Patents by Inventor James N. Head

James N. Head 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).

  • Publication number: 20230061084
    Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media for horizon-based navigation. A method can include receiving image data corresponding to a geographical region in a field of view of an imaging unit and in which the device is situated, based on the received image data, generating, by the processing unit, an image horizon corresponding to a horizon of the geographical region and from a perspective of the imaging unit, projecting three-dimensional (3D) points of a 3D point set of the geographical region to an image space of the received image data resulting in a synthetic image, generating, by the processing unit, a synthetic image horizon of the synthetic image, and responsive to determining the image horizon sufficiently correlates with the synthetic image horizon, providing a location corresponding to a perspective of the synthetic image as a location of the processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: James N. Head, Wenkai Qin, Jeffrey S. Klein, Jody D. Verret
  • Patent number: 11580690
    Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and computer-readable media for horizon-based navigation. A method can include receiving image data corresponding to a geographical region in a field of view of an imaging unit and in which the device is situated, based on the received image data, generating, by the processing unit, an image horizon corresponding to a horizon of the geographical region and from a perspective of the imaging unit, projecting three-dimensional (3D) points of a 3D point set of the geographical region to an image space of the received image data resulting in a synthetic image, generating, by the processing unit, a synthetic image horizon of the synthetic image, and responsive to determining the image horizon sufficiently correlates with the synthetic image horizon, providing a location corresponding to a perspective of the synthetic image as a location of the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: James N. Head, Wenkai Qin, Jeffrey S. Klein, Jody D. Verret
  • Patent number: 11449494
    Abstract: A distributed secured database system includes a ledger, a transmitting device, edge devices, and a time synchronization source. An evolving nonce is generated at the transmitting device and the edge devices. The evolving nonce is time-synced across the transmitting device and the edge devices. A hash value is generated at the transmitting device and the edge devices using the evolving nonce. The hash value is verified at the transmitting device and each of the edge devices during a particular time frame. A block is added to the distributed secured database system when the hash value is verified by the transmitting device and the edge devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Andrew M. Wilds, Gregory M. Wagner, Craig O. Shott, James N. Head
  • Publication number: 20220207021
    Abstract: A distributed secured database system includes a ledger, a transmitting device, edge devices, and a time synchronization source. An evolving nonce is generated at the transmitting device and the edge devices. The evolving nonce is time-synced across the transmitting device and the edge devices. A hash value is generated at the transmitting device and the edge devices using the evolving nonce. The hash value is verified at the transmitting device and each of the edge devices during a particular time frame. A block is added to the distributed secured database system when the hash value is verified by the transmitting device and the edge devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew M. Wilds, Gregory M. Wagner, Craig O. Shott, James N. Head
  • Patent number: 10436574
    Abstract: Technology for facilitating position determination is disclosed. A satellite with a known location can activate a light source on the satellite operable to emit light. The satellite can emit the light for a defined period of time to enable a receiver to detect the light and determine a geographical location using the light emitted from the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Chris E. Geswender, David G. Garrett, William L. Chapman, James N. Head
  • Publication number: 20160320174
    Abstract: Technology for facilitating position determination is disclosed. A satellite with a known location can activate a light source on the satellite operable to emit light. The satellite can emit the light for a defined period of time to enable a receiver to detect the light and determine a geographical location using the light emitted from the satellite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Chris E. Geswender, David G. Garrett, William L. Chapman, James N. Head
  • Patent number: 8682522
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for triaging a plurality of targets with robotic vehicle while the robotic vehicle remains at a first location. The robotic vehicle is in operable communication with a remote command station and includes a processor that is coupled to a first imager. The first imager generates separate images of each one of the plurality of targets while the robotic vehicle remains at the first location. The processor receives target data identifying the plurality of targets from the remote command station, acquires an image of each one of the plurality of targets with the first imager while the robotic vehicle remains at the first location, and transmits each generated image to the remote command station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Raytheon Company, Planetary Science Institute
    Inventors: Eric M. Palmer, James N. Head, Robin Aileen Yingst, Aladin A. Sayed
  • Patent number: 7967255
    Abstract: An autonomous unmanned space flight system and planetary lander executes a discrete landing sequence including performing an initial velocity braking maneuver to remove velocity at altitude, coasting during which the planet surface is imaged and correlated to reference maps to estimate cross-track and along-track navigation errors and one or more lateral braking maneuvers are performed to reduce cross-track navigation error, and performing a terminal velocity braking maneuver(s) to reduce the along-track braking maneuver and remove the remainder of the velocity just prior to landing. A bi-propellant propulsion system provides a very high T/M ratio, at least 15:1 per nozzle. Short, high T/M divert maneuvers provide the capability to remove cross-track navigation error efficiently up to the maximum resolution of the reference maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: James N. Head, Gregory V. Hoppa, Thomas G. Gardner, Karen I. Tsetsenekos, Stephen M. Dolfini, Tomas Svitek, Karleen G. Seybold
  • Publication number: 20110077800
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for triaging a plurality of targets with robotic vehicle while the robotic vehicle remains at a first location. The robotic vehicle is in operable communication with a remote command station and includes a processor that is coupled to a first imager. The first imager generates separate images of each one of the plurality of targets while the robotic vehicle remains at the first location. The processor receives target data identifying the plurality of targets from the remote command station, acquires an image of each one of the plurality of targets with the first imager while the robotic vehicle remains at the first location, and transmits each generated image to the remote command station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric M. Palmer, James N. Head, Robin Aileen Yingst, Aladin A. Sayed