Patents by Inventor Richard E. Van Allen

Richard E. Van Allen 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).

  • Space telescope with free-flying secondary and receiver elements
    Patent number: 7880964
    Abstract: A space telescope having a primary mirror for focusing and reflecting electromagnetic radiation, multiple secondary mirrors and, optionally, multiple tertiary mirrors, for receiving the focused and reflected electromagnetic radiation from the primary mirror and reflecting the electromagnetic radiation, and multiple focal plane arrays for receiving the focused and reflected electromagnetic radiation from the secondary mirrors or tertiary mirrors. The use of a multiple secondary mirrors and multiple focal plane arrays allows the telescope to observe multiple fields of regard simultaneously in selected celestial regions or on an orbited celestial body, such as the Earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Microcosm, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wertz, Richard E. Van Allen, Paul H. Graven
  • Structureless space telescope
    Patent number: 7428098
    Abstract: A structureless space telescope is disclosed. The structureless primary mirror includes a plurality of mirror elements for focusing and reflecting electromagnetic radiation, and the telescope further includes at least one secondary mirror and possibly a tertiary mirror for receiving the focused and reflected electromagnetic radiation from the structureless primary mirror and reflecting the electromagnetic radiation, and at least one focal plane array for receiving the focused and reflected electromagnetic radiation from the secondary mirror or tertiary mirror, wherein the plurality of mirror elements, the secondary mirror and the focal plane array are coordinated and controlled without a physical structure connecting the plurality of mirror elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Microcosm, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wertz, Richard E. Van Allen, Paul H. Graven