Patents by Inventor Michael S. Larsen
Michael S. Larsen 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: 9857179Abstract: One example includes an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS includes a navigation controller configured to generate inertial data associated with motion of a vehicle based on at least one navigation sensor configured on the vehicle and based on magnetic anomaly data. The INS also includes a magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system comprising a plurality of magnetometers distributed in a respective plurality of locations on the vehicle. The magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system can be configured to generate the magnetic anomaly data based on magnetic field measurements of a fixed magnetic anomaly at each of the plurality of magnetometers.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2014Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Michael S. Larsen, Michael D. Bulatowicz, A. Douglas Meyer, Dennis P. Bevan
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Patent number: 9778328Abstract: One example embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. A probe laser generates a probe beam. A first portion of the probe beam is provided through a sensor cell comprising a first alkali vapor to calculate a measurable parameter of the system based on a first detection beam corresponding to the first portion of the probe beam exiting the sensor cell. A second portion of the probe beam can be provided through a stabilization cell that comprises a second vapor. A detection system can be configured to stabilize the frequency of the probe beam in a manner that is on-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the second alkali vapor and off-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the first alkali vapor based on a second detection beam corresponding to the second portion of the probe beam exiting the stabilization cell.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen
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Patent number: 9726494Abstract: One embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. The system includes a vapor cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal that is spin-polarized by an optical beam. The vapor cell includes a mirror at a distal end. The system also includes an optical system including a photodetector system and a laser that generates the optical beam. The optical beam is provided into a proximal end of the vapor cell and is reflected back to the photodetector system via the mirror as a reflected optical beam to generate at least one intensity signal. The optical system further includes a control system that modulates a wavelength of the optical beam between an on-resonance wavelength and an off-resonance wavelength with respect to the alkali metal. The system also includes a processor that calculates a measurable parameter associated with the atomic sensor system based on the at least one intensity signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen
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Publication number: 20170205476Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL S. LARSEN, ROBERT C. GRIFFITH, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, PHILIP R. CLARK
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Patent number: 9651378Abstract: One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a vapor cell that encloses an alkali metal and a gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field source that generates a magnetic field aligned with a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system and which is provided through the vapor cell to cause the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope to precess. The system also includes a laser that generates an optical beam that polarizes the alkali metal in the vapor cell to facilitate the precession of the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to calculate a rotation angle about the sensitive axis based on a measured characteristic of a detection beam corresponding to the optical beam exiting the vapor cell, the characteristic being associated with the precession of the gyromagnetic isotope.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen
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Patent number: 9645205Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2012Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Company, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Larsen, Robert C. Griffith, Michael D. Bulatowicz, Philip R. Clark
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Patent number: 9618362Abstract: One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a vapor cell comprising an alkali metal and a plurality of gyromagnetic isotopes and a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam configured to spin-polarize the alkali metal. The system also includes a probe laser that generates an optical probe beam and a detection system configured to monitor the optical probe beam and to calculate a rotation of the NMR gyroscope system about a sensitive axis based on a modulation of the optical probe beam in response to precession of the plurality of gyromagnetic isotopes resulting from the spin-polarization of the alkali metal. The system further includes a calibration controller that modulates a characteristic of the optical pump beam to substantially mitigate bias errors associated with the gyromagnetic isotopes in the calculation of the rotation of the NMR gyroscope system about the sensitive axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen
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Publication number: 20160202083Abstract: One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a vapor cell comprising an alkali metal and a plurality of gyromagnetic isotopes and a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam configured to spin-polarize the alkali metal. The system also includes a probe laser that generates an optical probe beam and a detection system configured to monitor the optical probe beam and to calculate a rotation of the NMR gyroscope system about a sensitive axis based on a modulation of the optical probe beam in response to precession of the plurality of gyromagnetic isotopes resulting from the spin-polarization of the alkali metal. The system further includes a calibration controller that modulates a characteristic of the optical pump beam to substantially mitigate bias errors associated with the gyromagnetic isotopes in the calculation of the rotation of the NMR gyroscope system about the sensitive axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2014Publication date: July 14, 2016Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN
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Publication number: 20160187142Abstract: One example includes an inertial navigation system (INS). The INS includes a navigation controller configured to generate inertial data associated with motion of a vehicle based on at least one navigation sensor configured on the vehicle and based on magnetic anomaly data. The INS also includes a magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system comprising a plurality of magnetometers distributed in a respective plurality of locations on the vehicle. The magnetic anomaly INS-aiding system can be configured to generate the magnetic anomaly data based on magnetic field measurements of a fixed magnetic anomaly at each of the plurality of magnetometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL S. LARSEN, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, A. DOUGLAS MEYER, DENNIS P. BEVAN
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Patent number: 9285390Abstract: One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a mirror that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: A. Douglas Meyer, Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen, Robert C. Griffith
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Patent number: 9234912Abstract: One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The accelerometer system can include a Far-Off Resonance Trap (FORT) control system configured to generate an optical trapping beam. The system can also include a FORT accelerometer detection system including a FORT that is configured to trap a cluster of atoms based on the optical trapping beam. The FORT accelerometer detection system can also include an interrogation system configured to determine motion of the cluster of atoms along at least one axis resulting from an external acceleration in the at least one axis based on a relative phase shift of an optical probe beam through the cluster of atoms. The system can further include an acceleration processor configured to calculate the external acceleration in the at least one axis based on the relative phase shift of the optical probe beam.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2013Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Thad G. Walker, Michael S. Larsen
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Patent number: 9229073Abstract: One embodiment includes a sensor system. The system includes a cell system comprising a pump laser configured to generate a pump beam to polarize alkali metal particles enclosed within a sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system comprising a probe laser configured to generate a probe beam. The detection system can also be configured to calculate at least one measurable parameter based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell resulting from precession of the polarized alkali metal particles in response to an applied magnetic field. The system further includes an AC Stark shift control system configured to frequency-modulate the pump beam and to control a center frequency of a frequency-modulated pump beam based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell to substantially stabilize and mitigate the effects of AC Stark shift on the at least one measurable parameter.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2012Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Company, Inc.Inventors: Thad G. Walker, Michael D. Bulatowicz, Michael S. Larsen, Robert C. Griffith, Philip R. Clark
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Publication number: 20150346293Abstract: One example embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. A probe laser generates a probe beam. A first portion of the probe beam is provided through a sensor cell comprising a first alkali vapor to calculate a measurable parameter of the system based on a first detection beam corresponding to the first portion of the probe beam exiting the sensor cell. A second portion of the probe beam can be provided through a stabilization cell that comprises a second vapor. A detection system can be configured to stabilize the frequency of the probe beam in a manner that is on-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the second alkali vapor and off-resonance with respect to an optical transition wavelength of the first alkali vapor based on a second detection beam corresponding to the second portion of the probe beam exiting the stabilization cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN
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Publication number: 20150330786Abstract: One embodiment includes an atomic sensor system. The system includes a vapor cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal that is spin-polarized by an optical beam. The vapor cell includes a mirror at a distal end. The system also includes an optical system including a photodetector system and a laser that generates the optical beam. The optical beam is provided into a proximal end of the vapor cell and is reflected back to the photodetector system via the mirror as a reflected optical beam to generate at least one intensity signal. The optical system further includes a control system that modulates a wavelength of the optical beam between an on-resonance wavelength and an off-resonance wavelength with respect to the alkali metal. The system also includes a processor that calculates a measurable parameter associated with the atomic sensor system based on the at least one intensity signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2014Publication date: November 19, 2015Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN
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Publication number: 20150241217Abstract: One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a vapor cell that encloses an alkali metal and a gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field source that generates a magnetic field aligned with a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system and which is provided through the vapor cell to cause the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope to precess. The system also includes a laser that generates an optical beam that polarizes the alkali metal in the vapor cell to facilitate the precession of the alkali metal and the gyromagnetic isotope. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to calculate a rotation angle about the sensitive axis based on a measured characteristic of a detection beam corresponding to the optical beam exiting the vapor cell, the characteristic being associated with the precession of the gyromagnetic isotope.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2014Publication date: August 27, 2015Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN
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Patent number: 8994371Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes an atomic sensing system. The system includes an atomic sensing device configured to generate an output signal along an output axis in response to a plurality of control parameters. The system also includes a signal generator configured to apply a reference signal to a cross-axis that is approximately orthogonal to the output axis. The system also includes a phase measurement system configured to demodulate the output signal relative to the reference signal to measure a relative phase alignment between the output axis and a physical axis of the atomic sensing device based on the reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Company, Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Larsen, Robert Griffith, Michael D. Bulatowicz, Philip R. Clark
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Publication number: 20140184216Abstract: One embodiment includes a sensor system. The system includes a cell system comprising a pump laser configured to generate a pump beam to polarize alkali metal particles enclosed within a sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system comprising a probe laser configured to generate a probe beam. The detection system can also be configured to calculate at least one measurable parameter based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell resulting from precession of the polarized alkali metal particles in response to an applied magnetic field. The system further includes an AC Stark shift control system configured to frequency-modulate the pump beam and to control a center frequency of a frequency-modulated pump beam based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell to substantially stabilize and mitigate the effects of AC Stark shift on the at least one measurable parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2012Publication date: July 3, 2014Inventors: THAD G. WALKER, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN, ROBERT C. GRIFFITH, PHILIP R. CLARK
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Publication number: 20140159718Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetometer system. The system includes a sensor cell comprising alkali metal particles and a probe laser configured to provide a probe beam through the sensor cell. The system also includes a detection system configured to implement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection of a vector magnitude of an external magnetic field in a first of three orthogonal axes based on characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell and to implement electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection of a vector magnitude of the external magnetic field in a second and a third of the three orthogonal axes based on the characteristics of the probe beam passing through the sensor cell. The system further includes a controller configured to calculate a scalar magnitude of the external magnetic field based on the magnitude of the external magnetic field in each of the three orthogonal axes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventors: MICHAEL S. LARSEN, ROBERT C. GRIFFITH, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, PHILIP R. CLARK
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Publication number: 20130328557Abstract: One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor system. The system includes a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam at a first wavelength and a probe laser configured to generate an optical probe beam at a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. The system also includes beam optics configured to direct the pump laser and the probe laser along orthogonal axes through a sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor. The system further includes detection optics that include a photodetector assembly configured to measure at least one characteristic associated with the optical probe beam leaving the sensor cell for measurement of a polarization vector of the alkali metal vapor. The detection optics can include at least one filter configured to filter light having the first wavelength and to pass light having the second wavelength to the photodetector assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: MICHAEL S. LARSEN, HENRY C. ABBINK, THAD G. WALKER, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ
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Publication number: 20130327146Abstract: One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a minor that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: A. DOUGLAS MEYER, MICHAEL D. BULATOWICZ, MICHAEL S. LARSEN, ROBERT C. GRIFFITH