Patents by Inventor Walter P. Watson

Walter P. Watson 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: 8218012
    Abstract: A sensor is used to detect and track a plurality of objects by using a separate track window for each object. Such sensors may be electro optical or infrared. Each object of interest (potential target) in the sensor FOV has a unique track window assigned. This allows independent control of video frame summing for each object to maintain a constant (optimized) signal to noise ratio (SNR) over an extremely large signal dynamic range and reduces track jitter by the simultaneous tracking of multiple objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Michael E DeFlumere, William E Shaw, Walter P Watson
  • Patent number: 8075144
    Abstract: A telescope design having an integrated baffle is disclosed herein. The integrated baffle is configured as both a baffle and a mirror support. The integrated baffle can be shaped to the F-cone between the primary and secondary mirrors of a given telescope design. The baffle design can be adjusted to minimize or otherwise reduce the total obscuration of the baffle to improve the optical throughput. The interior facing surfaces of the integrated baffle can be configured with corner reflectors, so that the detector views itself, instead of the baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Shaw, Michael E DeFlumere, Brian Foley, Walter P. Watson
  • Publication number: 20110176205
    Abstract: A telescope design having an integrated baffle is disclosed herein. The integrated baffle is configured as both a baffle and a mirror support. The integrated baffle can be shaped to the F-cone between the primary and secondary mirrors of a given telescope design. The baffle design can be adjusted to minimize or otherwise reduce the total obscuration of the baffle to improve the optical throughput. The interior facing surfaces of the integrated baffle can be configured with corner reflectors, so that the detector views itself, instead of the baffle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Shaw, Michael E. DeFlumere, Brian Foley, Walter P. Watson
  • Patent number: 7926961
    Abstract: A telescope design is disclosed that has at least some of its interior facing surfaces configured with corner reflectors, so that a detector operatively coupled to the telescope views itself, instead of those surfaces. The corner reflectors may be on, for example, interior facing surfaces of a conventional baffle appended to the telescope and/or mirror supports or other structures inside the telescope housing that are within the detector's FOV. Likewise, the corner reflectors may be on interior facing surfaces of a baffle that is integrated into the telescope housing. In some such cases, the integrated baffle can be configured as both a baffle and a mirror support. The integrated baffle can be shaped to the F-cone between mirrors of a given telescope design, and/or configured to minimize or otherwise reduce the total obscuration of the baffle to improve the optical throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Shaw, Michael E. DeFlumere, Brian Foley, Walter P Watson
  • Publication number: 20100123951
    Abstract: A telescope design is disclosed that has at least some of its interior facing surfaces configured with corner reflectors, so that a detector operatively coupled to the telescope views itself, instead of those surfaces. The corner reflectors may be on, for example, interior facing surfaces of a conventional baffle appended to the telescope and/or minor supports or other structures inside the telescope housing that are within the detector's FOV. Likewise, the corner reflectors may be on interior facing surfaces of a baffle that is integrated into the telescope housing. In some such cases, the integrated baffle can be configured as both a baffle and a mirror support. The integrated baffle can be shaped to the F-cone between minors of a given telescope design, and/or configured to minimize or otherwise reduce the total obscuration of the baffle to improve the optical throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Shaw, Michael E. DeFlumere, Brian Foley, Walter P. Watson
  • Publication number: 20090237511
    Abstract: A sensor is used to detect and track a plurality of objects by using a separate track window for each object. Such sensors may be electro optical or infrared. Each object of interest (potential target) in the sensor FOV has a unique track window assigned. This allows independent control of video frame summing for each object to maintain a constant (optimized) signal to noise ratio (SNR) over an extremely large signal dynamic range and reduces track jitter by the simultaneous tracking of multiple objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.
    Inventors: Michael E. DeFlumere, William E. Shaw, Walter P. Watson
  • Patent number: 7307251
    Abstract: A light source is injected into an optical path of a camera to provide a controlled background to insure optimum uniformity of performance of the camera. An optical system, camera, image background measurement system, source intensity control, and light source comprise a closed loop control around the light source to control an operating point of the camera. Intensity of the light source is decreased as intensity of a background flux is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Frey, Jr., Walter P. Watson, William E. Shaw