Patents by Inventor John L. Aker

John L. Aker 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: 8378884
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Publication number: 20120176268
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 8138966
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Publication number: 20110095938
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7864102
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7672782
    Abstract: An enhanced police Doppler direction sensing radar detects possibly dangerous traffic conditions during certain vehicle maneuvers such as U-turns and returns to travel after roadside stops. By monitoring a host or primary vehicle speed, speed transitions, transmission state (e.g. gear selection), and the closing vehicle position, range and speed, a number of selectable conditions are detected, resulting in an alert indication to a primary vehicle operator. User preferences and thresholds allow the traffic alert function to be customized according to a primary vehicle operator's desire to suppress alerts in situations which the user does not deem dangerous. The traffic alert function may be automatically triggered under certain detected conditions, or manually initiated when the primary vehicle operator intends to make a driving maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Mead, John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, James Kevin McCoy
  • Publication number: 20100013699
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Publication number: 20090002221
    Abstract: An enhanced police Doppler direction sensing radar detects possibly dangerous traffic conditions during certain vehicle maneuvers such as U-turns and returns to travel after roadside stops. By monitoring a host or primary vehicle speed, speed transitions, transmission state (e.g. gear selection), and the closing vehicle position, range and speed, a number of selectable conditions are detected, resulting in an alert indication to a primary vehicle operator. User preferences and thresholds allow the traffic alert function to be customized according to a primary vehicle operator's desire to suppress alerts in situations which the user does not deem dangerous. The traffic alert function may be automatically triggered under certain detected conditions, or manually initiated when the primary vehicle operator intends to make a driving maneuver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Alan B. Mead, John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, James Kevin McCoy
  • Patent number: 7411544
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert Vanman
  • Patent number: 7409294
    Abstract: An enhanced police Doppler direction sensing radar detects possibly dangerous traffic conditions during certain vehicle maneuvers such as U-turns and returns to travel after roadside stops. By monitoring a host or primary vehicle speed, speed transitions, transmission state (e.g. gear selection), and the closing vehicle position, range and speed, a number of selectable conditions are detected, resulting in an alert indication to a primary vehicle operator. User preferences and thresholds allow the traffic alert function to be customized according to a primary vehicle operator's desire to suppress alerts in situations which the user does not deem dangerous. The traffic alert function may be automatically triggered under certain detected conditions, or manually initiated when the primary vehicle operator intends to make a driving maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Mead, John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler, James Kevin McCoy
  • Patent number: 7227494
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7218271
    Abstract: A system for processing vehicle speed data for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a front antenna assembly of the vehicle generating a front digital signal, and a rear antenna assembly of the vehicle generating a rear digital signal. A fast Fourier transform system converts the front digital signal into front frequency shift data and the rear digital signal into rear frequency shift data. A patrol speed system matches the front frequency shift data and the rear frequency shift data and generates a vehicle speed for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Patent number: 7068212
    Abstract: A series of police Doppler single mode radars and a multimode police Doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A quadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of Doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two Doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 7057550
    Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar are disclosed. In one embodiment, a modulation circuit portion generates double-modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the double-modulated FM signals to a target and receives reflected double-modulated FM signals therefrom. A calibration circuit portion responds to the reflected double-modulated FM signals by sending a calibration signal to the modulation circuit. The calibration signal is indicative of a relationship between a first range measurement derived from phase angle measurements associated with the reflected double-modulated FM signals and a second range measurement derived from speed and time measurements associated with the reflected double-modulated FM signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7049999
    Abstract: A modulation circuit for a traffic surveillance Doppler radar system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modulation circuit is utilized in a vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system that processes a reflected double-modulated FM signal to determine a target range based upon a phase angle signal differential associated with the target. The modulation circuit may include a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter/voltage regulator/oscillator arrangement or a D/A converter/varactor device/oscillator arrangement. The modulation circuit generates a double-modulated FM signal based upon a frequency versus voltage characteristic associated with the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 7038614
    Abstract: A vehicular traffic surveillance Doppler radar system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a modulation circuit portion for generating modulated FM signals. An antenna circuit portion transmits the modulated FM signals to a target and receives the reflected modulated FM signals therefrom. A ranging circuit portion performs a quadrature demodulation on the reflected modulated FM signals and determines a range measurement based upon phase angle measurements derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Aker
  • Patent number: 6853314
    Abstract: A system for displaying radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously showing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the same lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes a first display that shows the speed of vehicles in the first area, such as the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle, and a second display that shows the speed of vehicles in the second area, such as the same lane behind the patrol vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Publication number: 20040257268
    Abstract: A series of police doppler single mode radars and a multimode police doppler radar, all with direction sensing capability are disclosed. A duadrature front end which mixes received RF with a local oscillator to generate two channels of doppler signals, one channel being shifted by an integer multiple of 90 degrees in phase relative to the other by shifting either the RF or the local oscillator signal being fed to one mixer but not the other. The two doppler signals are digitized and the samples are processed by a digital signal processor programmed to find one or more selected target speeds. Single modes disclosed are: stationary strongest target; stationary, fastest target; stationary, strongest and fastest targets; moving, strongest, opposite lane; moving, strongest, same lane; moving, fastest, opposite lane; moving, fastest and strongest, opposite lane; moving, fastest, same lane; moving fastest and strongest, same lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: APPLIED CONCEPTS, INC.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Robert S. Gammenthaler
  • Patent number: 6831593
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman
  • Publication number: 20040222921
    Abstract: A system for processing radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously processing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the opposite lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes an antenna signal processor that receives radar data from one or more radar antennae and generates speed data for a first vehicle travelling in a first direction relative to a radar observation point and a second vehicle travelling in a second direction relative to the radar observation point. A display generator system receives the speed data and user-entered display control data, and generates user-readable display data based on the speed data and the user-entered display control data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: John L. Aker, Alan B. Mead, Robert S. Gammenthaler, Robert V. Vanman