Patents by Inventor David Sharpin

David Sharpin 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).

  • Methods and apparatuses for active protection from aerial threats
    Patent number: 9170070
    Abstract: Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes one or more radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, and divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector. The eject vehicle activates at least one of the alignment thrusters responsive to the intercept vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Orbital ATK, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sharpin, Jim Kolanek, Mark A. Cvetnic, Mike Hutchings, James Tennison, Kent Carl Nelson, Harold Kregg Hunsberger, Behshad Baseghi
  • METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR ACTIVE PROTECTION FROM AERIAL THREATS
    Publication number: 20140138474
    Abstract: Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes one or more radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, and divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector. The eject vehicle activates at least one of the alignment thrusters responsive to the intercept vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: David Sharpin, Jim Kolanek, Mark A. Cvetnic, Mike Hutchings, James Tennison, Kent Carl Nelson, Harold Kregg Hunsberger, Behshad Baseghi