Patents by Inventor Kenneth H. Lau

Kenneth H. Lau 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: 8899974
    Abstract: A propellant management device comprising a plurality of insert vanes with respective outwardly extending curved flanges is disposed in a propellant tank with the curved flanges having mating contact along contacting lines on the interior of the tank as the insert vanes serves to wick fuel within the tank with reduced particulate generation within the tank for improved reliability and use of the propellant tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Lau
  • Patent number: 8602554
    Abstract: A filter or lens for common optical apparatus includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuates off-axis images and passes on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios yet not completely blocking the off-axis images, which lens is well suited for reducing off-axis glare in the optical apparatus that may be handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Lau, Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 7791797
    Abstract: A filter or lens for a star tracking telescope includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuation of off-axis images is nonidentical through any radial line extending from a center of the filter or lens to a circumference edge of the filter or lens for passing on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios and for attenuating off-axis images for attenuating but not completely blocking the off-axis images, which telescope with such a filter or lens is well suited for improved star tracking systems, and well suited for reducing off-axis glare in handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Lau, Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 7719761
    Abstract: A filter or lens for a star-tracking telescope includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion. The peripheral portion attenuates off-axis images through any radial line extending from a center of the filter or lens to a circumference edge of the filter or lens. The attenuation is for passing on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios, for attenuating off-axis images, and for attenuating but not completely blocking the off-axis images. The telescope with such a filter or lens is well suited for improved star tracking systems, and well suited for reducing off-axis glare in handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Lau
  • Publication number: 20090237613
    Abstract: A filter or lens for common optical apparatus includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuates off-axis images and passes on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios yet not completely blocking the off-axis images, which lens is well suited for reducing off-axis glare in the optical apparatus that may be handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Lau, Ronald L. Williams
  • Publication number: 20090075222
    Abstract: A propellant management device comprising a plurality of insert vanes with respective outwardly extending curved flanges is disposed in a propellant tank with the curved flanges having mating contact along contacting lines on the interior of the tank as the insert vanes serves to wick fuel within the tank with reduced particulate generation within the tank for improved reliability and use of the propellant tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Lau
  • Publication number: 20080080078
    Abstract: A filter or lens for a star tracking telescope includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuation of off-axis images is nonidentical through any radial line extending from a center of the filter or lens to a circumference edge of the filter or lens for passing on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios and for attenuating off-axis images for attenuating but not completely blocking the off-axis images, which telescope with such a filter or lens is well suited for improved star tracking systems, and well suited for reducing off-axis glare in handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Lau, Ronald L. Williams
  • Publication number: 20080068711
    Abstract: A filter or lens for a star tracking telescope includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuation of off-axis images is identical through any radial line extending from a center of the filter or lens to a circumference edge of the filter or lens for passing on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios and for attenuating off-axis images for attenuating but not completely blocking the off-axis images, which telescope with such a filter or lens is well suited for improved star tracking systems, and well suited for reducing off-axis glare in handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Lau
  • Publication number: 20080068555
    Abstract: A filter or lens for common optical apparatus includes a clear center portion and an attenuating peripheral portion where the peripheral portion attenuates off-axis images and passes on-axis images with high signal to noise ratios yet not completely blocking the off-axis images, which lens is well suited for reducing off-axis glare in the optical apparatus that may be handheld optical apparatus such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Lau, Ronald L. Williams
  • Patent number: 7052157
    Abstract: A multiple function lighting fixture that uses compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), and circular fluorescent lamps positioned in strategic locations inside a lampshade. A shield within the lampshade divides the area into a primary interior zone and a secondary interior zone. One of the respective lamps is located in each of the respective interior zones. One of the lamps provides for upwardly directed light and the other lamp provides downwardly directed light. The inner and outer surfaces of the shield may have reflective properties. The lampshade may have portions thereof having light transmitting properties. The inner surface of the lampshade may have reflective properties in some areas. LEDs may be mounted in various areas of the respective primary interior zone and secondary interior zones. The light fixture may also have dimmer control switches/sensors and there may be sensors for remote control operation for turning the respective lamps on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Lau
  • Patent number: 6072433
    Abstract: An autonomous formation flying sensor for precise autonomous determination and control of the relative position and attitude for a formation of moving objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Young, Stephen M. Lichten, Jeffrey Y. Tien, Charles E. Dunn, Bruce J. Haines, Kenneth H. Lau
  • Patent number: 5918161
    Abstract: A deconvolution approach to adaptive signal processing has been applied to the elimination of signal multipath errors as embodied in one preferred embodiment in a global positioning system receiver. The method and receiver of the present invention estimates then compensates for multipath effects in a comprehensive manner. Application of deconvolution, along with other adaptive identification and estimation techniques, results in completely novel GPS receiver architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Rajendra Kumar, Kenneth H. Lau