Patents by Inventor Charles H. Hightower

Charles H. Hightower 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: 8541726
    Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles H. Hightower, Jeff E. Frericks, Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan
  • Publication number: 20130140911
    Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles H. Hightower, Jeff E. Frericks, Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan
  • Patent number: 8263920
    Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles H. Hightower, Jeff E. Frericks, Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan
  • Publication number: 20110073150
    Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles H. Hightower, Jeff E. Frericks, Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan
  • Patent number: 5428361
    Abstract: Low time-bandwidth product linear frequency modulated chirp pulses are repetitively generated as contiguous subpulses to form a pulse of extended duration with each subpulse respectively mixed with one of a plurality of stepped intermediated frequencies so that the bandwidth of the contiguous subpulses is increased to the frequency bandwidth of all of the stepped intermediate frequencies such that the contiguous signal formed has a linearly varying frequency over the increased bandwidth and increased pulse duration, providing a large time-bandwidth product linear frequency modulated chirp waveform particularly useful in radar systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Charles H. Hightower, Ralph I. Kratzer