Patents by Inventor Michael J. BALK

Michael J. BALK 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: 11385007
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Publication number: 20200400397
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Patent number: 10641570
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Publication number: 20190353442
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Patent number: 10323912
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Publication number: 20190072367
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Patent number: 10054404
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: ORBITAL ATK, INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Balk, Larry G. Linde
  • Publication number: 20180167132
    Abstract: An area denial system may be operationally placed with communication latency compensation. The area denial system may include a plurality of munitions, one or more sensor devices, and a command and control unit, networked together and having a command and control latency for communication between the command and control unit and the remainder of the area denial system. Latency compensation may include determining a first target position, determining a first predicted position area for the target using the command and control latency and the first target position, receiving an authorization to arm one or more of the munitions, determining a second target position, and determining that the second target position is outside a threshold distance from a first authorized munition of the one or more authorized munitions, and in response, de-authorizing the first authorized munition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Michael J. BALK, Larry G. LINDE