Patents by Inventor James B. West

James B. West 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: 8089415
    Abstract: A feed for an antenna configured for use with a radar system or a satellite communication system is configured to operate in multiple bands. The feed comprises a plurality of concentric waveguides. The feed further comprises a first pair of diametrically opposed probes forming a first axis and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides. The feed further comprises a second pair of diametrically opposed probes forming a second axis and electrically coupled to the at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides. The first and second axis are orthogonal and the first and second pairs of diametrically opposed probes are configured to generate a sum beam and difference beam in the at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 8063837
    Abstract: The present invention is a system which includes an interposer. The interposer may include a mounting plate for mounting the interposer to a fuselage of an aircraft. The interposer may interface with the fuselage to form a seal for maintaining pressure within the aircraft. The system may further include an antenna module. The antenna module may include a ground plane, an aircraft antenna, and a radome. The ground plane may be connected to the aircraft antenna and may be configured for allowing the antenna module to be mounted to the interposer. The radome may be connected to the ground plane to form an enclosure for housing the antenna. The antenna module may be removably connected to the interposer. The system may further include an interconnect for electrically connecting the antenna module to electronics located within the aircraft. The antenna module may be disconnected from the interposer without breaking the seal formed between the interposer and the fuselage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Jennings, James B. West, John Mather, Ross K. Wilcoxon
  • Patent number: 7965249
    Abstract: The present invention is a Radio Frequency (RF) apparatus. The RF apparatus may include a layer of photoconductive material. The RF apparatus may further include a plurality of conductive patches which are disposed within the layer of photoconductive material. The RF apparatus may further include a generating layer. The generating layer may be operatively coupled to the layer of photoconductive material and may be configured for generating light. The generating layer may further be configured for providing the generated light to the layer of photoconductive material. The generated light may be configurable for being provided at a selectable intensity and in a selectable pattern for causing the layer of photoconductive material to be a dynamically controllable optical switch. The dynamically controllable optical switch may be configured for providing a connection between conductive patches included in the plurality of conductive patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah D. Wolf, Nathan P. Lower, Lee M. Paulsen, Jonathan P. Doane, James B. West
  • Patent number: 7907098
    Abstract: A log periodic antenna comprises a plurality of radiating elements in an end fire configuration, each radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements comprises a conductor, and at least two shunt inductances connected to the conductor; a substrate connecting the plurality of radiating elements; and a log periodic stripline feed pathway superimposed on the substrate. The height of each radiating element of the plurality of radiating elements is about one hundredth the size of the wavelength and the length is about 0.14 the size of the wavelength at the lowest operating frequency of the log periodic antenna. The plurality of radiating elements is configured to produce impedance and radiation characteristics that are regularly repetitive as a logarithmic function of an excitation of frequency without performance degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7887844
    Abstract: A multiparticulate for controlled release of a drug comprises crystalline drug, a glyceride having at least one alkylate substituent of at least 16 carbon atoms, and a poloxamer, wherein at least 70 wt % of the drug in the multiparticulate is crystalline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
    Inventors: Leah E. Appel, Roderick J. Ray, David K. Lyon, James B. West, Scott B. McCray, Marshall D. Crew, Dwayne T. Friesen, Scott M. Herbig, Julian B. Lo
  • Patent number: 7859474
    Abstract: The present invention is a tunable multi-element network for providing impedance transformation. The network may include a first switched capacitor power load modulator circuit and a second switched capacitor power load modulator circuit. The network may further include a series inductive component configured for connecting to at least one of the first power load modulator circuit and the second power load modulator circuit. The network may be further configured for connection to a transmit antenna and a power amplifier. The network may be further configured for receiving an arbitrary impedance from the antenna. The network may be further configured for synthesizing an arbitrary capacitive reactance based on a dynamically controllable phase angle between a switch drive signal provided by the network and an incident Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The network may be further configured for matching the antenna impedance to the power amplifier via the arbitrary capacitive reactance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Cripe, Jeremiah D. Wolf, Scott L. Patten, James B. West
  • Patent number: 7839349
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a reflector antenna may include one or more of the following features: (a) a reflector having a tunable reflective surface, (b) a reflector feed having tunable substrate materials, and (c) a sub-reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7688268
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved antenna system. In an embodiment of the invention, the antenna system of the present invention may be a high-gain, low-profile wide-band antenna. Advantageously, the antenna system of the present invention may include a plate with reflecting elements to form a reflectarray antenna suitable for mounting on an aircraft. The reflectarray antenna of the present invention may be formed from a planar array of waveguides which may operate as a low loss, wide-band reflecting elements. Individual waveguides may be designed to scatter an incident field while impressing appropriate phase shifts in order to form a plane wavefront at the array aperture to produce a desired output signal. Waveguides may include ridges to employ vertical and horizontal polarization across a wide bandwidth operable at a high frequency, such as 10 GHz to 30 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. West, Lee M. Paulsen, Daniel N. Chen
  • Patent number: 7688269
    Abstract: A dual-band stacked electromagnetic band gap (EBG) electronically scanned array (ESA) has a high-frequency aperture stacked on a low-frequency aperture. The high-frequency aperture looks through the low-frequency aperture. Low-frequency and high-frequency feeds feed the apertures. The low-frequency aperture comprises low-frequency cells with two vertical low-frequency EBG sidewalls and two horizontal metal walls. The high-frequency aperture comprises high-frequency cells with four cells stacked on each of the low-frequency cells. The four high-frequency cells comprise four vertical high-frequency EBG sidewalls, two horizontal metal top and bottom metal walls, and a center horizontal metal wall for operation with the same polarization as the low-frequency aperture. The high-frequency cells may comprise four horizontal high-frequency EBG sidewalls, two vertical left and right metal walls, and a center vertical metal wall for orthogonal polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7625507
    Abstract: Reduced levels of drug degradation in drug-containing multiparticulates are obtained by an extrusion/melt-congeal process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick J. Ray, Leah E. Appel, David D. Newbold, Dwayne T. Friesen, Scott B. McCray, David K. Lyon, James B. West, Marshall D. Crew, Joshua R. Shockey
  • Patent number: 7619574
    Abstract: A tunable antenna comprises a conductor, a shunt inductance tuning element, a switch that controls the shunt inductance tuning element and the conductor, and a local ground connected to the shunt inductance tuning element. The switch is capable of activating the shunt inductance tuning element to change a frequency and bandwidth of the tunable antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7498969
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fuze application capable of GPS (Global Positioning System) and proximity radar functionality by co-locating a proximity radar antenna with a GPS DRA (Dielectric Resonator Antenna) fuze. The GPS DRA fuze has a HE11? mode structure resulting in an E-field null at the center. The monopole proximity radar antenna is mounted in the E-field null center and is thus electrically isolated from the GPS DRA fuze. The high dielectric constant permits the GPS DRA fuze to operate in the L1 frequency and the electrically shortened proximity radar antenna to resonate in the C-Band within a small form factor. The GPS DRA fuze maintains a forward-looking CP (circular polarization) pattern while proximity antenna maintains a desirable monopole pattern. Nesting allows mounting of both GPS and proximity radar antennas on the fuze nose while reducing the total space occupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee M. Paulsen, James B. West
  • Publication number: 20090011024
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition comprises a dispersion comprising a low-solubility drug and a matrix combined with a concentration-enhancing polymer. At least a major portion of the drug is amorphous in the dispersion. The compositions improve the stability of the drug in the dispersion, and/or the concentration of drug in a use environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Walter C. Babcock, William J. Curatolo, Dwayne T. Friesen, Rodney J. Ketner, Julian B. Lo, James A.S. Nightingale, Ravi M. Shanker, James B. West
  • Patent number: 7436361
    Abstract: The present invention is a low-loss polarized antenna for satellite communications and polarimetric weather radar. The antenna may comprise: (a) a microstrip patch antenna, (b) a waveguide, and (c) a coupling interface between the antenna and waveguide. The microstrip patch antennas may individually comprise: (i) a patch radiator having a defined area, and (ii) an associated microstrip. In a further embodiment of the invention, an antenna array is presented. The antenna array may comprise: (a) a plurality of microstrip antennas, and (b) a plurality of waveguides. The antenna array may further comprise: (c) a waveguide combiner. The microstrip patch antennas may individually comprise: (i) a patch radiator having a defined area, and (ii) an associated microstrip. In still a further embodiment of the invention, a method for the manufacturing of an antenna is presented. The method may comprise the step: (a) operably coupling a microstrip patch antenna to a waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee M. Paulsen, Daniel N. Chen, James B. West, Brian J. Herting
  • Publication number: 20080199527
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition is disclosed which comprises multiparticulates wherein said multiparticulates further comprise an azithromycin core and an enteric coating disposed upon said azithromycin core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Pfizer Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Curatolo, Scott M. Herbig, Steven R. LeMott, Julian B. Lo, Leah E. Appel, Dwayne T. Friesen, David K. Lyon, Scott B. McCray, James B. West
  • Patent number: 7411472
    Abstract: A wafer-scale heterogeneous layered active electronically scanned array (ESA) utilizes a low-loss integrated waveguide feed. The ESA is formed from wafer-scale subarray modules each of which comprises a multilayer stack to form transmit/receive (T/R) modules. Waveguide subarray combiners feed the T/R modules. A subarray combiner is a waveguide assembly bonded to a bottom layer in the multilayer stack. The bottom layer is a ground plane forming a top waveguide broadwall of the combiner. The waveguide subarray combiner may be formed from a variety of waveguide types and feeds the T/R modules using electric field probe coupling or an aperture slot coupling. A second layer feed structure forms the subarray modules into the ESA and feeds the waveguide subarray combiners. The second layer feed structure uses waveguides to feed the waveguide subarray combiners using E-field probes or aperture slot coupling on the bottom waveguide broadwall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. West, Ross K. Wilcoxon
  • Patent number: 7307596
    Abstract: A one-dimensional electromagnetic band gap (EBG) waveguide phase shifter electronically scanned array (ESA) horn antenna utilizes a linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters for scanning and radiating a beam. A linear array feed feeds the linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters. A horn directs radiation from the linear array of EBG waveguide phase shifters. Each of the EBG waveguide phase shifters is a waveguide with vertical and horizontal sidewalls. EBG devices are located on the vertical waveguide walls to shift phase to scan the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7170446
    Abstract: A phased array antenna is provided having a plurality of phase shifter devices for phase shifting and beam steering a radiated beam of the phased array antenna. The plurality of phase shifter devices are interconnected with an interconnect structure comprising a plurality of linear array substrate slats. Each linear array substrate slat includes a plurality of radiating elements formed using first and second metal layers of the substrate slat, a plurality of phase shifter devices and a common RF feed conductor for the plurality of radiating elements. The common RF feed conductor is formed on a third metal layer of the substrate slat that is disposed between the first and second metal layers. The common RF feed conductor is configured to include a single location for electrical connections to receive RF signals for the plurality of radiating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. West, John C. Mather
  • Patent number: 7102581
    Abstract: A multiband waveguide reflector antenna feed comprises waveguide feeds in a concentric architecture. A waveguide feed is located in the center and coaxial waveguide feeds are disposed around the center feed. The waveguide feeds may be all-metallic with the center feed operating in a TE11 mode and the coaxial feeds operating in a coaxial TE11 mode. The waveguide feeds may have electromagnetic band gap (EBG) surfaces on waveguide surfaces. The center waveguide feed may have an EBG outer conductor surface and operate in a circular waveguide TEM mode. The coaxial waveguide feeds may have EBG inner and outer conductors and operate in a circular waveguide TEM mode. The coaxial feeds may have EBG inner conductors and near perfect electrical conductor (PEC) outer conductors and operate in a circular waveguide-like TE11 mode or may comprise EBG outer conductors and PEC inner conductors and operate in a quasi-TEM waveguide mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. West
  • Patent number: 7034753
    Abstract: A multi-band wide-angle scan phased array antenna with novel grating lobe suppression has a first plurality of radiation elements for radiating a first frequency arranged in a rectangular configuration. A second plurality of radiation elements for radiating second frequency are arranged in a rectangular frame around the first radiation elements. A third plurality of radiation elements for radiating third frequency are arranged in a rectangular frame around the second radiation elements. The radiation elements are apertures that are ?/2 of an operating frequency in size. The radiation elements may also be arranged in square, circular, or elliptical configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed Wajih A. Elsallal, James B. West