Patents by Inventor Robert W. Helber

Robert W. Helber 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: 10268783
    Abstract: System and method for correcting the vertical structure of the ocean temperature and salinity can enable the use of sea surface height (SSH) measurements to correct ocean forecast models. In the present embodiment, three relations that can be precomputed are exploited: (1) the relation between temperature and salinity throughout a water column, (2) the relation between temperature/salinity and geopotential, and (3) the relation between geopotential and SSH. The relations are stored in a form that allows efficient application through a cross-correlation matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert W. Helber, Scott R. Smith, Gregg Arthur Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9811614
    Abstract: System and method for correcting the vertical structure of the ocean temperature and salinity based on velocity observations. Three relations that can be precomputed are exploited: (1) the relation between temperature and salinity throughout a water column, (2) the relation between temperature/salinity and geopotential, and (3) the relation between geopotential and velocity. The relations are stored in a form that allows efficient application through a cross-correlation matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Gregg Arthur Jacobs, Scott R. Smith, Robert W. Helber
  • Patent number: 9792564
    Abstract: System and method for maintaining the observed vertical structure of ocean temperature and salinity in data assimilation systems that otherwise would produce overly smoothed ocean vertical structure. The present embodiment uses a multi-layer least squares minimization technique in which the ocean is split into layers with fundamentally different vertical gradients, and the dynamic ocean layers are constrained by the observed vertical gradients of the layer itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert W. Helber, Charlie N. Barron, Michael R. Carnes
  • Publication number: 20160117423
    Abstract: System and method for correcting the vertical structure of the ocean temperature and salinity can enable the use of sea surface height (SSH) measurements to correct ocean forecast models. In the present embodiment, three relations that can be precomputed are exploited: (1) the relation between temperature and salinity throughout a water column, (2) the relation between temperature/salinity and geopotential, and (3) the relation between geopotential and SSH. The relations are stored in a form that allows efficient application through a cross-correlation matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert W. Helber, Scott R. Smith, Gregg Arthur Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20140278314
    Abstract: System and method for correcting the vertical structure of the ocean temperature and salinity based on velocity observations. Three relations that can be precomputed are exploited: (1) the relation between temperature and salinity throughout a water column, (2) the relation between temperature/salinity and geopotential, and (3) the relation between geopotential and velocity. The relations are stored in a form that allows efficient application through a cross-correlation matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Gregg Arthur Jacobs, Scott R. Smith, Robert W. Helber
  • Publication number: 20130158874
    Abstract: System and method for maintaining the observed vertical structure of ocean temperature and salinity in data assimilation systems that otherwise would produce overly smoothed ocean vertical structure. The present embodiment uses a multi-layer least squares minimization technique in which the ocean is split into layers with fundamentally different vertical gradients, and the dynamic ocean layers are constrained by the observed vertical gradients of the layer itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AS REPRESENTE D BY THE SECRETARY OF NAVY
    Inventors: Robert W. Helber, Charlie N. Barron, Michael R. Carnes
  • Patent number: 8032314
    Abstract: A method for providing a more accurate synthetic profiles of temperature, salinity and sound speed of the ocean over an area of interest is provided by using a value of the mixed layer depth in addition to values of surface temperature and surface height in an ocean modeling system such as the Modular Ocean Data Assimilation System (MODAS) system developed for the U.S. Navy. The method of the present invention compares the predicted or observed mixed layer depth for the area of interest, for example, as obtained from remote sensing or upper ocean modeling, to a mixed layer depth estimated from an initial synthetic profile, and determines which is deeper, termed the reference mixed layer depth. The method then derives a modified temperature and salinity synthetic profile by setting the temperature and salinity equal to the surface values at depths less than or equal to the reference mixed layer depth and using an algorithm to estimate temperature and salinity at depths below the reference mixed layer depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Charlie N. Barron, Robert W. Helber
  • Publication number: 20100082264
    Abstract: A method for providing a more accurate synthetic profiles of temperature, salinity and sound speed of the ocean over an area of interest is provided by using a value of the mixed layer depth in addition to values of surface temperature and surface height in an ocean modeling system such as the Modular Ocean Data Assimilation System (MODAS) system developed for the U.S. Navy. The method of the present invention compares the predicted or observed mixed layer depth for the area of interest, for example, as obtained from remote sensing or upper ocean modeling, to a mixed layer depth estimated from an initial synthetic profile, and determines which is deeper, termed the reference mixed layer depth. The method then derives a modified temperature and salinity synthetic profile by setting the temperature and salinity equal to the surface values at depths less than or equal to the reference mixed layer depth and using an algorithm to estimate temperature and salinity at depths below the reference mixed layer depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Charlie N. Barron, Robert W. Helber