Patents by Inventor Michael L. Hillmann

Michael L. Hillmann 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).

  • Fiber optic GPS link
    Patent number: 8032031
    Abstract: A fiber optic GPS signal device and method comprising a VCSEL multimode transmitter having a gain that, together with the GPS antenna gain, is greater than the VCSEL multimode transmitter noise. When in operative communication, via a long length of multimode fiber, i.e., up to 2000 feet and greater, with a fiber optic receiver, the GPS signals are transmitted at, inter alia, L1 and L2 frequencies with minimal degradation over the length of multimode fiber. The present invention may be used in a variety of GPS transmission applications requiring long lengths of cabling. For example, the invention is particularly useful when the GPS antenna is located on top of an office building or cell phone tower and remotely from the GPS receiver and for use in high-volume commercial telephone synchronizing (DTMF) applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence W. Fowler, Michael L. Hillmann, Kevin J. Kline, John J. Gaubatz, Darren W. Hacker
  • FIBER OPTIC GPS LINK
    Publication number: 20090080899
    Abstract: A fiber optic GPS signal device and method comprising a VCSEL multimode transmitter having a gain that, together with the GPS antenna gain, is greater than the VCSEL multimode transmitter noise. When in operative communication, via a long length of multimode fiber, i.e., up to 2000 feet and greater, with a fiber optic receiver, the GPS signals are transmitted at, inter alia, L1 and L2 frequencies with minimal degradation over the length of multimode fiber. The present invention may be used in a variety of GPS transmission applications requiring long lengths of cabling. For example, the invention is particularly useful when the GPS antenna is located on top of an office building or cell phone tower and remotely from the GPS receiver and for use in high-volume commercial telephone synchronizing (DTMF) applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Clarence W. Fowler, Michael L. Hillmann, Kevin J. Kline, John J. Gaubatz, Darren W. Hacker