Patents by Inventor James N. Helland

James N. Helland 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: 8618999
    Abstract: A microwave motion sensor including a patch antenna having a plurality of microwave radiating elements for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal where each microwave radiating element is of the antenna in an array configuration. A reflector is disposed above the antenna for downward shaping the radiating signal, where the microwave radiating elements together with the reflector provide a radiation pattern where a main beam is transmitted in a direction orthogonal to a surface of said antenna and a sided lobe transmitted downward in amplitude below the microwave motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland, Leslie K. Green
  • Patent number: 8169356
    Abstract: A motion sensing method and apparatus includes a housing enclosing a microwave motion sensor including an antenna, and a security system. The antenna may be a patch antenna which includes microwave radiating elements for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal for sensing motion. A reflector is attached to the housing and positioned above the antenna for downward shaping of the microwave signal. The microwave radiating elements together with the reflector provide a radiation pattern where a main beam is transmitted in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the antenna and a sided lobe is transmitted downward in amplitude below the microwave motion sensor. An alarm circuit indicates when the microwave sensor detects motion in armed mode, and a masking circuit indicates when the microwave sensor detects motion in a mask zone when the security system is unarmed. A second sensor may be positioned beneath the microwave motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland, Leslie K. Green
  • Patent number: 7852257
    Abstract: A microwave motion sensor for protecting an area comprises an oscillator configured to generate a plurality of microwave signals, a random pulse generator configured to set a random pulse period for each transmitted microwave signal, an antenna configured to transmit the microwave signals and to receive reflected signals, and a signal processor coupled to the antenna through other circuitry, said signal processor is configured to process the reflected signals to determine a presence of a moving object in the protected area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20100283660
    Abstract: A motion sensing method and apparatus includes a housing enclosing a microwave motion sensor including an antenna, and a security system. The antenna may be a patch antenna which includes microwave radiating elements for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal for sensing motion. A reflector is attached to the housing and positioned above the antenna for downward shaping of the microwave signal. The microwave radiating elements together with the reflector provide a radiation pattern where a main beam is transmitted in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the antenna and a sided lobe is transmitted downward in amplitude below the microwave motion sensor. An alarm circuit indicates when the microwave sensor detects motion in armed mode, and a masking circuit indicates when the microwave sensor detects motion in a mask zone when the security system is unarmed. A second sensor may be positioned beneath the microwave motion sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland, Leslie K. Green
  • Patent number: 7796033
    Abstract: A method of automatically calibrating a motion detector and a motion detector adapted for calibration using the method. The method comprises setting the motion detector to a calibration mode, waiting a preset period of time for the installer to walk to the furthest distance, receiving a Doppler signal generated by motion at the furthest distance from the microwave motion detector within the protected area, measuring an amplitude of the Doppler signal and storing a motion detection threshold for the microwave motion detector. The motion detection threshold is a proportional to the measured amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie K. Green, Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland
  • Patent number: 7777624
    Abstract: A microwave direction of travel detector and method of detecting the direction of an intruder in a protected region. The microwave direction of travel detector transmits and receives, by a microwave transceiver a microwave signal directed toward a protected area. The microwave return signal is modulated by a moving target to produce a Doppler signal. The microcontroller monitors the output of the amplifier chain and stores the signal and compares it with previously stored signals. If the amplitude is increasing or decreasing over a preset time period, this would indicate that the target it approaching or receding respectively and an alarm would be generated by the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Patent number: 7760089
    Abstract: A microwave direction of travel detector and method of detecting the direction of an intruder in a protected region. The microwave direction of travel detector transmits and receives, by a microwave transceiver a microwave signal directed toward a protected area. The microwave return signal is modulated by a moving target to produce a Doppler signal. The received Doppler signal is amplified by a chain of amplifiers having two or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver. A controller monitors the output of each chain of the amplifiers. The microwave sensor is configured for parallel sampling an amplified Doppler signal output from each amplifiers having a low signal output and each successive chain of the amplifiers a successively higher signal output. The controller determines if there is a direction of travel motion from the intruder and sends an alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Patent number: 7679547
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave direction of travel detector and method of doing the same. The microwave direction of travel detector comprising, a microwave transceiver for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal directed toward a protected area for outputting a Doppler signal when a moving target is detected, an amplifier chain including one or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver for receiving and amplifying the Doppler signal from the microwave transceiver, wherein at least one amplifier having variable gain and; a controller for sampling an output gain of each variable gain amplifier and for controlling each variable gain amplifier by adjusting a gain of each variable gain amplifier to keep the Doppler signal level constant and to avoid saturation of each said variable gain amplifier. If the output gains of each variable gain amplifier is increasing or decreasing the controller indicates a direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Patent number: 7616148
    Abstract: A dual mode motion sensor for detecting both motion of a moving target and a range of the moving target. The dual mode motion sensor normally operates in a pulse transmission mode. If motion is detected, the sensor automatically switches to a frequency modulated continuous wave transmission mode. This will allow the sensor to determine the range of the moving target. The sensor includes a microcontroller that compares the determined range of the moving target with a predetermined maximum detection range. If the determined range is outside or exceeds the predetermined maximum detection range the sensor will ignore the motion. If the determined range is within the predetermined maximum detection range, an alarm will be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Harold L. Holvick, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20090224913
    Abstract: A microwave direction of travel detector and method of detecting the direction of an intruder in a protected region. The microwave direction of travel detector transmits and receives, by a microwave transceiver a microwave signal directed toward a protected area. The microwave return signal is modulated by a moving target to produce a Doppler signal. The microcontroller monitors the output of the amplifier chain and stores the signal and compares it with previously stored signals. If the amplitude is increasing or decreasing over a preset time period, this would indicate that the target it approaching or receding respectively and an alarm would be generated by the microcontroller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20090160698
    Abstract: A microwave motion sensor for protecting an area comprises an oscillator configured to generate a plurality of microwave signals, a random pulse generator configured to set a random pulse period for each transmitted microwave signal, an antenna configured to transmit the microwave signals and to receive reflected signals, and a signal processor coupled to the antenna through other circuitry, said signal processor is configured to process the reflected signals to determine a presence of a moving object in the protected area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20090121958
    Abstract: A microwave motion sensor including a patch antenna having a plurality of microwave radiating elements for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal where each microwave radiating element is of the antenna in an array configuration. A reflector is disposed above the antenna for downward shaping the radiating signal, where the microwave radiating elements together with the reflector provide a radiation pattern where a main beam is transmitted in a direction orthogonal to a surface of said antenna and a sided lobe transmitted downward in amplitude below the microwave motion sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland, Leslie K. Green
  • Publication number: 20090121870
    Abstract: A method of automatically calibrating a motion detector and a motion detector adapted for calibration using the method. The method comprises setting the motion detector to a calibration mode, waiting a preset period of time for the installer to walk to the furthest distance, receiving a Doppler signal generated by motion at the furthest distance from the microwave motion detector within the protected area, measuring an amplitude of the Doppler signal and storing a motion detection threshold for the microwave motion detector. The motion detection threshold is a proportional to the measured amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Leslie K. Green, Xiaodong Wu, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20090079564
    Abstract: A microwave direction of travel detector and method of detecting the direction of an intruder in a protected region. The microwave direction of travel detector transmits and receives, by a microwave transceiver a microwave signal directed toward a protected area. The microwave return signal is modulated by a moving target to produce a Doppler signal. The received Doppler signal is amplified by a chain of amplifiers having two or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver. A controller monitors the output of each chain of the amplifiers. The microwave sensor is configured for parallel sampling an amplified Doppler signal output from each amplifiers having a low signal output and each successive chain of the amplifiers a successively higher signal output. The controller determines if there is a direction of travel motion from the intruder and sends an alarm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland
  • Publication number: 20090079615
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave direction of travel detector and method of doing the same. The microwave direction of travel detector comprising, a microwave transceiver for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal directed toward a protected area for outputting a Doppler signal when a moving target is detected, an amplifier chain including one or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver for receiving and amplifying the Doppler signal from the microwave transceiver, wherein at least one amplifier having variable gain and; a controller for sampling an output gain of each variable gain amplifier and for controlling each variable gain amplifier by adjusting a gain of each variable gain amplifier to keep the Doppler signal level constant and to avoid saturation of each said variable gain amplifier. If the output gains of each variable gain amplifier is increasing or decreasing the controller indicates a direction of travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Wu, Leslie K. Green, James N. Helland