Patents by Inventor Anthony R Pratt

Anthony R Pratt 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: 8995575
    Abstract: Techniques for processing a navigation signal are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method processing a navigation signal, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, using a receiver, the navigation signal, the navigation signal comprising a carrier signal, a data signal and at least one ranging code modulated by at least one stepped subcarrier modulation signal, the at least one stepped subcarrier modulation signal comprising a number, m, of amplitude levels, where m>2, and wherein the amplitude levels have respective magnitudes and durations arranged to influence the power spectrum of the navigation signal is constrained in a predetermined manner, processing the navigation signal to recover the modulated at least one ranging code; and processing the recovered at least one modulated ranging code to recover at least one demodulated ranging code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Secretary of State for Defence
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John Ivor Rewbridge Owen
  • Patent number: 8649415
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to produce a modulation signal comprising combining at least two modulation signals, for example, BOCs or derivatives thereof, having portions (chip or a number of chips) thereof with respective relative phases or states ({++,??} and {+?,?+}) selected such that the average of a plurality of said portions at least reduces cross spectral terms of the composite complex spectrum of said at least two modulation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John I. R. Owen
  • Publication number: 20120281736
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to produce a modulation signal comprising combining at least two modulation signals, for example, BOCs or derivatives thereof, having portions (chip or a number of chips) thereof with respective relative phases or states ({++,??} and {+?,?+}) selected such that the average of a plurality of said portions at least reduces cross spectral terms of the composite complex spectrum of said at least two modulation signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE
    Inventors: Anthony R. PRATT, John I. R. OWEN
  • Publication number: 20120269235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a modulation system in which an m-level, m>2, digital subcarrier is used to modulate a signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SECRETARY OF STATE OF DEFENCE
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John I. Owen
  • Patent number: 8233518
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to produce a modulation signal comprising combining at least two modulation signals, for example, BOCs or derivatives thereof, having portions (chip or a number of chips) thereof with respective relative phases or states ({++, ??} and {+?, ?+}) selected such that the average of a plurality of said portions at least reduces cross spectral terms of the composite complex spectrum of said at least two modulation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John I. R. Owen
  • Publication number: 20110051781
    Abstract: A method of generating a subcarrier modulation signal for modulating a further signal, the method involving multiplexing or selectively combining portions of first and second subcarriers to produce the subcarrier modulation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John I. Owen
  • Publication number: 20090279592
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to produce a modulation signal comprising combining at least two modulation signals, for example, BOCs or derivatives thereof, having portions (chip or a number of chips) thereof with respective relative phases or states ({++, ?} and {+?, ?+}) selected such that the average of a plurality of said portions at least reduces cross spectral terms of the composite complex spectrum of said at least two modulation signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony R. Pratt, John I.R Owen
  • Patent number: 6901265
    Abstract: In a mobile unit housing a two-way communications subsystem and a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver subsystem, the communications subsystem includes a training signal generator for generating a training signal mimicing a positioning signal transmitted by a remote SPS transmitter. The training signal is frequency-coupled to a reference frequency source contained within and used by the communications subsystem, which source is, itself, stabilized by means of communication with a remote station, e.g. a base station in a cellular telephone system. In a training sequence, the training signal is activated and coupled into the SPS receiver subsystem, and a replica signal generator for generating a carrier replica signal for position-fixing purposes is controlled so as to bring the carrier replica signal into aliment with the training signal. Information representative of the control setting of the replica signal generator corresponding to such alignment is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Parthus (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Anthony R Pratt
  • Patent number: 6664921
    Abstract: Apparatus for receiving ranging signals (e.g. signals from Global Positioning System satellites) has a receiver coupled to a plurality of spaced antennas. The receiver includes a signal combiner which receives, from a processing circuit, signal components individually representative of a characteristic of the received ranging signals (e.g. signal-to-noise ratio) at a respective antenna and weights the said components to produce a range estimate of improved accuracy in difficult reception conditions. In one embodiment receiver includes a common i.f. channel which filters a combination signal representative of all the incoming signals in order substantially to maintain phase coherence between the incoming signals, yielding improvements in carrier phase measurement and discrimination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Parthus (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt
  • Patent number: 6539305
    Abstract: Positioning apparatus for use in a moving vehicle includes circuitry arranged to process signals received from GPS satellites, and to provide signals in response thereto from which the position of the apparatus can be calculated at a remote station. The apparatus provides, for each satellite in view, carrier frequency estimation signals, samples of the carrier signals and code tracking signals to a data transmission device, which modulates the signals onto a carrier prior to transmission to the remote station. A carrier loop reconstruction device and a location processor in the remote station co-operate to determine the location of the positioning apparatus. A memory device may record signals received over a period of time, from which mission replay may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt
  • Publication number: 20030017834
    Abstract: In a mobile unit housing a two-way communications subsystem and a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver subsystem, the communications subsystem includes a training signal generator for generating a training signal mimicing a positioning signal transmitted by a remote SPS transmitter. The training signal is frequency-coupled to a reference frequency source contained within and used by the communications subsystem, which source is, itself, stabilized by means of communication with a remote station, e.g. a base station in a cellular telephone system. In a training sequence, the training signal is activated and coupled into the SPS receiver subsystem, and a replica signal generator for generating a carrier replica signal for position-fixing purposes is controlled so as to bring the carrier replica signal into aliment with the training signal. Information representative of the control setting of the replica signal generator corresponding to such alignment is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt
  • Publication number: 20020183925
    Abstract: Positioning apparatus for use in a moving vehicle includes circuitry arranged to process signals received from GPS satellites, and to provide signals in response thereto from which the position of the apparatus can be calculated at a remote station. The apparatus provides, for each satellite in view, carrier frequency estimation signals, samples of the carrier signals and code tracking signals to a data transmission device, which modulates the signals onto a carrier prior to transmission to the remote station. A carrier loop reconstruction device and a location processor in the remote station co-operate to determine the location of the positioning apparatus. A memory device may record signals received over a period of time, from which mission replay may be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt
  • Publication number: 20020033766
    Abstract: Apparatus for receiving ranging signals (e.g. signals from Global Positioning System satellites) has a receiver coupled to a plurality of spaced antennas. The receiver includes a signal combiner which receives, from a processing circuit, signal components individually representative of a characteristic of the received ranging signals (e.g. signal-to-noise ratio) at a respective antenna and weights the said components to produce a range estimate of improved accuracy in difficult reception conditions. In one embodiment receiver includes a common i.f. channel which filters a combination signal representative of all the incoming signals in order substantially to maintain phase coherence between the incoming signals, yielding improvements in carrier phase measurement and discrimination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt
  • Patent number: 6283052
    Abstract: A tufting machine has a reciprocating needle bar which may be shifted laterally by a drive which includes at least one linear motor. Each linear motor has two major elements which may be coupled together electromagnetically. One of the elements is connected to a fixed portion of the tufting machine and another of the elements is connected to the needle bar. When electrical power is supplied to the motor, the element connected to the needle bar moves relatively to the other thereby moving the needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Spencer Wright Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony R. Pratt