Patents Examined by Brian Andrea
  • Patent number: 6628226
    Abstract: An antenna base, a control circuit section, and a high-frequency circuit section are enclosed in an inner space defined by a housing and a radome. Inside this inner space, the control circuit section and the high-frequency circuit section are surrounded by the antenna base and the housing. A circuit GND common to the control circuit section and the high-frequency circuit section is electrically connected to the antenna base and the housing, and it is connected to a body GND through only capacitive impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsushige Suzuki, Kazuaki Takano, Terumi Nakazawa, Shirou Oouchi, Kazuto Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6628374
    Abstract: A code generating device operates for generating a pseudo random noise code having a sequence of a predetermined number of chips each being in one of first and second logic states different from one another. A code monitoring device operates for detecting at least a preset number of successive chips in the first logic state in the pseudo random noise, and for changing at least one among the detected preset number of successive chips to the second logic state to convert the pseudo random noise code into a transmission signal. A driving device operates for activating and deactivating an electromagnetic wave generating device in response to the transmission signal. A receiving device operates for receiving an echo wave caused by reflection of an electromagnetic wave generated by the electromagnetic wave generating device at an object. A distance to the object is detected on the basis of the received echo wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Shirai, Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Patent number: 6628227
    Abstract: A sensing system (10) for an automotive vehicle includes a first radar sensor (18) generating a first and a second range signal, and a second radar sensor (20) generating a first and a second range signal corresponding to two sampling time periods. A controller (12) is coupled to the first radar sensor (18) and the second radar sensor (20). The controller (12) calculates a first position and a second position from the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor range measurements. The controller (12) generates a first set of points corresponding to the first position and a second set of points corresponding to the second position. The controller (12) calculates a plurality of calculated range-rate values in response to the first set of points and the second set of points. The controller (12) compares the plurality of calculated range-rate values to the measured range-rate and selects the closest range-rate from the plurality of calculated range-rate values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manoharprasad K. Rao, Nikolay V. Smirnov, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Gary Steven Strumolo
  • Patent number: 6628373
    Abstract: The transmitter for projecting a beam of laser light includes a source of a beam of laser light, and a projection arrangement for directing the beam of laser light at a selected grade. The transmitter further includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of said transmitter, and a temperature correction circuit, including a look-up table, responsive to said temperature sensor, for adjusting said projection arrangement in dependence upon offset grade values that are stored in said look-up table for a plurality of transmitter temperature ranges. These offset grade values are separately determined on an empirical basis for each transmitter, such that temperature induced errors in the direction of the beam of laser light are compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Kent W. Kahle
  • Patent number: 6621450
    Abstract: A method for selecting a pulse repetition frequency to detect, track or search for a target that includes identifying a first feature representative interval of each pulse repetition frequency within a set of pulse repetition frequencies, choosing a selected pulse repetition frequency from the set of pulse repetition frequencies based on cost assigned to each pulse repetition frequency, wherein the cost assigned to a first pulse repetition frequency is at least based on a first cost function of a first position of a first target feature in relation to a first feature assessment interval of the first pulse repetition frequency, and emitting pulsed energy from the emitter using the selected pulse repetition frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Bradford E. Carter
  • Patent number: 6621449
    Abstract: A method for detection and correction of nonlinearities in radio-frequency voltage controlled oscillators provides for division of the output signal of the oscillator, direct analysis of the divided output signal by means of a counting device, conversion of the respective counter value to an equivalent voltage value, and production of a control signal with a corrected frequency response for the oscillator by logic-link the equivalent-voltage value to a predetermined nominal value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Kunert
  • Patent number: 6621560
    Abstract: The transmitter for projecting a beam of laser light includes a source of a beam of laser light, and a projection arrangement for directing the beam of laser light at a selected grade. The transmitter further includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of said transmitter, and a temperature correction circuit, including a look-up table, responsive to said temperature sensor, for adjusting said projection arrangement in dependence upon offset grade values that are stored in said look-up table for a plurality of transmitter temperatures. These offset grade values are separately determined on an empirical basis for each transmitter, such that temperatures induced errors in the direction of the beam of laser light are compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: J. David Greco
  • Patent number: 6614389
    Abstract: In order to magnetically shield the transmission line which connects the external connector mounted on the outer housing with the internal circuit and also to make it possible to freely mount the external connector without being limited by the position of the internal circuit, an outer housing 60 consists of an outer housing main body 61 and a shielding layer 62 applied to the inner-periphery surface of the outer housing 60. An transmission line 73 extends from the internal circuit through the outer-periphery side of the shielding layer 62 of the outer housing 60 along the shielding layer 62 to the desired position, where the external connector 70 is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsushige Suzuki, Kazuaki Takano, Ryuji Fukute
  • Patent number: 6603535
    Abstract: A system and a method is provided for measuring three-dimensional velocities at a plurality of points in a fluid employing at least two cameras positioned approximately perpendicular to one another. Image frames captured by the cameras may be filtered using background subtraction with outlier rejection with spike-removal filtering. The cameras may calibrated to accurately represent image coordinates in a world coordinate system using calibration grids modified using warp transformations. The two-dimensional views of the cameras may be recorded for image processing and particle track determination. The tracer particles may be tracked on a two-dimensional basis and then stereo matched to obtain three-dimensional locations of the particles as a function of time so that velocities can be measured therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Mark McDowell
  • Patent number: 6603561
    Abstract: A method and system for determining range by correlating a relationship between one or more distances of a diffraction grating from an illuminated target surface with variations in the respective wavelengths of high order diffraction spectra. The high order diffraction spectra are observed through the diffraction grating. The high order diffraction spectra are derived from broadband radiation transmitted from the illuminated target surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas D. Ditto
  • Patent number: 6597437
    Abstract: A method for targeting includes illuminating an object, receiving reflected energy of a first wavelength, converting the reflected energy into an energy of a second wavelength, and detecting the energy of a second wavelength. A system for targeting includes a convertor having a first side and a second side, the convertor constructed to convert energy incident upon the first side at a first wavelength to energy passing through the second side at a second wavelength, and a sensor detecting the energy of the second wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Albert W. Kongable
  • Patent number: 6594006
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for detecting the position of the plane XY of an object, which plane XY is to be scanned, and for its positioning in the focal plane X′Y′ of a laser scanner, preferably for a laser scanning microscope. According to the disclosure, it is provided in a method of the type described above that, after a rough orientation of the object carried out by placing on an object holder, a laser beam is directed successively in time to at least three different points P1, P2 . . . Pn located in the scan plane XY of the object and, in doing so, each of the reflections proceeding from the points P1, P2 . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Muehlhoff, Guenther Rudolph, Stefan Schmidt, Gerhard Doering, Guenter Berthel, Thomas Hartmann
  • Patent number: 6587184
    Abstract: A positioning aid (1) for a hand tool device (3) driving tool (2), in a working direction (A), with a distance measuring system (4) mounted thereon. The distance measuring system (4) has at least one distance measuring sensor (5) for measuring the distance from the distance measuring sensor (5) to an object (6), along a line of measurement (M, M′, M″), and a computing unit (7) for comparing the measured value with a pre-selected desired value (S) and for producing a signal dependent on the comparison, wherein the line of measurement (M, M′) is oriented at least partially perpendicular to the working direction (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Würsch, Roland Schaer, Klaus Dass
  • Patent number: 6587187
    Abstract: A coarse measuring circuit measures an approximate measurement object time DU based on a first reference clock CK10. The approximate measurement object time represents a duration from a measurement start time to an input time of measurement object pulse PBr. A fine measuring circuit, cooperating with the coarse measuring circuit and using a shorter reference time, measures a time difference between a change point of the first reference clock CK10 and the input time of measurement object pulse PBr as a correction time DD of the approximate measurement object time DU, thereby obtaining a precise measurement objet time DT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takamoto Watanabe, Noriaki Shirai, Takeshi Matsui
  • Patent number: 6587183
    Abstract: A range finder device, for measuring, when a plurality of projected lights having radiation patterns whose light intensity differs three-dimensional space-wise are irradiated onto an object from a light source on a time-sharing basis to image-pick up reflected light of the projected light from the object with a camera, a distance using the light intensity of an image picked up, characterized in that, with respect to each of a plurality of surfaces including the center of the light source and the center of a lens, there is obtained, in advance, relation between an angle of each projected light from the light source and light intensity ratio in each surface, characterized in that, at the time of actual distance measurement, light intensity of each pixel of the camera is measured, and on the basis of the light intensity thus measured, and relation between the angle and the light intensity ratio on a predetermined surface corresponding to a coordinate position of the pixel measured, there is obtained the angle co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Uomori, Takeo Azuma, Atsushi Morimura
  • Patent number: 6583868
    Abstract: A method of aligning an ACC-sensor on a vehicle includes the following steps: (a) arranging a reflection surface in front of the vehicle for reflecting emitted ACC-sensor rays; (b) aligning the horizontal axis of the reflection surface parallel to the rear axle of the vehicle; (c) aligning the vertical axis of the reflection surface essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle which is defined by the alignment of the front and rear axle; and (d) adjusting the ACC-sensor such that a defined or maximal fraction of the emitted rays is reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Georg Hopfenmuller
  • Patent number: 6583862
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combined telescope and telemeter device comprising a telescopic sight (1) having a housing (2), one end of which receives an objective lens (3) while the other end receives an eyepiece (4), said housing defining a beam path (5) between the objective lens and the eyepiece. The device also includes an opto-electronic telemeter (12) with emitter-receiver optics (14) for optical measuring beams (15) and evaluation electronics (24) for timing the interval between an emitted measuring beam and a received measuring beam and for determining the distance on the basis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Andreas Perger
  • Patent number: 6580384
    Abstract: A track position prediction method used in combined radar and ADS surveillance environment is disclosed. Since the time interval between two successive ADS-A reports is too long, air traffic control system must be able to predict aircraft position within this time interval to increase safety. The present invention provides a way to satisfy this requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Institute for Information Industry
    Inventors: Youn-Tih Fung, Wu-Ja Lin, Yeong-Shiou Hsiao
  • Patent number: 6573856
    Abstract: Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data (118) of a target (108) is collected (12) over a substantially circular arc (128), wherein a.chord (130) of the arc (128) establishes (20) a radar aperture (102) having a substantially perpendicular construct baseline (104) through the target (108). The radar aperture (102) is partitioned (26) into first and second partial apertures (120) having substantially the construct baseline (104). First and second points (150) substantially vertically coincident with the construct baseline (104) are then determined (38) at means (152) of the first and second partial apertures (120), and first and second vectors (106) from the target (108) are established (40) by the first and second points (150), respectively. First and second portions (148) of the SAR data (118) are accumulated (32) over the first and second partial apertures (120), respectively, and first and second vector complex image data (164) of the target (108) is derived (54) in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth Fell Obenshain
  • Patent number: 6567037
    Abstract: A tracking data fusion method used in a combined radar/ADS surveillance environment defines track states, track types, and track types transition rules to track aircraft. The best available flight services could be provided if the proposed method is used in an air traffic control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Institute for Information Industry
    Inventors: Youn-Tih Fung, Wu-Ja Lin, Yeong-Shiou Hsiao