Patents by Inventor Chris Hodgson

Chris Hodgson 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: 10837780
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for navigating mobile structures. The mobile structure may include a main attitude & heading reference system (AHRS) and one or more devices. The one or more devices may include a slave AHRS such as a gyroscope. Data may be transmitted from the main AHRS to the one or more devices through a network. Latency may be present in the transmission of data. As such, data from the slave AHRS may be used to determine changes in heading and/or attitude of the mobile structure to compensate for such latency. In addition, such data may be used to determine changes in wind direction and/or heading experienced by the mobile structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FLIR Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, Christopher Yeomans
  • Publication number: 20180106619
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for navigating mobile structures. The mobile structure may include a main attitude & heading reference system (AHRS) and one or more devices. The one or more devices may include a slave AHRS such as a gyroscope. Data may be transmitted from the main AHRS to the one or more devices through a network. Latency may be present in the transmission of data. As such, data from the slave AHRS may be used to determine changes in heading and/or attitude of the mobile structure to compensate for such latency. In addition, such data may be used to determine changes in wind direction and/or heading experienced by the mobile structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, Christopher Yeomans
  • Patent number: 9821892
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide wind sensor motion compensation for wind sensors mounted to moving platforms. A wind sensor motion compensation system may include a wind sensor, a wind sensor accelerometer, one or more additional sensors, actuators, controllers, user interfaces, and/or other modules mounted to or in proximity to a vehicle. The wind sensor motion compensation system may be implemented with one or more logic devices adapted to receive sensor signals and determine a sensor-motion compensated wind velocity. The logic devices may be adapted to receive a wind sensor acceleration and a relative wind velocity from a wind sensor, determine a wind sensor velocity from the wind sensor acceleration, and determine a sensor-motion compensated relative wind velocity from the wind sensor velocity and the relative wind velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson
  • Patent number: 9577312
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide polarization alignment for wireless networking systems. A polarization aligned wireless networking system may include one or more sensors, controllers, user interfaces, and/or other modules mounted to or in proximity to a vehicle. Antennas for each of the electronic devices may be implemented with linear polarization components that can be substantially aligned with a lateral axis of the vehicle. Each electronic device may be implemented with a logic device adapted to use a corresponding antenna to form one or more wireless links between the various electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, Matthieu Maindrou, Stuart Johnson
  • Publication number: 20150375837
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide wind sensor motion compensation for wind sensors mounted to moving platforms. A wind sensor motion compensation system may include a wind sensor, a wind sensor accelerometer, one or more additional sensors, actuators, controllers, user interfaces, and/or other modules mounted to or in proximity to a vehicle. The wind sensor motion compensation system may be implemented with one or more logic devices adapted to receive sensor signals and determine a sensor-motion compensated wind velocity. The logic devices may be adapted to receive a wind sensor acceleration and a relative wind velocity from a wind sensor, determine a wind sensor velocity from the wind sensor acceleration, and determine a sensor-motion compensated relative wind velocity from the wind sensor velocity and the relative wind velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson
  • Publication number: 20150333393
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide polarization alignment for wireless networking systems. A polarization aligned wireless networking system may include one or more sensors, controllers, user interfaces, and/or other modules mounted to or in proximity to a vehicle. Antennas for each of the electronic devices may be implemented with linear polarization components that can be substantially aligned with a lateral axis of the vehicle. Each electronic device may be implemented with a logic device adapted to use a corresponding antenna to form one or more wireless links between the various electronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, Matthieu maindrou, Stuart Johnson
  • Patent number: 8301714
    Abstract: A method of wirelessly networking a system of at least first and second communication nodes includes obtaining a common power source for the at least first and second communication nodes, switching on the common power source, and establishing a power-up time. Each of the first and second communication nodes is capable of tracking the time since the power-up time. The method includes sending a start signal from one of the first and second communication nodes, wherein the start signal occurs after the power-up time and includes at least information of the elapsed time since the power up time. The method includes networking the other of the first and second communication nodes with the one of the first and second communication nodes sending the start signal, if the elapsed time of the other of the first and second communication nodes approximately matches the elapsed time provided in the start signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Raymarine UK Limited
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, Bertrand Ekoue
  • Patent number: 8291757
    Abstract: A device and apparatus for determining wind conditions around a sailboat. The device includes means for receiving a measured wind angle and wind speed readings from a wind sensor attached to the sailboat and readings of boat heading and boat speed through the water, means for storing wind angle correction data, a computing unit for computing a corrected wind angle reading using the measured wind angle reading, the boat speed reading and the wind angle correction data and for computing a wind direction using the corrected wind angle reading and the boat heading reading, and means for displaying the wind direction. The device additionally includes input means for receiving a wind direction error tack to tack, means for determining the current tack state of the sailboat using the measured wind angle reading, and means for modifying the correction data. Thus, powerful and intuitive correction of wind direction readings is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Raymarine UK Limited
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Chris Hodgson, David Gauthier
  • Publication number: 20110192223
    Abstract: A device and apparatus for determining wind conditions around a sailboat. The device includes means for receiving a measured wind angle and wind speed readings from a wind sensor attached to the sailboat and readings of boat heading and boat speed through the water, means for storing wind angle correction data, a computing unit for computing a corrected wind angle reading using the measured wind angle reading, the boat speed reading and the wind angle correction data and for computing a wind direction using the corrected wind angle reading and the boat heading reading, and means for displaying the wind direction. The device additionally includes input means for receiving a wind direction error tack to tack, means for determining the current tack state of the sailboat using the measured wind angle reading, and means for modifying the correction data. Thus, powerful and intuitive correction of wind direction readings is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Mark JOHNSON, Chris HODGSON, David GAUTHIER
  • Publication number: 20110161455
    Abstract: A method of wirelessly networking a system of at least first and second communication nodes includes obtaining a common power source for the at least first and second communication nodes, switching on the common power source, and establishing a power-up time. Each of the first and second communication nodes is capable of tracking the time since the power-up time. The method includes sending a start signal from one of the first and second communication nodes, wherein the start signal occurs after the power-up time and includes at least information of the elapsed time since the power up time. The method includes networking the other of the first and second communication nodes with the one of the first and second communication nodes sending the start signal, if the elapsed time of the other of the first and second communication nodes approximately matches the elapsed time provided in the start signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: SUUNTO OY
    Inventors: Mark JOHNSON, Chris HODGSON, Bertrand EKOUE