Patents Assigned to Applied Concepts, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7411544
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert Vanman
  • Patent number: 7409294
    Abstract: An enhanced police Doppler direction sensing radar detects possibly dangerous traffic conditions during certain vehicle maneuvers such as U-turns and returns to travel after roadside stops. By monitoring a host or primary vehicle speed, speed transitions, transmission state (e.g. gear selection), and the closing vehicle position, range and speed, a number of selectable conditions are detected, resulting in an alert indication to a primary vehicle operator. User preferences and thresholds allow the traffic alert function to be customized according to a primary vehicle operator's desire to suppress alerts in situations which the user does not deem dangerous. The traffic alert function may be automatically triggered under certain detected conditions, or manually initiated when the primary vehicle operator intends to make a driving maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Mead, John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, James Kevin McCoy
  • Patent number: 7227494
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7218271
    Abstract: A system for processing vehicle speed data for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a front antenna assembly of the vehicle generating a front digital signal, and a rear antenna assembly of the vehicle generating a rear digital signal. A fast Fourier transform system converts the front digital signal into front frequency shift data and the rear digital signal into rear frequency shift data. A patrol speed system matches the front frequency shift data and the rear frequency shift data and generates a vehicle speed for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 7190882
    Abstract: An in-car video system with inputs for one or more analog or digital video cameras, one or more of which may be wireless, and having inputs for one or more microphones, one or more of which may be wireless. The system includes circuitry to digitize the input signals, if necessary, merge the data with system status data and compress the resulting data with any algorithm, preferably MPEG 4. A digital data cassette recorder records the compressed data, and a decompression circuit and active matrix display and audio channel provide monitoring capability of live video and audio. In some embodiments, a hard disk continuously records all data and archives previously recorded data to tape when so ordered to provide after-the-fact recording capability. In some embodiments, anti-tampering circuitry renders the recorded data tamper-proof, and a local playback circuit allows local playback of either live or previously recorded video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 7068212
    Abstract: A series of police Doppler single mode radars and a multimode police Doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A quadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of Doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two Doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 7057550
    Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar are disclosed. In one embodiment, a modulation circuit portion generates double-modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the double-modulated FM signals to a target and receives reflected double-modulated FM signals therefrom. A calibration circuit portion responds to the reflected double-modulated FM signals by sending a calibration signal to the modulation circuit. The calibration signal is indicative of a relationship between a first range measurement derived from phase angle measurements associated with the reflected double-modulated FM signals and a second range measurement derived from speed and time measurements associated with the reflected double-modulated FM signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7049999
    Abstract: A modulation circuit for a traffic surveillance Doppler radar system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modulation circuit is utilized in a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system that processes a reflected double-modulated FM signal to determine a target range based upon a phase angle signal differential associated with the target. The modulation circuit may include a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter/voltage regulator/oscillator arrangement or a D/A converter/varactor device/oscillator arrangement. The modulation circuit generates a double-modulated FM signal based upon a frequency versus voltage characteristic associated with the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7038614
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 6853314
    Abstract: A system for displaying radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously showing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the same lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes a first display that shows the speed of vehicles in the first area, such as the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle, and a second display that shows the speed of vehicles in the second area, such as the same lane behind the patrol vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 6831593
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 6744379
    Abstract: A system for displaying radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously showing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the same lane behind the patrol vehicley. The system includes a first display that shows the speed of vehicles in the first area, such as the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle, and a second display that shows the speed of vehicles in the second area, such as the same lane behind the patrol vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 6646591
    Abstract: A series of police doppler single mode radars and a multimode police doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A quadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Concepts Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 6580386
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 6501418
    Abstract: A process and apparatus to automatically determine whether a police radar is installed in a vehicle which has a coupling between a vehicle speed sensor and the police radar. The process automatically, without any operator input, determines the correct ratio between the true ground speed and the frequency output by vehicle speed sensor at that ground speed. The process and apparatus then use that ratio and the frequency from the vehicle speed sensor to establish a software search window that limits the speed range of the search by the police traffic radar for the true ground speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 6198427
    Abstract: A series of police doppler single mode radars and a multimode police doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A quadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 5982105
    Abstract: A transformerless driver circuit for an EL device has a battery or other source of dc power, and a microcontroller that is suitably programmed with associated firmware, so that a first switch control signal appears at a first output and a second switch control signal appears at a second output. A flyback circuit is connected to the first microcontroller output and, through a diode, to a charge storage device, e.g., a capacitor. This charges the capacitor stepwise to a relatively high voltage. The flyback circuit includes an inductor having one end connected to a first terminal of the dc power source, and another end coupled to a transistor or similar switch element. The transistor is coupled to the second dc power terminal, and has a base or gate coupled to the first output of the microcomputer. A controlled discharge arrangement bridges across the charge storage device to discharge the same periodically, and create an alternating current to drive the EL device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Masters
  • Patent number: 5570093
    Abstract: A police radar utilizing digital data transmission from the antenna unit to a separately housed counting and display unit. The antenna has a double balanced mixer to suppress even order harmonics. The counting and display unit has a computer programmed to perform digital signal processing on the digital data received from the antenna to improve the quality and accuracy of calculated speeds for patrol speed, strongest target speed and fastest target speed. Fastest target speed can be displayed simultaneously with strongest target speed. Signal processing techniques are used to suppress false signals caused by double and triple bounce, harmonics, intermodulation products, video display terminal interference, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Alan B. Mead
  • Patent number: 5565871
    Abstract: A police radar utilizing digital data transmission from the antenna unit to a separately housed counting and display unit. The antenna has a double balanced mixer to suppress even order harmonics. The counting and display unit has a computer programmed to perform digital signal processing on the digital data received from the antenna to improve the quality and accuracy of calculated speeds for patrol speed, strongest target speed and fastest target speed. Fastest target speed can be displayed simultaneously with strongest target speed. Signal processing techniques are used to suppress false signals caused by double and triple bounce, harmonics, ntermodulation products, video display terminal interference, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Applied Concepts Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Alan B. Mead
  • Patent number: D405333
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold K. Wrigley