Patents by Inventor John E. Overland

John E. Overland 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: 8493037
    Abstract: An energy capture circuit for capturing energy in response to an input pulse. The circuit is constructed and arranged to transfer input energy in time divided portions among subcircuits. This includes a storage means, a clock means, at least two subcircuits, and at least one transfer circuit. Each subcircuit includes a first inductive means in operative communication with the input source, a rectifying means for producing a positive current in operative communication with the first inductive means, a capacitive means in operative communication with the rectifying means, and a switch means in operative communication with the capacitive means. At least one transfer circuit is in operative communication with each of the switch means of the at least two subcircuits. The output of the clock means is in operative communication with both a first switch means and an inverter means, the inverter means having an output in operative communication with a second switch means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Overland, James L. Yost
  • Patent number: 8446132
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for power conversion for fuzes and other electrical power consumers. A current monitor coupled to a power source signal generates a source current indicator. A controller generates a control signal responsive to the source current indicator. A filter well is coupled to the power source signal. An inductive switch circuit switchably grounds a rectified inductive load coupled to an output side of the filter well in response to the control signal, developing a pulsed power signal. A resonance rectifier presents substantially lossless resistive impedance for the pulsed power signal and rectifies the pulsed power signal to charge a charge storage device and generate a power output signal. The filter well, the inductive switch circuit, and the controller maintain the source current indicator within a predetermined current range by filtering the pulsed power signal and adjusting the control signal's frequency responsive to the source current indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Yost, John E. Overland, Jason A. Christensen
  • Publication number: 20120200278
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for power conversion for fuzes and other electrical power consumers. A current monitor coupled to a power source signal generates a source current indicator. A controller generates a control signal responsive to the source current indicator. A filter well is coupled to the power source signal. An inductive switch circuit switchably grounds a rectified inductive load coupled to an output side of the filter well in response to the control signal, developing a pulsed power signal. A resonance rectifier presents substantially lossless resistive impedance for the pulsed power signal and rectifies the pulsed power signal to charge a charge storage device and generate a power output signal. The filter well, the inductive switch circuit, and the controller maintain the source current indicator within a predetermined current range by filtering the pulsed power signal and adjusting the control signal's frequency responsive to the source current indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: James L. Yost, John E. Overland, Jason A. Christensen
  • Publication number: 20110121792
    Abstract: An energy capture circuit for capturing energy in response to an input pulse. The circuit is constructed and arranged to transfer input energy in time divided portions among subcircuits. This includes a storage means, a clock means, at least two subcircuits, and at least one transfer circuit. Each subcircuit includes a first inductive means in operative communication with the input source, a rectifying means for producing a positive current in operative communication with the first inductive means, a capacitive means in operative communication with the rectifying means, and a switch means in operative communication with the capacitive means. At least one transfer circuit is in operative communication with each of the switch means of the at least two subcircuits. The output of the clock means is in operative communication with both a first switch means and an inverter means, the inverter means having an output in operative communication with a second switch means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: John E. Overland, James L. Yost
  • Patent number: 7884579
    Abstract: An energy capture circuit for capturing energy in response to an input pulse. The circuit is constructed and arranged to transfer input energy in time divided portions among subcircuits. This includes a storage means, a clock means, at least two subcircuits, and at least one transfer circuit. Each subcircuit includes a first inductive means in operative communication with the input source, a rectifying means for producing a positive current in operative communication with the first inductive means, a capacitive means in operative communication with the rectifying means, and a switch means in operative communication with the capacitive means. At least one transfer circuit is in operative communication with each of the switch means of the at least two subcircuits. The output of the clock means is in operative communication with both a first switch means and an inverter means, the inverter means having an output in operative communication with a second switch means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Overland, James L. Yost
  • Publication number: 20090108815
    Abstract: An energy capture circuit for capturing energy in response to an input pulse. The circuit is constructed and arranged to transfer input energy in time divided portions among subcircuits. This includes a storage means, a clock means, at least two subcircuits, and at least one transfer circuit. Each subcircuit includes a first inductive means in operative communication with the input source, a rectifying means for producing a positive current in operative communication with the first inductive means, a capacitive means in operative communication with the rectifying means, and a switch means in operative communication with the capacitive means. At least one transfer circuit is in operative communication with each of the switch means of the at least two subcircuits. The output of the clock means is in operative communication with both a first switch means and an inverter means, the inverter means having an output in operative communication with a second switch means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: John E. Overland, James L. Yost
  • Patent number: 5208641
    Abstract: A laser illuminated helmet mounted sight that determines helmet or sight position from an externally mounted light source. The electronics, including light sources and detectors, are on the helmet. Also, no electrical cables or mechanical linkage is connected to the helmet. The helmet only has passive reflectors for reflecting light beams from a laser source. The return times and directions of the returning light beams processed by off-helmet electronics, result in a position indication of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Hans W. Mocker, John E. Overland
  • Patent number: 5128794
    Abstract: A scanning laser helmet mounted sight that determines helmet or sight position from externally mounted light sources and detectors. No electronics, including light sources and detectors, are on the helmet. Also, no electrical cables or mechanical linkage is connected to the helmet. The helmet has passive reflectors for reflecting a scanning light beam from a laser source. The return times and directions of the returning light beam relative to a return of a light beam from a reference point, processed by the off-helmet electronics, result in a position indication of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Hans W. Mocker, John E. Overland
  • Patent number: 4519041
    Abstract: A method and apparatus relating to the real time automatic detection and classification of characteristic type surface imperfections occurring on the surfaces of material of interest such as moving hot metal slabs produced by a continuous steel caster. A data camera transversely scans continuous lines of such a surface to sense light intensities of scanned pixels and generates corresponding voltage values. The voltage values are converted to corresponding digital values to form a digital image of the surface which is subsequently processed to form an edge-enhanced image having scan lines characterized by intervals corresponding to the edges of the image. The edge-enhanced image is thresholded to segment out the edges and objects formed by the edges are segmented out by interval matching and bin tracking. Features of the objects are derived and such features are utilized to classify the objects into characteristic type surface imperfections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Karl M. Fant, Richard A. Fundakowski, Tod S. Levitt, John E. Overland, Bindinganavle R. Suresh, Franz W. Ulrich