Patents by Inventor Marc Thill

Marc Thill 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).

  • Spacecraft position estimating system and method
    Patent number: 8749431
    Abstract: A system for estimating a spacecraft (6) position is disclosed. It includes receiving stations (4) for receiving signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and a processing station (2) for receiving data from the receiving stations (4). Each receiving station (4) records, during a recording window (8), the signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and transmits, to the processing station (2), data representing the recorded signals during the recording window (8). The recording windows (8) associated with each of the receiving stations (4) are offset and/or of different size with respect to each other. The processing station (2) correlates the recorded signals to estimate the distance difference between the spacecraft (6) and each of a plurality of receiving stations and to estimate the spacecraft (6) position. A method, a receiving station (4), a processing station (2) and a computer program are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: SES Astra S.A.
    Inventors: Marc Thill, Guy Harles, Markus Gross, Jos Wouters, Georges Krier
  • SPACECRAFT POSITION ESTIMATING SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20110221631
    Abstract: A system for estimating a spacecraft (6) position is disclosed. It includes receiving stations (4) for receiving signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and a processing station (2) for receiving data from the receiving stations (4). Each receiving station (4) records, during a recording window (8), the signals transmitted from the spacecraft (6) and transmits, to the processing station (2), data representing the recorded signals during the recording window (8). The recording windows (8) associated with each of the receiving stations (4) are offset and/or of different size with respect to each other. The processing station (2) correlates the recorded signals to estimate the distance difference between the spacecraft (6) and each of a plurality of receiving stations and to estimate the spacecraft (6) position. A method, a receiving station (4), a processing station (2) and a computer program are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: SES Astra
    Inventors: Marc Thill, Guy Harles, Markus Gross, Jos Wouters, Georges Krier