Patents by Inventor Michael N. Mercier
Michael N. Mercier 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).
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Patent number: 11725947Abstract: An alignment system for sensor or other electrical device filters rate data from gyroscopes and integrates the same to determine an alignment error state that is populated into a direction cosine matrix that pre-rotates measurement from a first electrical device into an estimated coordinate frame to determine a static alignment between first and second electrical devices or sensors. The system may be part of a countermeasure system on an aircraft. A first electrical device may be an inertial navigation system (INS), and a second electrical device may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The attitude of the IMU is used to translate the detected threats from the countermeasure system into a common reference frame of the INS.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Robert D. Frey, Jr., Austin J. Dionne, Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20210262801Abstract: An alignment system for sensor or other electrical device filters rate data from gyroscopes and integrates the same to determine an alignment error state that is populated into a direction cosine matrix that pre-rotates measurement from a first electrical device into an estimated coordinate frame to determine a static alignment between first and second electrical devices or sensors. The system may be part of a countermeasure system on an aircraft. A first electrical device may be an inertial navigation system (INS), and a second electrical device may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The attitude of the IMU is used to translate the detected threats from the countermeasure system into a common reference frame of the INS.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Robert D. Frey, JR., Austin J. Dionne, Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 11046447Abstract: A modular power supply and distribution system includes a controller and at least one power distribution bus operably connected to the controller. The system includes at least one power distribution bus that distributes electrical power to a plurality of loads. The system further includes a data communication network configured to communicate data between the system and the plurality of loads, power load logic for determining a power load requirement of each of the plurality of loads, hold-up logic for determining a hold-up requirement of at least one of the plurality of loads; and power distribution logic for distributing the electrical power to the plurality of loads based, at least in part, on the determined power load requirement of each of the plurality of loads and the hold-up requirement of the at least one of the plurality of loads.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2019Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Michael R. Sweeney
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Patent number: 10989797Abstract: A passive altimeter system comprising an angle between a point and a central boresight that is determined from distortion parameters of a lens in an infrared sensor in a countermeasure system on a mobile platform wherein the infrared sensor captures a first image for determining a distance between the platform and one of (i) a ground surface and (ii) a target, and the passive altimeter system further comprising a dimensional distance between two points in the first image that is determined from a secondary source external to the countermeasure system, and a processor to triangulate the distance between the platform and one of (i) the ground surface and (ii) the target based on the dimensional distance and the angle.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integrations Inc.Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 10989539Abstract: An alignment system for sensor or other electrical device filters rate data from gyroscopes and integrates the same to determine an alignment error state that is populated into a direction cosine matrix that pre-rotates measurement from a first electrical device into an estimated coordinate frame to determine a static alignment between first and second electrical devices or sensors. The system may be part of a countermeasure system on an aircraft. A first electrical device may be an inertial navigation system (INS), and a second electrical device may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The attitude of the IMU is used to translate the detected threats from the countermeasure system into a common reference frame of the INS.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Robert D. Frey, Jr., Austin J. Dionne, Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 10935357Abstract: A proximity fuse includes an electric-field (E-field) sensor to detect electrical disturbances from an object that is external and distinct from a device carrying the proximity fuse. The E-field sensor detects or senses E-fields versus time in order to provide omnidirectional coverage of the device carrying the proximity fuse. When the device carrying the fuse is a missile having warhead, the proximity fuse is connected with detonation logic that detonates the warhead at a desired time to destroy or neutralize the object, which is typically a threat, such as another missile.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20200408886Abstract: A passive altimeter system comprising an angle between a point and a central boresight that is determined from distortion parameters of a lens in an infrared sensor in a countermeasure system on a mobile platform wherein the infrared sensor captures a first image for determining a distance between the platform and one of (i) a ground surface and (ii) a target, and the passive altimeter system further comprising a dimensional distance between two points in the first image that is determined from a secondary source external to the countermeasure system, and a processor to triangulate the distance between the platform and one of (i) the ground surface and (ii) the target based on the dimensional distance and the angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2018Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20200382903Abstract: A threat warning system and method for navigation and geolocation in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments using the threat warning system is disclosed. A threat warning system carried on a platform is provided. The threat warning system includes at least one detector, at least one threat warning image sensor, at least one processor, Global Positioning System (GPS) detection logic, last known position data logic, registration logic, navigation solution logic, position correction logic, and guiding logic.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Michael R. Sweeney, Jeffrey A. Wallace
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Publication number: 20200346775Abstract: A modular power supply and distribution system includes a controller and at least one power distribution bus operably connected to the controller. The system includes at least one power distribution bus that distributes electrical power to a plurality of loads. The system further includes a data communication network configured to communicate data between the system and the plurality of loads, power load logic for determining a power load requirement of each of the plurality of loads, hold-up logic for determining a hold-up requirement of at least one of the plurality of loads; and power distribution logic for distributing the electrical power to the plurality of loads based, at least in part, on the determined power load requirement of each of the plurality of loads and the hold-up requirement of the at least one of the plurality of loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Michael R. Sweeney
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Patent number: 10798309Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating and accounting for non-uniformity of pixels within an infrared (IR) focal plane sensor utilizing an infrared light emitting diode (IR LED) to wash out environmental infrared light is provided. The IR LED may back propagate through an optical path of an IR sensor to illuminate pixels on a focal plane array, thereby providing data by which the non-uniformity offsets may be calculated and removed for normal operation of the IR sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Lucas Lawrence-Hurt, Joseph M. Schlupf
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Patent number: 10731950Abstract: A projectile round for intercepting an incoming threat to a vehicle or the like is provided. The projectile round may include an explosive layer, which upon detonation, may cause a the fracturing of one or more material layers into one or both of shrapnel and chaff while simultaneously causing the distortion and/or destruction of a piezoelectric material contained within the projectile round. The distortion and/or destruction of this piezoelectric material may further cause the release of an electromagnetic pulse. The projectile round may be part of a countermeasure system against guided munition threats, including those posed by man-portable air defense systems.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 10701371Abstract: A system for lossless compression of high frame rate imagery includes at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, implement operations to compress high frame rate imagery in a lossless manner, the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium including: logic to encode frame deltas to decrease pixel dynamic range; logic to localize frame deltas; and logic to encode subframes with lookback history to further decrease pixel dynamic range for temporary obstructions.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Zachary J. Boll, Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20200162656Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating and accounting for non-uniformity of pixels within an infrared (IR) focal plane sensor utilizing an infrared light emitting diode (IR LED) to wash out environmental infrared light is provided. The IR LED may back propagate through an optical path of an IR sensor to illuminate pixels on a focal plane array, thereby providing data by which the non-uniformity offsets may be calculated and removed for normal operation of the IR sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Lucas Lawrence-Hurt, Joseph M. Schlupf
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Publication number: 20200134852Abstract: The present disclosure provides a threat warning system that utilizes an image sensor and an active radar to determine whether a muzzle flash is the source of a threat to a platform carrying the threat warning system. The threat warning system may be a new operation of existing or legacy components on a platform that are implemented as a software update to accomplish the new objectives of the present disclosure. Alternatively, the components described herein may be provide as a newly constructed group of components networked together to accomplish the intended functions of the present disclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20200124385Abstract: A projectile round for intercepting an incoming threat to a vehicle or the like is provided. The projectile round may include an explosive layer, which upon detonation, may cause a the fracturing of one or more material layers into one or both of shrapnel and chaff while simultaneously causing the distortion and/or destruction of a piezoelectric material contained within the projectile round. The distortion and/or destruction of this piezoelectric material may further cause the release of an electromagnetic pulse. The projectile round may be part of a countermeasure system against guided munition threats, including those posed by man-portable air defense systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2018Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Publication number: 20190331470Abstract: A proximity fuse includes an electric-field (E-field) sensor to detect electrical disturbances from an object that is external and distinct from a device carrying the proximity fuse. The E-field sensor detects or senses E-fields versus time in order to provide omnidirectional coverage of the device carrying the proximity fuse. When the device carrying the fuse is a missile having warhead, the proximity fuse is connected with detonation logic that detonates the warhead at a desired time to destroy or neutralize the object, which is typically a threat, such as another missile.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2018Publication date: October 31, 2019Inventor: Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 10295402Abstract: A method of determining the point source quality of a set of pixels associated with a detected energy signature is discussed that pre-records ideal test point source signatures at various sub-pixel locations and radiant intensities throughout the overall sensor field of view in a focal plane array, determines the sub-pixel location of an observed source, and compares the signature at a pixel of the observed source to the pre-recorded “ideal source” signatures at the determined sub-pixel location. to determine point source correlation.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Joseph M. Schlupf
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Patent number: 10298817Abstract: An optical system recycles heat from a cooler coupled with an image sensor across a heat transfer element in order to warm and de-ice a window. The optical system may be implemented in high altitude or space vehicles/platforms, regardless of whether manned or unmanned, and the window may be outwardly facing relative to the vehicle/platform so at to allow electromagnetic radiation to pass therethrough onto the image sensor. The optical system enables the reduction of size, weight, and power by recycling heat exhausted from the cooler to warm the window, thus eliminating the need for a separate de-icing system or device for the window.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Joseph M. Schlupf, Michael N. Mercier
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Patent number: 10157473Abstract: An mechanism for range estimation mapping that includes creation of a world map on an azimuth/elevation (AZ/EL) grid, relation of the grid to an earth-fixed north, east, and down (NED) coordinate system through an address table, and association of each pixel in each frame, by a programmable device, with an entry from the address table in order to determine a range is discussed. The associations may be repeated for each frame while an updated world map and address table are generated. When an updated address table is complete, the process may begin anew using the updated data.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Kevin C. Cole, Michael N. Mercier, Joseph M. Schlupf, Joseph Su, Aaron Stark
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Patent number: 10078887Abstract: Methods and systems for correcting non-uniformity in focal plane arrays include averaging pixel intensity values from a plurality of data captures to generate an image, spatially median filtering the image to generate a median filtered image, temporally stacking the median filtered image with at least one previously median filtered images to generate a median filtered image stack, and temporally median filtering a pixel offset value stack corresponding to each of a plurality of filtered pixel locations within the median filtered image stack to generate a process dataset.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventors: Michael N. Mercier, Kevin C. Cole, Joseph M. Schlupf