Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Hoppe

Daniel J. Hoppe 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).

  • Publication number: 20170110803
    Abstract: A reflectarray antenna comprises panels connected by rotating hinges. The panels are stowed folded around a satellite body and deploy by actuating the spring loaded hinges to extend and form a reflectarray for operation in the K/Ka or X-band. The feed deploys from the satellite body to allow formation of a high gain reflectarray antenna that occupies limited space in small satellite operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Richard E. HODGES, Daniel J. HOPPE, Phillip E. WALKEMEYER, Vinh M. BACH, Nacer E. CHAHAT, Jonathan SAUDER, Armen S. TOORIAN, Matthew J. RADWAY, Long Y. CHEN
  • Patent number: 9476612
    Abstract: The present invention relates to concentrating solar-power systems and, more particularly, beam-forming concentrating solar thermal array power systems. A solar thermal array power system is provided, including a plurality of solar concentrators arranged in pods. Each solar concentrator includes a solar collector, one or more beam-forming elements, and one or more beam-steering elements. The solar collector is dimensioned to collect and divert incoming rays of sunlight. The beam-forming elements intercept the diverted rays of sunlight, and are shaped to concentrate the rays of sunlight into a beam. The steering elements are shaped, dimensioned, positioned, and/or oriented to deflect the beam toward a beam output path. The beams from the concentrators are converted to heat at a receiver, and the heat may be temporarily stored or directly used to generate electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Thomas A. Cwik, Paul E. Dimotakis, Daniel J. Hoppe
  • Publication number: 20120228883
    Abstract: The present invention relates to concentrating solar-power systems and, more particularly, beam-forming concentrating solar thermal array power systems. A solar thermal array power system is provided, including a plurality of solar concentrators arranged in pods. Each solar concentrator includes a solar collector, one or more beam-forming elements, and one or more beam-steering elements. The solar collector is dimensioned to collect and divert incoming rays of sunlight. The beam-forming elements intercept the diverted rays of sunlight, and are shaped to concentrate the rays of sunlight into a beam. The steering elements are shaped, dimensioned, positioned, and/or oriented to deflect the beam toward a beam output path. The beams from the concentrators are converted to heat at a receiver, and the heat may be temporarily stored or directly used to generate electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Thomas A. Cwik, Paul E. Dimotakis, Daniel J. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 7385462
    Abstract: A radial power combiner/divider capable of a higher order (for example, N=24) of power combining/dividing and a 15% bandwidth (31 to 36 GHz). The radial power combiner/divider generally comprises an axially-oriented mode transducer coupled to a radial base. The mode transducer transduces circular TE01 waveguide into rectangular TE10 waveguide, and the unique radial base combines/divides a plurality of peripheral rectangular waveguide ports into a single circular TE01 waveguide end of the transducer. The radial base incorporates full-height waveguides that are stepped down to reduced-height waveguides to form a stepped-impedance configuration, thereby reducing the height of the waveguides inside the base and increasing the order N of combining/dividing. The reduced-height waveguides in the base converge radially to a matching post at the bottom center of the radial base which matches the reduced height rectangular waveguides into the circular waveguide that feeds the mode transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Larry W. Epp, Daniel J. Hoppe, Daniel Kelley, Abdur R. Khan
  • Patent number: 6803840
    Abstract: A tunable nanomechanical oscillator device and system is provided. The nanomechanical oscillator device comprising at least one nanoresonator, such as a suspended nanotube, designed such that injecting charge density into the tube (e.g. by applying a capacitively-cuopled voltage bias) changes the resonant frequency of the nanotube, and where exposing the resonator to an RF bias induces oscillitory movement in the suspended portion of the nanotube, forming a nanoscale resonator, as well as a force sensor when operated in an inverse mode. A method of producing an oriented nanoscale resonator structure with integrated electrodes is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Brian D. Hunt, Flavio Noca, Michael E. Hoenk, Larry Epp, Daniel J. Hoppe, Robert S. Kowalcyk, Daniel S. Choi
  • Patent number: 6737939
    Abstract: A tunable nanomechanical resonator system comprising an array of nanofeatures, such as nanotubes, where the nanofeatures are in signal communication with means for inducing a difference in charge density in the nanofeature such that the mechanical resonant frequency of the nanofeature can be tuned, and where the nanofeature is in signal communication with a waveguide or other RF bias conduit such that an RF signal having a frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonant frequency of the array will couple to the array thereby inducing resonant motion in the array of nanofeatures, and subsequently coupling to an output waveguide, forming a nanoscale RF filter is provided. A method of producing a nanoscale RF filter structure controllably positioned and oriented with a waveguide and integrated electrodes is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, Brown University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Daniel J. Hoppe, Brian D. Hunt, Flavio Noca, Jingming Xu, Larry Epp, Michael E. Hoenk
  • Publication number: 20020167375
    Abstract: A tunable nanomechanical resonator system comprising an array of nanofeatures, such as nanotubes, where the nanofeatures are in signal communication with means for inducing a difference in charge density in the nanofeature such that the mechanical resonant frequency of the nanofeature can be tuned, and where the nanofeature is in signal communication with a waveguide or other RF bias conduit such that an RF signal having a frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonant frequency of the array will couple to the array thereby inducing resonant motion in the array of nanofeatures, and subsequently coupling to an output waveguide, forming a nanoscale RF filter is provided. A method of producing a nanoscale RF filter structure controllably positioned and oriented with a waveguide and integrated electrodes is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Daniel J. Hoppe, Brian D. Hunt, Flavio Noca, Jingming Xu, Larry Epp, Michael E. Hoenk
  • Publication number: 20020167374
    Abstract: A tunable nanomechanical oscillator device and system is provided. The nanomechanical oscillator device comprising at least one nanoresonator, such as a suspended nanotube, designed such that injecting charge density into the tube (e.g. by applying a capacitively-cuopled voltage bias) changes the resonant frequency of the nanotube, and where exposing the resonator to an RF bias induces oscillitory movement in the suspended portion of the nanotube, forming a nanoscale resonator, as well as a force sensor when operated in an inverse mode. A method of producing an oriented nanoscale resonator structure with integrated electrodes is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Brian D. Hunt, Flavio Noca, Michael E. Hoenk, Larry Epp, Daniel J. Hoppe, Robert S. Kowalcyk, Daniel S. Choi
  • Patent number: 6031434
    Abstract: An ortho mode transducer (OMT)/multiplexer assembly having a corrugated junction and a coaxial dual mode waveguide resonator disposed around a central cylindrical waveguide. The corrugated junction diplexes signals, the higher frequencies passing through the central cylindrical waveguide and the lower frequencies passing through the coaxial dual mode resonator. Apertures in the dual mode resonator couple to an exit port and extract a first polarization from the lower frequencies passing through the dual mode resonator. The assembly may include a second aperture in the dual mode resonator for extracting a second polarization in a manner similar to the operation of the first aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Paul J. Tatomir, Daniel J. Hoppe, Christ P. Tzelepis, Keith N. Loi