Patents by Inventor Kirby A. Smith

Kirby A. Smith 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: 9170069
    Abstract: Techniques for missile countermeasures are disclosed. The techniques can be employed to rapidly detect a missile system location and aim a countermeasure set at the missile system goniometer, and capture the goniometer with a high radiant intensity countermeasure beam before the goniometer narrows its field of view (FOV). Capturing the goniometer before a narrowing of its FOV allows for wider area protection. The techniques can be embodied in an area-protection hit-avoidance system for a rapid Semi-Active Command to Line of Sight Anti-Tank Guided Missile (SACLOS ATGM) countermeasure wherein a SACLOS ATGM launch is rapidly detected and a countermeasure is aimed at the launch site so that the missile is diverted before the ATGM system FOV is narrowed. This early diversion or decoying of the missile guidance set allows the countermeasure to protect a greater area and to engage multiple threats in less time than traditional countermeasures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Kirby A. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150168443
    Abstract: Techniques and architecture are disclosed for performing alignment harmonization of a collection of electro-optical and/or gimbaled componentry that is to operate within a common coordinate frame. In some cases, the techniques and architecture can provide a cost- and time-efficient approach to achieving alignment harmonization that is compatible, for example, with field-test and/or operational environments. In some instances, the techniques and architecture can be used in concert with, error calibration techniques to further improve the accuracy of the alignment harmonization. The techniques and architecture can be utilized with a wide range of components (e.g., sensors, armaments, targeting systems, weapons systems, countermeasure systems, navigational systems, surveillance systems, etc.) on a wide variety of platforms. Numerous configurations and variations will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Almond J. Cote, Kirby A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8977512
    Abstract: Techniques and architecture are disclosed for performing alignment harmonization of a collection of electro-optical and/or gimbaled componentry that is to operate within a common coordinate frame. In some cases, the techniques and architecture can provide a cost- and time-efficient approach to achieving alignment harmonization that is compatible, for example, with field-test and/or operational environments. In some instances, the techniques and architecture can be used in concert with error calibration techniques to further improve the accuracy of the alignment harmonization. The techniques and architecture can be utilized with a wide range of components (e.g., sensors, armaments, targeting systems, weapons systems, countermeasure systems, navigational systems, surveillance systems, etc.) on a wide variety of platforms. Numerous configurations and variations will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Almond J. Coté, Kirby A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8584624
    Abstract: An equine support boot comprises a base portion, at least one upper strap, a concave portion formed in the base portion, an orthopedic pad disposed in the concave portion, and at least one sling strap connected to the base portion, the sling strap being configured to apply an upward force on the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Western Legacy Sales, LLC
    Inventors: Ward Heid, Kirby A. Smith, Stephen W. Coder
  • Patent number: 8443763
    Abstract: An equine support boot comprises a base portion, at least one upper strap, a concave portion formed in the base portion, an orthopedic pad disposed in the concave portion, and at least one sling strap connected to the base portion, the sling strap being configured to apply an upward force on the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Western Legacy Sales, LLC
    Inventors: Ward Heid, Kirby A. Smith, Stephen W. Coder
  • Patent number: 7899644
    Abstract: A threat launch detection system includes at least one temporal threat detector, each temporal threat detector including a single sensing element operable to sense radiation from various types of short-burn threats that occur within a field of view of the detector. The single sensing element generates a detection signal in response to the sensed radiation. A processing circuit is coupled to each temporal threat detector and is operable to analyze the detection signal from each detector as a function of time to detect the occurrence of a short-burn threat within the field of view of any of the temporal threat detectors. Each temporal threat detector may be a prism-coupled compound parabolic concentrator (PCCP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Weber, John Mandzy, Paul I. Egbert, Kirby A. Smith, Jill A. Shea, John L. Downing, III
  • Publication number: 20090288377
    Abstract: An equine support boot comprises a base portion, at least one upper strap, a concave portion formed in the base portion, an orthopedic pad disposed in the concave portion, and at least one sling strap connected to the base portion, the sling strap being configured to apply an upward force on the concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Ward Heid, Kirby A. Smith, Stephen W. Coder
  • Publication number: 20090094949
    Abstract: An equine support boot comprises a base portion, at least one upper strap, a concave portion formed in the base portion, an orthopedic pad disposed in the concave portion, and at least one sling strap connected to the base portion, the sling strap being configured to apply an upward force on the concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Ward Heid, Kirby A. Smith, Stephen W. Coder
  • Publication number: 20080208514
    Abstract: A threat launch detection system includes at least one temporal threat detector, each temporal threat detector including a single sensing element operable to sense radiation from various types of short-burn threats that occur within a field of view of the detector. The single sensing element generates a detection signal in response to the sensed radiation. A processing circuit is coupled to each temporal threat detector and is operable to analyze the detection signal from each detector as a function of time to detect the occurrence of a short-burn threat within the field of view of any of the temporal threat detectors. Each temporal threat detector may be a prism-coupled compound parabolic concentrator (PCCP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Weber, John Mandzy, Paul I. Egbert, Kirby A. Smith, Jill A. Shea
  • Patent number: 4791573
    Abstract: A system (34) for determining deviations in the state of motion of a projectile (10) from its intended state includes a comparison module (38) that receives the outputs S of a sensor array (36). The comparison module (38) converts the sensor outputs to a measurement vector Z.sub.m and computes the deviation of this measurement vector from an intended measurement vector Z.sub.0 received from a control system. The comparison module (38) then determines the difference E.sub.Z between this measured deviation and the deviation predicted by a Kalman filter (44, 46). In generating the measurement vector Z.sub.m from the outputs of the sensor array (36), the comparison module (38) "de-spins" the array outputs in accordance with the output of a phase reference (42), whose purpose is to indicate the phase with respect to gravity of the spin of the projectile (10) about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Sanders Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Zemany, Kirby A. Smith, John A. Smith
  • Patent number: 4710630
    Abstract: An optical system to permit two detectors to see the same field of view includes an angle converting cone, for mixing radiation from a field of view so that it can be applied to two detectors, and a lens for focusing the radiation onto the cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Sanders Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Kuppenheimer, Jr., Kirby A. Smith