Patents by Inventor Alan M. Heins

Alan M. Heins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11175420
    Abstract: A data telemetry system and method digitizes acoustic sensor data. Acoustic sensor data is digitized and used to apply strain to a series of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) in a fiber. Each FBG is assigned a nominal wavelength. A wavelength interrogator launches wavelengths into the fiber and scans the reflected wavelengths from the FBGs. A data telemetry rate of at least 5 kHz may be achieved. Acoustic sensors may be part of undersea acoustic sensing arrays with large element counts having reduced system cabling and improved Size, Weight and Power (SWaP). The system and method realizes low power loss per array element and efficient multiplexing of many data streams in a small form factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Peter F Hallemeier, Alan M Heins
  • Publication number: 20200150301
    Abstract: A data telemetry system and method digitizes acoustic sensor data. Acoustic sensor data is digitized and used to apply strain to a series of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) in a fiber. Each FBG is assigned a nominal wavelength. A wavelength interrogator launches wavelengths into the fiber and scans the reflected wavelengths from the FBGs. A data telemetry rate of at least 5 kHz may be achieved. Acoustic sensors may be part of undersea acoustic sensing arrays with large element counts having reduced system cabling and improved Size, Weight and Power (SWaP). The system and method realizes low power loss per array element and efficient multiplexing of many data streams in a small form factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Peter F. Hallemeier, Alan M. Heins