Patents by Inventor John Scott Knight

John Scott Knight 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: 11926442
    Abstract: A spacecraft sunshade is provided. The sunshade includes a surface that is maintained in a sun facing orientation. Adjustments to a position of the sunshade are made in a plane that is transverse to a line of sight to the sun, in order to block sunlight from being directly incident on an instrument associated with the spacecraft. The sunshade can include photovoltaic elements on the sun-facing surface of the sunshade. In addition, the sunshade can be formed from an opaque material, and further from a material that absorbs heat from the sun and reradiate that heat to the instrument. The sunshade can perform stray light blocking, electrical power generation, and radiational heating functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Erika Thorson Bannon, Kevin Eugene Weed, John Scott Knight
  • Publication number: 20220324591
    Abstract: A spacecraft sunshade is provided. The sunshade includes a surface that is maintained in a sun facing orientation. Adjustments to a position of the sunshade are made in a plane that is transverse to a line of sight to the sun, in order to block sunlight from being directly incident on an instrument associated with the spacecraft. The sunshade can include photovoltaic elements on the sun-facing surface of the sunshade. In addition, the sunshade can be formed from an opaque material, and further from a material that absorbs heat from the sun and reradiate that heat to the instrument. The sunshade can perform stray light blocking, electrical power generation, and radiational heating functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Erika Thorson Bannon, Kevin Eugene Weed, John Scott Knight
  • Patent number: 8095367
    Abstract: Methods and systems of parasitic sensing are shown and described. The method includes, measuring, at a first time using one or more electrical elements native to a domain, a parameter of a circuit within the domain and measuring, at a second time using the one or more electrical elements native to the domain, the parameter. The method also includes, comparing the parameter measurement from the first time to the parameter measurement at the second time and determining, in response to the comparison, that an activity occurred within the domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Ronald Bruce Coleman, John Scott Knight, George Shepard, Richard Madden
  • Patent number: 6681152
    Abstract: There is disclosed multiple embodiments of a predictive active compensation system for dampening vibration in an optimum manner employing feedback control wherein stiffness of dampening material is adjusted on a continuous and dynamic basis to ensure that relative displacement between vibrating machine or object and its foundation does not exceed particular limits including limits preventing impact between object and foundation. In these disclosed systems and methodologies of the present invention the foundation may also be subjected to movement. Further disclosed are computer plots of mathematical models on which embodiments of the present invention are based, thereby demonstrating efficacy of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: BBNT Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Remington, John Scott Knight, Bruce Stuart Murray