Patents by Inventor H. Cobb

H. Cobb 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).

  • Publication number: 20070285308
    Abstract: In a local positioning system, augmentation of the land-based system is provided by receiving signals from a GNSS. The signals from the land-based positioning system have a code phase accuracy better than one wavelength of a carrier of the signals from the GNSS. Different decorrelation may be used for signals from a satellite than from a land-based transmitter, such as using a digital decorrelator for signals from the satellite and an analog decorrelator for signals from a land-based transmitter. The receivers may include both a GNSS antenna and a local antenna. The phase centers of the two antennas are within one wavelength of the GNSS signals from each other. The local antenna is sized for operation in the X or ISM-bands of frequencies. The GNSS antenna is a patch antenna where the microwave antenna extends away from the patch antenna in at least one dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Frank Bauregger, Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb, Jamal Izadian
  • Publication number: 20070115176
    Abstract: To provide sub-meter accuracy in a local positioning system, ranging signals with a high modulation rate of code, such as 30 MHz, or more are transmitted. Code phase measurements may be used to obtain the accuracy without requiring relative motion or real time kinematic processing. The ISM or X-band is used for the carrier of the code to provide sufficient bandwidth within available spectrums. The length of codes used is less than or about a longest length across the region of operation, such as less than 15 kilometers in an open pit mine. The spread spectrum codes from different land-based transmitters are transmitted in time slots pursuant to a time division multiple access scheme for an increase in dynamic range. To avoid overlapping of code from different transmitters, each time slot includes or is separated by a blanking period. The blanking period is selected to allow the transmitted signal to traverse a region of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20070109188
    Abstract: In a local positioning system, augmentation of the land-based system is provided by receiving signals from a GNSS. The signals from the land-based positioning system have a code phase accuracy better than one wavelength of a carrier of the signals from the GNSS. Different decorrelation may be used for signals from a satellite than from a land-based transmitter, such as using a digital decorrelator for signals from the satellite and an analog decorrelator for signals from a land-based transmitter. The receivers may include both a GNSS antenna and a local antenna. The phase centers of the two antennas are within one wavelength of the GNSS signals from each other. The local antenna is sized for operation in the X or ISM-bands of frequencies. The GNSS antenna is a patch antenna where the microwave antenna extends away from the patch antenna in at least one dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb, Paul Montgomery, David Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20070040744
    Abstract: In a local positioning system, augmentation of the land-based system is provided by receiving signals from a GNSS. The signals from the land-based positioning system have a code phase accuracy better than one wavelength of a carrier of the signals from the GNSS. Different decorrelation may be used for signals from a satellite than from a land-based transmitter, such as using a digital decorrelator for signals from the satellite and an analog decorrelator for signals from a land-based transmitter. The receivers may include both a GNSS antenna and a local antenna. The phase centers of the two antennas are within one wavelength of the GNSS signals from each other. The local antenna is sized for operation in the X or ISM-bands of frequencies. The GNSS antenna is a patch antenna where the microwave antenna extends away from the patch antenna in at least one dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb, Paul Montgomery, David Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20060279461
    Abstract: To provide sub-meter accuracy in a local positioning system, ranging signals with a high modulation rate of code, such as 30 MHz, or more are transmitted. Code phase measurements may be used to obtain the accuracy without requiring relative motion or real time kinematic processing. The ISM or X-band is used for the carrier of the code to provide sufficient bandwidth within available spectrums. The length of codes used is less than or about a longest length across the region of operation, such as less than 15 kilometers in an open pit mine. The spread spectrum codes from different land-based transmitters are transmitted in time slots pursuant to a time division multiple access scheme for an increase in dynamic range. To avoid overlapping of code from different transmitters, each time slot includes or is separated by a blanking period. The blanking period is selected to allow the transmitted signal to traverse a region of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Zlmmerman, H. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20060022870
    Abstract: To provide sub-meter accuracy in a local positioning system, ranging signals with a high modulation rate of code, such as 30 MHz, or more are transmitted. Code phase measurements may be used to obtain the accuracy without requiring relative motion or real time kinematic processing. The ISM or X-band is used for the carrier of the code to provide sufficient bandwidth within available spectrums. The length of codes used is less than or about a longest length across the region of operation, such as less than 15 kilometers in an open pit mine. The spread spectrum codes from different land-based transmitters are transmitted in time slots pursuant to a time division multiple access scheme for an increase in dynamic range. To avoid overlapping of code from different transmitters, each time slot includes or is separated by a blanking period. The blanking period is selected to allow the transmitted signal to traverse a region of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20060022869
    Abstract: In a local positioning system, a receiver is adapted for receiving signals from a land-based transmitter. The receiver includes an analog decorrelator for decorrelating the transmitted spread spectrum signals. A down converter connected with an antenna may be spaced away from other portions of the receiver. The down converter down converts received ranging signals and provides them to the remotely spaced receiver portions. A signal line connecting the down converter to the receiver may be operable to transmit any two or more of a reference signal provided to the down converter, the down converted intermediate frequency signals provided to the receiver, and power provided to the down converter. The receiver may be positioned adjacent to or as part of a land-based transmitter. By determining positions of two or more antennas, the location of the associated transmitter is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Zimmerman, H. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20050242990
    Abstract: Methods and receivers determine a range from radio frequency ranging signals at multiple frequencies. The number of dedicated RF sections and correlation processing power is reduced by multiplexing signals from a sub-set of frequencies onto a common path. The common path provides shared processing, such as down-conversion shared by signals at two different frequencies. The correlation processing power for a three frequency receiver may be the same or similar as for a two frequency receiver since signals for two frequencies share processing as a function of time. Correlation is performed intermittently for signals at two of the frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: David Lawrence, H. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20050242994
    Abstract: A “synchrolite” or rebroadcasting device allows GPS or GNSS navigation signals received at one or several locations to be processed at a separate location. The signals received by the synchrolite are added to a pilot tone and then encoded with a superimposed spread-spectrum code before being rebroadcast. The superimposed code allows signals from different synchrolites to be distinguished during the navigation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: H. Cobb, David Lawrence