Patents Represented by Attorney K. W. Float
  • Patent number: 5611343
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system for generating high resolution, three-dimensional images of the body for medical imaging. The system includes a housing with a rotatable disk at one end having an aperture therein and a plurality of pairs of ultrasonic transducers disposed around the periphery thereof. A flexible member encloses the housing and a fluid filled cavity disposed in the housing in which the transducers are immersed. An ultrasonic transmitter is coupled to the aperture for transmitting ultrasonic energy by way of the aperture, fluid filled cavity and flexible member. A receiver is coupled to the ultrasonic transducers and a processor is coupled to the receiver for sequentially processing reflected ultrasonic energy received by the pairs of ultrasonic transducers to produce a high resolution, three-dimensional image of the body. The system forms a synthetic aperture using the moving ultrasonic transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Loral Aerospace Corp.
    Inventor: Dennis L. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5514003
    Abstract: A quick release mechanical attachment that forms part of a missile loading system for loading a missile onto a launch rail disposed on a vehicle. An electric crane mechanism, comprising a boom and hoist, is used to lift the missile adjacent the launch rail, and the quick release mechanical attachment is used to interface the electric crane to the deck of the vehicle. The quick release mechanical attachment comprises a base that includes a body having an internal bore and a counterbore. An electrical contact arrangement comprising a plurality of insulated conductive members is disposed in the counterbore. A plurality of electrical connectors are coupled to the conductive members, and first securing members are provided for securing the electrical contact arrangement in the counterbore. The base in its assembled condition has a predetermined internal taper. The electrical contact arrangement comprises a plurality of nonconductive spacers that surround the conductive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Loral Aerospace Corp.
    Inventor: Richard S. Lewis
  • Patent number: 4683488
    Abstract: A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) structure having the source and drain regions of individual transistor devices separated from the peak impurity concentrations of the respective N- and P-wells of such devices. The CMOS structure includes trenches between the individual transistor devices, and highly doped field regions are formed in the bottom of the trenches. Each N- and P-well includes a retrograde impurity concentration profile and extends beneath adjacent trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: William W. Y. Lee, Kuang-Yeh Chang
  • Patent number: 4663770
    Abstract: Counter circuit apparatus which sequentially re-allocates lower-order counting operation in order to extend counter life. The counter is comprised of a plurality of lower order counters and at least one higher order counter. A count selection circuit is coupled to the plurality of counters which controls the counting thereof in response to applied event input signals. A map control circuit is coupled between the higher order counter and the count selection circuit which controls the count selection circuit in response to signals derived from the higher order counter. The map control circuit sequentially enables a predetermined one of the lower order counters to count individual ones of the applied event input signals. A count unscrambling circuit is coupled to the plurality of lower order counters and the map control circuit which produces an ordered count output signal that is indicative of the number of event input signals counted by the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Hughes Microlectronics Limited
    Inventors: Kenelm G. D. Murray, Philip Woodhead
  • Patent number: 4645552
    Abstract: We disclose a process for manufacturing multilayer circuit boards which includes providing a conductive, or an insulating substrate with a conductive pattern thereon, and then transferring and firing a glass-ceramic tape layer to the surface of the substrate. This tape layer provides both electrical isolation between the substrate and electrical conductors or electronic components which are subsequently bonded to or mounted on the top surface of the glass-ceramic tape layer. By providing vertical electrical conductors by means of vias in the tape layer prior to firing the tape layer directly on the substrate, good X and Y lateral dimensionally stability of the tape material is maintained. In addition, a high quality thick film glass-ceramic electrical interconnect structure is achieved at a relatively low manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: William A. Vitriol, Raymond L. Brown
  • Patent number: 4642582
    Abstract: Apparatus for encoding and decoding laser pulses, or the like. At least one laser source applied laser energy to a nonlinear material in a manner such that counter-propagating beams are applied to the material. These laser beams are spatially or temporally modulated in a predetermined manner. The modulation may be continuous, or discrete, amplitude or phase modulation. Another laser source provides a probe pulse which traverses the nonlinear material and interacts with the counter-propagating laser beams in a manner known as four-wave mixing. This process generates an encoded laser pulse whose modulation pattern is a function of the modulation of the counter-propagating beams. A decoded laser pulse is obtained by applying the encoded pulse to the apparatus and reversing the modulation of the counter-propagating laser beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. O'Meara
  • Patent number: 4637678
    Abstract: A holographic reflector for reflecting laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength. The reflector employs a plurality of holograms which are disposed adjacent to one another and which are conterminous with each other. The holograms are generally disposed in a support structure which may be a visor or goggle arrangement. Each of the holograms may be either parallel fringe holograms or slanted fringe holograms. The angular orientation of the fringes and the relative spacing thereof determine the angular coverage provided by the reflector. The reflector provides for reflection of laser radiation at a predetermined wavelength and within a particular angular subtence while allowing high see-through in the visible wavelength region. Multiple sets of holograms may also be stacked in order to protect against multiple laser sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Gaylord E. Moss, Mao-Jin Chern, Teena L. Dobbs
  • Patent number: 4627533
    Abstract: Ceramic package (10) for compensated crystal oscillator has a three-layer body with a closed bottom upper cavity (24), a closed bottom lower cavity (38), and a through cavity (44) in which is mounted oscillator crystal. The upper cavity carries oscillator network on thin film hybrid (68) while the lower cavity carries the temperature compensation network on thick film hybrid (70). After the components are installed and connected, the oscillator network is adjusted, and then the crystal is adjusted in vacuuo. The crystal cavity is closed with thermocompression bonded covers to maintain the vacuum and the oscillator network cavity is filled with dry inert gas and is sealed by attaching a cover by thermocompression bonding. With both cavities sealed, the compensator network is adjusted as required. Thereupon, the compensation network is also covered and hermetically sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Gary B. Pollard
  • Patent number: 4611883
    Abstract: Auxiliary depressions, disposed in the substrate of an integrated optic device which employs geodesic lenses, to adjust the effective focal distance of the geodesic lenses and correct optical aberrations of the geodesic lens system are disclosed. The integrated optic device comprises a substrate, a planar waveguide disposed thereon, a laser source at one end and a detector array at the other end, and geodesic lenses disposed in the substrate. The auxiliary surface depressions are non-spherical, symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and disposed in the substrate between either end of the substrate and the geodesic lens closer to that end. By increasing the path length of light transmitted along the surface layer, these auxiliary depressions allow adjustment of the effective focal distance of the geodesic lenses. Also, non-symmetrical auxiliary surface depressions which correct for optical aberrations in the geodesic lens system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Jon H. Myer
  • Patent number: 4584428
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solar converter structure and fabrication process therefor which includes a composite zinc selenide fluorescent wavelength shifter (FWS) prepared with anti-reflective (AR) coatings on both major surfaces thereof. One of these AR coatings is adhesively bonded to an AR coating on the sunlight-receiving surface of a gallium arsenide or an aluminum gallium arsenide photovoltaic (PV) solar cell, and the "free-standing" FWS composite wavelength shifter protects the solar cell from proton and ultraviolet radiation damage. The ZnSe wavelength shifter has a spectral response below about 0.47 micrometers and the solar cell has a spectral response above about 0.47 micrometers. The wavelength shifter absorbs radiation in the 0.3 to 0.47 micrometer range and re-emits radiation to the solar cell in a band centered about 0.62 micrometers and well within the pn junction response spectra for the solar cell to thereby enhance its power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: George F. J. Garlick
  • Patent number: 4400812
    Abstract: Circuitry which is capable of supplying a short-pulsewidth drive signal to a laser source, or the like. The circuitry comprises a plurality of VMOS transistors arranged to amplify both the voltage and current levels of an applied low-voltage, short-pulsewidth input signal, while maintaining the short pulsewidth thereof. Two embodiments are disclosed which employ either a plurality of parallel VMOS transistors in the output stage, or a signal VMOS output transistor, to drive the laser source. Pulsewidths of the drive signal are on the order of 20-40 nanoseconds with rise and decay times on the order of 2-7 nanoseconds. A first embodiment is capable of providing drive signals having peak power levels of about 90 watts utilizing an 80 volt power supply. A second embodiment is capable of providing drive signals having peak power levels on the order of 500 milliwatts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: Santa Barbara Research Center
    Inventors: L. Dale Clark, William J. Archambeault