Other

The Boeing Company

Larry Allan Nelson

Shih-Jong James Lee

Seho Oh

Ronald E Olson

Christopher A Blalock

John C Slattery

Louis Piloco

Ali Squalli

Thomas F Coon

A multiple battery charging and discharging system controls the configuration of multiple batteries arranged in multiple battery banks. The batteries within each bank are connected in series when powering an electrical load, such as a service motor, and are connected in parallel when charging. A microprocessor monitors the voltage levels of the batteries in each bank and controls relays to switch the electrical load over to a charged battery bank when the voltage level of the discharging battery bank drops below a minimum run threshold. The microprocessor also monitors the voltage levels of the charging battery bank and controls relays to cease charging when the voltage level rises above a minimum charge threshold.

Apparatus and method for charging and discharging a multiple battery system

A dual battery charging and discharging system controls the configuration of multiple batteries arranged in multiple battery banks. The batteries within each bank are connected in series when powering an electrical load, such as a service motor, and are connected in parallel when charging. A microprocessor monitors the voltage levels of the batteries in each bank and controls relays to switch the electrical load over to a charged battery bank when the voltage level of the discharging battery bank drops below a minimum run threshold. The microprocessor also monitors the voltage levels of the charging battery bank and controls relays to cease charging when the voltage level rises above a minimum charge threshold. The batteries are charged by an alternator driven by a drive motor through a gear reduction system.

Apparatus and method for charging and discharging a dual battery system

A scan alignment system and method for calibrating a scan path for a directional antenna system is presented. The scan alignment system calibrates the scan path by generating a scan path, scanning the directional antenna through the scan path, receiving a signal signature responsive to the scanning, comparing the signal signature with a reference signature, and determining a corrective calibration to apply to the scan path that minimizes the difference between the signal signature and the reference signature. In an embodiment, the reference signature is modeled based on the directional antenna and the intended scan path.

Scan alignment system

A system and method for providing a spectrally compact modulation of a tracking signal for directional beam scanning systems is presented. The system and method scans a tracking signal to produce a modulation of the tracking signal. When an impairment is anticipated, the system and method modifies the scan path to avoid the impairment and maintains the spectral compactness of the modulation of the tracking signal.

Burst optimized tracking algorithm

A system and method to normalize a tracking control signal in a directional antenna system to reduce interference from an interfering adjacent transponder is presented. The system and method scans for the tracking signal along a scan path to produce a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signal, coherently detects an RSSI image from the RSSI signal, and performs a morphologic feature estimation of the RSSI signal image to produce and output a normalized tracking correction.

Robust VSAT tracking algorithm

A system and method for automatically positioning an antenna aperture on a mobile platform in a manner to avoid blockages created by other components/subsystems on the mobile platform between the line of sight of the antenna aperture and a satellite and to avoid interference with other systems that share the mobile platform. In one embodiment, one or more linear support elements are moved by one or more corresponding motors to allow the antenna aperture to be re-positioned between a plurality of different positions. Methods for creating and using a blockage database are also disclosed.

Satellite antenna positioning system

A trailer loading or hitching device for moving a trailer between a storage position and attachment of a tongue of the trailer to a tow vehicle, comprising a vertical lifting column selectively extendable and retractable by a mover and pivotally connected to a drive wheel chassis by a mount for a steering shaft operatively engaged to the lifting column, the drive wheel chassis having opposing drive wheels selectively operable for moving the chassis.

Mobile trailer hitching apparatus

A vibration isolation system for the antenna of a vehicle, such as a maritime vessel. The vibration isolation system has a staged construction that slidably attaches the maritime antenna to a maritime vessel along up to three independent axes of translation. This staged construction is adapted for independently decreasing movement of the antenna along the independent axes of translation. Accordingly, the staged construction prevents the antenna from rotating due to induced translational vibration and thus enhances the pointing performance for the antenna.

Antenna vibration isolation mounting system

A dehumidifying radome vent in open communication between a radome and the external environment for passively ventilating and dehumidifying the radome. The dehumidifying radome vent is a duct receiving a water aerosol comprised of air and water. The duct passively decreases a flow rate of the water aerosol so as to remove water from the air and ventilate the radome. To this end, the duct defines two or more cross-sectional flow areas along a predetermined flow path. These cross-sectional flow areas include a first cross-sectional flow area and a second cross-sectional flow area. The second cross-sectional flow area is larger than the first cross-sectional flow area for passively decreasing the flow rate and dehumidifying the aerosol.

Dehumidifying radome vent

Mark detection and position determination are improved by use of directional elongated filters, symmetry, gray scale image processing, structural constraints, and learning. Directional elongated filters are used to pre-process images of registration marks to create masks and enhanced images. Working sequentially, portions of the mark are detected and classified. The input gray scale image of the mark is processed using its structural constraints in conjunction with a mask for the detected mark. A cost function estimation determines mark position and orientation with sub-pixel accuracy. Learning is used to improve specific application performance.

Automatic detection of alignment or registration marks

An adjustable tethering device for various objects, including horses and other animals, includes a tie arm attachment structure, an elongated tie arm, a brace and a support structure which includes a bearing surface. The tie arm has one end pivotally attached to the tie arm attachment structure. The other end of the tie arm has an attachment point to which a lead of the object being restrained, such as a horse, may be attached. One end of the brace is pivotally attached to the tie arm between the tie arm attachment structure and the attachment point. The opposite end of the brace is supported by the bearing surface of the support structure when the tie arm is in an elevated position. In one embodiment, the tie arm attachment structure and the support structure comprise a single C channel. When used on a structure such as a trailer the adjustable tethering device may be adjusted between a travel position and one or more elevated positions. In various embodiments, when the device is in the travel position the tie arm and the brace are nestingly received in the C channel which comprises the fixed support. In various embodiments, a portion of the tie arm comprises a flexible material.

Adjustable tethering device and method

An image processing method using memory management and pre-computed look up tables to speed up computations. Application of filters along directions other than image rows is simplified using several structured processing approaches that improve image data cache-ability. Time consuming or repeated computations are pre-computed and stored as look up tables to reduce the time required for image processing and to remove or reduce the need for special purpose image processing hardware.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Larry Allan Nelson