Patents Assigned to Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7831150
    Abstract: A combat IFF system, for use in a combat exercise or on the battlefield, including a helmet-mounted passive IFF response unit and a weapon-mounted IFF interrogatory unit for each soldier. Infrared (IR) signals are employed for both challenge and response. The IR response signal is a very narrowly-targeted reflection of the relatively narrow IR transmit signal, thereby minimizing interception opportunities. The transmit and response signals are encoded in a transaction that cannot be compromised even when either or both signals are intercepted and decoded by the enemy. The combat IFF system includes biometric anti-spoofing features that prevent any use by an enemy in possession of captured units. Military radio-frequency (RF) spectrum is not required so there are no bandwidth limitations on simultaneous IFF transactions in the battlefield. A combat IFF transaction is completed in milliseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Roes, Deepak Varshneya
  • Patent number: 6755653
    Abstract: Soldiers and vehicles are fitted with infrared laser detectors for detecting simulated laser bullets and artillery shells from SAT-equipped small arms weapons and tanks employing laser scanner transmitters. An infrared LED is mounted inside the protective housing which supports each laser detector for illuminating the exterior surface of a window, lens or other transparent optical element positioned in front of the detector. Dirt, dust, mud, snow, shoe polish or other contaminant on the exterior surface of the optical element scatters the infrared radiation from the LED and in accordance with a test periodically performed by a test circuit, if the scattered signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a visual and/or audible warning is given to the player. If the optical element is not cleaned within a predetermined time after the warning, a kill command is executed to prevent the player from cheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Deepak Varshneya
  • Patent number: 6735505
    Abstract: An onboard portion of the system is located on an aircraft for monitoring a plurality of flight parameters and detecting a predetermined exceedence indicative of a potential problem. With regard to flight data, predetermined exceedences could include abnormal attitude, control surface actuator failure, low hydraulic fluid pressure, low fuel, near stall speed, excessive engine RPM, engine failure, cabin pressure loss, and so forth. With regard to voice data, predetermined exceedences could include excessive decibel levels, excessive static, overly long periods of silence, and other audible conditions indicative of cockpit intrusion. Flight data representative of the flight parameters is transmitted via RF signals upon the detection of the predetermined exceedence. A remote portion of the system receives the transmitted RF signals carrying the flight data and records the flight data for analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard B. Levine
  • Patent number: 6641087
    Abstract: In an anti-hijacking system for autopilot equipped aircraft, a transceiver communicates with at least one remote guidance facility. A panic button is activated by flight crew in case of hijacking. A manager is coupled to the transceiver and the panic button, as well as existing avionics including the aircraft's master computer and autopilot. Optionally, a relay is coupled between the pilot controls and selected aircraft flight systems. The manager recognizes predetermined override inputs, such as activation of the panic button or receipt of override signals from the remote guidance facility. Responsive to the override input, the manager deactivates on-board control of selected aircraft flight systems and the autopilot system, and directs the autopilot to fly the aircraft to a safe landing. Flight routing and landing instructions are obtained from the remote guidance facility, or by self-evaluating nearby airports in view of the aircraft's position and various preestablished criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas G. Nelson
  • Patent number: 6579097
    Abstract: A stationary area weapon effects simulator is mounted to the ceiling of a room in a building being assaulted by soldiers equipped with optical detectors and small arms weapons having small arms transmitters (SATs). Area effects weapon codes simulating the detonation of a grenade, bomb, artillery shell or chemical/biological weapon are encoded onto infrared signals emitted by a plurality of LEDs in the weapon effects simulator and these codes are logged in player units (DPCUs) carried by the soldiers. The simulated area weapon effects may be confined to particular angular zones and this zone information may also be encoded onto the infrared emissions. An alternate embodiment utilizes a stationary locator in a room which only emits infrared signals with location information encoded in the same which are logged by the player unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Sampson, Allen E. Ripingill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6496547
    Abstract: A narrow-band digital frequency-modulation (FM) limiter-discriminator (LD) receiver with two independent detectors that combine to remove most of the bit errors caused by FM-clicks in an encoded channel. The output of the LD circuit is presented to a sample-and-hold (S&H) detector and to an integrate and dump (I&D) detector. Because the S&H and I&D detector outputs are offset in time by one-half bit and they are not entirely correlated, an error in one does not necessarily imply an error in the other. Using convolutional coding and Viterbi decoding, with threshold-compensation of the I&D detector output and threshold- or envelope-compensation of the S&H detector output, averaging the two compensated detector signals improves the receiver bit error rate (BER) performance by more than 3 dB over the soft-decision thresholded I&D detector alone, which until now was believed to be optimum in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Powell, Aladino D. Sorgi
  • Patent number: 6473980
    Abstract: A relatively inexpensive system is provided for detecting and visually indicating the relative location of the impact on a target of an invisible infrared laser beam emitted from a small arms transmitter (SAT) mounted on a combat rifle. A plurality of red LEDs are mounted on a planar PCB that serves as the target and are arranged along X and Y axes corresponding to azimuth and elevation. A plurality of photo-diodes are mounted on the PCB for generating output signals when struck by the laser beam. The photo-diodes are clustered around the intersection of the X and Y axes. A circuit mounted on a reverse side of the PCB is connected to the plurality of photo-diodes for receiving their output signals. The circuit energizes one or more of the red LEDs to provide a pattern of illumination of the LEDs that represents azimuth and elevation deviation of the laser hit from the intersection of the axes when the SAT is fired with the intersection of the axes in the iron sights of the rifle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen E. Ripingill, Jr., John B. Roes, David A. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6406298
    Abstract: A laser small arms transmitter (SAT) includes a housing having a hollow interior and a clamp structure connected to the housing for rigidly securing the housing to a barrel of a weapon such as an M16A1 rifle. A spyglass shaped metal laser tube is rigidly mounted inside the housing. A lens is mounted in a forward segment of the laser tube and positioned in alignment with a bore in a forward side of the housing. A cylindrical laser diode can is mounted in a rearward segment of the laser tube. A circuit including a photo-optic sensor is mounted inside the housing and selectively energizes the laser diode to cause the same to emit a laser beam through the lens when a blank cartridge is fired. The rear segment of the laser tube is dimensioned and configured so that it can permanently bent to align the laser beam emitted by the laser diode with the barrel of the weapon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Varshneya, John B. Roes
  • Patent number: 6386879
    Abstract: A turret mounted gun on a shooter tank with a laser scanner transmitter in its barrel emits a laser beam upon a trigger pull. The laser beam is directed toward a target tank based upon a shooter's ranging and tracking using a standard fire control computer to provide conventional ranging and tracking. The target tank is scanned with the laser beam to measure target azimuth and target elevation with respect to a boresight of the gun of shooter tank. Optical receivers mounted on the turret of the target tank detect the laser beam and a system control unit determines the trigger pull time, target azimuth and target super elevation. The system control unit also determines a range to the target tank by comparing a set of GPS coordinates of the two tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Varshneya, Wallace Sterling Perkes
  • Patent number: 6292106
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) sync pulse is transmitted throughout a building having a plurality of rooms to be traversed by a plurality of players during, for example, an assault training exercise. Ultra-sound pulses are transmitted from fixed piezoelectric transducers mounted at each corner of each room. The ultra-sound pulses with encoded room identity information are generated in a predetermined timed sequence by different ultra-sound transducers after each RF sync pulse. Each player carries an RF receiver for receiving the RF sync pulses. Each player also carries multiple microphones for receiving the ultra-sound pulses transmitted in a room in which the player is currently located. Timing circuitry carried by each player generates signals representative of the delays between each RF sync pulse and the receipt of each of the ultra-sound pulses sequentially received thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Solinsky, John B. Roes
  • Patent number: 6254394
    Abstract: An area weapons effect simulation system and method that determine the extent of simulated injuries and damage sustained by players such as soldiers and vehicles as a consequence of simulated mines, projectiles, air defenses, and toxic or nuclear clouds in near real time. The system uses a distributed architecture that simulates the effect that area weapons would have on each player in real time or near real time, thus allowing players to determine the consequences of their tactics and actions as a part of a combat training exercise. Player Units are pre-loaded with information which allows them to determine the probability of damage or injury, depending on the type of player, defensive measures taken on the part of the player, and the type of weapon being simulated. Alternatively, such information may be down-loaded to each Player Unit as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Draper, Dennis D. Rogers
  • Patent number: 6252464
    Abstract: An inexpensive numerically-controlled fast frequency-hopping microwave synthesizer. A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) output phase remains locked to an internal direct digital synthesizer (DDS) reference signal over the entire output frequency band, which is an order of magnitude larger than the internal sampling clock frequency. A “Nyquist-boundary hopping” scheme compares signals from an alias band of the DDS with signals from an alias band of the sampled VCO output to derive an output phase error signal, which is forced to zero in a manner that locks the VCO output phase to the DDS output phase over a frequency hop-distance greater than the DDS bandwidth. Accordingly, in a single second, the synthesizer can hop phase-continuously in a single clock cycle to each of hundreds of thousands of different microwave output frequencies with relatively low clock rates (up to 100 MHz) commensurate with silicon application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Edward Richards, Jeffrey Morris Keefer
  • Patent number: 6178207
    Abstract: An ASIC chip interfaces with multiple data protocol specifications and includes a demodulator for data messages in a protocol at a first data rate, such as the TACTS protocol, and includes a demodulator for data messages in a protocol at a second data rate, such as the NACTS protocol. The ASIC chip is installed in a system for the transmission and receipt of data messages in the two protocols, and operates under control of a microprocessor, which selects between the available message protocols. Additional data rates and protocols beyond the first two can be accommodated. The different demodulators share processing structures that reduce the circuit components otherwise necessary for operation. This reduces the weight and power requirements of the chip. In this way, the ASIC chip provides a processing system that can operate with multiple data protocol specifications and data rates, while ensuring accurate and reliable detection of data streams in an aircraft operational environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne E. Richards, James W. Schafer, Lloyd E. Landen
  • Patent number: 6065404
    Abstract: A re-usable simulated grenade is provided that may be utilized by soldiers training with a multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES). The simulated grenade includes a central core having a blast chamber that contains a non-lethal quantity of an explosive detonated by a manually actuatable detonator mechanism. The core has a plurality of omni-directional passages containing a filer which is ejected to simulate the blast pattern of an actual grenade. A plurality of transducers such as infrared LED's, acoustic transducers or RF transducers are located on the core for emitting signals detectable by a plurality of sensors worn by a player within a predetermined proximity of the simulated grenade. A circuit including a pressure sensitive switch is located in the core and is connected to the transducers for energizing the same when the explosive is detonated. A player identification code (PID) is encoded onto the signals emitted by the transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen E. Ripingill, Jr., Larry W. Lind
  • Patent number: 5992290
    Abstract: A digital interface device conveys signals between aircraft data busses and a wingtip weapons station. A first interface is provided, coupling to an F/A-18 Aircraft Instrumentation Subsystem Internal (AISI) input/output connector. A second interface is coupled to a secondary armament bus. A crossover cable interconnects the wingtip weapon station to the secondary armament bus. A digital data processing module is coupled to the first and second interfaces and programmed to convey signals between aircraft data systems coupled to the F/A-18 AISI input/output connector and the wingtip weapon station. Namely, the processing module monitors signals received on the input/output connector, and extracts signals addressed to one or more predetermined addresses. The module also transmits the reformatted signals to the wingtip weapon station. With a minimum of wiring changes, the interface easily converts an aircraft designed for a nose-mounted ACT pod for use with an ACT pod mounted at a wingtip station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gayle P. Quebedeaux, James W. Schafer, Gerald R. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 5476385
    Abstract: A laser small arms transmitter (SAT) which may be affixed to the stock of a rifle such as an M16 used by a soldier in training with a multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES). The transmitter includes a housing assembly having a forward end with a window through which the beam of a laser diode is emitted. A pair of optical wedges are positioned inside the housing assembly between the laser diode and the window. The optical wedges are supported for independent rotation about a common optical axis for steering the laser beam. An alignment head may be physically mated to the rearward end of the housing assembly for driving a pair of shafts to rotate the optical wedges in the alignment of the transmitter so that a soldier can accurately hit a target once he or she has located the target in the conventional sights of the rifle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Parikh, Fritz W. Healey
  • Patent number: 5426295
    Abstract: A manworn laser detection system is provided for use in a multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES). A plurality of laser detectors are carried by a harness adapted to be worn by a person for receiving a laser bullet hit from a weapon equipped with a laser small arms transmitter (SAT). An amplifier on the harness is connected to the laser detectors on the harness for amplifying a first electrical output signal of the laser detectors. A first optical coupling on the harness is connected to the amplifier for emitting optical signals representative of the amplified first electrical output signal of the laser detectors. An electronics assembly is adapted to be carried by the person and includes second optical coupling adapted to be mated with the first optical coupling for receiving the optical signals and generating a second electrical output signal representative thereof. A controller in the electronics assembly is provided for decoding a MILES code embedded in the second electrical output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Parikh, Fritz W. Healey
  • Patent number: 5410815
    Abstract: A fixture automatically aligns a laser transmitter bolted to a rifle. A case is horizontally oriented and a hinged end cover is swung upwardly to reveal a control unit. The barrel of the rifle is supported on a weapon rest mounted to the base unit and the trigger guard or clip receptacle is mounted in a vise on a sliding rack inside the case. The vise has knobs for adjusting the azimuth and elevation of the weapon, thereby permitting the soldier to aim at a target reticle. An optics unit is mounted on a forward portion of the base unit and includes a lens and a beam splitter which is transparent to infrared light from the laser transmitter but reflective to visible light. The illuminated target reticle is mounted inside the optics unit. The beam splitter is positioned forward of the lens and is angled at forty-five degrees to project the image of the target reticle through the lens at infinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu Parikh, Fritz W. Healey
  • Patent number: 5344319
    Abstract: An airborne wind-driven electrical generator provides electrical current to the resistance wire of a smoke generator, which receives a smoke-producing fluid from a reservoir. A valve controls the flow of fluid to the smoke generator in response to control signals, which may indicate a simulated weapon firing or simulated weapon hit in an airborne weapon training system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter R. Manzke
  • Patent number: 5255004
    Abstract: A planar array of linearly polarized antenna elements, each element tilted so that its polarization orientation is disposed at an angle with respect to the array vertical axis so that array polarization loss is minimized as a function of roll about an array normal. Half of the elements are tilted uniformly at a positive angle with respect to the array vertical axis and the remaining elements are tilted at a negative angle with respect to the array vertical axis. The invention substantially reduces the unwanted variation in received RF energy magnitude as a function of array roll angle caused by polarization loss, for both vertical and horizontal components. The vertically polarized signal component magnitude remains nearly constant with respect to array roll angle values of 50.degree.-60.degree. and more. If the element tilt angle magnitude is between 0.degree.-45.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard Berkowitz, Paul R. Eberhardt, David J. Miller