Patents by Inventor Brian G. Westfall

Brian G. Westfall 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: 6014114
    Abstract: An antenna structure has a radiating element and a ground plane. The ground plane has a central region relatively closely spaced apart from the radiating element and a peripheral region extending away from the central region. The peripheral region comprises at least one conductive layer that extends radially beyond the radiating element and provides a sheet resistivity higher than that of the radiating element. Though physically small, the ground plane simulates an infinite ground plane, and the antenna structure reduces multipath signals caused by reflection from the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Brian G. Westfall, Kevin B. Stephenson
  • Patent number: 5986615
    Abstract: An antenna structure has a radiating element and a ground plane. The ground plane has a central region relatively closely spaced apart from the radiating element and a peripheral region extending away from the central region. The peripheral region comprises at least the conductive layer that extends radially beyond the radiating element and provides a sheet resistivity higher than that of the radiating element. Though physically small, the ground plane simulates an infinite ground plane, and the antenna structure reduces multipath signals caused by reflection from the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Brian G. Westfall, Kevin B. Stephenson
  • Patent number: 5694136
    Abstract: An antenna structure has a radiating element and a ground plane. The ground plane has a central region relatively closely spaced apart from the radiating element and a peripheral region extending away from the central region. At least the peripheral region of the ground plane has a sheet resistivity that increases as radial distance from the central region increases. Though physically small, the ground plane simulates an infinite ground plane, and the antenna structure reduces multipath signals caused by reflection from the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation
    Inventor: Brian G. Westfall
  • Patent number: 5568162
    Abstract: An antenna system comprises a stack of elements that include a GPS patch antenna on a groundplane with an associated low-noise amplifier (LNA), a first Faraday shield of flat ribbon cable covering a first ferrite rod magnetic field antenna, a second ferrite rod magnetic field antenna separated from and orthogonal to the first ferrite rod magnetic field antenna, a second Faraday shield of flat ribbon cable covering the second ferrite rod magnetic field antenna and having a LNA for each of the ferrite rod magnetic field antennas. A third Faraday shield is positioned between the first and second ferrite rod magnetic field antennas. All the Faraday shields are connected to ground such that there are no loops that may act as shorted turns to avoid desensitizing the ferrite rod magnetic field antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Robert A. Samsel, Brian G. Westfall, Stephen K. Will