Patents Examined by Harry Liu
  • Patent number: 9612325
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing distance and velocity measurements, such as by using carrier signals, are disclosed. A measurement method may include transmitting a first signal from an originator device to a transponder device and determining a carrier phase of the first signal at the transponder device. The measurement method may also include transmitting a second signal from the transponder device to the originator device and determining a carrier phase of the second signal at the originator device. The measurement method may include estimating a relative distance between the originator device and the transponder device using the carrier phase of the first carrier signal, the carrier phase of the second carrier signal. The method may also include estimating the relative distance using a frequency difference. The method may include using an adjusted relative distance to determine a total distance between the originator device and the transponder device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ENSCO, INC.
    Inventors: David W. A. Taylor, Jr., Bradley David Farnsworth, Edward Joseph Kreinar
  • Patent number: 9612316
    Abstract: A method and system for tracking at least one object using a plurality of pointing sensors and a tracking system are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, the tracking system is configured to receive a series of observation data relative to the at least one object over a time base for each of the plurality of pointing sensors. The observation data may include sensor position data, pointing vector data and observation error data. The tracking system may further determine a triangulation point using a magnitude of a shortest line connecting a line of sight value from each of the series of observation data from each of the plurality of sensors to the at least one object, and perform correlation processing on the observation data and triangulation point to determine if at least two of the plurality of sensors are tracking the same object. Observation data may also be branched, associated and pruned using new incoming observation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: J. Michael Griesmeyer
  • Patent number: 9612336
    Abstract: A method for detecting anomalies on satellite navigation signals consists in extracting the code error values delivered at the output of the N code discriminators, and comparing the extracted code error values with a same first threshold value corresponding to an acceptable maximum code error value and assigning a confidence index to each navigation signal received on each reception channel i, the confidence index depending on the result of the comparison carried out on the code error values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Damien Kubrak, Damien Serant
  • Patent number: 9612338
    Abstract: A method of acquiring a satellite signal in a GNSS receiver includes multiplying a received signal with a hypothesized doppler frequency signal to generate a frequency shifted signal. A PN code sequence signal is multiplied with the frequency shifted signal to generate a PN wiped signal. A windowing function signal is multiplied with the PN wiped signal to generate a windowed signal. The windowed signal is integrated coherently for a first predefined time to generate a coherent accumulated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Karthik Subburaj, Karthik Ramasubramanian, Jawaharlal Tangudu
  • Patent number: 9614279
    Abstract: A system for calibrating an array antenna comprises a calibration antenna at a first location relative to an array antenna, a first set of calibration files, and a processor. Based on received far field data from a far field data test that was run on the array antenna, using the calibration antenna, the processor is configured to generate a model predicting the actual location of the calibration antenna relative to the array antenna and to generate predicted far field data based on the model. The model is adjusted, if needed, by comparing the predicted far field data with the received far field data. Based on the model, new calibration files are generated that substantially correlate to the actual location of the calibration antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. McDevitt, David A. Brennan, Curtis Combs, Christopher A. Hamner, Macdonald J. Andrews, Joseph D. Corn
  • Patent number: 9606223
    Abstract: An electronic device for wirelessly tracking the position of a second electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes transceiver circuitry having a beacon generator to generate a beacon at a particular frequency and direction. An antenna array transmits the beacon, and receives at least one reflected beacon from the second electronic device. The reflected beacon is received if a position of the second electronic device lies within a range of directions of the beacon. The transceiver circuitry further includes an injection-locked oscillator having an input coupled to the antenna array to receive reflected beacons, and to lock to the reflected beacon when the reflected beacon has a frequency value within locking range of the oscillator. Processing circuitry coupled to the transceiver circuitry tracks the position of the second device based on the lock condition of the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Farshid Aryanfar, Marko Aleksić, Kambiz Kaviani
  • Patent number: 9599716
    Abstract: A processing module to monitor a horizontal delay gradient in satellite signals is provided. The processing module includes a dual-processing-satellite-differencing module, a double differencing module, and a gradient estimator module. The dual-processing-satellite-differencing module is operable to: receive carrier phase measurements for at least two satellites from at least two reference receivers; implement a first processing mode to normalize first satellite differences between +?/2 and ??/2; implement a second processing mode configured to normalize second satellite differences between 0 and ?; and select for further processing one of: data indicative of the first satellite differences processed according to the first processing mode; and data indicative of the second satellite differences processed according to the second processing mode. The double differencing module forms double-differences based on the selected data input from the dual-processing-satellite-differencing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Weed, Randy J. Reuter
  • Patent number: 9599718
    Abstract: A position information processing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can include a GPS receiver adapted and configured to receive a first satellite signal, an interdevice receiver adapted and configured to receive a second satellite signal from a mobile phone, a GPS information processor adapted and configured to compare the first satellite signal with the second satellite signal and generate a third satellite signal for calculating a current position, and a controller adapted and configured to use the third satellite signal to calculate coordinates of the current position. The proposed position information processing device uses the satellite signal that is received from the mobile phone, and therefore the accuracy of the position measurement can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 9590300
    Abstract: An electronically beam-steerable antenna device comprises a dielectric lens having at least one flat surface, a high frequency dielectric board, a plurality of at least one primary antenna element with at least one transmission line formed on the high frequency dielectric board, and a switching network electrically connected to the said plurality of at least one primary antenna element and at least one transmission line and adapted to apply electric power to the at least one primary antenna element. The switching network is a semiconductor integrated circuit mounted in or on the high frequency dielectric board, and the high frequency dielectric board with the plurality of at least one antenna element and at least one transmission line formed thereon is adjacent to the flat surface of the dielectric lens. The electronically beam steerable antenna device according to the present invention allows for electronic beam steering in a continuous angle sector while increasing radiation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Radio Gigabit, LLC
    Inventors: Aleksey Andreevich Artemenko, Roman Olegovich Maslennikov
  • Patent number: 9591438
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining position of a receiver. The positioning system comprises a transmitter network including transmitters that broadcast positioning signals. The positioning system comprises a remote receiver that acquires and tracks the positioning signals and/or satellite signals. The satellite signals are signals of a satellite-based positioning system. A first mode of the remote receiver uses terminal-based positioning in which the remote receiver computes a position using the positioning signals and/or the satellite signals. The positioning system comprises a server coupled to the remote receiver. A second operating mode of the remote receiver comprises network-based positioning in which the server computes a position of the remote receiver from the positioning signals and/or satellite signals, where the remote receiver receives and transfers to the server the positioning signals and/or satellite signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NextNav, LLC
    Inventors: Arun Raghupathy, Ganesh Pattabiraman, Subramanian S Meiyappan, Hari Sankar
  • Patent number: 9581700
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus tracking a global navigation satellite system signal. The method includes generating respective replica codes including an E code, P code, L code, first code and second code, calculating correlation values for a received satellite signal and the replica codes, discriminating between gradients of a plurality of slopes derived from correlation points respectively corresponding to the replica codes, and detecting a time delay due to multipath signal components according to a discrimination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-Hwan Hyun
  • Patent number: 9584909
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for implementing a distributed algorithm for beam-forming (e.g., MVDR beam-forming) using a message-passing algorithm. The message-passing algorithm provides for computations to be performed in a distributed manner across a network, rather than in a centralized processing center or “fusion center”. The message-passing algorithm may also function for any network topology, and may continue operations when various changes are made in the network (e.g., nodes appearing, nodes disappearing, etc.). Additionally, the message-passing algorithm may minimize the transmission power per iteration and, depending on the particular network, also may minimize the transmission power required for communication between network nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Heusdens, Guoqiang Zhang, Richard Hendriks, Yuan Zeng, Willem Bastiaan Kleijn
  • Patent number: 9581699
    Abstract: System and method for mean phase compensation of code and carrier phase distortions induced by Space Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) filters used for removing interferences from received GPS signals. The phase distortion is mitigated (without the use of beamforming) using a single STAP filter for processing the GPS satellite channels in which appropriate bundling of constraints is applied to the filter weights. The complete solution can be contained in the antenna electronics with no required changes to the legacy GPS receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mayflower Communications Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Jonathan Zarowski, Jianhui Luo, Huan-Wan Tseng
  • Patent number: 9568609
    Abstract: An attenuated satellite positioning system (SPS) signal is acquired using long integration over multiple navigation data bits. To produce a stable internal clock signal to perform the long integration, an external clock signal is received from a highly stable source, such as a wireless communication base station or a nearby femtocell. An internal oscillator is driven at a desired frequency that is aligned with the scaled frequency of the external clock signal to produce the stable internal clock signal. The SPS signal is received and integrated for an extended period using the internal clock signal. Predicted SPS data may be received from an external source and used to perform coherent integration. Alternatively, non-coherent integration may be performed. Additionally, a motion sensor may be used to determine if there is motion relative to the external clock source or to compensate for Doppler errors in the external clock signal due to motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mayur N. Shah, Wyatt Thomas Riley, Dominic Gerard Farmer
  • Patent number: 9562974
    Abstract: A multiple content message (MCM) base apparatus configured to generate a composite base data stream is proposed. A multiple content message (MCM) rover apparatus configured to generate a set of fast frequency baseline data is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Alexey D. Boriskin, Dmitry V. Ivanov, Dmitry G. Kozlov, Gleb A. Zyryanov
  • Patent number: 9564682
    Abstract: Several (in some cases many dozen) small antennae are integrated into or over a full body suit or clothing. These antennae preferably include an intra-suit or clothing wired connection to one or more small Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) radios, e.g., in the 3-10 GHz range. In some cases, each antenna connection includes a variable delay, e.g., a few nanoseconds with picoseconds-scale resolution on the delays, thus allowing for the body-suit ensemble to act as a directional phased-array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey B. Rhoads, Hugh L. Brunk
  • Patent number: 9558157
    Abstract: A sensor system, having a plurality of sensor elements configured such that they sense at least to some extent different primary measured variables use at least to some extent different measurement principles, a signal processing device. The signal processing device is configured to evaluate the sensor signals from the sensor elements at least to some extent collectively and rates the information quality of the sensor signals, wherein the signal processing device provides a piece of information about the accuracy of at least one datum of a physical variable. The signal processing device is configured such that the information about the accuracy is described in at least one characteristic quantity or a set of characteristic quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
    Inventors: Nico Steinhardt, Hermann Winner
  • Patent number: 9553363
    Abstract: A method for optimizing a phased array antenna. A predicted future health state for elements in the phased array antenna is identified. A configuration for the elements to use a radiation pattern based on the predicted future health state for the elements taking into account potential degradation of a group of the elements in the predicted future health state is also identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: David L. Allen, Gavin D. Holland
  • Patent number: 9551792
    Abstract: A system and method for improving acquisition sensitivity and tracking performance of a GPS receiver using multiple antennas is provided. In an embodiment, the acquisition sensitivity can be improved by determining the correlation weight of each received path signal associated with one antenna from a plurality of antennas and then combining the path signals based on their respective correlation weight. In another embodiment, carrier offset correction information of each path signal is individually determined and then summed together to be used for tracking the code phase in a code phase tracking loop. The code phase tracking loop generates an early code and a late code that are used to determine the code phase error. The system includes digital adaptive filters to mitigate narrowband and broadband noises of a received GPS signal, wherein the digital adaptive filters are switched on periodically or by external events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand K. Anandakumar, Maxime LeClercq
  • Patent number: 9547087
    Abstract: In embodiments of sync feedback for time to first fix (TTFF), satellite data signals are received from which a geographic position of a positioning-system device can be determined. The satellite data signals each include a time reference and ephemeris data that indicates an orbital position of a satellite. A sync feedback is generated that includes a time-free position fix determined from a satellite data signal before bit sync and/or frame sync of the satellite data signal are obtained. The sync feedback is then utilized as a feedback input to determine the bit sync and/or the frame sync of the satellite data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Wentao Zhang