Patents by Inventor James W. Waite
James W. Waite 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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Publication number: 20230348261Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve the performance of acoustic beamformers composed of accelerometer-based Acoustic Vector Sensors (AVS) is disclosed. Most AVS are composed of a set of spatially separated microphones, for which tradeoffs exist based on the array size and number of elements, geometry, frequency bandwidth, and system cost. Accelerometer-based AVS are composed of a one or more triaxial accelerometers, each paired with a collocated MEMS microphone. This results in much smaller array apertures for equivalent performance, and a significant reduction in unwanted sidelobes.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: James W. Waite, David Raymond Dall'Osto
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Patent number: 11796562Abstract: An airborne acoustic vector sensor for simultaneously measuring triaxial particle acceleration in three dimensions and pressure includes a triaxial MEMS accelerometer sensitive to an Earth gravitational field. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes one or multiple MEMS microphones sensitive to sound pressure and overlapping the accelerometer in frequency. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a solid body having a density approximating a density of air. The accelerometer is mounted in or upon the solid body. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a suspension system supporting the accelerometer and solid body within a framework.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: AIVS Inc.Inventors: James W. Waite, David Raymond Dall'Osto, Peter Hans Dahl
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Publication number: 20220099699Abstract: An airborne acoustic vector sensor for simultaneously measuring triaxial particle acceleration in three dimensions and pressure includes a triaxial MEMS accelerometer sensitive to an Earth gravitational field. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes one or multiple MEMS microphones sensitive to sound pressure and overlapping the accelerometer in frequency. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a solid body having a density approximating a density of air. The accelerometer is mounted in or upon the solid body. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a suspension system supporting the accelerometer and solid body within a framework.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: James W. Waite, David Raymond Dall'Osto, Peter Hans Dahl
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Patent number: 10809410Abstract: In accordance with aspects of the current invention, a method of determining a location of a utility line includes driving one or more transmitters with a continuous wave signal; either adjusting for effects of direct coupling between the transmitters and one or more sensors mounted on the same rigid platform or different platforms or maintaining sufficient separation between a transmitter platform and a sensor platform to minimize such effects; and deriving a position of the line relative to the sensors from the measurements.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: OPTIMAL RANGING, INC.Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 10725191Abstract: A locating system is presented. In some embodiments, the locating system includes a first platform, the first platform including a transmitter capable of inducing a current in a line; a second platform, the second platform including a receiver capable of detecting the current in the line; and a processor coupled to the first platform and the second platform, the processor directing the first platform and the second platform to control their motion over the line and collecting location data of the line.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: OPTIMAL RANGING, INC.Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 10613123Abstract: A system and method for estimating the magnitude and phase of magnetic and electrical currents in a power line comprising at least one processor operating to create a model of the power line and derive expected complex magnetic and electric-field values; at least one memory; at least one sensor positioned proximate to the at least one power line for sensing and providing measurements of the magnetic and electric fields of the at least one power line; the at least one processor operating to compute a set of complex magnetic and electric field values based upon the measurements provided by the at least one sensor and to estimate parameters related to the complex voltage and/or current of the at least one power line based upon the measured field values and the set of expected complex electric current and voltage values derived from a model of at least one power line.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2014Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, David M Hull, James W. Waite, Ross N Adelman
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Publication number: 20180172867Abstract: A locating system is presented. In some embodiments, the locating system includes a first platform, the first platform including a transmitter capable of inducing a current in a line; a second platform, the second platform including a receiver capable of detecting the current in the line; and a processor coupled to the first platform and the second platform, the processor directing the first platform and the second platform to control their motion over the line and collecting location data of the line.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2018Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov
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Publication number: 20170357023Abstract: In accordance with aspects of the current invention, a method of determining a location of a utility line includes driving one or more transmitters with a continuous wave signal; either adjusting for effects of direct coupling between the transmitters and one or more sensors mounted on the same rigid platform or different platforms or maintaining sufficient separation between a transmitter platform and a sensor platform to minimize such effects; and deriving a position of the line relative to the sensors from the measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2017Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 9285222Abstract: A system and method for providing autonomous navigation for an Autonomous Vehicle such as an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) or an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in the vicinity of power lines or other signal carrying lines or underwater cable is presented. Autonomous navigation is achieved by measuring the magnitude and phase of the electromagnetic field at an unknown location within a space under excitation by a set of power cables of the power line with one or more orthogonal electromagnetic sensors formed on the AV; and estimating parameters related to a position and orientation of the AV, and load parameters of each cable based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values corresponding to a combined model of the set of power cables.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: OPTIMAL RANGING, INC.Inventors: James W. Waite, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 9158024Abstract: A system for determining the position of an underground sonde transmitter is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system measures a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths at one or more positions while traversing a target sonde path at any angle using one or more electromagnetic coil sensors, models a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths of a hypothetical sonde at the positions for one or more of the electromagnetic coil sensors, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model for the target sonde, and estimates parameters related to the target sonde based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the modeled set of expected complex electromagnetic field strengths. A final estimated parameter set is determined after the residual error has converged to a minimum tolerance to indicate the sonde transmitter position.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Metrotech Corporation Inc.Inventors: Johan Överby, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov, Kun Li
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Patent number: 9151822Abstract: A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object by measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths within a space using one or more receivers is provided. The method includes modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths to estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object. And estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and a set of expected electromagnetic field values. Further embodiments include a method as above including a plurality of receivers with known positions within a limited space including the transmitter object. A sensor network including a plurality of receivers to perform the above method is also provided. The receivers may communicate using a wireless channel.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2010Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Optimal Ranging, Inc.Inventors: James W. Waite, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Publication number: 20150226559Abstract: A system and method for providing autonomous navigation for an Autonomous Vehicle such as an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) or an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in the vicinity of power lines or other signal carrying lines or underwater cable is presented. Autonomous navigation is achieved by measuring the magnitude and phase of the electromagnetic field at an unknown location within a space under excitation by a set of power cables of the power line with one or more orthogonal electromagnetic sensors formed on the AV; and estimating parameters related to a position and orientation of the AV, and load parameters of each cable based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values corresponding to a combined model of the set of power cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: James W. Waite, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 9037314Abstract: A system and method for providing autonomous navigation for an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) in the vicinity of power lines is presented. Autonomous navigation is achieved by measuring the magnitude and phase of the electromagnetic field at an unknown location within a space under excitation by a set of power cables of the power line with one or more orthogonal electromagnetic sensors formed on the UAV; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths of the set of power cables at the currently estimated position and orientation of the UAV based on a model of the set of power cables; and estimating parameters related to a position and orientation of the UAV, and load parameters of each cable based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a combined model of the set of power cables.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2011Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Optimal Ranging, Inc.Inventors: James W. Waite, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Publication number: 20140343878Abstract: A system and method for estimating the magnitude and phase of magnetic and electrical currents in a power line comprising at least one processor operating to create a model of the power line and derive expected complex magnetic and electric-field values; at least one memory; at least one sensor positioned proximate to the at least one power line for sensing and providing measurements of the magnetic and electric fields of the at least one power line; the at least one processor operating to compute a set of complex magnetic and electric field values based upon the measurements provided by the at least one sensor and to estimate parameters related to the complex voltage and/or current of the at least one power line based upon the measured field values and the set of expected complex electric current and voltage values derived from a model of at least one power line.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventors: Thorkell Gudmundsson, David M. Hull, James W. Waite, Ross N. Adelman
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Publication number: 20120232800Abstract: A method for determining the location of an underground sonde transmitter is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths at one or more of positions while traversing a target sonde path at any angle using one or more electromagnetic coil sensors, modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths of a hypothetical sonde at the one or more of positions for one or more of the electromagnetic coil sensors, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model for the target sonde, and estimating parameters related to the target sonde based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the modeled set of expected complex electromagnetic field strengths, wherein a final estimated parameter set is determined after the residual error has converged to a minimum tolerance.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2012Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: Metrotech Corporation Inc.Inventors: JOHAN OVERBY, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov, Kun Li
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Publication number: 20120158901Abstract: A locator including a communication interface adapted to communicate ticket data with a database, a memory adapted to store the ticket data received from the database, a first transmitter adapted to controllably radiate at least one radiation frequency, a receiver adapted to generate data corresponding to the transmitted radiation frequency, and a processor adapted to reconfigure ticket data based on the generated data, wherein the communication interface communicates the reconfigured ticket data to a network.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: Vivax-MetrotechInventors: James W. WAITE, Yupeng Zhang
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Patent number: 8188745Abstract: A method for determining the location of an underground sonde transmitter is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths at one or more of positions while traversing a target sonde path at any angle using one or more electromagnetic coil sensors, modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths of a hypothetical sonde at the one or more of positions for one or more of the electromagnetic coil sensors, the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a model for the target sonde, and estimating parameters related to the target sonde based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the modeled set of expected complex electromagnetic field strengths, wherein a final estimated parameter set is determined after the residual error has converged to a minimum tolerance.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Metrotech Corporation Inc.Inventors: Johan Överby, James W. Waite, Dimitar Gargov, Kun Li
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Publication number: 20120016538Abstract: A system and method for providing autonomous navigation for an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) in the vicinity of power lines is presented. Autonomous navigation is achieved by measuring the magnitude and phase of the electromagnetic field at an unknown location within a space under excitation by a set of power cables of the power line with one or more orthogonal electromagnetic sensors formed on the UAV; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths of the set of power cables at the currently estimated position and orientation of the UAV based on a model of the set of power cables; and estimating parameters related to a position and orientation of the UAV, and load parameters of each cable based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and the set of expected electromagnetic field values corresponding to a combined model of the set of power cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2011Publication date: January 19, 2012Inventors: James W. Waite, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Publication number: 20110156957Abstract: A method for determining the location and orientation of a transmitter object by measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase strengths within a space using one or more receivers is provided. The method includes modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic strengths to estimated position and orientation of the transmitter object. And estimating parameters related to the transmitter object position based on the residual error between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field values and a set of expected electromagnetic field values. Further embodiments include a method as above including a plurality of receivers with known positions within a limited space including the transmitter object. A sensor network including a plurality of receivers to perform the above method is also provided. The receivers may communicate using a wireless channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventors: James W. WAITE, Thorkell Gudmundsson, Dimitar Gargov
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Patent number: 7834801Abstract: Line locator systems that fuse traditional sensors used in a combined pipe and cable locator (electromagnetic coils, magnetometers, and ground penetrating radar antennas) with low cost inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes) in a model-based approach are presented. Such systems can utilize inexpensive MEMS sensors for inertial navigation. A pseudo-inertial frame is defined that uses the centerline of the tracked utility, or an aboveground fixed object as the navigational reference. An inertial sensor correction mechanism that limits the tracking errors over time when the model is implemented in state-space form using, for example, the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Metrotech Corporation, Inc.Inventors: James W. Waite, Ruwan Welaratna