Patents by Inventor Don R. Howard

Don R. Howard 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: 4709580
    Abstract: A retroreflective attitude marker includes at least two intersecting reflecting planes oriented at 90 degrees with respect to one another, and having the property that incident laser beams which are perpendicular to the line of intersection of the two planes are reflected directly back to the laser source. Each retroreflective attitude marker therefore has a single retroreflecting plane perpendicular to line of intersection of the two mutually perpendicular planes. Using three layer illuminator/receivers, directed toward a spinning object, on which a retroreflective attitude marker is located, the rate of spin and the orientation of the spin axis of the object on which the retroreflective marker is located, may be determined mathematically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: bd Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: J. James Butts, Jr., Don R. Howard