Patents by Inventor CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER

CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER 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: 11601197
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Featherston, Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello
  • Publication number: 20210028861
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, JAMES M. CICCHIELLO
  • Patent number: 10848241
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Featherston, Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello
  • Patent number: 10236995
    Abstract: A system includes a detector array having a plurality of level detectors to monitor an optical input signal. Each level detector of the detector array operates in a different operating range, and each operating range for each level detector has a different saturation level and a different cutoff level based on a power level of the optical input signal. A controller monitors the plurality of level detectors of the detector array to detect a present power level for the optical input signal by selecting the operating range that is associated with the level detector operating between its saturation level and its cutoff level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Featherston, James M. Cicchiello, Curtis J. Harkrider, Christopher A. Archer, Frederick D. Bean
  • Publication number: 20180323870
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, JAMES M. CICCHIELLO
  • Patent number: 10038497
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Northrup Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: John Featherston, Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello
  • Publication number: 20170048003
    Abstract: A system includes a detector array having a plurality of level detectors to monitor an optical input signal. Each level detector of the detector array operates in a different operating range, and each operating range for each level detector has a different saturation level and a different cutoff level based on a power level of the optical input signal. A controller monitors the plurality of level detectors of the detector array to detect a present power level for the optical input signal by selecting the operating range that is associated with the level detector operating between its saturation level and its cutoff level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, JAMES M. CICCHIELLO, CURTIS J. HARKRIDER, CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, FREDERICK D. BEAN
  • Patent number: 9537580
    Abstract: A system includes a detector array having a plurality of level detectors to monitor an optical input signal. Each level detector of the detector array operates in a different operating range, and each operating range for each level detector has a different saturation level and a different cutoff level based on a power level of the optical input signal. A controller monitors the plurality of level detectors of the detector array to detect a present power level for the optical input signal by selecting the operating range that is associated with the level detector operating between its saturation level and its cutoff level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: John Featherston, James M. Cicchiello, Curtis J. Harkrider, Christopher A. Archer, Frederick D. Bean
  • Patent number: 9503183
    Abstract: A free-space optical (FSO) transceiver can include a link predictor configured to estimate conditions for an FSO link over a window of time in the future. The FSO transceiver can also include a scheduler configured to assign outgoing packets to blocks of time in the window of time based on quality of service (QoS) parameters of each of the outgoing packets and on conditions in each block of time in the window of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: John Featherston, Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello, Frederick D. Bean
  • Patent number: 9231697
    Abstract: A free-space optical (FSO) transceiver can include a transmission protocol configured to encapsulate outgoing network packets in by employing a reliable ordered protocol that relies on retransmission of lost data to form outgoing encapsulated packets. The transmission protocol controller can be configured to employ a congestion algorithm that optimizes throughput over a lossy link. The FSO transceiver can also include a transmitter configured to provide an output optical signal corresponding to the outgoing encapsulated packets over an FSO link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello, John Featherston, Frederick D. Bean
  • Publication number: 20150171962
    Abstract: A free-space optical (FSO) transceiver can include a transmission protocol configured to encapsulate outgoing network packets in by employing a reliable ordered protocol that relies on retransmission of lost data to form outgoing encapsulated packets. The transmission protocol controller can be configured to employ a congestion algorithm that optimizes throughput over a lossy link. The FSO transceiver can also include a transmitter configured to provide an output optical signal corresponding to the outgoing encapsulated packets over an FSO link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, James M. Cicchiello, John Featherston, Frederick D. Bean
  • Publication number: 20150171968
    Abstract: A free-space optical (FSO) transceiver can include a link predictor configured to estimate conditions for an FSO link over a window of time in the future. The FSO transceiver can also include a scheduler configured to assign outgoing packets to blocks of time in the window of time based on quality of service (QoS) parameters of each of the outgoing packets and on conditions in each block of time in the window of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, Christopher A. Archer, James M. Cicchiello, Frederick D. Bean
  • Publication number: 20150171961
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes a modulator/demodulator (modem) to transmit outgoing communications data and to receive incoming communications data in a transceiver. A main detector is coupled to the modem to convert an optical signal representing the incoming communications data to an electrical signal for the modem. An adaptive data rate processor monitors the electrical signal from the main detector to determine a current power level for the optical signal. The adaptive data rate processor dynamically adjusts a data rate of the modem based on the determined current power level of the optical signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, JAMES M. CICCHIELLO
  • Publication number: 20150171957
    Abstract: A system includes a detector array having a plurality of level detectors to monitor an optical input signal. Each level detector of the detector array operates in a different operating range, and each operating range for each level detector has a different saturation level and a different cutoff level based on a power level of the optical input signal. A controller monitors the plurality of level detectors of the detector array to detect a present power level for the optical input signal by selecting the operating range that is associated with the level detector operating between its saturation level and its cutoff level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JOHN FEATHERSTON, JAMES M. CICCHIELLO, CURTIS J. HARKRIDER, CHRISTOPHER A. ARCHER, FREDERICK D. BEAN