Patents Examined by Gregory C. Issing
  • Patent number: 9634388
    Abstract: A fixed phase shift for each of a plurality of radio frequency signal components directed to or received from a plurality of antenna elements is formed in a phase shifter. A desired antenna beam pattern with at least one grating lobe is formed on the basis of the phase-shifted radio frequency signal components of the antenna elements in a predefined antenna structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ELEKTROBIT WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS OY
    Inventors: Juha Ylitalo, Taavi Hirvonen
  • Patent number: 9625561
    Abstract: There is provided a method for positioning of user equipment. The method for positioning of user equipment, includes: receiving, by the user equipment, a signal from an external antenna, the signal being radiated in a cyclic pattern; measuring, by the user equipment, strength of the received signal, characterizing, by the user equipment, the measured strength to form a signal pattern over a time period; and determining a position of the user equipment based on the signal pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventors: Lee Jihoon, Kim Junghoon, Lee Konju
  • Patent number: 9627752
    Abstract: An RF receiving circuit unit that receives a GPS satellite signal from a GPS satellite is intermittently driven by a first driving control of intermittently driving the RF receiving circuit unit with a first intermittent driving pattern and a multistage driving control of intermittently driving the RF receiving circuit unit with a multistage intermittent driving pattern in which a driving period in the first intermittent driving pattern is set to a second intermittent driving pattern of which an intermittent cycle is shorter than that of the first intermittent driving pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Gobara
  • Patent number: 9625573
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing an estimate of a location of a user receiver device. The method and system involve emitting from at least one vehicle at least one spot beam on Earth, and receiving with the user receiver device a signal from at least one spot beam. In one or more embodiments, at least one vehicle may be a satellite and/or a pseudolite. The method and system further involve calculating with the user receiver device the estimate of the location of the user receiver device according to the user receiver device's location within at least one spot beam. In some embodiments, when the user receiver device receives signals from at least two spot beams, the user receiver device calculates the estimate of the location of the user receiver device to be located in the center of the intersection of at least two spot beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: David A. Whelan, Gregory M. Gutt, Robert W. Brumley, Michael L. Eglington, Christopher J. Martens, Anne T. Haddad, Rachel Rané Schmalzried
  • Patent number: 9620866
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a phase array radar system having a fragmented array. In one embodiment, subarrays forming a generally rectangular shape are disposed on the surface of a truncated cone or a dome so that gaps are formed between adjacent segments of subarrays or between every adjacent subarrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Yueh-Chi Chang, Peter R. Drake, Yuchoi F. Lok
  • Patent number: 9606515
    Abstract: Provided is a satellite radio-controlled watch, which is capable of holding back a receiving operation when in a posture that does not allow normal reception of a satellite signal, and is capable of performing a receiving operation under conditions varied to suit the type of reference information to be obtained. The satellite radio-controlled watch includes: a reception circuit (31) for receiving a satellite signal; and a controller (47) for sequentially detecting a received light amount of the satellite radio-controlled watch, calculating a received light variation which is an amount of change of the received light amount, and controlling the reception circuit (31) to start an operation of receiving the satellite signal, based on the received light variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takushi Hagita, Akira Kato, Akinari Takada
  • Patent number: 9606217
    Abstract: Disparate positional data derived from one or more positional determinative resources are fused with peer-to-peer relational data to provide an object with a collaborative positional awareness. An object collects positional determinative information from one or more positional resources so to independently determine its spatial location. That determination is thereafter augmented by peer-to-peer relational information that can be used to enhance positional determination and modify behavioral outcomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: 5D Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Bruemmer, Benjamin C. Hardin, Curtis W. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9585598
    Abstract: A system for determining the dimensional coordinates of a point of interest in a work space, includes a plurality of fixed-position ranging radios, located at known positions in the work space, and a wand having a first end configured for indicating a point of interest. A pair of ranging radios are mounted on the wand. A measurement circuit, responsive to the pair of ranging radios, determines the position of each of the pair of ranging radios with respect to the plurality of fixed-position ranging radios, and determines the position of the first end of the wand with respect to the plurality of fixed position ranging radios. A robotic total station may be used in lieu of the fixed-position ranging radios to monitor the positions of retroreflective elements on the wand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventor: Kent Kahle
  • Patent number: 9581677
    Abstract: At least two input signals, each characterizing a radio signal having a radio frequency (RF), are received. The input signals are converted into at least three output signals. The output signals have a unique combination of corresponding magnitudes for each RF phase difference between the input signals. A set of magnitudes corresponding to the output signals is measured using a mobile measuring device. An RF phase angle value is determined based the measured set of magnitudes. The RF phase angle value is converted into an angle value indicative of the direction of arrival of the radio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Q. Oakley
  • Patent number: 9577734
    Abstract: A method of configuring a beam forming antenna in a communication network that comprises a first node where the beam forming antenna is located, second nodes and at least one destination node, communication links being established between said first node and said at least one destination node through at least some of said second nodes. The method comprises: emitting a signal by the beam forming antenna configured with a first set of antenna parameters; the same signal being sent from the first node to several second nodes; obtaining, for a plurality of communication links through which the signal has been sent, at least one physical magnitude representing the distortion caused by each communication link to the signal; aggregating said physical magnitudes of said plurality of communication links; and obtaining a second set of antenna parameters for configuring the beam forming antenna in accordance with said aggregated physical magnitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Philippe Le Bars, Alain Caillerie, Mounir Achir
  • Patent number: 9547086
    Abstract: A method of advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring of a navigation system is discussed and two modifications facilitating its implementation in a hybrid navigation system are disclosed. In the first approach, relations describing the effect of unmodeled biases in pseudo-measurement on the Kalman filter state estimate are analytically derived and their incorporation into the integrity monitoring algorithm is described. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from space-based satellites, determining a position full-solution and sub-solutions, specifying a pseudorange bias, computing a transformation matrix for the full-solution and all sub-solutions using a Kalman filter, computing a bias effect on an error of filtered state vectors of all sub-solutions, and adding the effect to computed vertical and horizontal protection levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jindrich Dunik, Martin Orejas, Zdenek Kana
  • Patent number: 9541628
    Abstract: A position detection system includes a responder configured to be carried by a user; interrogators, and a position detection unit configured to detect the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideto Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9541650
    Abstract: A satellite positioning method, a satellite pseudorange calculation apparatus and a satellite pseudorange calculation method thereof are provided. The satellite pseudorange calculation apparatus is used for calculating a pseudorange between a satellite and a satellite positioning receiving device, wherein the pseudorange includes an integer code value and a fractional code value. The satellite pseudorange calculation apparatus comprises a receiver and a processor electrically connected with the receiver. The receiver is configured to receive a code phase from a satellite signal acquisition unit, and the processor is configured to calculate the fractional code value according to the code phase. The receiver is further configured to define an approximation position and calculate the integer code value according to the approximate position and the fractional code value. The satellite positioning method is used for positioning the satellite positioning receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Li, He-Sheng Wang, Emery Jou, Shu-Min Chuang, Shan-Yaun Yang, Chih-Min Hsu
  • Patent number: 9537212
    Abstract: An antenna array system for directing and steering an antenna beam is described in accordance with the present invention. The antenna array system may include a feed waveguide having a feed waveguide length, at least two directional couplers in signal communication with the feed waveguide, at least two pairs of planar coupling slots along the feed waveguide length, and at least two horn antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold A. Rosen, Paul J. Tatomir, Parthasarathy Ramanujam, Sasha J. Courtade, Joshua Maxwell Rutheiser
  • Patent number: 9529092
    Abstract: A method for detecting and mitigating errors in a positioning system includes receiving a first signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) indicative of a first position and a second signal from the GNSS indicative of a second position of a machine, determining a difference between the first position and the second position, detecting an error in a current position of the machine when the difference between the first and the second position exceeds a threshold of one of (a) a maximum distance given a maximum velocity, and (b) an actual distance determined based on an output of an inertial sensor on the machine, and mitigating the detected error in the current position of the machine by switching from an output of the positioning system to a position output determined based upon the output of the inertial sensor to update the current position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Friend, Michael Taylor, Steven R. Krause, Andrew Whitten
  • Patent number: 9519043
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for determining the accuracy of network based user equipment (UE) locating methods and results thereof are disclosed. Periodic direct measurements of location error for a network based location result are determined by the difference in the network based location result and an assisted global positioning system (AGPS) location result. The location error is associated with a cell-pair contributing to data employed to determine the network based location result. The error associated with the cell-pair is then applied as a measure of accuracy in future network based location results that also employ data associated with the cell-pair to determine the future network based location result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Fix, Mario Kosseifi, Sheldon Meredith
  • Patent number: 9519062
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for mitigation of interference of GPS signals are disclosed providing selective mitigation of in-band interference implementing deterministic phase control. In one embodiment, a system for mitigating interference of GPS signals includes a pair of antennas, each receiving GPS signals that include both a desired signal component and a jammer signal component. The signal from one antenna is phase-shifted as needed to make it anti-phase with the signal from the other antenna, so that when the two signals are combined, the jammer signal components substantially cancel each other, leaving the desired signal components. Determining the phase shift required involves deterministically calculating the phase shift based on the amplitudes of the two input signals and the amplitude of the combined signal instead of the iterative techniques used in conventional systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Physical Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick Vosburgh, Charley Theodore Wilson, III
  • Patent number: 9513361
    Abstract: A system and related method is disclosed including a symmetrical array of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements. Within the array a plurality of dual polarization sub-arrays comprised of individual BAVA elements oriented in a first polarization and individual BAVA elements oriented in a second polarization. The plurality of sub-arrays maintains low mutual coupling and cross polarization rejection between sub-arrays within the array and between elements within the sub-array. As a signal is received by each of the individual BAVA elements, signals from each first polarized BAVA element and each second polarized BAVA element of a sub-array are combined to produce a single signal of the first polarization and a single signal of the second polarization per sub-array. A DF processor receives the two signals and determines the angle of arrival of the signal. A communications link within the array sends and receives information and commands for array operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Wajih A. Elsallal, James B. West
  • Patent number: 9507018
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first array including sensors; a second array including sensors that are not collinear with the sensors of the first array except for a sensor that defines the origin of a spatial phase; and a signal processing unit that generates covariance matrices including a first covariance matrix and a second covariance matrix based on reflected waves received by the first and second arrays from targets, estimates first angles of the targets based on the first covariance matrix, reproduces an angle matrix based on the estimated first angles, performs triangular decomposition on the product of a generalized inverse matrix of the angle matrix and the second covariance matrix to obtain a matrix, constructs a similarity transformation problem from submatrices of the obtained matrix, and estimates second angles of the targets based on the estimated first angles and solutions of the similarity transformation problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Kazuo Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 9496612
    Abstract: A transmission system and method for use in a mobile communication network comprising an active antenna arrangement of multiple antennas. The active antenna arrangement comprising several pairs of radiofrequency sub-modules each radiofrequency sub-module including a first phase shifter module, a TRX module and a radiating antenna element and where an dynamic phase offset is applied to one of the sub-modules of each pair, and where the phase offset vector is selected according to the signal quality received by users of the mobile communication network using an algorithm which minimizes the duration of the selection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventors: Yannick Le Pezennec, Javier Lopez Roman, Brendan McWilliams