Patents Represented by Attorney Walter J. Adam
  • Patent number: 4369445
    Abstract: A video processor that responds to the video signals received from a group of radar receivers to automatically select the video that is least affected by ECM environment in which the receivers operate. Each receiver in the group has known ECM characteristics so that the effect of different forms of ECM on its video output signals may be detected. By continually monitoring the video output signals different receivers are continually selected to minimize the effect of ECM environment on the radar operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1966
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Norol T. Evans, Robert B. Nelson
  • Patent number: 4307396
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for controlling the display of a plan position indicator radar display are disclosed which result in the elimination of both display flicker and the loss of critical real-time radar return data. The system is clocked by a series of fixed pulses related to the length of the radar beam on the display. Creation of the radar beam is given top system priority. Thereafter, the number of clock pulses allocated for radar beam creation is diminished as necessary to provide time for the display of prestored synthetic display data. The time is taken from a portion of each beam which has been preselected as least critical. Additionally, the beam length based clock pulses are employed to compensate for sweep overlap and in such functions as offset, range scale, and sweep off-scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Eric K. Slater
  • Patent number: 4303996
    Abstract: An LED watch which is capable of displaying both horological information and up to five words of five characters each which are sequentially displayed. These alpha-numeric words are programmed by the watch user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Lawrence S. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4301471
    Abstract: A time change or moving target indication system utilizing charge-coupled devices (CCD's) for signal processing in which successive integrated samples from individual detectors are loaded into adjacent CCD storage buckets and then clocked to an output device. The output device is any suitable differencing arrangement which samples the charge stored in adjacent buckets and gives an output proportional to the difference. The system of the invention allows the successive signals from individual detectors to pass through virtually identical elements in the signal processing chain so as to reduce the effects of transfer inefficiency on the accuracy of the MTI subtraction process. Further, the signal spectrum from an individual detector output may be shifted to higher frequencies during the readout process so as to reduce the effects of any 1/f noise that may be present in the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Donald J. Holscher, Donald E. French
  • Patent number: 4298888
    Abstract: A video converter operating in real time that responds to frames of N lines of video data in a non-interlaced format to form two fields of interlaced data without loss of any information. The converter operates with a minimum of two lines of memory storage capacity and a minimum of timing structure. The concept in accordance with the invention allows data of substantially any non-interlaced format to be converted for display on an interlaced display unit such as a standard TV system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Joseph H. Colles, James E. Cooper, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4260951
    Abstract: A pulse IR reflectance plethysmograph system for heart rate measurement and display in a digital watch or as a medical instrument having a novel direct coupled pole zero cancellation circuit that compensates undesirable shaping effects on the heart blood pressure wave. The system utilizes a pulsed LED light emitting diode for transmitting light pulses and a photodiode for receiving light pulses reflecting from a finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Lanny L. Lewyn
  • Patent number: 4258719
    Abstract: A pulsed IR reflectance plethysmograph for heart rate measurement and display in a digital watch or as a medical instrument using, for example, a pulsed LED light emitting diode for transmitting light pulses and a photodiode for receiving light pulses reflected from a finger. The LED and photodiode are mounted in a small sensor on the watch or medical instrument. The photodiode is connected directly to a signal conditioning circuit which rapidly removes unwanted asynchronous ambient background light signals such as from sunlight, by means of a switched ambient light subtractor circuit which performs the subtraction without requiring amplification or conversion of the detector signal photocurrent to another electrical parameter. The signal current after cancellation of the ambient background signal is sampled in an integrate and hold circuit to provide a heart systolic pressure wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Lanny L. Lewyn
  • Patent number: 4219811
    Abstract: A system for automatically focusing a synthetic array through derivation of focus error signals which may be used such as by summing a priori data so that the synthetic array data may be optimally focused. Focus error data is derived by forming the synthetic array in three sub-array. The resultant outputs of these three sub-arrays are further processed together to extract data corresponding to the degree of total array defocus. For purposes of imagery generation, the phase and amplitudes of these three sub-array resultants are vectorially summed together and the resultant is magnitude detected to yield imagery output corresponding to the full synthetic array. For derivation of focus error data, the mean (bisector of the relative phase angle between the two end sub-array resultant vectors is measured. This derived bisector's phase angle is compared to the phase angle of the central sub-array resultant vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Elvin E. Herman, Frederick C. Williams
  • Patent number: 4216465
    Abstract: A programmable analog to digital (A/D) converter useful for example, in ultrasonic medical diagnosis systems, for providing transfer functions that in some arrangements may be manually selected and in other arrangements may be automatically selected as a function of time. A ladder network providing the comparator reference voltages in the converter is driven at a plurality of control nodes or points by programmed control voltage sets received from, for example, a resistive network or from a digital source through a digital to analog converter. In the arrangement in which the transfer function changes as a function of time, different transfer curves are selected having a predetermined relationship to the amplitude levels of the input signal which, for example, may be an ultrasonic return signal in a medical diagnosis system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Huelsman, Joe E. Deavenport
  • Patent number: 4215414
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a pseudogaussian characteristic in the display of video information presented in digital form from a read-write memory that is continuously updated as the scan input requires, and read out one line at a time, preferably with conventional TV fields of odd and even interlaced lines. Picture elements (pixels) of each line L read for display are summed with a predetermined fraction of the sum of the values of corresponding pixels of adjacent lines L-1 and L+1, thus forming a vertical pseudogaussian calculation for the pixels of line L. Horizontal pseudogaussian calculation of the pixels is then performed in a similar manner using two pixel delay elements connected in cascade and connected to an adder to presum values of pixels P-1 and and P+1 as an input to a second adder which sums the output of the first adder, divided by a predetermined value, with the value of pixel P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Huelsman
  • Patent number: 4211065
    Abstract: A system for automatically time setting and message setting or programming of a cased digital watch or a watch module and including both an external setting unit and a serial interface control circuit inside the cased digital watch. The system in accordance with the invention is compatible with either watches that require time setting or watches that require both time setting and message programming and is applicable to any type of manually controllable watch. The time and message set system has a data entry unit that includes a keyboard, a display, a reference time module, a memory, a light source such as a light emitting diode or an LED array as an output and a processor which provides central control of the other functional units. The LED array output supplies coded messages to a light or energy responsive device or phototransistor in position under the face of the watch. The watch includes a novel circuit for responding to the phototransistor and provides time setting and message setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Lawrence S. Schmitz, Curtis E. Dodds, John Whipple
  • Patent number: 4212072
    Abstract: A digital scan converter is provided with a programmable transfer function for video display of picture elements (pixels) using a main random access memory for storing a pixel array to be read out periodically for display, and to be selectively read out while scanning for updating with a value derived from an auxiliary random access memory addressed by the composite of an old pixel value to be updated and the new pixel value. Each memory location of the auxiliary memory stores a value derived from a table defining the transfer function desired for the entire range of new and old pixel values. An alternate transfer function is stored in a second block of the memory and selectively called out by a prefix set to a 1 or 0 in the most significant bit position of the composite address word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Huelsman, Allen A. Harano
  • Patent number: 4209835
    Abstract: A PRI (pulse repetition interval) autocorrelator that functions as a data analyzer for recognition of PRIs in a data set composed of time ordered TOA (time of arrival)) words representing the time of reception of a plurality of pulses from a plurality of emitters. The processing of a data set is performed at each of a plurality of cells of a plurality of coarse map intervals or octaves by adding an incremental assumed periodicity .tau. to the time of arrival and performing an autocorrelation comparison of the data set for each cell to provide correlation counts. An amplitude ordered list is then formed of the cell correlation counts which are greater than a threshold and subcells of each cell on the list are subject to a fine level autocorrelation for determining the PRI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Robert N. Guadagnolo
  • Patent number: 4206316
    Abstract: Transmitter are receiver systems are disclosed including an encoder and a decorder, respectively. The encoder samples an incoming analog video signal and operates a periodic bipolar pulse pair whose phase separation is proportional to the amplitudes of the sampled data, thus pulse position modulation (PPM). In one embodiment of the invention the coded in-phase pulses are applied to a first channel having an intermediate frequency (IF) dispersive delay line with a positive-sloped transfer function. The out-of-phase pulses are applied to a second channel having a dispersive delay line with a negative-sloped, or conjugate, transfer function. The two channels of positive and negative dispersed pulses are added together resulting in a complex IF waveform. The complex IF waveform is frequency translated to a suitable time varying DC voltage waveform for controlling a transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Joseph Burnsweig, Charles F. Bancroft
  • Patent number: 4197540
    Abstract: A radar subsystem within a radar system has a transmitter circuit for transmitting pulse modulated waves on a multiplicity of frequencies. A duplexer is electrically connected to the output of the transmitter circuit. A receiver circuit is coupled to the duplexer for receiving the pulse modulated waves of the multiplicity of frequencies while transmitting on said multiplicity of frequencies, except such frequencies being received at the same time intervals as the frequencies being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Denton D. Riggs, Gene A. Wagner
  • Patent number: 4190882
    Abstract: A power supply arrangement that substantially eliminates the effects of the sidebands and harmonics at the switching frequency of the power supply on the RF carrier of an amplifier or other unit being supplied power. The switching frequency of the power supply arrangement is continuously varied in frequency at an appropriate rate and deviation with the result that a band of frequencies replaces the fundamental switching frequency of the power supply and all harmonics so that noise created by the switching frequency signal and the RF signal are then similarly diffused. The net power present as spurious noise in the amplifier unit is constant with the maximum amplitude of the noise as viewed, for example, in a doppler filter being substantially reduced. In a radar transmitter, for example, the transmitted pulse frequency appears as PRF sidebands of the CW frequency and the extraneous modulation from the switched power supply provides sidebands of the PRF sidebands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Arthur C. Chevalier, Arthur S. Zinkin, Robert Rosen, Richard P. McGarrity
  • Patent number: 4184206
    Abstract: A technique of encoding digitized video input signals to an arrayed display memory in a manner to maximize the probability of entering the best picture element (pixel) value into a particular X,Y location by effectively dividing a pixel area into an array of subpixels, and weighting the value of pixel as a function of the position of a display vector through the subpixel array. First the location of a vector to be displayed in an X-Y coordinate system is determined, and then with respect to the subpixel array of each pixel, it is determined whether the vector traverses a core or central area, an edge or a corner. For these respective vector locations, the pixel value is weighted, for example, 100%, 50% and 0%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Allen A. Harano
  • Patent number: 4183087
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for periodic sampling of a signal by taking a number of successive samples of the signal during each sampling interval, determining the maximal and minimal sample during each interval, determining the extent of deviation of each maximal and minimal from the sample selected for the last interval, and selecting as the sample best representative of the present interval the maximal or minimal, depending on which has the greatest deviation. If they have equal deviation, one may be consistently selected, preferably the minimal, but instead the last updated value, minimal or maximal, is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Huelsman
  • Patent number: 4160249
    Abstract: A system for the simultaneous storage of a plurality of components of data signals and for the retrieval and the processing thereof. The system includes a signal source coupled to a record unit that is synchronized by a record controller. A plurality of cathode ray tubes and optical imaging means are included in the record unit for storing the plurality of simultaneously occurring input signal components on a photographic film in an interleaved pattern. A single readout device scans the film in a direction transverse to the record pattern to develop read signals which are processed by a readout processor and an analyzer and then displayed on a display unit. The readout unit synchronizes the readout processor, the analyzer and the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1967
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1979
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Joseph R. Kotlarski
  • Patent number: 4158838
    Abstract: A symbol smoothing system for synthetically increasing the effective resolution of an in-raster symbol generator memory by a factor of four. The system stores a special three bit code in selected memory elements representative of the existing and past two memory lines with the code actually being a video brightness distribution and positioning offset code. A code number in a single memory cell defines positional and intensity information for the display elements corresponding to that memory cell and to selected surrounding eight memory cells, all of the memory cells having time or positional correspondence to display element positions. The stored codes in the surrounding memory cells, as well as the instantaneous memory cell being decoded, provide intensity levels which are combined at selected display element positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Pruznick, Bruce W. Keller, James R. Phelps, Gerald Wolfson, James L. Heard