Patents by Inventor Alan R. Keith

Alan R. Keith 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: 9929587
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Radio Frequency (“RF”) Energy Harvesting System (“RFHS”). The RFHS includes a phased array antenna, a power harvesting unit, and a controller. The phased array antenna is configured to receive ambient RF energy and, in response, produce an input power signal. The power harvesting unit is in signal communication with the phased array antenna and includes a rectifier module, storage module, and power threshold module. The power harvesting unit is configured to receive the input power signal and, in response, produce a rectified power signal. The controller is in signal communication with the phased array antenna and may steer the antenna beam of the phased array antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Authi A. Narayanan, Alan R. Keith
  • Publication number: 20170250559
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Radio Frequency (“RF”) Energy Harvesting System (“RFHS”). The RFHS includes a phased array antenna, a power harvesting unit, and a controller. The phased array antenna is configured to receive ambient RF energy and, in response, produce an input power signal. The power harvesting unit is in signal communication with the phased array antenna and includes a rectifier module, storage module, and power threshold module. The power harvesting unit is configured to receive the input power signal and, in response, produce a rectified power signal. The controller is in signal communication with the phased array antenna and may steer the antenna beam of the phased array antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: AUTHI A. NARAYANAN, ALAN R. KEITH
  • Patent number: 7605770
    Abstract: A flap antenna may include a radio frequency (RF) feed and a shaped reflector formed in a selected shape to reflect electromagnetic radiation to or from the RF feed. The flap antenna may also include a flap reflector to reflect the electromagnetic radiation to or from the shaped reflector. The flap reflector may be a flat plate or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Yong U. Kim, Alan R. Keith, Joseph B. Aday
  • Patent number: 7602337
    Abstract: An antenna system may include an antenna array which includes a plurality of radiating elements. The system may also include a phase shifter controller and algorithm to apply a non-periodic modulation to an excitation of each radiating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Chang W. Choi, Alan R. Keith, Wesley F. Walloch
  • Publication number: 20080129595
    Abstract: An antenna system may include an antenna array which includes a plurality of radiating elements. The system may also include a phase shifter controller and algorithm to apply a non-periodic modulation to an excitation of each radiating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Chang W. Choi, Alan R. Keith, Wesley F. Walloch
  • Publication number: 20080111754
    Abstract: An antenna module for an electronically scanned phased array antenna is provided. In various embodiments, the module includes a transmit/receive (T/R) module layer including a plurality of T/R modules. The module additionally includes an external phase shifter layer that includes a plurality of sets of secondary phase shifters. Each secondary phase shifter set is associated with a specific one of the T/R modules. Furthermore, the module includes a horn antenna layer having a plurality of antenna horns. The horn antenna layer is positioned between the T/R module layer and the phase shifter layer such that each horn is aligned between one T/R module and the associated one of the sets of phase shifters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Gordon D. Osterhues, Alan R. Keith, Neal E. Tornberg, Percy C. Yen
  • Patent number: 7372420
    Abstract: An antenna module for an electronically scanned phased array antenna is provided. In various embodiments, the module includes a transmit/receive (T/R) module layer including a plurality of T/R modules. The module additionally includes an external phase shifter layer that includes a plurality of sets of secondary phase shifters. Each secondary phase shifter set is associated with a specific one of the T/R modules. Furthermore, the module includes a horn antenna layer having a plurality of antenna horns. The horn antenna layer is positioned between the T/R module layer and the phase shifter layer such that each horn is aligned between one T/R module and the associated one of the sets of phase shifters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gordon D Osterhues, Alan R Keith, Neal E Tornberg, Percy C Yen
  • Publication number: 20080100523
    Abstract: A flap antenna may include a radio frequency (RF) feed and a shaped reflector formed in a selected shape to reflect electromagnetic radiation to or from the RF feed. The flap antenna may also include a flap reflector to reflect the electromagnetic radiation to or from the shaped reflector. The flap reflector may be a flat plate or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yong U. Kim, Alan R. Keith, Joseph B. Aday
  • Patent number: 6618021
    Abstract: A satellite assembly 10 is provided, including an RF radiating element 12 including a plurality of RF choke elements 18, each of said plurality of RF choke elements 18 being defined by an RF dimensional set 20 including an RF depth 22 and an RF width 24. The satellite assembly 10 further includes a null aperture field zone 26 created by the plurality of RF choke elements 18, the null aperture field zone 26 created by tuning each of the RF dimensional sets 20. At least one field sensitive component 14 is positioned within said null aperture field zone 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Alan R. Keith, Robert L. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6166610
    Abstract: A tunable polarizer having a 90 degree phase shift section and two adjustable, or rotatable, 45 degree phase shift sections. Each section is separated by spacer to maintain independence and avoid interaction. When the two 45 degree phase shift sections and are orthogonal to each other, the polarization detected is determined by the 90 degree phase shift section which provides compatibility with circularly polarized signal. When the two 45 degree phase shift sections and are aligned, the polarizer is in a linear polarization compatibility mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Parthasarathy Ramanujam, Alan R. Keith
  • Patent number: 5576668
    Abstract: A system (12) operative with at least one electromagnetic wave to produce a circularly polarized wave includes a plurality of polarizer sections (56) disposed along a direction of propagation of one electromagnetic wave. The polarizer sections have opposed rows of phase shifting elements, in the form of rods (76), which are adjusted to provide a match to the orthogonal components of the wave. Penetration and spacing of phase shifting elements within each of the polarizing sections attains a match to the two orthogonal components of the wave and a differential phase shift between the two orthogonal components slightly in excess of a desired 90 degree orthogonal phase relationship. Upon a differential counter rotation between a first and a second of the polarizer sections, the total phase shift introduced by the polarizer sections is reduced to 90 degrees without significant shift in the match of the two orthogonal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Robert T. Clark, Alan R. Keith
  • Patent number: 5402137
    Abstract: Equalized offset fed east and west shaped reflectors (12) and (14) and technique for producing the same are provided herein. A first shaped reflector (12) has a first shaped reflective surface (3) formed to provide a first shaped beam radiation pattern (22). Dimensional deviations such as deviations (X) and (Y) are measured between the first shaped reflective surface (13) and a parent surface (30). A second shaped reflector (14) is formed with a shaped reflective surface (15) which has dimensional deviations superimposed on the other side of the parent surface (30). The second shaped reflector (12) is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first shaped reflector (14). The first and second shaped reflectors (12) and (14) are then placed in a configuration opposite one another and have shaped beam radiation patterns (22) and (24) which are substantially equal to one another. In addition, feed horns (18) and (20) are operatively coupled to the first and second shaped reflective surfaces (13) and (15) respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Parthasarathy Ramanujam, Alan R. Keith, Robert T. Clark