Patents by Inventor Kristal D. Long

Kristal D. Long 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).

  • Satellite signal acquisition using antennas with beamforming abilities
    Patent number: 9927527
    Abstract: Signal acquisition methods and receivers utilizing such signal acquisition methods are disclosed. More specifically, a signal acquisition method may include: identifying a list of available beam patterns that an antenna unit is configured to provide; iteratively searching for satellite signals by controlling the antenna unit to utilize one of the list of available beam patterns in each iteration; determining whether a satellite signal is detected in each iteration; collecting ephemeris data of a satellite producing the satellite signal when the satellite signal is detected in each iteration; and controlling beamforming operations of the antenna unit for satellite signal acquisition based on the ephemeris data collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Weger, Kristal D. Long, Timothy R. Schroeder
  • Satellite Signal Acquisition Using Antennas with Beamforming Abilities
    Publication number: 20170059714
    Abstract: Signal acquisition methods and receivers utilizing such signal acquisition methods are disclosed. More specifically, a signal acquisition method may include: identifying a list of available beam patterns that an antenna unit is configured to provide; iteratively searching for satellite signals by controlling the antenna unit to utilize one of the list of available beam patterns in each iteration; determining whether a satellite signal is detected in each iteration; collecting ephemeris data of a satellite producing the satellite signal when the satellite signal is detected in each iteration; and controlling beamforming operations of the antenna unit for satellite signal acquisition based on the ephemeris data collected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: John J. Weger, Kristal D. Long, Timothy R. Schroeder