Patents by Inventor Robert D. Pond

Robert D. Pond 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: 11973524
    Abstract: A radio receiver system and a radio transmitter system are disclosed. The radio receiver system comprises a plurality of intermediate frequency (IF) shifting channels configured to shift incoming signals having a first frequency to an intermediate frequency in a first mixing stage, and to a second frequency in a second mixing stage. The radio transmitter system comprises a plurality of IF shifting channels configured to shift outgoing signals having a first frequency to an intermediate frequency in a first mixing stage, and to a second frequency in a second mixing stage. Since each intermediate frequency is different, the signals shifted to the second frequency combine by coherent addition, and any spurious signals combine by incoherent addition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Meholensky, Robert D. Pond
  • Publication number: 20220352913
    Abstract: A radio receiver system and a radio transmitter system are disclosed. The radio receiver system comprises a plurality of intermediate frequency (IF) shifting channels configured to shift incoming signals having a first frequency to an intermediate frequency in a first mixing stage, and to a second frequency in a second mixing stage. The radio transmitter system comprises a plurality of IF shifting channels configured to shift outgoing signals having a first frequency to an intermediate frequency in a first mixing stage, and to a second frequency in a second mixing stage. Since each intermediate frequency is different, the signals shifted to the second frequency combine by coherent addition, and any spurious signals combine by incoherent addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Michael C. Meholensky, Robert D. Pond
  • Patent number: 11199616
    Abstract: Systems and methods relate to a configurable integrated circuit for beamforming. The integrated circuit includes a first beam transmit input, a first beam receive output, a second beam transmit input, a second beam receive output, a first antenna terminal, a second antenna terminal, a first switched combiner, and a second switched combiner. The first switched combiner includes a first combiner input/output coupled to the first antenna terminal, a first combiner output coupled to a first output path having a first branch coupled to the first beam output and a second branch coupled to the second beam output, and a first combiner input coupled a first input path having a third branch coupled to the first beam input and a fourth branch coupled to the second beam input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Pond, Michael C. Meholensky
  • Patent number: 11183758
    Abstract: An active electrically scanned array (AESA) antenna device is disclosed. In embodiments, the AESA antenna device includes a beam forming network including a plurality of analog beamformer (ABF) integrated circuit devices. The beam forming network may be configured to: receive a first set of signals and a second set of signals with multiple ABF integrated circuit devices, and combine the first set of signals and the second set of signals to generate a first receive input beam and a second receive input beam. In embodiments, the AESA antenna device further includes a carrier substrate communicatively coupled to the beam forming network. The carrier substrate may be configured to receive the first receive output beam with a first electrical line and the second receive output beam with a second electrical line, and route the first electrical line and the second electrical line within a first manifold layer of the carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Pond, Lee M. Paulsen
  • Patent number: 11183756
    Abstract: A phased array system includes an antenna system includes multiple antennas configured to transmit or receive signals and a power supply circuit configured to generate a supply power and provide the supply power to a plurality of distributed power supply circuits. The phased array system includes distributed power supply circuits, each of the plurality of distributed power supply circuits configured to receive the supply power from the power supply circuit and generate radio frequency supply powers for one multiple radio frequency circuits. The phased array system includes radio frequency circuits, each of the radio frequency circuits configured to cause one of the antennas to transmit or receive the signals based on the plurality of radio frequency supply powers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Pond, James B. Mayfield
  • Publication number: 20210265729
    Abstract: An active electrically scanned array (AESA) antenna device is disclosed. In embodiments, the AESA antenna device includes a beam forming network including a plurality of analog beamformer (ABF) integrated circuit devices. The beam forming network may be configured to: receive a first set of signals and a second set of signals with multiple ABF integrated circuit devices, and combine the first set of signals and the second set of signals to generate a first receive input beam and a second receive input beam. In embodiments, the AESA antenna device further includes a carrier substrate communicatively coupled to the beam forming network. The carrier substrate may be configured to receive the first receive output beam with a first electrical line and the second receive output beam with a second electrical line, and route the first electrical line and the second electrical line within a first manifold layer of the carrier substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Robert D. Pond, Lee M. Paulsen
  • Patent number: 10564256
    Abstract: A radar system, such as a weather radar system, includes a radar antenna and a processor. The processor is configured to cause a first radar beam to be provided using a first portion of the radar antenna. The processor is configured to cause a second radar beam to be provided using a phase adjusted portion of the antenna and a remaining portion of the radar antenna. A radar method and system can allow multiple low-loss overlapping radar beams to be rapidly generated to support a sequential lobbing process which may be used to generate intra-beam target angle estimates. The production of these overlapping beams does not require mechanical antenna movement but beam selection is controlled by a simple electronic switch in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: James B. West, Daniel L. Woodell, Richard D. Jinkins, Richard M. Rademaker, Robert D. Pond
  • Patent number: 10483986
    Abstract: A signal phase aligning system includes a signal generator configured to generate a signal. The system further includes a phase locked loop circuit configured to generate a phase locked loop signal based on the signal generated by the signal generator. The system includes a phase aligning circuit configured to align a phase of the phase locked loop signal with a phase of the signal generated by the signal generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael C. Meholensky, Robert D. Pond
  • Publication number: 20170285137
    Abstract: A radar system, such as a weather radar system, includes a radar antenna and a processor. The processor is configured to cause a first radar beam to be provided using a first portion of the radar antenna. The processor is configured to cause a second radar beam to be provided using a phase adjusted portion of the antenna and a remaining portion of the radar antenna. A radar method and system can allow multiple low-loss overlapping radar beams to be rapidly generated to support a sequential lobing process which may be used to generate intra-beam target angle estimates. The production of these overlapping beams does not require mechanical antenna movement but beam selection is controlled by a simple electronic switch in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. West, Daniel L. Woodell, Richard D. Jinkins, Richard M. Rademaker, Robert D. Pond