Patents by Inventor Austin A. Richards
Austin A. Richards 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).
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Publication number: 20140168439Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for some embodiments infrared camera systems for maritime applications. For example in one embodiment, a watercraft includes a plurality of image capture components coupled to the watercraft to capture infrared images around at least a substantial portion of a perimeter of the watercraft; a memory component adapted to store the captured infrared images; a processing component adapted to process the captured infrared images according to a man overboard mode of operation to provide processed infrared images and determine if a person falls from the watercraft; and a display component adapted to display the processed infrared images.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2014Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey D. Frank, Patrick B. Richardson, James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards, Nicholas Högasten
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Patent number: 8749635Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for infrared camera systems and methods for dual sensor applications. For example, in one embodiment, an enhanced vision system comprises an image capture component having a visible light sensor to capture visible light images and an infrared sensor to capture infrared images. The system comprises a first control component adapted to provide a plurality of selectable processing modes to a user, receive a user input corresponding to a user selected processing mode, and generate a control signal indicative of the user selected processing mode, wherein the plurality of selectable processing modes includes a visible light only mode, infrared only mode, and a combined visible-infrared mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Högasten, Jeffrey S. Scott, Patrick B. Richardson, Jeffrey D. Frank, Austin A. Richards, James T. Woolaway
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Publication number: 20140093133Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using small form factor infrared imaging modules to monitor occupants in an interior compartment of a vehicle. For example, a vehicle-mounted system may include one or more infrared imaging modules, a processor, a memory, alarm sirens, and a communication module. The vehicle-mounted system may be mounted on, installed in, or otherwise integrated into a vehicle that has an interior compartment. The infrared imaging modules may be configured to capture thermal images of desired portions of the interior compartments. Various thermal image processing and analytics may be performed on the captured thermal images to determine the presence and various attributes of one or more occupants. Based on the determination of the presence and various attributes, occupant detection information and/or control signals may be generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey D. Frank, Austin A. Richards, Victoria L. White, Nile E. Fairfield, Arthur Stout, David W. Lee, Nicholas Högasten, Theodore R. Hoelter, Katrin Strandemar
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Patent number: 8659661Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for some embodiments infrared camera systems for maritime applications. For example in one embodiment, a watercraft includes a plurality of image capture components coupled to the watercraft to capture infrared images around at least a substantial portion of a perimeter of the watercraft; a memory component adapted to store the captured infrared images; a processing component adapted to process the captured infrared images according to a man overboard mode of operation to provide processed infrared images and determine if a person falls from the watercraft; and a display component adapted to display the processed infrared images.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey D. Frank, Patrick B. Richardson, James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards, Nicholas Högasten
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Publication number: 20130314536Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using small form factor infrared imaging modules to monitor occupants in an interior compartment of a vehicle. For example, a vehicle-mounted system may include one or more infrared imaging modules, a processor, a memory, alarm sirens, and a communication module. The vehicle-mounted system may be mounted on, installed in, or otherwise integrated into a vehicle that has an interior compartment. The infrared imaging modules may be configured to capture thermal images of desired portions of the interior compartments. Various thermal image processing and analytics may be performed on the captured thermal images to determine the presence and various attributes of one or more occupants. Based on the determination of the presence and various attributes, occupant detection information and/or control signals may be generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey D. Frank, Austin A. Richards, Victoria L. White, Nile E. Fairfield, Arthur Stout, David W. Lee, Nicholas Högasten, Theodore R. Hoelter, Katrin Strandemar
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Patent number: 8528180Abstract: A method for attenuating vibration in a driveline having a shaft assembly that transmits torque between first and second driveline components. The shaft assembly can have a hollow shaft member and at least one liner. The liner has a mass and a stiffness that are tuned such that the liner is a tuned resistive absorber for attenuating shell mode vibrations as well as at least one of a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating bending mode vibrations and a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating torsion mode vibrations. The tuned liner is inserted into the shaft member.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2012Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Zhaohui Sun, David Paul Schankin, Dumitru Florin Patrascu, Austin Richard Gerding
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Publication number: 20130208125Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide an image capture component adapted to capture an infrared image, a control component adapted to provide a plurality of selectable processing modes to a user, receive a user input corresponding to a user selected processing mode, generate a control signal indicative of the user selected processing mode and transmit the generated control signal. The user selected processing modes, for example, may be directed to maritime applications, such as night docking, man overboard, night cruising, day cruising, hazy conditions, and/or shoreline modes. The systems and methods further provide a processing component adapted to receive the generated control signal from the control component, process the captured infrared image according to the user selected processing mode, and generate a processed infrared image, and a display component adapted to display the processed infrared image.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2007Publication date: August 15, 2013Inventors: Patrick B. Richardson, Jeffrey D. Frank, Austin A. Richards, Nicholas Hogasten, James T. Woolaway
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Patent number: 8384780Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for some embodiments infrared camera systems for maritime applications. For example in one embodiment, a watercraft includes a plurality of image capture components coupled to the watercraft to capture infrared images around at least a substantial portion of a perimeter of the watercraft; a memory component adapted to store the captured infrared images; a processing component adapted to process the captured infrared images according to a man overboard mode of operation to provide processed infrared images and determine if a person falls from the watercraft; and a display component adapted to display the processed infrared images.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey D. Frank, Patrick B. Richardson, James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards, Nicholas Högasten
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Publication number: 20120224063Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide, for some embodiments, infrared cameras and target position acquisition techniques for various applications. For example, in one embodiment, a system may include a portable imaging/viewing subsystem having a target position finder and may also include a fixed mount camera subsystem having a camera and a camera positioner. A communications link may be configured to communicate a signal from the target position finder to the camera positioner. The signal may be representative of a position of a target being imaged/viewed with the portable imaging/viewing subsystem. The camera positioner may aim the camera toward the target in response to the signal. The target may, for example, be a man overboard. Thus, the system may be useful in search and rescue operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: William A. Terre, Jeffrey D. Frank, James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards, Patrick B. Richardson, Nicholas Högasten
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Publication number: 20120192425Abstract: A method for attenuating vibration in a driveline having a shaft assembly that transmits torque between first and second driveline components. The shaft assembly can have a hollow shaft member and at least one liner. The liner has a mass and a stiffness that are tuned such that the liner is a tuned resistive absorber for attenuating shell mode vibrations as well as at least one of a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating bending mode vibrations and a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating torsion mode vibrations. The tuned liner is inserted into the shaft member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Inventors: Zhaohui Sun, David Paul Schankin, Dumitru Florin Patrascu, Austin Richard Gerding
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Patent number: 8176613Abstract: A method for attenuating vibration in a driveline having a shaft assembly that transmits torque between first and second driveline components. The shaft assembly can have a hollow shaft member and at least one liner. The liner has a mass and a stiffness that are tuned such that the liner is a tuned resistive absorber for attenuating shell mode vibrations as well as at least one of a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating bending mode vibrations and a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating torsion mode vibrations. The tuned liner is inserted into the shaft member.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Zhaohui Sun, David Paul Schankin, Dumitru Florin Patrascu, Austin Richard Gerding
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Publication number: 20110279673Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for various embodiments of maritime control components. For example in one embodiment, a control component, adapted to be used with a watercraft, includes a mounting feature adapted to mount the control component to a steering wheel of the watercraft, and a mode selector of the control component adapted to receive and transmit a first user input signal corresponding to a user selected mode of operation from a plurality of selectable modes of operation including a map mode, a sonar mode, a fishfinder mode, a radar mode, an autopilot pattern mode, an entertainment mode, and/or a maritime mode. The control component further includes an increase/decrease actuator adapted to receive and transmit a second user input signal corresponding to a user selection within the user selected mode of operation. Embodiments of a watercraft and a method of display control are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2010Publication date: November 17, 2011Applicant: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Andrew C. Teich, Allen Frechette, Jeffrey D. Frank, James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards, Patrick B. Richardson, Nicholas Högasten
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Patent number: 7885536Abstract: Systems and techniques for improving the dynamic range of infrared detection systems and for determining physical properties of a graybody are disclosed. For example, a mechanical superframing technique may comprise positioning a first set of filters in the optical path of an infrared camera at a first time, receiving infrared light from an object through the first set of filters at a detector array, acquiring first subframe image data for the object, positioning a second set of filters in the optical path of the infrared camera at a later time, receiving infrared light from the object through the second set of filters, acquiring second subframe image data for the object, and generating first superframe data based on at least some of the first subframe image data and at least some of the second subframe image data.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2009Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.Inventors: Austin A. Richards, Shariff D'Souza
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Publication number: 20100309315Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for infrared camera systems and methods for dual sensor applications. For example, in one embodiment, an enhanced vision system comprises an image capture component having a visible light sensor to capture visible light images and an infrared sensor to capture infrared images. The system comprises a first control component adapted to provide a plurality of selectable processing modes to a user, receive a user input corresponding to a user selected processing mode, and generate a control signal indicative of the user selected processing mode, wherein the plurality of selectable processing modes includes a visible light only mode, infrared only mode, and a combined visible-infrared mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Hogasten, Jeffrey S. Scott, Patrick B. Richardson, Jeffrey D. Frank, Austin A. Richards, James T. Woolaway
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Patent number: 7839291Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to monitor a body of water. For example in accordance with an embodiment, a system includes a first camera having a long wave infrared (LWIR) sensor to provide an image data stream of a body of water; means for analyzing the image data stream to determine if a person in the body of water is submerged; and means for providing an alert signal if the person is submerged for more than a specified period of time.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.Inventor: Austin A. Richards
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Publication number: 20100281673Abstract: A method for attenuating vibration in a driveline having a shaft assembly that transmits torque between first and second driveline components. The shaft assembly can have a hollow shaft member and at least one liner. The liner has a mass and a stiffness that are tuned such that the liner is a tuned resistive absorber for attenuating shell mode vibrations as well as at least one of a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating bending mode vibrations and a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating torsion mode vibrations. The tuned liner is inserted into the shaft member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Inventors: Zhaohui Sun, David Paul Schankin, Dimitru Florin Patrascu, Austin Richard Gerding
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Patent number: 7750301Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein, as an example, to provide microbolometer resonant cavity tuning techniques and calibration techniques in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of operating an array of microbolometers on a substrate of an infrared camera system includes filtering infrared radiation to pass a first infrared radiation wavelength and to block a second infrared radiation wavelength, wherein the first infrared radiation wavelength is different than the second infrared radiation wavelength; setting a spacing between the microbolometers and the substrate to approximately tune the microbolometers to the second infrared radiation wavelength which is blocked by the filtering; and determining calibration data for the microbolometers.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2007Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Flir Systems, Inc.Inventors: James T. Woolaway, Austin A. Richards
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Patent number: 7717797Abstract: A drivetrain that includes a drivetrain component, a flange structure, a yoke flange, a female guide portion and a male guide portion. The drivetrain component has a shaft that is rotatable about an axis. The flange structure is fixedly but removably coupled to the shaft. The female guide portion is directly coupled to one of the shaft and the yoke flange. The male guide portion is directly coupled to the other one of the shaft and the yoke flange. The male guide portion engages the female guide portion to thereby align the yoke flange to the axis. The yoke flange and the flange structure are fixedly but removably coupled to one another.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2008Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Austin Richard Gerding, Salvatore N. Grupido, Marc M. Menosky, Thomas J. Oldenburg
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Patent number: 7634157Abstract: Systems and techniques for imaging spectroscopy using improved data acquisition for infrared and near-infrared imaging. A first filter corresponding to a first wavelength may be positioned in the optical path of an infrared camera, and subframe data may be acquired for different exposures. A second filter corresponding to a second different wavelength may be positioned in the optical path of the infrared camera, and subframe data acquired for different exposures. Image data for the first wavelength and the second wavelength may then be compared to reference spectroscopic data.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Austin A. Richards, Shariff D'Souza
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Patent number: 7606484Abstract: Systems and techniques for improving the dynamic range of infrared detection systems. For example, a mechanical superframing technique may comprise positioning a first filter in the optical path of an infrared camera at a first time, receiving infrared light from an object through the first filter at a detector array, acquiring first subframe image data for the object, positioning a second filter in the optical path of the infrared camera at a later time, receiving infrared light from the object through the second filter, acquiring second subframe image data for the object, and generating first superframe data based on at least some of the first subframe image data and at least some of the second subframe image data.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.Inventors: Austin A. Richards, Shariff D'Souza