Patents by Inventor Theodore L. Harwood

Theodore L. Harwood 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: 8151175
    Abstract: A bit quality evaluator receives a sequence of bits. The bit sequence is provided to a decoding device that performs soft decision convolutional decoding on the sequence of bits. An off track event detector detects an occurrence of a trellis decode path change during the convolutional decoding operation and identifies a first symbol proximate corresponding to the occurrence of the trellis decode path change. An erasure decision circuit identifies at least the first symbol for erasure. The output of the first decoder and the erasure decision circuit are received at a second decoder, which decoder decodes the output of the first decoder after erasing at least the first symbol. The erasure decision circuit may also identify additional symbols for erasure using performance measures of the trellis decode path and using quality measures of the sequence of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sentel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Maiuzzo, Jesse David Warner, Theodore L. Harwood, John P. Smith
  • Patent number: 8006170
    Abstract: A bit quality evaluator receives a sequence of bits. A quality measure is assigned to each bit within the sequence. The bit sequence and the quality measures are provided to a decoding device that performs soft decision convolutional decoding on the sequence of bits using the quality measure. An off-path detector detects an occurrence of a trellis decode path change during the convolutional decoding operation and identifies a first symbol proximate corresponding to the occurrence of the trellis decode path change. An erasure decision circuit identifies at least the first symbol for erasure. The output of the first decoder and the erasure decision circuit are received at a second decoder, which decoder decodes the output of the first decoder after erasing at least the first symbol. The erasure decision circuit may also identify additional symbols for erasure based on performance measures of the trellis decode path and the quality measure of the sequence of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sentel Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Maiuzzo, Jesse David Warner, Theodore L. Harwood, John P. Smith
  • Patent number: 7423575
    Abstract: An ultra wideband (UWB) jamming system comprises a processor, a memory, a pulse generator, one or more UWB transmitters, and one or more UWB antennas. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the RF signals of a threat transmission or an RF-triggered explosive device (RTED) are evaluated and a set of interference parameters defined for the RF signal of that device. The interference parameters are predetermined to interfere with the reception or transmission of the RF signal. The interference parameters are sent to a pulse generator that drives one or more UWB transmitters to generate a signal has a statistically high probability of jamming or introducing an error in the threatening transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sentel Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Duff, Theodore L. Harwood, II, Arthur Light, John P. Smith
  • Publication number: 20080191924
    Abstract: An ultra wideband (UWB) jamming system comprises a processor, a memory, a pulse generator, one or more UWB transmitters, and one or more UWB antennas. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the RF signals of a threat transmission or an RF-triggered explosive device (RTED) are evaluated and a set of interference parameters defined for the RF signal of that device. The interference parameters are predetermined to interfere with the reception or transmission of the RF signal. The interference parameters are sent to a pulse generator that drives one or more UWB transmitters to generate a signal has a statistically high probability of jamming or introducing an error in the threatening transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: William G. Duff, Theodore L. Harwood, Arthur Light, John P. Smith
  • Patent number: 7138936
    Abstract: The test results found that the EMI impact depended on the UWB power that fell within the receiver passband. Specifically, EMI occurred when the average power in the receiver passband was approximately equal to the desired signal level of the receiver. One waveform, TW7, did not cause EMI because the average power was too low. Three waveforms, TW1, TW2, and TW6 only caused EMI when the receiver was tuned to the frequency of the UWB spectral component. Three waveforms, TW3, TW4, and TW5, caused EMI at all receiver frequencies. As noted, these tests were performed to determine the susceptibility of various RF receiver (radars and communications systems) devices to UWB signals. The tests were not intended to evaluate the use of UWB signals for jamming purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sentel Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Duff, Theodore L. Harwood, II, Art Light, John P. Smith, Darrel Crapps