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).

  • Patent number: 7750573
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson, Ron Killpack
  • Patent number: 7683828
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7551123
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7439899
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7405693
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, Michael B. Knight
  • Publication number: 20080143588
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, Michael B. Knight
  • Patent number: 7369082
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, Jr., James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20080012656
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson, Ron Killpack
  • Publication number: 20080012757
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20080012756
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: James J. Stagliano, James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin, Dean A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7049997
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Enterprise Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
  • Patent number: 6859163
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: DRS Weather Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
  • Patent number: 6803875
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: DRS Weather Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin
  • Publication number: 20040056791
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: James Larry Alford, James Rogers Helvin