Patents by Inventor Phillippe L. Reed

Phillippe L. Reed 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: 10654595
    Abstract: A vehicle, such as a satellite or other spacecraft, includes an electrodynamic tether connected thereto. A processor, contained within the vehicle and connected to the electrodynamic tether, is configured to cause a current to be directed to the electrodynamic tether to cause a change in motion of the vehicle. Sensors, such as an attitude sensor, a position sensor, a magnetometer, and an ionosphere sensor, are contained within the vehicle and are connected to the processor. The processor is configured to direct current to the electrodynamic tether based upon input received from the sensors to maintain the vehicle within a specified orbit, such as a highly-inclined eccentric orbit over the polar or other high-latitude region, or to change the vehicle's orbit. The processor may be configured in a closed-loop configuration to account for measured errors by the sensors position, attitude, ionospheric charge density, and/or the Earth's magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Phillippe L. Reed