Other

Harris Corporation

Hall, Christopher, J.

Christopher J Hall

Clay S Turner

Jimmy C Ray

Calvin Lee Adkins

David Graves

Ed Bryant

A device that causes a weapon to fire upon a target when the weapon is enabled by an operator, and when the weapon point of impact passes through a target or in a proximity thereto and when the target satisfies certain criteria as determined by one or more sensors/designations. This invention represents a significant paradigm shift. Some prior art (large scale) weapons automatically acquire/track/prioritize/target/fire upon targets without operator intervention (i.e. Phalanx). Most prior art weapons, especially but not limited to small arms, are manually aimed, and fire immediately upon an input (trigger pull, or equivalent) from the operator. The current invention is a novel approach which triggers the release of a round, multi-round burst, rocket, missile, or other projectile(s) when enabled by the operator, and when the target passes through the point of impact (or desired/computed proximity thereto), relieving the operator of the split second judgment in timing the release and/or cessation of such fire. The results intended include a reduction in off-target rounds fired, increased hit rate, conservation of ammunition, more effective targeting for non-motion-stabilized weapons (in particular small/medium arms), and the introduction of a backup mode for nominally motion-stabilized weapons which may allow effective operations when primary stabilization systems fail or are overwhelmed by dynamics. This invention is applicable (in embodiments of varying complexity) to weapons ranging from handheld pistols to the main (artillery) gun of a tank, a ship, or the cannon aboard an aircraft.

Automated fire control device

A device that causes a weapon to fire upon a target when the weapon is enabled by an operator, and when the weapon point of impact passes through a target or in a proximity thereto and when the target satisfies certain criteria as determined by one or more sensors/designations. The invention triggers the release of a round, multi-round burst, rocket, missile, or other projectile(s) when enabled by the operator, and when the target passes through the point of impact (or desired/computed proximity thereto), relieving the operator of the split second judgment in timing the release and/or cessation of such fire. The results include reduction in off-target rounds fired, increased hit rate, conservation of ammunition, more effective targeting for non-motion-stabilized weapons, and the introduction of a backup mode for nominally motion-stabilized weapons which may allow effective operations when primary stabilization systems fail or are overwhelmed by dynamics.

A first device for use to gain access to a vehicle or to a controlled access item or area, wherein access is controlled by a second device. The first device for carrying on a person of a user and paired with the second device. The first device comprises components having a primary function not related to gaining access; a limited range transmitter for transmitting a signal to the second device, the second device receiving the signal and determining whether the signal was transmitted from the first device; responsive to determining that the signal was transmitted from the first device, the second device for issuing a control signal permitting the user to gain access to the vehicle or to the controlled access item or area.

Utilization of ubiquitous transmitting devices to provide access control to vehicles and /or other controlled access items/areas

A shutter for protecting an opening. The shutter comprising a plurality of horizontal curtain slats for covering the opening, wherein horizontal refers to a direction when viewing slats from a front surface, and wherein the curtain slats hang freely from a upper region of the opening; an upper transition slat movably affixed to a lower end of a first curtain slat; a lower transition slat movably affixed to an upper end of a second curtain slat; and a horizontal reinforcing member comprising at least an upper and a lower reinforcing slat, wherein the upper reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to a lower end of the first transition slat and the lower reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to an upper end of the second transition slat, and wherein the upper and lower reinforcing slats are rotatably joined.

Method and apparatus for reinforcing roll up, roll down shutters and doors using self-forming structural shapes

A data check tool useful for processing drive test data for assessing performance of a communications system. After (or during) test data collection, the data check tool processes the test data to determine whether the collected test data meets the requirements of a previously identified list of desired test data. The tool also determines whether the test data was collected using the correct test equipment and whether the test equipment was properly configured during the data collection process.

Apparatus and method for analyzing drive test data for communications system

The time difference of arrival for a signal received at two or more receiving sites as transmitted from a wireless communications device, is determined by a frequency domain technique. The constituent frequencies of the signals received at the two or more receiving sites are determined, including the phase, or a value representative of the phase, of each frequency component. The phase values for the same frequency are subtracted to yield a phase difference values as a function of frequency. The slope of the function represents the time difference of arrival for the wireless communications device signal as received at the two receiving sites. To determine the mobile location based on the determined time difference of arrival values, a seed or initial location is first assumed for the wireless communications device and the distance difference of arrival (the time difference of arrival multiplied by the speed of light) is calculated. The calculated time difference of arrival is then used to adjust the distance difference of arrival by continuously iterating the position of the wireless communications device until the calculated distance of arrival and the calculated time difference of arrival (as multiplied by the speed of light) are within a predetermined margin.

Method and apparatus for geolocating a wireless communications device

A method for automatically testing cellular telephone equipment includes a method for determining a geographic location of a mobile unit. The system includes monitoring sites located, e.g., at high elevations, so that each monitoring site electronically covers a geographical area including several cellular telephone base stations. Locations of mobile cellular stations, especially of such stations placing emergency 911 calls, are determined by comparing signal time-of-reception and other observable signal parameters at a combination of three cell sites and/or monitoring sites. Testing functions include transmitting gradually increasing power levels on a frequency assigned to a particular base station to determine the power level required to acquire service from that base station. Periodic repetitions are monitored over time to indicate any changes or degradation in performance. A scanner scans a designated group of control-channel frequencies, selecting active channels for measurement of transmission parameters and detection of anomalous transmission characteristics on any particular channel.

Automated testing for cellular telephone system including emergency positioning

A communications system for aircraft includes an on-board network using optical frequencies for communications within the aircraft; the network includes personal communications devices and/or other devices such as personal computers communicating via optical ports at infrared or other optical frequencies. Capability of such devices to emit radio-frequency radiation is automatically blocked on sensing the infrared system. The various optical ports are connected to each other and to a controller which includes an interface between the on-board infrared portion of the system and radio-frequency transceivers; the transceivers connect to RF antennas for communication with stations outside the aircraft.

Optical-frequency communications system for aircraft

An optical device and method for sensing a plurality of ambient conditions (e.g., temperature and pressure) may include transmission of an optical flux through a fiber optic cable to a section of the cable that is placed where the ambient conditions are to be sensed. The section of cable includes a plurality of serially aligned sensors for reflecting the optical flux back through the cable, each of the sensors having semi-reflective surfaces at the two ends thereof for partially reflecting the optical flux. The distance between the two ends of each sensor varies primarily as a function of a different one of the ambient conditions. The optical flux is partially transmitted and partially reflected at each of the ends of the sensors and the optical flux reflected back through the cable includes an interference pattern that is a function of each sensor's end-to-end distance. A detector evaluates the interference pattern to determine the ambient conditions. The evaluation of the interference pattern may be simplified by properly selecting the reflectivity of the ends of the sensors.

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Satellite Beach, FL, United States of America

Christopher J Hall