Patents by Inventor David Roy Dean

David Roy Dean 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).

  • Stabilization of a heliostat output mirror using an inertial reference beam
    Patent number: 9158045
    Abstract: A heliostat including a mirror configured to reflect light directed towards a first surface of the mirror, the light being external to the heliostat, the first surface being opposite a second surface of the mirror. A control mechanism is connected to the mirror and configured to change at least two angles of the mirror. An inertial reference unit is in communication with the control mechanism and configured to produce a beam and use the beam to optically sample the second surface of the mirror, the beam at least reflecting from the second surface. The control mechanism is configured to use data from the beam and the inertial reference unit to control the least two angles such that a virtual beam from the inertial reference unit remains about co-aligned with a line of sight vector of the mirror when the heliostat is subjected to an exogenous disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jed Eden Donaldson, Bruce Edward Stribling, Kirk Alan Lohnes, David Roy Dean