Patents by Inventor Robert E. LeChevalier

Robert E. LeChevalier 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: 7671687
    Abstract: RF field is sensed to produce an incoming voltage that drives a microarray of electron guns in a sweep pattern towards a detector array. The electron guns emit a beam current that may amplify the incoming voltage signal, and the detector material may be selected to amplify the beam current at the detector, for example, by avalanche and/or cascade in a Schottky material, to provide a low current, high gain amplification. The microarrays may be arranged in various combinations to produce successive amplifications, frequency multipliers, transmit-receive amplifiers, crossbar switches, mixers, beamformers, and selective polarization devices, among other such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier
  • Publication number: 20090114839
    Abstract: RF field is sensed to produce an incoming voltage that drives a microarray of electron guns in a sweep pattern towards a detector array. The electron guns emit a beam current that may amplify the incoming voltage signal, and the detector material may be selected to amplify the beam current at the detector, for example, by avalanche and/or cascade in a Schottky material, to provide a low current, high gain amplification. The microarrays may be arranged in various combinations to produce successive amplifications, frequency multipliers, transmit-receive amplifiers, crossbar switches, mixers, beamformers, and selective polarization devices, among other such devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier
  • Patent number: 7446601
    Abstract: RF field is sensed to produce an incoming voltage that drives a microarray of electron guns in a sweep pattern towards a detector array. The electron guns emit a beam current that may amplify the incoming voltage signal, and the detector material may be selected to amplify the beam current at the detector, for example, by avalanche and/or cascade in a Schottky material, to provide a low current, high gain amplification. The microarrays may be arranged in various combinations to produce successive amplifications, frequency multipliers, transmit-receive amplifiers, crossbar switches, mixers, beamformers, and selective polarization devices, among other such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Astronix Research, LLC
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier
  • Publication number: 20030169241
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a voltage to precharge current-driven elements in a matrix, and a method of manufacturing apparatus therefor. Current is delivered to a matrix connection during a conduction period so that an enabled element will conduct a particular charge. During the conduction, changes or ramps in a voltage associated with the matrix connection indicate that the element has not achieved equilibrium voltage. The ramps are sensed and used to control a precharge voltage which is applied to the matrix connection prior to subsequent conduction periods, generally until the voltage begins at the equilibrium value and therefore does not change during the conduction period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier
  • Publication number: 20030151570
    Abstract: A method of applying an adaptive current boost to precharge current-driven elements in a matrix. Elements, such as OLEDs in a display matrix, are driven during successive scan cycles, each having a precharge period and an exposure period. Changes in conduction voltages are sensed during conduction periods, while an element conducts part of a selected exposure current, typically by capacitively coupling an element connection to a sense circuit. The sensed conduction voltage changes are used to control a charge delivered during the precharge period, typically by changing a precharge current level based upon conduction period voltage changes integrated over time, and for a selectable number of different matrix elements. Precharge charge delivery may also be controlled digitally, for example by varying a time duration of precharge current delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Robert E. LeChevalier, William C. Boling
  • Patent number: 6356221
    Abstract: An electron beam analog to digital converter wherein an input signal to be quantized is applied to the deflection circuitry of an electron beam generation device where the electron beam is made to sweep an angle proportional to the amplitude of the input signal in a first orthogonal direction (horizontal) across a linear array of detector elements which generates an output signal at the angle of deflection. A sinusoidal reference signal is simultaneously applied to a second set of deflection plates which causes electron beam to sweep in a second orthogonal direction (vertical) whereupon the deflected electron beam periodically sweeps across the detector array and a time sample of the output voltage is generated during a crossover interval. The detection voltage is then converted to an output signal having a binary value corresponding to the amplitude of the analog input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier
  • Patent number: 4998109
    Abstract: An analog to digital converter for high-speed, high-accuracy conversion includes a charge storage means for storing an input analog value to be converted, means for controlling discharge of the charge storage means, a comparator means for sensing discharge level of said charge storage means and transmitting a stop signal at a precise time, a tapped delay line means which is responsive to a start signal to generate a sequence of binary values, a first register means responsive to the stop signal for capturing the binary values corresponding to a delay time between the start and the stop signal, and an encoder means coupled to the register means for converting the binary values to a digital value representative of the input analog value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Inventor: Robert E. LeChevalier