Patents by Inventor Philippe Lacomme

Philippe Lacomme 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: 7903023
    Abstract: The present invention relates to system for detecting obstacles (13, 55, 56, 57) on the ground (15) onboard a carrier (1). The detection system comprises at least two continuous-wave radars (2, 3, 4). The radars (2, 3, 4) are linked to a system (15) for utilizing the detection data arising from the radars (2, 3, 4). The detection system performs localization of an obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57): along a radial axis (12) between a radar (2, 3, 4) and the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57), by calculating the distance between the radar (2, 3, 4) and the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57); along a vertical axis (14) with respect to a radar (2, 3, 4), by calculating the elevation of the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57) using monopulse deviation-measurement processing. The detection system performs localization of an obstacles along a horizontal axis (18) transverse with respect to a sighting axis (11) of a radar (2, 3, 4), by calculating the azimuthal position of the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Patrick Le Bihan, Yves Audic, Philippe Lacomme
  • Publication number: 20090243911
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for locating aircraft. A radar (3) performs distance and angle location of the aircraft. Location is refined by means of at least one airborne beacon (4) aboard the aircraft and of at least one beacon (5) whose position is predetermined with respect to the radar (3), the measurement of the position of the airborne beacon (4) being performed by the radar (3) by differential measurement between the position of at least one ground beacon (5) and of at least one airborne beacon (4). The invention is in particular used for the automatic guidance of drones in the approach and landing phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Patrick Garrec, Philippe Lacomme
  • Publication number: 20090174591
    Abstract: The present invention relates to system for detecting obstacles (13, 55, 56, 57) on the ground (15) onboard a carrier (1). The detection system comprises at least two continuous-wave radars (2, 3, 4). The radars (2, 3, 4) are linked to a system (15) for utilizing the detection data arising from the radars (2, 3, 4). The detection system performs localization of an obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57): along a radial axis (12) between a radar (2, 3, 4) and the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57), by calculating the distance between the radar (2, 3, 4) and the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57); along a vertical axis (14) with respect to a radar (2, 3, 4), by calculating the elevation of the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57) using monopulse deviation-measurement processing; The detection system performs localization of an obstacles along a horizontal axis (18) transverse with respect to a sighting axis (11) of a radar (2, 3, 4), by calculating the azimuthal position of the obstacle (13, 55, 56, 57).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Pascal CORNIC, Patrick Le Bihan, Yves Audic, Philippe Lacomme
  • Patent number: 5963163
    Abstract: In a method and device for frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar detection with removal of ambiguity between the distance and the speed, the radar sends out at least alternately two parallel and discontinuous frequency modulation ramps that are slightly offset by a frequency variation (.DELTA.F), the frequency switching from one ramp to the other at the end of a given duration (Tf), the distance from a detected target being estimated as a function of the difference in phase (.DELTA..phi.) between a received signal (S.sub.1 (t)) corresponding to the first ramp and a received signal (S.sub.2 (t)) corresponding to the second ramp, the speed of the target being obtained from the estimated distance and the ambiguity straight line associated with the target. The disclosed method and device can be applied especially to radars for automobiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Stephane Kemkemian, Philippe Lacomme
  • Patent number: 5955985
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for the reduction of noise in a radar receiver. The noise to be reduced being governed by a 1/F.sup.k relationship and the radar carrying out an encoding of the transmission in at least two frequencies, the device comprises at least the following means: firstly, means for routing the signals received to at least two channels so that, when a target is illuminated by a transmission at the first code frequency (F.sub.1), the corresponding received signal (S.sub.1) is sampled and routed to a first channel and then, when the target is illuminated by the second code frequency (F.sub.2), the corresponding received signal (S.sub.2) is sampled and routed to a second channel; and secondly, means for the linear combination of the signal (S.sub.1) present in the first channel and the signal (S.sub.2) present in the second channel, the linear combination synthesizing a filtering of the noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Stephane Kemkemian, Philippe Lacomme
  • Patent number: 4727375
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for adapting the post integration in a switched pulse repetition frequency radar and a circuit implementing this process. For that, the post integration of the detected signals is effected as a function of the signal received from the Doppler filter. For that, switches are used controlled by comparator circuits.The invention is useful in frequency ambiguous coherent Doppler radars using recurrence frequency switching by blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Philippe Lacomme
  • Patent number: 4331958
    Abstract: In order to determine the angular offset of the direction of a target tracked by a monopulse radar from the bore-sight axis of the radar antenna, sum and difference vectors .SIGMA. and .DELTA. represented by intermediate-frequency signals derived from incoming echo pulses are algebraically combined to form two ancillary vectors .gamma.=.SIGMA.+jp.DELTA. and .epsilon.=.SIGMA.+jq.DELTA. where p and q are two mutually different real coefficients, one of which may be zero. For each recurrence of a radar-pulse transmission in a series of N such recurrences, a real component V.sub.iK and an imaginary component V.sub.jK of an angular-deviation vector V is calculated as the scalar and the vector product, respectively, of the two ancillary vectors .gamma. and .epsilon.; these components are separately integrated over the N recurrences to yield two further components W.sub.i and W.sub.j whose quotient W.sub.j /W.sub.i represents a useful angular-deviation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Philippe Lacomme
  • Patent number: 4297703
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radar telemetry device.The device comprises a first loop for the distance tracking of a moving echo comprising a detector for the position deviation of an echo signal and a telemetry mark, means for the digital calculation of the distance of the echo, means for generating clock pulses and means for generating a reference tracking window by the adding-subtracting of clock pulses. A second analog loop connecting the output of the add-subtract counting means to the deviation detector ensures a time filtering of the reference tracking window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Philippe Lacomme