Patents by Inventor Scott A. McDermott

Scott A. McDermott 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: 10924181
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HIGHER GROUND LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20200226686
    Abstract: A portfolio allocation system receives liability data indicating expected future obligations of a pension plan and determines a current value of the future obligations using one or more discount methods. The portfolio allocation system applies a liability risk model to calculate risks associated with the current value. The risks include an interest rate portion and a credit spread portion. The portfolio allocation system determines a proportion of plan capital to dedicate to hedging each of the interest rate portion and the credit spread portion and determines a benchmark for securities to obtain based on the determined proportions. The benchmark may be provided for display to a user in a user interface. The user interface may also include controls for identifying and obtaining securities that are consistent with of the benchmark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventor: Frederick Scott McDermott
  • Patent number: 10715206
    Abstract: A communications protocol in accordance with one exemplary embodiment uses information from GPS satellites to synchronize the phases of transmitters, and aligns the phase with a spreading code used to de-spread the received signals at, for example, a ground station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HIGHER GROUND LLC
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott
  • Patent number: 10523684
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a ground station server of a satellite communication system mitigates congestion on a particular forward communication path via an intermediate satellite from the ground station server to a plurality of distributed modules. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the ground station server mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Higher Ground LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20190341999
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Patent number: 10404358
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Higher Ground LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20190173515
    Abstract: A communications protocol in accordance with one exemplary embodiment uses information from GPS satellites to synchronize the phases of transmitters, and aligns the phase with a spreading code used to de-spread the received signals at, for example, a ground station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott
  • Publication number: 20190104132
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a ground station server of a satellite communication system mitigates congestion on a particular forward communication path via an intermediate satellite from the ground station server to a plurality of distributed modules. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the ground station server mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20190103913
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Reed Cooper, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott, Mark Evan Russell, David Daugherty, Shmuel Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20190068239
    Abstract: A communications protocol in accordance with one exemplary embodiment uses information from GPS satellites to synchronize the phases of transmitters, and aligns the phase with a spreading code used to de-spread the received signals at, for example, a ground station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott
  • Patent number: 10218408
    Abstract: A communications protocol in accordance with one exemplary embodiment uses information from GPS satellites to synchronize the phases of transmitters, and aligns the phase with a spreading code used to de-spread the received signals at, for example, a ground station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: HIGHER GROUND LLC
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Bruce Leonard McKinley, Scott A. McDermott
  • Patent number: 9590691
    Abstract: A technique for spectral widening in a communication system may divide respective symbols of a block of symbols into symbol pieces of shorter duration than a symbol. The symbol pieces may be scrambled. The resulting scrambled symbol pieces may optionally be further spread using direct-sequence spreading prior to transmission. Error-control coding may also be used prior to dividing the symbols into symbol pieces and scrambling the symbol pieces. Additionally, the number of symbol pieces per symbol may be adjustable, based on channel characteristics, performance, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Higher Ground LLC
    Inventor: Scott McDermott
  • Patent number: 9577856
    Abstract: Techniques for compensating for frequency offset of a frequency used in a translation of a signal from a first band to a second band may include using a frequency reference signal located in a different band from an information-bearing signal, where the different band may be a guard band. The frequency reference signal may be offset from a particular frequency, which may be a center frequency, of the information-bearing signal by a known amount. The frequency reference signal may be received by the transmitting station, a frequency offset may be derived, and the frequency offset may be used to pre-compensate further transmitted signals. At another station, the received frequency reference signal may be used to lock a local oscillator for demodulation and/or transmission of the information-bearing signal based on the known offset of the frequency reference signal from the frequency of the information-bearing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Higher Ground LLC
    Inventors: Scott McDermott, David Ziers
  • Publication number: 20170048091
    Abstract: Techniques for compensating for frequency offset of a frequency used in a translation of a signal from a first band to a second band may include using a frequency reference signal located in a different band from an information-bearing signal, where the different band may be a guard band. The frequency reference signal may be offset from a particular frequency, which may be a center frequency, of the information-bearing signal by a known amount. The frequency reference signal may be received by the transmitting station, a frequency offset may be derived, and the frequency offset may be used to pre-compensate further transmitted signals. At another station, the received frequency reference signal may be used to lock a local oscillator for demodulation and/or transmission of the information-bearing signal based on the known offset of the frequency reference signal from the frequency of the information-bearing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Scott MCDERMOTT, David ZIERS
  • Publication number: 20170047985
    Abstract: Techniques for compensating for frequency offset of a frequency used in a translation of a signal from a first band to a second band may include using a frequency reference signal located in a different band from an information-bearing signal, where the different band may be a guard band. The frequency reference signal may be offset from a particular frequency, which may be a center frequency, of the information-bearing signal by a known amount. The frequency reference signal may be received by the transmitting station, a frequency offset may be derived, and the frequency offset may be used to pre-compensate further transmitted signals. At another station, the received frequency reference signal may be used to lock a local oscillator for demodulation and/or transmission of the information-bearing signal based on the known offset of the frequency reference signal from the frequency of the information-bearing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Scott MCDERMOTT, David ZIERS
  • Patent number: 9548789
    Abstract: A technique for spectral widening in a communication system may divide respective symbols of a block of symbols into symbol pieces of shorter duration than a symbol. The symbol pieces may be scrambled. The resulting scrambled symbol pieces may optionally be further spread using direct-sequence spreading prior to transmission. Error-control coding may also be used prior to dividing the symbols into symbol pieces and scrambling the symbol pieces. Additionally, the number of symbol pieces per symbol may be adjustable, based on channel characteristics, performance, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Higher Ground LLC
    Inventor: Scott McDermott
  • Publication number: 20170005697
    Abstract: A technique for spectral widening in a communication system may divide respective symbols of a block of symbols into symbol pieces of shorter duration than a symbol. The symbol pieces may be scrambled. The resulting scrambled symbol pieces may optionally be further spread using direct-sequence spreading prior to transmission. Error-control coding may also be used prior to dividing the symbols into symbol pieces and scrambling the symbol pieces. Additionally, the number of symbol pieces per symbol may be adjustable, based on channel characteristics, performance, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventor: Scott MCDERMOTT
  • Publication number: 20170005698
    Abstract: A technique for spectral widening in a communication system may divide respective symbols of a block of symbols into symbol pieces of shorter duration than a symbol. The symbol pieces may be scrambled. The resulting scrambled symbol pieces may optionally be further spread using direct-sequence spreading prior to transmission. Error-control coding may also be used prior to dividing the symbols into symbol pieces and scrambling the symbol pieces. Additionally, the number of symbol pieces per symbol may be adjustable, based on channel characteristics, performance, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventor: Scott MCDERMOTT
  • Publication number: 20140079040
    Abstract: One or more frame slots to each transceiver are allocated for communication within each message cycle. The number of frame slots allocated can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate variable traffic loads per transceiver, and an offset of the frame slots within the message cycle is preferably predefined to provide a uniform distribution among the transceivers. The design of the transceiver is independent of the particular application, having at least one programmable parameter that controls the number of frame slots allocated within the message cycle. By controlling the number of frame slots allocated to a transceiver, the amount of inactive time, and hence battery life, can be controlled. When a conflict occurs among multiple transceivers having pending messages at the same frame slot, the allocation of the frame slot to a transceiver is based at least in part on the resultant lag time to each transceiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: R. Clayton Smith, Luis G. Jordan, Scott A. McDermott
  • Patent number: 8675711
    Abstract: A transmitter transmits a signal to a receiver using spread spectrum signals. The transmitter generates a respective signal. The transmitter separates the respective signal into multiple predefined portions, wherein each predefined portion is below a noise floor. The transmitter transmits at least a plurality of the predefined portions of the respective signal at discrete bandwidth intervals in accordance with a spread spectrum signal splitting technique. The discrete bandwidth intervals are portions of spectrum that are available for transmission. The receiver receives at least a plurality of the multiple predefined portions of the respective signal at the discrete bandwidth intervals. The receiver reconstructs the respective signal using at least a plurality of the predefined portions in accordance with the spread spectrum signal splitting technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation
    Inventors: Scott McDermott, Er-Hsien Fu