Patents by Inventor Donald L. Chaffee

Donald L. Chaffee 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: 10677758
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for detecting the trajectory of multiple fragments through a conic or cylindrical section, such as the body of a missile. Three or more sensors are placed on the on the body of the object. Each of the sensors is constructed and arranged to measure signals to the sensor at from impacts on one or more locations on the body. The sensor then transmits a signal commiserate with the impact of a fragment thereon. A computer system is also provided to perform necessary calculations and, potentially, record the impact times and locations. When the body of the object is hit by fragments or shrapnel, a signal from one or more of the sensors is sent to the computer system. This operation is performed and constantly updated for all locations where a fragment is detected by one or more of the sensors. Waveforms of the impacts are recorded, but because multiple hits can occur, there can be superposition (or destruction) of the resulting waveform sent to the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Invocon, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Chaffee, Douglas A. Heermann, Brian D. Philpot
  • Publication number: 20180113095
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for detecting the trajectory of multiple fragments through a conic or cylindrical section, such as the body of a missile. Three or more sensors are placed on the on the body of the object. Each of the sensors is constructed and arranged to measure signals to the sensor at from impacts on one or more locations on the body. The sensor then transmits a signal commiserate with the impact of a fragment thereon. A computer system is also provided to perform necessary calculations and, potentially, record the impact times and locations. When the body of the object is hit by fragments or shrapnel, a signal from one or more of the sensors is sent to the computer system. This operation is performed and constantly updated for all locations where a fragment is detected by one or more of the sensors. Waveforms of the impacts are recorded, but because multiple hits can occur, there can be superposition (or destruction) of the resulting waveform sent to the computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Invocon, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Chaffee, Douglas A. Heermann, Brian D. Philpot
  • Patent number: 6035696
    Abstract: An ultrasonic scan assembly is adapted to efficiently and accurately scan a surface and cross-section of a wall of an underground gas pipe with ultrasonic energy transmitted and received by an ultrasonic transducer provided therein. The input pulse applied to the ultrasonic transducer is calibrated so that its width matches the natural mechanical resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. As a result, the energy efficiency of the transducer is maximized and the accuracy of the scan is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Karl F. Kiefer, Donald L. Chaffee
  • Patent number: 5641909
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for providing one hundred percent inspection of natural gas mains under operating flow conditions. The apparatus includes a scan unit assembly which is inserted into the gas main to collect data for the production of graphic images of the wall of the gas main. The scan unit includes a plurality of scan rollers, each containing an ultrasonic transducer, which traverse the surface of the wall defining the inner diameter of the gas main. The ultrasonic transducers transmit interrogating pulses into the wall of the gas main at a pre-determined spaced apart interval resulting in a helical scan pattern of interrogating pulses. The return pulses from the surfaces defining the inner diameter and outer diameter of the gas main and any imperfections and/or flaws within the wall of the main are received by the transducer and transmitted to a display unit for a visual indication (a tomograph) of the wall of the gas main.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Karl F. Kiefer, Gerard T. Pittard, Donald L. Chaffee, C. Grissom Steele, Terry P. Clifton
  • Patent number: 5117418
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing echoes on a duplex communication channel having both transmitted and received signals carried thereon, particularly a telephone channel having digital data transmitted thereon by way of a modem. The transmitted signal is converted from a time domain signal to a frequency domain transmitted signal by a fast fourier transform process. The frequency domain transmitted signal is multiplied by a set of filter coefficients to generate estimated echo coefficients. The estimated echo coefficients are converted from the frequency domain to the time domain by an inverse fast fourier transform process and then subtracted from the received signal to generate a residual echo signal. The residual echo signal is converted to a frequency domain residual echo signal by a fast fourier transform process and then multiplied by the complex conjugate of the frequency domain transmitted signal to generate correlation frequency components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Intelligent Modem Corporation
    Inventors: Donald L. Chaffee, Mark P. Mallory, Graham H. Brand
  • Patent number: 4943980
    Abstract: A modem system includes a transmitter section having generators for successively generating sets of carrier signals where each carrier signal of a set has a different frequency and a modulator for modulating each carrier signal of a set with a different portion of digital data to be transmitted where all such portions used to modulate a set of carrier signals comprise a frame of digital data. Also included are an adder for successively combining together the modulated carrier signals of each set to produce a frame waveform, an inverse Fast Fourier Transform circuit for transforming each waveform from a frequency domain signal to a time domain signal, a rotate and match buffer circuit for rotating each transform waveform so that its beginning point amplitude and slope substantially match the ending point amplitude and slope of the immediately preceding transformed waveform, and a transmitter for successively and continuously transmitting the transformed and rotated waveforms over a telephone channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Intelligent Modem Corporation
    Inventors: W. Kurt Dobson, Donald L. Chaffee