Patents by Inventor Michael Douglas Ball

Michael Douglas Ball 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: 10546506
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for encoding and compressing real-time GPS location data collected by a transceiver unit mounted in an aircraft, for transmitting the data and for receiving the data at a ground station configured for decoding the data. Data can be sampled at one-second intervals, then encoded and transmitted in data packets at longer timed intervals. The encoding method can utilize information about the operating characteristics of the aircraft to reduce the number of bits required for the data packets. Multiple encoding schemes can be used to compare in real-time to select the most efficient method of encoding on a packet-by-packet basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Inventors: Malachi Nordine, Michael Douglas Ball, Gordon Maxwell Ross, Craig Darin Cote, Michael Regehr, Jessica Mcara, Scott Lahay
  • Publication number: 20160335900
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for encoding and compressing real-time GPS location data collected by a transceiver unit mounted in an aircraft, for transmitting the data and for receiving the data at a ground station configured for decoding the data. Data can be sampled at one-second intervals, then encoded and transmitted in data packets at longer timed intervals. The encoding method can utilize information about the operating characteristics of the aircraft to reduce the number of bits required for the data packets. Multiple encoding schemes can be used to compare in real-time to select the most efficient method of encoding on a packet-by-packet basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Malachi NORDINE, Michael Douglas BALL, Gordon Maxwell ROSS, Craig Darin COTE, Michael REGEHR, Jessica MCARA, Scott LAHAY
  • Patent number: 9377413
    Abstract: This invention provides accurate, high quality images for the identification of the surface characteristics of an object, that may be used as an input to suitable industrial process. It involves acquiring a first raw scan of a portion of a target object across a scan line in a scan zone with a first camera and simultaneously acquiring a second raw scan of the same portion of the target object across the scan line in the scan zone with a second camera. The raw scans are converted to digital and then processed with flattening coefficients derived from measurements of variations in illumination. The first and second cameras sets of flattened image data are then gridized to compensate for parallax, make them orthographic sets of image data that can be compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis with a known or measured geometric profile of the target. A selection of enhanced pixel value for a surface coordinate can then be made, based on both sets of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: HERMARY OPTO ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Thomas Hermary, Mohammad Reza Sahraei, Terrance John Hermary, Michael Douglas Ball
  • Publication number: 20120218437
    Abstract: This invention provides accurate, high quality images for the identification of the surface characteristics of an object, that may be used as an input to suitable industrial process. It involves acquiring a first raw scan of a portion of a target object across a scan line in a scan zone with a first camera and simultaneously acquiring a second raw scan of the same portion of the target object across the scan line in the scan zone with a second camera. The raw scans are converted to digital and then processed with flattening coefficients derived from measurements of variations in illumination. The first and second cameras sets of flattened image data are then gridized to compensate for parallax, make them orthographic sets of image data that can be compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis with a known or measured geometric profile of the target. A selection of enhanced pixel value for a surface coordinate can then be made, based on both sets of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander Thomas Hermary, Mohammad Reza Sahraei, Terrance John Hermary, Michael Douglas Ball