Patents by Inventor Mark L. Farwell

Mark L. Farwell 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: 9052710
    Abstract: A human gesture tracking system includes a sensor device with at least one sensor unit, where the sensor unit is configured to measure at least one of position in three dimensions of a portion of an operator's limb and orientation in three dimensions of the portion of the operator's limb, a processor configured to receive information from the sensor device so as to determine orientation and position displacement in six degrees of freedom of the operator's limb, and an activator that is coupled to communicate with the processor and is further actuated by the operator to designate a start time and an end time in which position and orientation displacements of the portion of the operator's limb are determined by the processor. During system operation, the processor determines position and orientation displacements of the portion of the operator's limb in tracking sessions, each tracking session is defined as a time period between the start time and the end time as designated by the activator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Farwell
  • Patent number: 8365634
    Abstract: An actuation and control system for a steering mechanism of a mobile vehicle includes a motor including a drive shaft that is rotatable in two opposing directions, a securing structure configured to be secured to the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle, and a linking structure that couples the motor with the securing structure. The system is configured such that rotational motion of the drive shaft is imparted to the securing structure to facilitate control of the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle. The system is relatively easy to assemble and install and in a mobile vehicle and can be used with a variety of different vehicles to facilitate remote and/or unmanned navigational control of a mobile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventors: Mark L. Farwell, Anthony Jon Feltman, Kyle Adam Frerichs, Todd Evan Vande Brake
  • Publication number: 20110061963
    Abstract: An actuation and control system for a steering mechanism of a mobile vehicle includes a motor including a drive shaft that is rotatable in two opposing directions, a securing structure configured to be secured to the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle, and a linking structure that couples the motor with the securing structure. The system is configured such that rotational motion of the drive shaft is imparted to the securing structure to facilitate control of the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle. The system is relatively easy to assemble and install and in a mobile vehicle and can be used with a variety of different vehicles to facilitate remote and/or unmanned navigational control of a mobile vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark L. Farwell, Anthony Jon Feltman, Kyle Adam Frerichs, Todd Evan Vande Brake
  • Patent number: 6640164
    Abstract: A method and system for remote control of self-propelled vehicles includes a leader vehicle and at least one follower vehicle located behind the leader vehicle. The leader vehicle traverses a waypoint, determines a first set of GPS coordinates corresponding to the waypoint, and transmits the first set of GPS coordinates to the follower vehicle. The follower vehicle determines a second set of GPS coordinates corresponding to its own position and compares the first set of GPS coordinates to the second set of GPS coordinates. By controlling steering, drive and braking systems of the follower vehicle with a servo-actuator, the follower vehicle is guided toward the waypoint by minimizing the difference between the first and second sets of GPS coordinates. This process is repeated at a succession of waypoints such that the follower vehicle traverses the same course as the leader vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark L. Farwell, Douglas E. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 5309532
    Abstract: The improved intensity modulator comprises a directional coupler with a single active coupling section with a fixed amount of coupling along with a single pair of electrodes for supplying a voltage-controlled mismatch in propagation constants. Two passively-biased coupling sections are connected in series with the active section, with the two passive sections combined being at least one coupling length long. The bias voltage of the two passive sections are independently varied to compensate for non-linearities by providing additional coupling. In addition to a DC bias voltage, the active coupling section is supplied with an RF signal which may propagate from its input end to its output, along with the optical signal, if a traveling wave electrode is used. Alternate embodiments provide temperature-induced drift compensation and reduction of chirping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: William S. C. Chang, Mark L. Farwell