Patents by Inventor Gregory H. Hall

Gregory H. Hall 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).

  • Plural-wavelength flame detector that discriminates between direct and reflected radiation
    Patent number: 5625342
    Abstract: A flame detector employs a plurality of wavelength selective radiation detectors and a digital signal processor programmed to analyze each of the detector signals, and determine whether radiation is received directly from a small flame source that warrants generation of an alarm. The processor's algorithm employs a normalized cross-correlation analysis of the detector signals to discriminate between radiation received directly from a flame and radiation received from a reflection of a flame to insure that reflections will not trigger an alarm. In addition, the algorithm employs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) frequency spectrum analysis of one of the detector signals to discriminate between flames of different sizes. In a specific application, the detector incorporates two infrared (IR) detectors and one ultraviolet (UV) detector for discriminating between a directly sensed small hydrogen flame, and reflections from a large hydrogen flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Gregory H. Hall, Heidi L. Barnes, Pedro J. Medelius, Howard J. Simpson, Harvey S. Smith