Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Vaughan

Thomas E. Vaughan 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: 11828598
    Abstract: Optical image sensor systems and process for simultaneously tracking multiple stationary or moving objects to provide attitude and geolocation information are provided. The objects are detected and tracked within subframe areas defined within a field of view of the image sensor system. Multiple objects within the field of view can be detected and tracked using parallel processing streams. Processing subframe areas can include applying precomputed detector data to image data. Image data within each subframe area obtained from a series of image frames is aggregated to enable the centroid of an object within a particular subframe to be located. Information from an inertial measurement unit can be applied to maintain a stationary object, such as a star, at the center of a respective subframe. Ephemeris data can be applied in combination with the information from the IMU to track a resident space object traversing a known trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: John Mastrangelo, Thomas E. Vaughan