Patents Issued in June 1, 2010
  • Patent number: 7728725
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an underground as well as above ground system and method of determining the intrusion into a security zone. One or more transceivers would transmit a unique electromagnetic signal which would power a response from one or more RFID transponders. Each of the transponders would transmit a unique code to the transceiver indicating that there has been no intrusion in the vicinity of that transponder. Failure of a transponder to receive a signal produced by a transponder, would indicate the existence of an intrusion. The transponders as well as the transceivers can be provided in a PVC pipe buried in the ground, or provided in or on a structure located on or above the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Kenneth B. Cecil
  • Patent number: 7728726
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating customized labels having electronic circuitry such as RFID circuitry. A printing system generates the label by selectively transfer printing elements (e.g., electronic circuitry, physical components, etc.) and donor layers (e.g., conductive materials, non-conductive materials, etc.) from a ribbon to a receiver (e.g., an item that receives the indicia). In addition, the printing system can program and test the label or indicia thereof, thereby providing the ability to customize each label according to predetermined criteria and to ensure that each label functions properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: William Berson
  • Patent number: 7728727
    Abstract: A method of dynamically keeping inventory of items in a vehicle in transit is provided. The method includes detecting an event during transit and conducting interrogations of inventory based on the detected event. The method can compare these inventories to determine disposition of inventory items by location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A Cox
  • Patent number: 7728728
    Abstract: A method and systems for collecting data from a huge number of pre-filled forms are disclosed. According to the method and systems of the invention, the pre-filled forms comprise RFID tags, check boxes, and electrical connection between the RFID tags and the check boxes so that responses are modified according to checked boxes. In a preferred embodiment, each check box comprises at least two electrical terminals electrically connected to the RFID tag through a register. Using a pencil with conductive ink for checking the check boxes establishes an electrical contact between the terminals that modify the value of the register that in turn, modifies the response of the RFID tag. When the check boxes identifiers of a form have been collected, the identifier of the form is stored within the RFID reader to avoid further reading of the RFID tag, or the identifier of the RFID tag is erased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Yves Clement, Gerard Marmigere, Pierre Secondo
  • Patent number: 7728729
    Abstract: The present invention provides method for locating an entity within a structure using RFID system including a portable RF transmitter/receiver transported by the entity within the structure, a base unit, and a plurality of RFID tags, the method comprising the steps of: (a) emitting an RF interrogation signal at constant, predetermined intervals; (b) powering up and emitting a signal containing location data; (c) receiving the location data and broadcasting the location data to the base unit; and (d) receiving and displaying the location data; wherein steps (a) and (c) are performed by the RF transmitter/receiver, step (b) is performed by an RFID tag when the RF interrogation signal is within an effective range of the RFID tag, and step (d) is performed by the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Insight Holding Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James Christopher
  • Patent number: 7728730
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader that is configured to obtain identification information from a plurality of RFID tags respectively attached to the plurality of items. A computer is configured to receive the identification information, and use the identification information to identify the items having a RFID tag attached thereto, and determine a percentage of a desired type of item with respect to the plurality of items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Casella Waste Systems, Inc
    Inventors: Timothy A. Langlois, John A. Kintzer
  • Patent number: 7728731
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for modifying RFID tag data in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes determining whether a UID of the RFID reader is received; when the UID of the RFID reader is received, determining whether RFID tag data corresponding to the received UID exists in an RFID data management database; and when the RFID tag data corresponding to the received UID data exists in the RFID data management database, recording the corresponding data in the RFID tag and transmitting the recorded data. The data recorded in the RFID tag can be dynamically modified according to the RFID readers that are located near the portable terminal and collect the RFID tag data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Ji-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7728732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Mitchell B. Grunes, Richard H. Jackson, Gerald L. Karel, John M. Kruse, Richard W. Lindahl, James E. Nash, Chester Piotrowski, John D. Yorkovich
  • Patent number: 7728733
    Abstract: The RFID tag includes: a main unit consisting of a base, a communication antenna that is wired on the base, a circuit chip that is electrically connected to the antenna and performs radio communication via the antenna, a chip reinforcing member covering the periphery of the circuit chip, an underside reinforcing member that is disposed at a position that sandwiches the base with respect to the chip reinforcing member, and a rubber cover member that covers these components; and protective layers that sandwich the main unit from the front and rear sides and have greater slipperiness than the slipperiness between the main unit and a contactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Shunji Baba, Shigeru Hashimoto, Yoshiyasu Sugimura, Tsuyoshi Niwata
  • Patent number: 7728734
    Abstract: In commercial products to which a non-contact type or contact type ID label or ID tag is attached and ID cards, there is fear that, due to a difference between coefficients of thermal expansion between an antenna for communication and a resin provided around the antenna, stress is applied to the resin with the larger coefficient of thermal expansion to break the resin. This contributes to a decrease in manufacturing yield, lifetime, and reliability of an ID label or the like. In an article such as an ID label, an ID tag, and an ID card according to the present invention, a filler is included in a filling layer provided around an antenna forming an ID label, an ID tag, and an ID card so that the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the antenna and the filling layer can be reduced. This makes it possible to ease generation of stress due to the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion and prevent peeling and cracks of the filling layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Arai, Mai Akiba, Yuko Tachimura, Yohei Kanno
  • Patent number: 7728735
    Abstract: A mood of a user is estimated based on a user's profile, data indicative of a user's mood received from a communication device associated with the user and from sources other than the user, and environmental data with a potential impact on the user's mood. Data indicative of the user's mood and the environmental data are processed to filter out data that is not relevant to the user's mood. The filtered data is cross-correlated with the user profile, and the mood of the user is estimated based on the cross-correlated filtered data. A network and services may be controlled based on a user's mood. Suggestions for interacting with the user may be generated based on the user's mood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Aaron, Robert C. Streijl
  • Patent number: 7728736
    Abstract: Combustion instability in combustion appliances may be recognized before excessive carbon monoxide may be produced. In some instances, combustion instability may be manifested in flame oscillation, or rather, in oscillations in flame intensity as measured, for example, by a flame sensor. If flame instability is detected, appliance operation may be corrected or terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Shanna L. Leeland, Brent Chian
  • Patent number: 7728737
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for the output of an information message in a vehicle, whereby an information message is stored, the current location of the vehicle is determined, a driver of the vehicle triggers an assignment of a stored information message to a location, and the information message assigned to a location is automatically emitted when the vehicle is situated at this location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Bachmaier
  • Patent number: 7728738
    Abstract: Computer implementations to process a character stream by forming, responsive to the character stream, a plurality of parallel property bit streams wherein each of the parallel property bit streams comprises bit values of a particular property associated with data values of the character stream; and processing the parallel property bit streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Characters, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Cameron
  • Patent number: 7728739
    Abstract: Data values are encoded for transmission to a recipient on a communication channel. Performance information associated with the encoding or the communication channel is obtained and used at least in part to determine quantization factors used in the encoding. The data values can be scaled based on the quantization factors and ordered based on a probability factor. A portion of the data values can be selected based on content. A code table can be selected based on a variation of the data values, where the code table specifies codewords including at least one of bits representative of a divisor, bits representative of a remainder, and a bit representative of a sign. Codewords can be generated for the data values using the code table. The encoded data values can be transmitted to a recipient where the data values are decoded using a decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Victor Stein
  • Patent number: 7728740
    Abstract: A method includes generating a first symbol string code indicative of one or more positions of a first symbol string within data to be compressed. A second symbol string code indicative of one or more positions of a second symbol string within the data is also generated. The first symbol string code and the second symbol string code are combined into a compressed data code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Donald M. Monro
  • Patent number: 7728741
    Abstract: Provided is a code conversion device that is capable of converting codes even if an input code sequence is invalid, and is able to reduce the amount of processing. When a first code sequence is input, the code conversion device generates a decoded signal by decoding the codes of normal frames of the first code sequence at Step S1, stores and holds the decoded signal at Step S2, generates a signal corresponding to an invalid frame by interpolation with the decoded signal that is stored and held, at Step S3. Subsequently, the code conversion device generates codes corresponding to the invalid frame by encoding the generated signal at Step S4, and makes the normal frames of the first code sequence without conversion be the frames of the second code sequence while making the generated codes be the frame of the second code sequence, in place of the codes of the invalid frame, at Step S5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Murashima
  • Patent number: 7728742
    Abstract: The described embodiments include a system for performing data compression. The system includes a compression mechanism with N channels, and an internal decompression mechanism in the compression mechanism that accepts N channels of fixed-length packets. The compression mechanism is configured to receive an input bit stream that includes a set of data words. In response to receiving a request from the internal decompression mechanism identifying at least one of the channels for which a fixed-length packet is to be appended to the output stream, the system fills a fixed-length packet for the identified channel with compressed data words; appends the fixed-length packet to the output stream; and forwards a copy of the fixed-length packet to the internal decompression mechanism. The internal decompression mechanism decompresses fixed-length packets for each of the channels to determine a next fixed-length packet to be appended to the output stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffry E. Gonion
  • Patent number: 7728743
    Abstract: A methods and devices for polyphase resampling are presented which may comprise a coefficient generator which provides a plurality of coefficients and an interpolation arrangement used to carry out the resampling by means of the coefficients applied to input data provided for resampling in order to provide output data. In one possible implementation the coefficient generator is constructed and/or controlled so as to provide the coefficients for the resampling in the form of linearly interpolated coefficients. In another alternative implementation, a plurality of at least two data interpolation filters are provided for the interpolation of a corresponding number of parallel input data, wherein the coefficients are input to each of the data interpolation filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Trident Microsystems (Far East) Ltd.
    Inventor: Mihail Petrov
  • Patent number: 7728744
    Abstract: Simultaneously decoding one or more variable length code symbols including storing in a bit FIFO at least a portion of a variable length coded bit stream; storing a succession of extracted bit fields of predetermined bit length from the variable length coded bit stream in the bit FIFO; defining at least one inspection field in the extracted bit field, each inspection field identifying at least one variable length code symbol; and storing in look-up table a decode value uniquely addressable by each bit combination of the inspection field for reading out the one or more decode values corresponding to the unique address defined by the inspection field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Yosef Stein, Hazarathaiah Malepati
  • Patent number: 7728745
    Abstract: A variable length code decoding apparatus according to the present invention includes: an extracting unit which extracts a bit string from a beginning of a bit stream; a first storage unit for storing a plurality of code words in which one piece of data has been coded, and decoded data and code lengths respectively corresponding to the code words; a second storage unit for storing a plurality of code words in which two or more pieces of data have been coded, and decoded data and code lengths respectively corresponding to the code words; a first judging unit which judges whether one of the code words stored in the first storage unit is included in the extracted bit string, and, when judged as being included, outputs the decoded data and the code length of the code word; and a second judging unit which judges whether a code word stored in the second storage unit is included in the extracted bit string, and when judged as being included, outputs the decoded data and the code length of the code word, wherein the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuya Shigenobu, Yoshiyuki Wada, Satoshi Yamaguchi, Kozo Kimura, Takeshi Furuta
  • Patent number: 7728746
    Abstract: Signal transition feature based coding for serial link is described herein. According to one embodiment, in response to a data stream transmitted onto a serial communication link, one or more bits of the data stream are encoded according to bit order determined based on a frequency of signal transitions of the data stream. As a result, a sequence of encoded data stream having a lower number of bit transitions with respect to the frequency of signal transitions of the data stream prior to the encoding is generated. Thereafter, the encoded data sequence is transmitted onto the serial communication link. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaoying He, Luhong Liang, Ying Jia
  • Patent number: 7728747
    Abstract: Comparator chain total offset, static and dynamic, is reduced by injecting a compensation quantity in at least one point in the chain of comparator components. The compensation quantity is determined by providing the comparator chain with calibration signals having equal values and evaluating the output states of the comparator chain. The compensation quantity is adjusted until the probabilities of high and low output states are substantially equal and a calibrated value for the compensation is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: MoSys, Inc.
    Inventor: Mihu Iorgulescu
  • Patent number: 7728748
    Abstract: A superconducting bandpass sigma-delta Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) is disclosed. The ADC is characterized as being an Nth-order, having N resonators, with N being at least 2. The ADC also may have N?1 amplifiers, where the amplifiers directionally couple sequential pairs of the resonators. The ADC further includes a Josephson Junction (JJ) comparator. All N resonators connect in parallel to the JJ comparator, and the JJ comparator is providing an implicit feedback for all N resonators. A method for implementing the sigma-delta ADC without any explicit feedback loops is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: HYPRES, Inc.
    Inventor: Dmitri Kirichenko
  • Patent number: 7728749
    Abstract: Various apparatuses, methods and systems for a multi-mode DAC with selectable output range, granularity and offset and controlled slew rate are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for supplying a reference signal, including a digital-to-analog converter, a counter and a clock. The digital-to-analog converter has a digital input and an analog output that supplies a reference signal based on the digital input. The counter has a digital control word input, a clock input, a clock enable output and a count output connected to the digital input of the digital-to-analog converter. The counter is adapted to assert the clock enable output when the digital control word input requests an output count that is different from an actual count at the count output of the counter. The clock has an enable input connected to the clock enable output of the counter and a clock output connected to the clock input of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Biranchinath Sahu
  • Patent number: 7728750
    Abstract: A display panel driver including a binary-weighted current-type D/A converter and a source follower with current mirror is provided. The binary-weighted current-type D/A converter receives n input signals and sends a D/A output voltage signal based on 2n?1 times a reference current. The source follower with current mirror receives the D/A output voltage signal and sends 2n?1 times the reference current to the output of the source follower with current mirror, so as to output a output voltage and drive the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Holtek Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuh-Diahn Wang, Yan-Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 7728751
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus comprising a pipelined converter, such as a pipelined ADC. The pipelined converter has a first set of stages and a second set of stages. A clocking circuit is configured to generate a plurality of clocking signals for the pipelined converter. The plurality of clocking signals comprise a first clocking signal at a first voltage level that is provided to the first set of stages and a second clocking signal at a second voltage level that is provided to the second set of stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba America Electronics Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh V. Watson, Tung Tran
  • Patent number: 7728752
    Abstract: Pipelined converter systems include a plurality of converter stages in which some stages generate and pass a residue signal to a succeeding stage for further conversion. The generation of the residue signal can inject spurious charges into a reference source that is used in the generation. The spurious charges reduce the accuracy of the residue signal and the accuracy of the system. Residue generator embodiments are thereby formed to provide reduction charges to the reference source that are arranged to oppose and reduce the spurious charges. This reduction of spurious charges significantly enhances system accuracy and linearity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty Ali, Gregory W. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7728753
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for continuous synchronization of multiple ADC circuits is described. The ADC circuits can be arranged in a master-slave configuration within the system so that the converter clock is subdivided into slower speeds for the data output clock or for the control of de-multiplexing the outputs onto a wider bus, while maintaining ADC-to-ADC synchronization resilient to perturbations from noise and other upset sources. The configuration of the ADCs in the master-slave configuration can be varied according to overall system requirements in any one of a sequential configuration, a parallel configuration or a tree type of configuration, as well as others. Digital and/or analog timing adjustments can be made to each of the ADC circuits. The master clocking signals can be generated by a master clock generator circuit, which is either internally implemented in an ADC circuit, or externally implemented as a separate master clock generator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Callaghan Taft, Heinz Werker, Pier Francese, David Barkin
  • Patent number: 7728754
    Abstract: An integrating analog to digital converter (ADC) is disclosed that comprises a Delay Locked Loop (DLL) (2, 50) which is synchronized to a reference clock signal (12). A rising edge of a clock signal therefore propagates through the DLL once each clock cycle. In use, the integrating ADC converts an analog input signal to a digital output signal dependent upon a timing measurement of an integration carried out by an integrator (4). The timing measurement is taken by reading the logical states of the individual delay cells in the DLL. This enables the position of the rising edges of the clock signal to be determined and used as a timing measurement. The timing measurement is in the form of a digital thermometer code that can be converted into a binary number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Friedel Gerfers, Wolfgang Furtner
  • Patent number: 7728755
    Abstract: The system is a parallel processing jamming architecture that is designed to automatically attack and concurrently investigate multiple signals simultaneously in the radio environment. The system implements multiple wideband independent channels to allow simultaneous threat signals to be processed in parallel and jammed in real-time. The system automatically attacks a radio communication channel when the suspect radio signal surpasses a dynamic composite threshold which is internally updated using multi-channel data feedback, in real-time. The concurrent analysis with transmission allows the system to optimize the jam efficiency quickly to an unknown signal, and while determining the validity of the threat. The high throughput parallel architecture allows the intelligent jamming process to occur with rapidity and signal multiplicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Damjan Jocic
  • Patent number: 7728756
    Abstract: A hovering helicopter has a radar transmitter/receiver for transmitting radar pulses for illuminating a target for SAR imaging, and rotor blades for generating lift. Radar reflectors are on the rotor blades. The radar reflectors are oriented to reflect the radar pulses from the transmitter to the target as the rotor blades rotate. The radar pulses reflected by the moving reflector from the transmitter are timed to generate the synthetic aperture image using radar returns from the target. The receiver also receives blade returns directly reflected from the moving reflectors attached to the lift rotor blades. The receiver analyzes the blade returns to extract motion details of the reflectors and uses the motion details for motion compensation of target returns for SAR imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kapriel V. Krikorian, Robert A. Rosen, Michael Gubala
  • Patent number: 7728757
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for focusing an image. In one advantageous embodiment, a method is used to focus an image. Optimization is performed to identify an array of coefficients for a polynomial representing a phase correction in a manner that minimizes an entropy value generated by an entropy calculation for the image. The array of coefficients is applied to the polynomial to obtain a desired phase correction. A phase error in the image is corrected using the desired phase correction to focus the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kwang M. Cho
  • Patent number: 7728758
    Abstract: A system and method for maintaining spatio-temporal data for a given area (e.g., an airspace) containing a given node (e.g., an aircraft) and one or more other nodes (e.g., aircraft). The given aircraft may break the given airspace into a first plurality of smaller airspaces, and may also break the given airspace into a second plurality of smaller airspaces. The given aircraft may then detect local spatio-temporal data for each smaller airspace located within its detectable range. The aircraft may also receive remote spatio-temporal data for the smaller airspaces from the one or more other aircraft. Thereafter, the aircraft may update stored spatio-temporal data based on the aircraft's navigation data, the local spatio-temporal data, the remote spatio-temporal data, and/or a reliability of the data. Further, the aircraft may transmit the stored spatio-temporal data for receipt by the one or more other aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Srivatsan Varadarajan, Vicraj T Thomas, James A. Freebersyser
  • Patent number: 7728759
    Abstract: A method for obtaining weather related information for a portion of the Earth's atmosphere between a mobile platform traversing over a predetermined surface portion of the Earth, and at least one satellite from a satellite constellation. The method involves modifying at least one satellite from the constellation of satellites to include time and location information in wireless signals that are transmitted in real time by the one satellite. The mobile platform receives the wireless signals from the one satellite. An occultation system carried on the mobile platform analyzes the time and position information, in addition to location information pertaining to a real time location of the mobile platform, and to derive real time atmospheric weather related information for a geographic area between the mobile platform and the one satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Tillotson, David A. Whelan
  • Patent number: 7728760
    Abstract: A method for generating a representation of a kinematic structure of an atmospheric vortex is provided. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals from a Doppler radar. The signals are reflected at a plurality of pulse volumes. The method also comprises measuring a plurality of Doppler velocities based on the received signals. A plurality of scaled Doppler velocities are calculated representing the plurality of measured Doppler velocities, the radial distance between the Doppler radar and the pulse volume where the Doppler velocity is measured, and the distance between the radar and a first estimated atmospheric vortex center. The method also comprises generating a representation of the kinematic structure of the atmospheric vortex using the plurality of scaled Doppler wind velocity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
    Inventors: Wen-Chau Lee, Jong-Dao Jou
  • Patent number: 7728761
    Abstract: An active device includes a receiving antenna (6) that receives an electromagnetic (2) signal coming from a localisation system (3) and at least one emitting antenna (8) that 5 resends said signal (2) to said localisation system (3), and is characterised in that said device (4) includes a plurality of said emitting antennae (8) connected to at least one receiving antenna (6) in such a way that said emitting antennae (8) receive the electromagnetic (2) signal coming 10 from said at least one receiving antenna (6), with each of said emitting antennae (8) being the ones that resend the signal (2) to said localisation system (3). This offers the possibility of creating artificial measuring points that are retained over time easily, cheaply and simply, 15 whether in wooded zones, snow-covered zones or at sea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Altamira Information, S.L.
    Inventor: Alain Henri Jean Arnaud
  • Patent number: 7728762
    Abstract: A method for detecting an occurrence of interference between a return of a radar wave which has been transmitted by a radar and has an oscillating amplitude in time and a radio wave transmitted by some other radar, Includes steps of: detecting extremal points of an incident radio wave in which the radio wave transmitted by the other radar is superposed on the return of the radar wave, extracting, sequentially in time, an emerging pattern of the extremal points of the incident radio wave within each of periods of time to obtain a series of emerging patterns of the extremal points, detecting a period during which the emerging pattern of the extremal points is irregular among the series of the emerging patterns of the extremal points, and determining that the interference occurs during the detected period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Mai Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7728763
    Abstract: Provided is a high resolution distance ranging apparatus using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication. The apparatus includes: a first spectrum analyzer for extracting a frequency component corresponding to multipath time delay from a reception signal; a second spectrum analyzer for acquiring a noise subspace of the extracted frequency component and extracting a frequency component where maximum power is located from a frequency spectrum based on the noise subspace; a time of arrival (TOA) extractor for extracting TOA based on the frequency component where maximum power is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Cheol-Hyo Lee, Jae-Young Kim, Eun-Chang Choi, Chong-Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 7728764
    Abstract: According to a particular embodiment, a method for evaluating different antenna designs includes receiving different sets of antenna patterns representative of the different antenna designs from a corresponding number of data sources. The different sets of antenna patterns are applied to a characterizer component for generating a sidelobe banking (SLB) characteristic map for each set of antenna patterns received. A SLB effectiveness chart is generated from the SLB characteristic map. A best antenna weighting set is selected based on which auxiliary antenna pattern exhibits the best performance. The best of antenna weighting factors are used for designating the antenna design having superior SLB performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Yuchoi F. Lok, Kaichiang Chang
  • Patent number: 7728765
    Abstract: A method for clutter filtering staggered pulse repetition time data signals is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of staggered pulse repetition time data signals. The data signals may comprise one or more desired signals and one or more clutter signals. The method further comprises separating the staggered pulse repetition time data signals into a first separated data sequence and a second separated data sequence. The first and second separated data sequences comprise equally spaced data samples. The method also comprises the step of filtering the one or more clutter signals from the first and second separated data sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: University Corporation of Atmospheric Research
    Inventors: Grant Gray, John Hubbert, Gregory Meymaris
  • Patent number: 7728766
    Abstract: A method for determining beamforming weights used onboard a satellite and ground-based beamforming weights used in a ground-based station as part of a satellite communication system. This beamforming method is a two-stage beamforming process that requires a reduced downlink bandwidth between the satellite and the ground-based station yet achieves optimal signal-to-noise ratio for bandwidth allocated for the downlink. values for the fixed onboard beamforming weights are computed to yield a maximum, max A ? ( min U ? S N ? | W = W ? ) , where the maximum is computed over all possible fixed weights A represented by an L×M matrix, the minimum is computed over all possible positions of remote communication devices U, and the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) is computed for the optimal set of ground-based beamforming weights W={hacek over (W)}.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandr Draganov, Aaron Weinberg
  • Patent number: 7728767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a satellite-based positioning system in which a transmitter (2) emits electromagnetic radiation at least at N?3 carrier frequencies (3, 4, 5). In order to resolve the phase ambiguity for said satellite-based positioning system, the electromagnetic radiation is received by a receiver (1), and K pseudo paths (3a, 4a, 5a, 6a) and L carrier phases (3b, 4b, 5b, 6b), especially at least two pseudo paths (3a, 5a) and at least two carrier phases (3b, 4b), are derived from the received radiation as M pieces of distance data, wherein M=K+L. In order to determine the position, the integer phase ambiguity is derived from the linear combination of a maximum of M?2N?1 pieces of distance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Hans-Jürgen Euler
  • Patent number: 7728768
    Abstract: A reception environment is determined to be a multipath environment when the difference (positioning altitude difference) between the maximum value (maximum altitude) and the minimum value (minimum altitude) of the altitudes of candidate present positions P of respective satellite sets exceeds a given threshold value (e.g., 200 m), and is determined to be an open-sky environment when the positioning altitude difference is equal to or less than the given threshold value. When the reception environment is the open-sky environment, an evaluation point E of each satellite set is calculated using a known evaluation method based on the number of satellites, a PDOP value, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Mitsunaga
  • Patent number: 7728769
    Abstract: An adaptive processing method of and system for clutter rejection in a phased array beam pattern. The amplitude distribution of the transmit elements of a two-dimensional phased array is determined. A desired pattern with low side lobes for a linear array is synthesized. The amplitude distribution of the transmit elements of the two-dimensional phased array is compared with the synthesized pattern. Select elements of the two-dimensional array are disabled to best fit the determined amplitude distribution of the transmit elements of the two-dimensional phased array to the synthesized beam pattern. Phase only pattern synthesis is performed to produce a desired two-dimensional beam pattern with low side lobes to minimize any best fit errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kaichiang Chang, William Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7728770
    Abstract: This invention relates to reducing the complexity and cost of antenna arrays and is more specifically concerned with reducing the complexity of an antenna apparatus (10). It provides an antenna array (62) made up of a vertical stack of horizontal linear structures (74) each having several groups of neighboring array antenna elements (78), the groups (74) having variable numbers of the antenna elements (78) each connected to a transmit/receive module (66). The advantage of this configuration is that less communication modules (66), such as transmit/receive modules, are required to operate the antenna array (62), reducing the weight, power consumption and cost of an antenna apparatus (10) incorporating such an antenna array (62) without significantly limiting the capability and/or performance of a system compared to a conventional solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Selex Galileo Ltd.
    Inventors: Anthony Miles Kinghorn, Robert Longmuir Sinclair, John Stephen Tanner
  • Patent number: 7728771
    Abstract: A multi-channel, dual-band, radio frequency (RF) transmit/receive (T/R) module, for an active electronically scanned array, is provided. The module includes a compact, RF manifold connector and at least four T/R channels. Each of the T/R channels includes a notch radiator, a diplexer coupled to the notch radiator, a power amplifier, including at least one dual-band gain stage, coupled to the notch radiator, a low noise amplifier, including at least one lower-band gain stage and at least one upper-band gain stage, coupled to the diplexer, and a T/R cell, including a phase shifter, a signal attenuator and at least one dual-band gain stage, coupled to the power amplifier, the low noise amplifier and the manifold connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Lee, Eric V. Miller, Joseph A. Faulkner, Cynthia W. Berry, Gene A. Digennaro, Kerron R. Duncan, Ronald G. Freitag, Tapan K. Gupta, Harry V. Guy, III, Vincent G. Karasack, Dave M. Krafcsik, Brian T. McMonagle, Robert B. Middleton, Benjamin R. Myers, Mike L. Salib, John P. Vitamvas, Thomas M. Walsh, Eric D. Zirofsky, John W. Gipprich
  • Patent number: 7728772
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a front-end device for a phased array system. The front-end device includes an array of horn antennas, a first set of transmission lines coupled to the horn antenna array for a first polarization, a second set of transmission lines coupled to the horn antenna array for a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization, and a plurality of L-shaped excitation elements. Each L-shaped excitation element of the plurality of L-shaped excitation elements couples a transmission line from each of the first and second sets of transmission lines to a respective horn antenna of the horn antenna array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Amir Mortazawi, Lora S. Schulwitz
  • Patent number: 7728773
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-band antenna and, more particularly, to a sub multi-band antenna, in which a planer conducting part, which has a plurality of protruding portions, is inserted into a depression, which is formed on the surface of a body part formed through injection molding using a mold having a specific shape to surround first and second wire members, and the fitting depression of a fastening part, which is formed through the cutting or die casting of a metal material, and to a sub-band built-in chip antenna, in which sub radiation patterns having a predetermined length are formed on the interior surface of a body part, which is formed through injection molding using a dielectric material or is formed of a layered substrate a dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ace Antenna Corp.
    Inventors: Sae-Won Oh, Seung-Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7728774
    Abstract: A radio-frequency integrated circuit chip package with N integrated aperture-coupled patch antennas, N being at least one, includes a cover portion with N generally planar patches, and a main portion coupled to the cover portion. The main portion in turn comprises at least one generally planar ground plane spaced inwardly from the N generally planar patches and substantially parallel thereto. The ground plane is formed with at least N coupling aperture slots therein. The slots are substantially opposed to the patches. The main portion also includes N feed lines spaced inwardly from the N generally planar patches and substantially parallel thereto, and at least one radio frequency chip coupled to the feed lines and the ground plane. The cover portion and the main portion cooperatively define an antenna cavity, with the N generally planar patches located in the antenna cavity. Fabrication techniques are also described. In some embodiments, N is two or more and a phased array is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes A. G. Akkermans, Brian A. Floyd, Duixian Liu