Patents Assigned to Space
  • Patent number: 10109441
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for implementing a non-blocking switch matrix. In one aspect, a switch matrix can include an arrangement of C-switches. Each of the C-switches can be configured to switch between two positions to couple between different channels. The C-switches can be arranged in the switch matrix as to provide non-blocking functionality such that each of the inputs of the switch matrix is routed to an output of the switch matrix in any combination of the configurations of the C-switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
    Inventor: Ali Shayegani
  • Patent number: 10109207
    Abstract: A method for an aircraft for handling potential collisions in air traffic includes providing by a collision avoidance system a collision avoidance maneuver to avoid a collision with one or more intruders. The collision avoidance system is configured to obtain information about these intruders. The method includes further providing flight management constraints from an onboard flight system. Further, the method includes providing flight situation data from a navigation system. The method includes generating a modified collision avoidance maneuver based on the collision avoidance maneuver provided by the collision avoidance system, the flight situation data and the flight management constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Joy Jonatan Bousquet, Winfried Lohmiller, Joerg Meyer
  • Patent number: 10107139
    Abstract: An improved acoustic liner for turbine engines is disclosed. The acoustic liner may include a straight cell section including a plurality of cells with straight chambers. The acoustic liner may also include a bent cell section including one or more cells that are bent to extend chamber length without increasing the overall height of the acoustic liner by the entire chamber length. In some cases, holes are placed between cell chambers in addition to bending the cells, or instead of bending the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Joseph E. Grady, James D. Kiser, Christopher Miller, James D. Heidmann
  • Patent number: 10111109
    Abstract: A satellite communication system comprises one or more non-geostationary satellites. Each satellite is configured to provide a plurality of spot beams using time domain beam hopping among the spot beams. The spot beams are divided into hopping groups and each satellite is configured to switch throughput and power among spot beams in a same hopping group at intervals of an epoch over a hopping period according to a hopping plan. Each satellite is configured to receive, change and implement the hopping plan in orbit while the satellite moves in relation to a fixed geographic coverage region. The satellites are programmable to assign any combination of epochs in a hopping plan among spot beams of a same hopping group and to route throughput between spot beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
    Inventors: William Hreha, Anne Elizabeth Wharton, Erin Michelle Lavis, David Linford Foulke, Guillaume Lamontagne, Eric Shima, Louis Trichardt Hildebrand
  • Patent number: 10106376
    Abstract: In the field of hoisting and controlling hoisted loads, a hoisting device for hoisting a load includes a support beam, two load carrying units, structured to be slid along the support beam and being structured to hold the load, at least one counterweight structured to be slid along the support beam, at least one sensor capable of measuring the weight force held by the load carrying units, a first driving unit structured to slide the load carrying units, a second driving unit structured to slide the counterweight, a third driving unit structured to hoist the load, a hooking point structured to be hooked from a crane, and a processing unit structured to receive the information produced by the sensor and structured to operate the first driving unit, the second driving unit and the third driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space, S.A.
    Inventors: Enrique Del Pozo Polidoro, Manuel Pérez López, Fernando Esteban Finck
  • Publication number: 20180301343
    Abstract: A method for producing a thin substrate layer having a thickness of at most 100 ?m by detaching a substrate layer from the ingot by producing a tensile stress induction on an ingot, and wherein the tensile stress induction is effected by a stressor layer structure integrally bonded to a first surface of the ingot. The stressor layer structure and the ingot have different thermal expansion coefficients, and the stressor layer structure is removed from the substrate layer after detachment of the substrate layer from the ingot. The stressor layer structure has at least one layer sequence with a first titanium-containing layer and a nickel-containing layer. The titanium-containing layer adjoins with a bottom side a first surface of the ingot and the nickel-containing layer adjoins with a bottom side a top side of the titanium-containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Cherubin Noumissing SAO
  • Patent number: 10103289
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode having a stack-like structure, whereby the stack-like structure comprises a substrate layer and a mirror layer and an n-doped bottom cladding layer and an active layer, producing electromagnetic radiation, and a p-doped top cladding layer and an n-doped current spreading layer, and the aforementioned layers are arranged in the indicated sequence. The active layer comprises a quantum well structure. A tunnel diode is situated between the top cladding layer and the current spreading layer, whereby the current spreading layer is formed predominantly of an n-doped Ga-containing layer, having a Ga content >1%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Thomas Lauermann
  • Patent number: 10101099
    Abstract: A radiator, comprising at least one heat conductive layer with pyrolytic graphite material and an in-plane heat conductivity of at least 500 W/m·K. The radiator further comprises at least one heat emission layer that is in contact with the heat conductive layer, wherein the emission layer has an exposed surface with an emissivity of at least 0.7. The radiator is to be used in combination with a space vehicle structure, and due to its flexible character may be conformed to the particular shapes of such structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Bruin Benthem
  • Patent number: 10099467
    Abstract: A method including breaking down a component with a recycler to reduce the component to a recycled material composition that includes an original material of the component and debris that attached to the component during prior use, applying the recycled material composition within an additive manufacturing device to create a recycled component, and producing the recycled component from the additive manufacturing device, the recycled component material composition includes both the original material of the component and the debris attached to the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: MADE IN SPACE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Snyder, Daniel Riley
  • Patent number: 10104206
    Abstract: A network module for sending and/or receiving of data packages from a network arrangement located in a network with ring structure, wherein the data package includes at least one data package segment, a source address, a destination address and an identification number. The network module includes a first network interface and a second network interface, for receiving and/or sending of data packages via the ring structure, a processor configured to determine, based on the destination address, if data packages received are directed to the network module and to determine if the source address and/or the destination address are contained in a predefined list of the network participants, to determine, based on the source address and the identification number, if a copy of a data package directed to the network module is already created in a memory, to create a copy of the data package in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Schneider, Jürgen Meilinger
  • Patent number: 10100446
    Abstract: A module element for driving and retaining braiding bobbin carriers on a predetermined bobbin path has at least one base element that can rotate about an axis of rotation, and at least one retaining element that is formed integrally with the base element. The retaining element is configured to releasably hold at least one braiding bobbin carrier offset from the rotary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Gessler, Christian Metzner, Stefan Mittmann, Bettina Arold, Hermann Seefried
  • Patent number: 10103417
    Abstract: Waveguide hinges are provided that allow for a substantially continuous RF waveguide to be formed through the hinge when the hinge elements are in a particular relative rotational configuration with respect to one another; the substantially continuous RF waveguide is not formed when the hinge elements are in various other relative rotational configurations. Such waveguide hinges allow for waveguide elements to be repositioned during periods when RF energy is not being transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
    Inventor: Evan I. Gomberg
  • Patent number: 10093427
    Abstract: An aircraft which has a supporting structure which has at least one fuselage, a wing structure and at least one drive apparatus. The drive apparatus has at least one propeller and a drive motor. The aircraft has at least one energy store for providing energy for operation of the drive apparatus. The at least one drive apparatus and the at least one energy store are mechanically connected to the supporting structure and/or the wing structure of the aircraft by a securing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventor: Simon Burns
  • Patent number: 10097461
    Abstract: Detection of the congestion on a link based on an exchange of messages between a sender and a receiver, one sender and several receivers or several senders and one receiver. This equipment is connected to the ends of a transmission channel. One of the items of equipment is designated as the master and the others slaves. These exchanges are aimed at enabling the master to calculate and compare the rate of the data send and the rate of the data received. A divergence in the rates calculated reveals a congestion on the link. All these exchanges are made in the application layer and therefore do not involve the underlying layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: Claude Poletti, Marc Cartigny, Olivier Klotz
  • Patent number: 10096726
    Abstract: A photovoltaic solar cell, including an N-side layer proximate to a first planar surface and a P-side layer proximate to a second planar surface that is opposite to the first planar surface, is formed from a circular wafer substrate. An N-side conductive contact is electrically coupled with the N-side layer, and a P-side conductive contact electrically coupled with the P-side layer. The P-side conductive contact and the N-side conductive contact are each disposed proximate to the first planar surface, the circular wafer substrate includes an edge exclusion zone, and the P-side contact is disposed within or proximate to the edge exclusion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
    Inventors: Bao Hoang, Samuel Geto Beyene
  • Patent number: 10095041
    Abstract: A laser beam expander has at least two negative lenses with adjustable collimation. The amount of required motion can be reduced by an order of magnitude over single negative lens approaches by splitting the input lens in two and adjusting the small remaining air gap between the lenses. The change in collimation may be accomplished by heating/cooling (i.e., thermal), mechanical motion (e.g., motors), electro-optical means (e.g., applying or reducing an electric current), any combination thereof, or any other suitable mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Luis A. Ramos-Izquierdo, Xiaoli Sun
  • Publication number: 20180281991
    Abstract: A menu-type design method based on optimized information fusion applied to a GEO satellite control system is provided, which includes: configuring four long-life inertial attitude sensor gyroscopes for a long-life GEO satellite control system; configuring sensors capable of measuring three-axis attitude according to a menu-type design requirement on hardware, where the long-life inertial attitude sensor gyroscopes and the sensors capable of measuring three-axis attitude are combined to form three types of Kalman filters; autonomously sorting, by the satellite-borne computer application software, the Kalman filters; and in a case where an FDIR module detects a fault, autonomously generating, by the FDIR module, an alarm corresponding to the fault, and autonomously performing, by a currently selected Kalman filter, reduced-order filtering, and in a case where the fault is not eliminated within a set time period, issuing, by the FDIR module, a macro instruction sequence to perform autonomous reorganization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: CHINA ACADEMY OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Zhicheng ZHOU, Baoxiang SUN, Qiang WEI, Guixing CAO, Xiaodong HAN, Tingrong GUO, Zhenjiang CUI, Jianjun GONG
  • Patent number: 10088573
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a receiver for use in a navigation system comprising multiple transmitters. Each transmitter transmits a positioning signal comprising a pseudo-random noise (PRN) sequence corresponding to the respective transmitter. The receiver comprises a code module for supplying multiple PRN sequences corresponding to the respective multiple transmitters; and a correlator for correlating the PRN sequences supplied by the code module with an incoming signal. The multiple PRN sequences are based on a single Sidelnikov/Lempel/Cohn/Eastman (SLCE) generative sequence uSLCE, and each of said multiple PRN sequences, denoted ui satisfies the equation: ui=uSLCE?TiuSLCE, where ? indicates element by element binary XOR addition, and Ti indicates a cyclic shift of i chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
    Inventor: Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 10086568
    Abstract: A system comprising a manufacturing device to evaluate an object to determine whether to at least one of repair and replicate the object wherein to repair further comprises at least one of a subtractive process and an additive manufacturing process applied to the object and to replicate further comprises an additive manufacturing process applied to create a second object. Another system and a method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: MADE IN SPACE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Snyder, Jason Dunn, Aaron Kemmer, Michael Chen
  • Patent number: D830982
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Shared Space Studios LLC
    Inventor: Amar Chopra Bakshi