs eliminate the current problems experienced in current dual polarization radar system of long dwell times and velocity range reductions, and the elimination of the relatively expensive and unreliable polarization switch.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Enterprise Electronics CorporationInventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
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Patent number: 6859163Abstract: A simultaneous dual polarization radar system is disclosed that utilizes a RF power divider to replace the high speed dual polarization switches utilized in current dual polarization radar systems. The disclosed systems allow for transmission and reception in both horizontal and vertical signal modes simultaneously while repositioning critical receiver components above the elevation rotary coupler in a radar pedestal. A bypass switch is also utilized to allow for mode switching of a radar system and a dual polarization reception design is shown to allow for the economical capturing of linear depolarization ratios of selected atmospheric areas. These new designs eliminate the current problems experienced in current dual polarization radar system of long dwell times and velocity range reductions, and the elimination of the relatively expensive and unreliable polarization switch.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: DRS Weather Systems, Inc.Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
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Patent number: 6803875Abstract: A simultaneous dual polarization radar system is disclosed that utilizes a RF power divider to replace high speed dual polarization switches utilized in current dual polarized radar systems. The disclosed systems allow for transmission and reception in both horizontal and vertical signal modes simultaneously while repositioning critical receiver components above the elevation rotary coupler in a radar pedestal. A bypass switch is also utilized to allow for mode switching of a radar system and a dual polarization reception design is shown to allow for the economical capturing of linear depolarization ratios of selected atmospheric areas. These new designs eliminate the current problems experienced in current dual polarization radar system of long dwell times and velocity range reductions, and the elimination of the relatively expensive and unreliable polarization switch.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2003Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: DRS Weather Systems, Inc.Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
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Publication number: 20040056791Abstract: A simultaneous dual polarization radar system is disclosed that utilizes a RF power divider to replace the high speed dual polarization switches utilized in current dual polarization radar systems. The disclosed systems allow for transmission and reception in both horizontal and vertical signal modes simultaneously while repositioning critical receiver components above the elevation rotary coupler in a radar pedestal. A bypass switch is also utilized to allow for mode switching of a radar system and a dual polarization reception design is shown to allow for the economical capturing of linear depolarization ratios of selected atmospheric areas. These new designs eliminate the current problems experienced in current dual polarization radar system of long dwell times and velocity range reductions, and the elimination of the relatively expensive and unreliable polarization switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin