Patents by Inventor Donald G. Polvani

Donald G. Polvani 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: 5762064
    Abstract: A medical magnetic positioning system and method for determining the position of a magnetic probe inside a body of an individual in which at least two spaced magnetometers are fastened to an area on an external portion of an individual's body proximate to the desired location of the probe inside of the body, the magnetic probe is inserted inside the body of the individual to be spaced from the at least two magnetometers, the three-dimensional magnetic field of the probe is detected at the at least two magnetometers, and the location of the probe is determined in accordance with the location of the detected three-dimensional field. Preferably the magnetometers are triaxial magnetometers adapted to be mounted on an external portion of the body proximate to the inserted location of the probe so that the magnetometers measure the three-dimensional magnetic field of the probe. A computer is used for calculating and storing information relative to the position of said probe by using a non-linear computer algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Donald G. Polvani
  • Patent number: 5444669
    Abstract: A torpedo relative position measuring system, including an active sonar system and a passive magnetic system, is coupled to computing apparatus which operates in response to a set of stored computer programs, all located in the torpedo for homing in on a ferrous target. At long ranges and mid ranges, the torpedo is directed to the target by the sonar system, while at near ranges the magnetic system determines the x, y, z, relative position coordinates between the target and the torpedo in accordance with a calibrated stored magnetic model of the target and numerical solution of the non-linear equations linking the target's magnetic field, as measured at the torpedo, with the target's relative position. Guidance information derived therefrom is then fed to the torpedo's guidance system. With the magnetic system providing the relative position of the target at close range, the torpedo's normal guidance system can readily steer the torpedo to a desired hit point on the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Donald G. Polvani
  • Patent number: 5425001
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for navigating underwater a killer vehicle towards a mine emitting a magnetic field by using measurements of the mine's magnetic field, by two magnetic sensors affixed to the killer vehicle, in calculating the relative position of the killer vehicle with respect to the mine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Donald G. Polvani
  • Patent number: 5357437
    Abstract: A magnetic marker position fixing and resetting system for vehicles searching an area on the floor of a body of water. The vehicle has an inertial navigation system for determining its position and angular orientation with respect to a set of cartesian axes fixed in the earth. The vehicle deploys at least one magnetic marker in the search area. The positions of the markers in the earth-based axes and the magnitude of their magnetic moments are determined and are stored in a computer in the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a triaxial vector magnetometer in which the magnetic sensors are mutually orthogonal. When the vehicle's navigation system requires a position reset, the triaxial vector magnetometer on the vehicle detects the marker's magnetic induction components along x, y and z cartesian axes fixed in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Donald G. Polvani
  • Patent number: 5331276
    Abstract: A passive velocity measuring system which includes first and second biaxial fluxgate magnetometers separated by a known distance and oriented precisely with respect to one another and with respect to the path of travel of a ferrous vehicle whose velocity is to be determined. An indication of the velocity of the vehicle is obtained from the ratio of the time derivative of the magnitude of the vehicle's magnetic induction to the negative of the spatial derivative of this same quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Donald G. Polvani, David G. Ellerbrake
  • Patent number: 4766385
    Abstract: A magnetometer system carried aboard a tethered underwater vehicle for confirming the existence of a buried naval mine which then may be neutralized by an explosive charge dropped by the vehicle. The vehicle carries two or more scaler magnetometers and is operated to obtain vertical and two orthogonal horizontal spatial gradients of the magnetic field above the mine location. The vertical distance to the mine is obtained, and this information, along with the known dip angle of the earth's magnetic field at the location, is utilized in conjunction with the spatial gradients for obtaining three mutually orthogonal components of the magnetic moment of the mine, from which the magnitude of the magnetic moment may be calculated. If the magnitude falls between upper and lower predetermined limits, a positive mine classification signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Donald G. Polvani