Patents by Inventor Keith L. Kerley

Keith L. Kerley 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: 9513376
    Abstract: The disclosed invention embodies a system and method for multi-sensor, multi-frequency, multi-constellation data integration providing integrated onboard positioning of a vehicle. Multiple correlators perform autonomous signal quality monitoring to avoid the need for external augmentation systems. The integrated method and system typically includes multi-constellation, multi-channel GNSS and may consider positioning information from one or more other positioning resources including onboard, airborne, and ground-based signals. The positioning information from these functions are used in combination to exclude an erroneous signal from consideration while providing an integrated, blended precision positioning solution with improved size, weight, power and cost characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Heinrich, Angelo J. Joseph, Keith L. Kerley
  • Patent number: 9091759
    Abstract: A method of determining the ground speed or drift angle of an aircraft is described. It is determined whether or not a weather threshold has been met based on returns of a radar beam which is pulse compressed in a first scan. If the weather threshold is determined to have not been met, a ground speed or drift angle of the aircraft is determined based on Doppler processing of radar beam returns of a radar beam in a second scan. If the weather threshold has been met, a bottom radar beam is directed lower to the ground, and a ground speed or drift angle of the aircraft is determined based on Doppler processing returns of the bottom radar beam directed lower to the ground. A corresponding radar system is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata A. Sishtla, Mark B. Godfrey, James H. Doty, Keith L. Kerley
  • Patent number: 8909471
    Abstract: A position determining voting system that uses Doppler information from an on-board weather radar to improve the system's accuracy and/or fault tolerance includes a comparison function and an error integration function. The comparison function is used to monitor the independent position sources for correct operation, comparing and identifying a position source that should not be used based on its relative error compared with the other position sources and their characteristics. The integration function provides corrections to relative position sources by integrating the data from multiple absolute position sources when they are mutually consistent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Jinkins, Richard M. Rademaker, Daniel L. Woodell, James H. Doty, Keith L. Kerley, James Alva Young, Jr., Shih-Yih Young