Patents by Inventor Erik Halvorson
Erik Halvorson 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).
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Patent number: 9748989Abstract: A beam plan that defines beams generated by a satellite that satisfy a set of communication service requirements is obtained. Fade condition information that indicates an amount of fade at particular geographic areas for one or more of the beams is obtained. A modification to the beam plan that mitigates the amount of fade at the particular geographic areas for the one or more of the beams is determined. The beam plan is modified based on the determined modification.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson, Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9680559Abstract: Information associated with a communication service need of the user is received from a user of a client computer system. A set of communication service requirements that indicate satellite resources required to satisfy the communication service need of the user are computed based on the received information, and transmitted to a server computer system. A first beam plan that satisfies the set of communication service requirements is received from the server computer system. The first beam plan includes information on satellite beams and spectra for allocation to the user when the first beam plan is deployed to provide a communication service to the user that satisfies the communication service need of the user. Instructions are transmitted to the server computer system to deploy the first beam plan. Information is received from the server computer system indicating that the first beam plan is deployed.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Michael Mandell, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, Erik Halvorson, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9595989Abstract: A beam plan that defines beams generated by a satellite that satisfy a set of communication service requirements is obtained. Fade condition information that indicates an amount of fade at particular geographic areas for one or more of the beams is obtained. A modification to the beam plan that mitigates the amount of fade at the particular geographic areas for the one or more of the beams is determined. The beam plan is modified based on the determined modification.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson, Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9568589Abstract: In one implementation, receive signals may be received by a satellite using corresponding receive elements. The receive signals may form one or more receive beams at one or more receive frequency channels. Transmit signals may be calculated by the satellite by linearly combining the obtained receive signals using transform data. The calculated transmit signals may form one or more transmit beams at one or more transmit frequency channels. The calculated transmit signals may be transmitted by the satellite using corresponding transmit elements.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions LLCInventors: Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Jeffrey Freedman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markely, Erik Halvorson, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9450666Abstract: Beamforming in a satellite communications network includes determining a first delay imparted to signals redirected by a first reflecting dish in a satellite, the first delay being caused by motion of the first reflecting dish relative to the satellite. A second delay imparted to signals redirected by a second reflecting dish in the satellite is determined, the second delay being caused by motion of the second reflecting dish relative to the satellite. Calculating, using the determined first and second delays, beamforming coefficients that enable the generation of a single beam by combining a group of signals that includes a first signal redirected by the first reflecting dish and a second signal redirected by the second reflecting dish.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Arnold Berman, Michael Mandell, Erik Halvorson, Scott Conrad Markley
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Patent number: 9397741Abstract: Receive signals may be combined to form receive beam signals at multiple receive frequency channels. The receive beam signals may be partitioned by receive frequency channel into multiple groups of receive beam signals, each group corresponding to a different frequency spectrum and the multiple groups including a first group and a second group. The first and the second group of receive beam signals may be communicated to a first and a second switch, respectively. The first and the second group of receive beam signals may be switched by the first switch and the second switch, respectively, to generate a first and a second group of transmit beam signals. Transmit beam signals that include the first and the second group of transmit beam signals may be combined to form transmit signals to be transmitted using corresponding transmit antenna elements to form one or more transmit beams at multiple transmit frequency channels.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Jeffrey Freedman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, Erik Halvorson, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9379806Abstract: In one implementation, a minimum metric function with an output representing a metric of a satisfaction of transmission requirements for a satellite communications system configured to produce at least two beams may be generated. The minimum metric function may be a function of beam weight parameters including a first and second set of beam weight parameters representing output signals of high power amplifiers used to form a first and second beam, respectively. An output value of the minimum metric function may be calculated using initial values for the beam weight parameters. A direction to modify the values of the beam weight parameters may be determined based on the calculated output value. Updated values of the beam weight parameters may be determined based on maximizing the output value of the minimum metric function by moving the values of the beam weight parameters in the determined direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Michael Mandell, Arnold Berman, Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson
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Patent number: 9209891Abstract: Receive signals may be combined to form receive beam signals at multiple receive frequency channels. The receive beam signals may be partitioned by receive frequency channel into multiple groups of receive beam signals, each group corresponding to a different frequency spectrum and the multiple groups including a first group and a second group. The first and the second group of receive beam signals may be communicated to a first and a second switch, respectively. The first and the second group of receive beam signals may be switched by the first switch and the second switch, respectively, to generate a first and a second group of transmit beam signals. Transmit beam signals that include the first and the second group of transmit beam signals may be combined to form transmit signals to be transmitted using corresponding transmit antenna elements to form one or more transmit beams at multiple transmit frequency channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Jeffrey Freedman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, Erik Halvorson, David Marshack
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Patent number: 9189451Abstract: A network device determines an exposure time associated with an image sensor coupled to a spacecraft for capturing an image of a target object orbiting the Earth. The network device computes a maximum relative angular velocity associated with the target object based on the exposure time and a dimension of a pixel of the image sensor. The network device identifies a first pointing direction of the image sensor for initiating a search for the target object. The network device generates a first angular velocity probability distribution map for the target object and divides the first angular velocity probability distribution map into a first set of angular velocity regions (AVRs). The network device selects a first AVR from the first set of AVRs for scanning by the image sensor and generates a search schedule that includes a first entry for informing the spacecraft to scan the first AVR.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson
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Patent number: 9083426Abstract: Beamforming in a satellite communications network includes determining a first delay imparted to signals redirected by a first reflecting dish in a satellite, the first delay being caused by motion of the first reflecting dish relative to the satellite. A second delay imparted to signals redirected by a second reflecting dish in the satellite is determined, the second delay being caused by motion of the second reflecting dish relative to the satellite. Calculating, using the determined first and second delays, beamforming coefficients that enable the generation of a single beam by combining a group of signals that includes a first signal redirected by the first reflecting dish and a second signal redirected by the second reflecting dish.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Arnold Berman, Michael Mandell, Erik Halvorson, Scott Markley
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Patent number: 8929483Abstract: Digital baseband channel signals are received and up-sampled to a common sampling rate. The digital baseband channel signals are filtered using low pass filters. Complex frequency shifting is performed of the filtered digital baseband channel signals based on the associated different channel frequencies to obtain digital channel signals, which are combined to generate a digital wideband multi-channel signal that is a digital representation of an analog wideband multi-channel signal that is based on combining analog channel signals that correspond to the analog baseband channel signals. A non-linear pre-distortion of the digital wideband multi-channel signal is performed, the non-linear pre-distortion adding at least one of a gain and a phase shift to the digital wideband multi-channel signal such that the digital channel signals included within the digital wideband multi-channel signal are compensated for a non-linear distortion effected on the analog wideband multi-channel signal by a high-power amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Michael Mandell, Ted Kaplan, Arnold Berman, Jeffrey Freedman, Brian Sipos, Scott Conrad Markley, Erik Halvorson, David Marshack
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Patent number: 8923756Abstract: In one implementation, gain measurements for one or more satellite elements may be obtained from one or more calibration stations. A matrix may be generated, with each cell providing a storage for relative gain estimate between an element pair with an associated weight indicating a confidence in the estimate. A pair of elements corresponding to an empty matrix cell and a calibration station with non-zero gain measurements for each of the element pair with non-zero weights indicating confidences in the non-zero gain measurements, may be identified. A relative gain estimate for the element pair may be computed using the non-zero gain measurements for each of the element pair. A weight indicating a confidence in the relative gain estimate may be computed using the non-zero weights. The relative gain estimate may be stored in the cell associated with the element pair and the computed weight may be associated with the cell.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2011Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson, Scott Conrad Markley
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Patent number: 8427369Abstract: In one implementation, a first measurement of gain of a first calibration signal retransmitted from a first satellite element and a second measurement of gain of a second calibration signal retransmitted from a second satellite element may be obtained. A first expected gain for the first element and a second expected gain for the second element may be accessed. A weight indicative of a confidence in the first measurement may be computed using a gradient of a geodetic radiation pattern of the first element. A weight indicative of a confidence in the second measurement also may be computed using a gradient of a radiation pattern of the second element. A cost function may be generated and values for one or more unknown variables may be computed by reducing the cost function with respect to the one or more unknown variables. The computed values for the unknown variables may be stored.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson, Scott Markley
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Patent number: 8427368Abstract: Gain measurements of one or more calibration signals communicated by one or more calibration stations and retransmitted by one or more satellite elements may be obtained. One or more weights indicating confidence in the gain measurements for the one or more satellite elements may be computed. A geodetic radiation gain pattern of a satellite element that is a function of a roll, a pitch, and a yaw of a satellite may be accessed. Partial derivatives of the geodetic radiation pattern may be computed with respect to roll, pitch and yaw at one or more points in the first geodetic radiation pattern corresponding to one or more geographic locations. A cost function may be generated and one or more unknown variables may be computed by reducing the cost function. A satellite pointing error may be determined using the computed variable values and the pointing error may be stored.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: RKF Engineering Solutions, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Freedman, Erik Halvorson, Scott Markley