Patents Represented by Attorney Randall M. Heald
  • Patent number: 5564278
    Abstract: A short-term thermally stable cryostat (40). The cryostat (40) pre-cools an incoming high-pressure gas, converts the gas to a cold liquid, and cools an item by allowing the liquid to acquire heat from the item and boil into an exhaust gas, while maintaining a constant flow rate of the exhaust gas to reduce thermal noise due to flow rate modulation. The cryostat (40) includes an evacuated space (58) therein containing the item to be cooled and an inner cooling volume (64). Pre-cooling fins (44) spiral around a hollow mandrel (52) within the cooling volume (64) and circulate an incoming high-pressure gas around the mandrel (52). A flow restrictor (60) receives the incoming gas from the pre-cooling fins (44) and releases it into the cooling volume (64), thereby convening the incoming gas into a cold liquid which can acquire heat from the item and boil into an exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: James R. Gallivan
  • Patent number: 5549781
    Abstract: An apparatus for winding a coil pack of a fiber such as an optical fiber winds the fiber as a radial coil, and then joins the coil axially to previously wound coils. Each radial coil is wound on a flexible flange that is deformable from a first tapered shape which facilitates the winding against the flange, to a second shape wherein the coil wound thereon conforms to the shape of the last coil affixed to the fiber pack. The flexible flange is preferably made of an elastomer, and its shape change is readily accomplished by an articulated series of nesting cylinders. The apparatus further includes a fiber winding head that winds the fiber onto the flexible flange, and an adhesive applicator head that applies adhesive between succeeding coils of fiber as they are joined to the coil pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Daniel K. Schotter
  • Patent number: 5548963
    Abstract: A demand-flow Joule-Thomson cryostat 10' adapted for use with multiple coolants uses a replaceable coolant supply reservoir 21' to fill a coolant flow control bellows 17' within the cryostat with the same coolant used to provide refrigeration to the thermal load 15'. Upon termination of the cooling cycle, the bellows 17' is drained of coolant and thus prepared for operation from a different coolant supply 21' that may contain a different cryogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Matthew M. Skertic
  • Patent number: 5549925
    Abstract: A process for repairing leaking glass-to-metal seals of a hybrid microcircuit header. The process comprises the following steps. A leaking hybrid microcircuit header is delidded (has its lid removed). The leaking hybrid microcircuit header, generally with its leads pointing vertically, is disposed on a vacuum source. A vacuum is formed on the hybrid microcircuit header using the vacuum source. A stream of helium is flowed over the seals to verify the presence of leaks in the seals of the hybrid microcircuit header. A small amount of high vacuum sealant is applied to each of the leaking glass-to-metal seals while the hybrid microcircuit header is exposed to the vacuum. The vacuum draws the sealant through the cracked or defective glass-to-metal seals. The high vacuum sealant generally comprises a silicone resin having a low vapor pressure. A stream of helium is caused to flow over the resealed leads following application of the high vacuum sealant to confirm that the hybrid microcircuit header is sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Michael T. Madjerec
  • Patent number: 5545511
    Abstract: A millimeter wave device having a dielectric substrate with a pair of substantially parallel planar surfaces with at least one predetermined millimeter wave circuit pattern formed in a conductive layer located on at least one of the substrate surfaces. A substantially planar conductive channel plate is mounted adjacent the conductive layer on one substrate surface with the channel plate having an aperture overlying each circuit pattern formed in the conductive layer. A substantially planar conductive cover plate is mounted adjacent one of the channel plates so as to form a first cavity in the region defined by the substrate surface, the channel plate aperture and the cover plate. The device may further include a second substantially planar conductive channel plate mounted adjacent the other one of the substrate surfaces with the second channel plate having an aperture corresponding to and aligned with the first channel plate aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Garry N. Hulderman, Eugene Phillips, Richard J. Swanson
  • Patent number: 5538205
    Abstract: An inductive look angle sensor for a guided missile radiation seeker in which the optical system of the seeker is secured to a gimbal ring that is mounted by bearing mounts to a gimbal post that is stationary with respect to the missile airframe, and the gimbal ring is adapted for rotating back and forth relative to the airframe during a missile roll cycle when the look angle of the radiation seeker relative to the airframe is not zero degrees, is disclosed. The sensor includes a first coil wound on the gimbal post; a second coil wound on the gimbal ring for inductive coupling to the first coil; a signal generator coupled to one of the two coils for providing a first alternating signal having a predetermined frequency; and a demodulator coupled to the other coil and the signal generator. The first and second coils are located relative to each other for enabling the other one of the two coils to inductively respond to the first signal by providing a second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Joseph W. Bitson
  • Patent number: 5525997
    Abstract: A method of estimating the directions of radiating sources (56, 58, 60) with respect to an array (46) of a number of antenna elements (48), each of which elements has a separate gain/phase control (50). With nominal gain and phase selected a first estimte of the radiating sources directions (.theta.) is accompished by application of the MUSIC algorithm (2). The algorithm is iteratively applied to a microprocessor (54) using updated gain and phase values. Iteration is terminated at that iteration which produces the maximum difference values of the smallest eigenvalue pair of Q.sub.(i).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Byungho P. Kwon
  • Patent number: 5495562
    Abstract: A computer-based thermal scene simulation system and method for generating synthetic images to facilitate the design and test of missile-borne electro-optical seeker systems. A scene is comprised of objects and a background selected from available target and background database files. Stationary or mobile objects are modeled by combining small planar facets to cover their three dimensional surface. Each facet is associated in the database files with the thermal and optical properties of the surface that is modeled. The background is modeled on the interior surface of a pyramid defining the extent of the scene, with the floor of the pyramid representing the surface of the earth and the sides of the pyramid representing an above horizon image. The pyramid surface is then divided into triangular facets that represent portions of the surface. Each facet is assigned a uniform texture selected from the background database files comprising background materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Dwight L. Denney, Yung K. Yin
  • Patent number: 5495209
    Abstract: A switched-inverter modulator for use in driving a load that comprises master and slave high voltage power supplies for providing output pulses that directly drive the load. A synchronized pulse generator provides pulse width tinting and synchronized amplitude commands to the master power supply. The timing pulse instructs the power supplies when to initiate high voltage and for what time interval. The analog waveform instructs the master power supply as to what high voltage level to obtain. The master power supply may have multiple slaves connected in parallel for additional current capacity. A low voltage DC capacitor bank is connected in parallel with each of the power supplies to supplement energy storage. Isolation resistors are coupled between outputs of the respective high voltage power supplies and the load to minimize temporary shorts from ringing back into the power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: John W. Gerstenberg
  • Patent number: 5493517
    Abstract: A system for scanning the interior of a cargo container includes a propagator device for producing a magnetic field at each of (I) positions adjacent a first side of a cargo container and a detector device for detecting magnetic field strength at each of (J) positions adjacent a second side. The (I) positions are spaced apart in a direction generally parallel to a Y axis of a Cartesian coordinate system and components are included for mapping information about magnetic field strength at each of the (J) positions for each of (K) positions of the cargo container as it passes between the propagator and detector devices in a direction generally parallel to an X axis. Spaced apart orthogonal propagator and detector elements may be disposed in vertical columns adjacent the cargo container, and computerized control components may be used to map and process the information and to produce and display an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Lawrence M. Frazier
  • Patent number: 5493679
    Abstract: A process for establishing a relationship between the Logistics Support Analysis Record (LSAR) database and a released engineering drawing database. The process includes establishing several database pointer tables for relating the drawings to appropriate end items, task and subtasks. As a result of the process, Logistics Support Analysis functions can be performed in less time, for less cost and with fewer errors. The query aspects of the LSAR database can be used to relate specific hardware to its maintenance procedures, special tool requirements and special handling equipment. Source engineering documents are related to publications art, and engineering drawings are related to task/subtask. The process facilitates automated change notification procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Virgil, Anthony F. Zucco, Walter R. Harker, Roger L. Brown, James P. Merriman, Albert D. Baron, Philip J. June
  • Patent number: 5486382
    Abstract: An article (22) is coated with a cermet coating (20) by first roughening and oxidizing the surface to be coated. A mixture is formed of a metallic powder having a mean particle size of less than about 5 micrometers, and a ceramic powder having at least some of the particle of a size less than the mean particle size of the metallic powder. The mixture of the metallic powder and the ceramic powder desirably has a coating coefficient of thermal expansion of about that of the article coefficient of thermal expansion after firing. The mixture of metallic and ceramic powders is slurried and applied to the prepared surface (24) of the article (22), preferably by spraying. The coated article is heated to an intermediate temperature to vaporize the carrier liquid, and thereafter to high temperature to sinter the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Ference, Ronald E. Bullock, Donald A. Uhlir, Michael L. Duhl, Sam A. Ropelato
  • Patent number: 5486832
    Abstract: Radar apparatus that includes a millimeter wave radar transmitter comprising a flood beam antenna, and a radar signal processor for processing radar return signals to produce radar output signals. An RF sensor comprising a receive antenna includes a plurality of antenna elements, a plurality of respectively coupled to outputs of the plurality of antenna elements and coupled to the transmitter by means of a coupler, a plurality of filter circuits respectively coupled to outputs of the plurality of mixers, a multiplexer coupled to outputs of the plurality of filter circuits that comprises as a multiple input, single output switch for sequentially outputting video signals derived from radar signals received by each of the receive antenna elements, and a lens for imaging radar returns onto each of the plurality of antenna elements. The heart of the present invention is a heterodyne receive antenna that may be used in many applications, including radiometric or radar applications, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Garry N. Hulderman
  • Patent number: 5485788
    Abstract: A system (10) for detonating an electro-explosive device (EED) (46) includes a primer (40, 70) connected to an expansion chamber (36) by a shaped vent passage (38). A releasably retained element (60) within the expansion chamber (36) is propelled by expanding gas from the detonated primer to impact a piezoelectric crystal (48) in circuit with the EED (46). Particular safety arrangements are disclosed which prevent the application of voltage from the crystal to the EED until the system is intentionally activated. Some of these arrangements also prevent electromagnetic interference and stray field voltages from reaching the EED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Martin Corney
  • Patent number: 5483894
    Abstract: An integral missile antenna-fuselage assembly (50) is provided for integration into an armament missile (12) which carries primary missile loads, houses internal electronic assemblies, provides mounting surface zones for external sensor antennas (71) , and protects sensitive antenna components from supersonic aerodynamic heating. Each end of the fuselage assembly (50) is formed from a fastener ring (52,54) having a circumferential recess (84,86) which receives a filament wound main structure (60) to form the missile fuselage tube. Preferably, a titanium liner (58) is first joined to each fastener ring with a step-lap joint (94,96) along which it is adhesively bonded. The liner (58) and adjacent fastener ring portions (52,57) provide a mandrel on which a graphite/Bismaleimide (BMI) resin pre-preg is filament wound and co-cured to form the integral fuselage (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Andrew B. Facciano, Ronald N. Hopkins, Rodney H. Krebs, James L. Neumann, Oscar K. Ohanian
  • Patent number: 5483744
    Abstract: A method and apparatus which provides a bearing design with an irregular or semi-rhythmic ball spacing. The method of the invention includes the steps of a) choosing an initial pattern for the position of the balls with an arbitrary irregular spacing therebetween; b) determining the degree to which the bearing is suitable for a given application with the chosen spacing between the balls; c) moving the balls in the pattern to change the spacing therebetween and d) repeating steps b) and c) until the bearing is suitable for a given application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: John L. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5483243
    Abstract: A digital range correlator (50) for performing triangular ramp-weighted correlation relative to a reference word and providing an output data rate higher than the word rate. Two correlator channels (70, 80) are provided. Channel 70 provides a ramp-weighted segment sum over a word segment, with N word segments per L-bit word, wherein each received bit of a received word segment is multiplied by a corresponding ramp weight, and the corresponding product is in turn multiplied by the corresponding delayed reference word bit. The corresponding products over the word segment are accumulated to form a ramp-weighted word segment sum. Channel 80 provides a corresponding uniformly weighted word segment sum. The respective ramp-weighted and uniformly weighted word segment sums formed over the two preceding word segments are stored in a shift register. The ramp-weighted segment sums are scaled by +1 or -1 to represent the proper slope of the triangular weighting and accumulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Gary A. Gramlich, Roy H. Makino, Dennis W. Morel, Daniel J. Urbanski, John R. Karobonik
  • Patent number: 5471181
    Abstract: An interconnection between layers of stripline or microstripline in a multilayer microwave circuit assembly, through electromagnetic coupling. The adjacent layers (52 and 54) utilize a common ground plane layer (56), and a U-shaped coupling slot (64) is formed in the common ground plane. To eliminate undesirable coupling to other transmission line modes, the coupling slot is enclosed by a cavity (70) for each layer. The cavity size is selected so that no cavity mode exists, and to prevent formation of unwanted transmission modes. The "U" shape of the slot reduces the size of the cavity. The interconnection can be used with adjacent layers of stripline, microstrip line, or stripline and microstrip line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Pyong K. Park
  • Patent number: 5468357
    Abstract: A porous article is densified by creating a plasma adjacent to the surface of the article and introducing a source of a densifying species into the plasma. The article is electrically biased with respect to the plasma to a polarization opposite in sign to the energized densifying species and to a first voltage sufficient to deposit the densifying species to the first depth below the surface of the article. The species is deposited for a time sufficient to densify the article at the first depth. If the article has porosity over a range of depths, as is often the case, the voltage is first set to densify the article at the greatest depth, and thereafter the voltage is gradually decreased to reduce the depth of densification until the article is densified over the entire range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventors: Kamleshwar Upadhya, Wesley P. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5467682
    Abstract: A method for firing a computerized radar weapon system upon a fast target to reduce errors in aim caused by aim-biasing factors that vary in time and space includes computing a point along an extrapolated target track ahead of the target at which to stage an interception. A spotting round is fired at the point to zero-in just before the interception and then a correctly-aimed intercept round is fired at the point in time to make the interception. Additional interceptions may be staged at backup intercept points to guard against a miss, a burst of spotting rounds may be fired at an intercept point to average out perturbations in the trajectory of the projectile from each one of the rounds, and conventional monopulse radar methods of aim bias measurement may be employed to detect projectile miss information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Herbert B. Brooks