Patents by Inventor William J. Dickerson

William J. Dickerson 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).

  • Publication number: 20240145165
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques and designs that may be implemented for improving current transformer accuracy (e.g., while reducing additional complexity and costs). In some aspects, described embodiments may implement usage of a current mirror to reduce current transformer error. Additionally or alternatively, some described embodiments may implement Hall-effect sensors (e.g., in place of conventional first stages in a two-stage current transformer design). Such embodiments, as well as other described embodiments, may improve accuracy of current transformers in a more efficient manner (e.g., current transformer accuracy may be improved while reducing or minimizing additional complexity, costs, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventor: WILLIAM J. DICKERSON
  • Publication number: 20240108332
    Abstract: A method of operating an articulatable surgical instrument. The method includes providing a rotary drive motion to a rotary drive member of a surgical end effector and converting the rotary drive motion to an upper axial motion and a lower axial motion at locations that are distal to the articulation joint. The method further includes applying the upper axial motion to an upper portion of a firing member and applying the lower axial motion to a lower portion of the firing member such that the upper axial motion and lower axial motion drives the firing member distally through the surgical end effector from a starting position to an ending position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Gregory J. Bakos, Darryl A. Parks, Benjamin D. Dickerson, Steven G. Hall, Robert J. Simms, Spencer J. Witte, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Paul Moubarak, William C. Ryle
  • Publication number: 20240085931
    Abstract: One or more aspects of the techniques and designs described herein may be implemented to provide (e.g., to design, produce, etc.) improved voltage dividers (e.g., more accurate and efficient resistor voltage divider networks). For example, the present disclosure may enable voltage dividers (e.g., resistor voltage divider networks) with a high ratio, such as with a voltage divider ratio K on the order of 100 or more, using a plurality of nominally-identical resistor elements (e.g., such that a significant portion of non-ideal behaviors cancel out and remaining non-ideal behaviors are reduced by statistical averaging). For instance, accurate resistor voltage divider networks may be designed and built using an input resistor having N nominally-identical resistor elements in series and an output resistor having M such resistor elements in parallel. In some examples, an operational amplifier may also be coupled in parallel to the multiplicity of M resistor element strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventor: WILLIAM J. DICKERSON
  • Publication number: 20230258757
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a low-frequency radio navigation system are described. The system may include a transmitter comprising a base coded modulator configured to generate a base modulation and a data coded modulator configured to generate a data modulation; wherein the transmitter radiates a continuous, constant-power chirped-FM spread spectrum signal, comprising: the base modulation; and the data modulation, wherein the data modulation is orthogonal to the base modulation. The system may also include a receiver comprising a digital signal processor, wherein at least one matched filter coupled to the digital signal processor, the at least one matched filter configured to decode said base modulation and data-encoded modulation and provide a correlation function for received signals received from at least three geographically-spaced transmitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: William J. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 11656313
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a low-frequency radio navigation system are described. The system may include a transmitter comprising a base coded modulator configured to generate a base modulation and a data coded modulator configured to generate a data modulation; wherein the transmitter radiates a continuous, constant-power chirped-FM spread spectrum signal, comprising: the base modulation; and the data modulation, wherein the data modulation is orthogonal to the base modulation. The system may also include a receiver comprising a digital signal processor, wherein at least one matched filter coupled to the digital signal processor, the at least one matched filter configured to decode said base modulation and data-encoded modulation and provide a correlation function for received signals received from at least three geographically-spaced transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Arbiter Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Dickerson
  • Publication number: 20210333349
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a low-frequency radio navigation system are described. The system may include a transmitter comprising a base coded modulator configured to generate a base modulation and a data coded modulator configured to generate a data modulation; wherein the transmitter radiates a continuous, constant-power chirped-FM spread spectrum signal, comprising: the base modulation; and the data modulation, wherein the data modulation is orthogonal to the base modulation. The system may also include a receiver comprising a digital signal processor, wherein at least one matched filter coupled to the digital signal processor, the at least one matched filter configured to decode said base modulation and data-encoded modulation and provide a correlation function for received signals received from at least three geographically-spaced transmitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: William J. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 11085989
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a low-frequency radio navigation system are described. The system may include a transmitter comprising a base coded modulator configured to generate a base modulation and a data coded modulator configured to generate a data modulation; wherein the transmitter radiates a continuous, constant-power chirped-FM spread spectrum signal, comprising: the base modulation; and the data modulation, wherein the data modulation is orthogonal to the base modulation. The system may also include a receiver comprising a digital signal processor, wherein at least one matched filter coupled to the digital signal processor, the at least one matched filter configured to decode said base modulation and data-encoded modulation and provide a correlation function for received signals received from at least three geographically-spaced transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventor: William J. Dickerson
  • Publication number: 20200379075
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a low-frequency radio navigation system are described. The system may include a transmitter comprising a base coded modulator configured to generate a base modulation and a data coded modulator configured to generate a data modulation; wherein the transmitter radiates a continuous, constant-power chirped-FM spread spectrum signal, comprising: the base modulation; and the data modulation, wherein the data modulation is orthogonal to the base modulation. The system may also include a receiver comprising a digital signal processor, wherein at least one matched filter coupled to the digital signal processor, the at least one matched filter configured to decode said base modulation and data-encoded modulation and provide a correlation function for received signals received from at least three geographically-spaced transmitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventor: William J. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 10295675
    Abstract: Methods and systems for cryptographically-secure autonomous detection of spoofed GNSS signals is provided. A method is provided that includes the steps of: generating a cryptographic code, controlling a motion of at least one antenna of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver system according to the cryptographic code, detecting a plurality of satellite signals during the controlled motion of the at least one antenna, and determining, based on carrier phase variations of the detected plurality of satellite signals, whether the plurality of satellite signals originated from a spoofer transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Arbiter Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson, Joshua R. Dickerson
  • Publication number: 20180196141
    Abstract: Methods and systems for cryptographically-secure autonomous detection of spoofed GNSS signals is provided. A method is provided that includes the steps of: generating a cryptographic code, controlling a motion of at least one antenna of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver system according to the cryptographic code, detecting a plurality of satellite signals during the controlled motion of the at least one antenna, and determining, based on carrier phase variations of the detected plurality of satellite signals, whether the plurality of satellite signals originated from a spoofer transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson, Joshua R. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 9979406
    Abstract: System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Arbiter Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson
  • Publication number: 20160261275
    Abstract: System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 9362926
    Abstract: System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Arbiter Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson
  • Publication number: 20160072513
    Abstract: System and methods for a clock system disciplined to an external reference. In one embodiment, the clock includes a flywheel oscillator controlled by the external reference and a free running holdover oscillator. The holdover oscillator provides increased accuracy during periods of holdover when the external reference is not available. In a further embodiment, the flywheel oscillator is additionally controlled by a phase-locked loop with the holdover oscillator frequency as input, and a control switch for switching the flywheel oscillator to analog control if the phase-locked loop exhibits a fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: William J. Dickerson, Robert T. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4806881
    Abstract: A four-channel multifunction digital frequency synthesizer which uses direct numerical synthesis to generate one or more complex output signals having selectable frequency, phase offset, amplitude level and waveform is provided. A waveform synthesizer digitally synthesizes precise sine, square, triangle, ramp, uniform and Gaussian noise and DC waveforms which can be selected for any of the four channels. One of the four channels can be frequency, phase and amplitude modulated by the signals on the remaining three channels in any combination. The four channels are time-multiplexed which allows the use of a single frequency synthesizer to realize four independent channels and a large number of support functions and capabilities in a high-density VLSI integrated circuit on a single chip. The synthesizer system can provide up to four independent output signals which can be any one of the four channel signals, or any combination of the four channel signals summed to form a complex waveform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Fred H. Ives, Robert T. Dickerson, William J. Dickerson, Michael D. McNamee, Mark D. Talbot