Vorbeck Materials Corporation

Other

Sriram Manivannan

Dan F Scheffer

John S Lettow

James A Turney

Can Gun Yaprak

Jennifer Pinkos

Keren Espina

James Brent

Trentice V Bolar

Kenneth E Fritsch

Mathew A Hudspeth

Louise Brooks

Jeremy D Smith

Alison Baskerville

Larry Hurzon

Alison Bakersville

Josh Desportes

Kate Redmond

Matthew F Guenette

Paige Boehmcke

Sandy Spence

Victor Contreras

Christie Burrow

Jaclyn Scott

Ethan Traub

Larry Herzon

Jodie Kuo

Samarpita Chowdhury

Brian Losey

Josiah Henry

Michael Filipelli

A modular communications system having dynamically positionable non-metallic antenna elements is disclosed. The system includes an apparel item with a surface and a foam layer positioned therein. Landing pads are each uniquely positioned on the surface. Antenna elements are coupled to the landing pads; include a non-metallic conductive composition and a unique operational frequency. A hub is positioned on the surface and coupled to each landing pad. Communications devices are demountably affixed to the surface; coupled to the hub; and each include a unique operational frequency. The hub couples each communications devices to a unique landing pad. The foam layer is lined with a conductive material that reflects RF radiation that emanates from the plurality of non-metallic antenna elements. The system achieves an omnidirectional RF radiation pattern when utilizing the plurality of antenna elements and an altered RF radiation pattern when utilizing a subset of the plurality of antenna elements.

Modular communications system with dynamically positionable antenna elements

A communications node includes an apparel item in the form of a backpack attachment that includes a panel, first and second arms extending therefrom. An antenna element and A/V hub may be affixed to an arm. The attachment may include a communications device and battery. A control circuit may be communicatively coupled to the antenna element, the A/V hub, the communications device, and the battery. The A/V hub may demountably and communicatively couple to an audio/video source. The control circuit may establish a mesh network with computing devices. The antenna element may include a graphene polymer conductive composition. The graphene may form a three-dimensional percolated network within the polymer matrix. The apparel item may include a multilayered material that reflect RF radiation generated by the antenna element away from the apparel item. The layer may include a conductive material. The layer may include a foam.

Self-organizing communications network nodes and systems

Embodiments relate to a wearable communications node (WCN) with mesh networking capabilities. The WCN, which is worn on the user's torso, includes an enclosure and shoulder strap(s) as well as communications device, antenna element(s), and battery conductively coupled to a control circuit. The enclosure includes a top area and an oppositely positioned bottom area. The shoulder strap is pivotably attached proximate to the top area and the bottom area. The communications device is rigidly affixed within the enclosure. The antenna element is conductively coupled to the communications device as well as rigidly affixed to the enclosure or flexibly affixed the shoulder strap. The control circuit is configured to establish, via the communications device, a self-organizing wide area network with a plurality of computing devices that each connects directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically to the WAN. The antenna element includes a conductive composition that includes graphene dispersed in a polymer matrix.

Wearable communications node with mesh networking capabilities

Embodiments relate to a sensor node communication system that determines the presence of an object. The system includes man-portable nodes that communicate via a self-organizing LAN. Each node includes a control circuit that has multiple cores, multithreading, and/or parallel processing. The control circuit establishes the LAN, captures an image, determines a presence of a predetermined object in the image using a machine learning algorithm, generates a first notification when presence of the predetermined object is determined, and generates a second notification when the presence is not determined. The control circuit detects an electromagnetic environment, determines unused frequency bands, and adapts a radio working parameter to broadcast in the unused frequency band. Determining the unused frequency bands includes the use of a spectrum sensing method. The control circuit detects an electromagnetic environment, determines unused frequency bands, and adapts a radio working parameter to broadcast in unused frequency bands.

Sensor node communications system and related methods

A wearable apparatus includes an antenna affixed to a surface of the apparatus. A device is conductively coupled to the antenna. A control circuit is communicatively coupled to a sensor, the device and, a communications device. The antenna includes a composition that includes a polymer and carbonaceous material made up of individual graphene sheets that are present in the polymer in a 3D percolated network. A mobile device is communicatively coupled to a cellular RF source via a first wireless signal. The control circuit is configured to communicate with the mobile device via a third RF signal; communicate with the RF source via a second RF signal; and cause the mobile device to communicate with the RF source via the third RF signal when the second RF signal is greater than the first RF signal.

Wireless signal transmission using access point networks in wearable devices

Embodiments of the present invention relate to communications tarpaulins. In one embodiment, the communications tarpaulins include a textile layer, a plurality of antenna elements, and a communications hub. The communications hub includes a plurality of radio frequency ('RF') connectors. The communications hub is affixed to the textile layer. The RF connectors are each conductively coupled to one of the antenna elements. The RF connectors each demountably receive a communications device. The antenna elements are each affixed to the textile layer and includes a conductive composition. The antenna elements each include a conductive composition. The conductive composition includes a polymer and fully exfoliated single sheets of graphene that are present as a three-dimensional percolated network within the polymer. The textile layer includes a first textile layer and a second textile layer that are coterminous and physically coupled together and thereby form a multilayered structure.

Communications tarpaulin

Embodiments relate to a RF localization system that determines the position of a RF source of interest (RFSOI) relative to the RFLS. The RFLS includes man-portable nodes that communicate via a self-organizing WAN. Each node includes a communications device conductively coupled to antenna elements oriented in each nodal cardinal direction and battery each communicatively coupled to a control circuit(s). The control circuit is configured to: establish the WAN; capture RSSI values for each antenna element; determine the position of the RFSOI relative to the node; when not functioning as a primary node, transmit the determined position to a primary node or a computing device that's external to the WAN for processing; and when functioning as a primary node, determine the relative position of the RFSOI relative to the plurality of nodes using the received determined position. The primary node determines the position of the RFSOI relative to the nodes.

System to determine the location of a radio frequency source using radio frequency signal strength and related methods

Wearable antenna systems in the form of suspenders are disclosed. Such communications suspenders may employ antenna elements having a reduced visual signature while maintaining the load bearing functionality of traditional suspenders. The antenna system can establish mesh networking communications and communicatively couple to portable radios via a communications device. Some of the antenna elements may be within the communications suspenders. A plurality of straps are pivotably coupled to an intermediate portion at one end and a demountable fastener at the other end that couples to the user's garment item (e.g., trousers, shorts, skirts, and similar articles). The straps may include RF shielding material positioned to reflect RF radiation that emanates from the antenna elements away from the user. The antenna elements may be formed using a conductive composition that includes fully exfoliated graphene sheets present as a percolated network in a polymer matrix.

Wearable antenna system

The present invention relates generally to transmission lines and specifically to textile transmission line assemblies. The textile transmission line assemblies are capable of lateral bending, axial rotation, and stretching without suffering from a statistically significant loss of its performance characteristics. Antenna elements are incorporated with the textile transmission line assemblies (hereinafter 'combination assemblies'). The textile transmission line assemblies can be incorporated in to garments, apparel items, bags, tents, or other textile-based objects. The textile transmission line assemblies are configured to be flexibly affixed to textile items. The textile transmission line assemblies are impact resistant. Wearable communications systems that incorporate at least one textile transmission line assembly and/or combination assembly are also disclosed.

Textile transmission line assemblies

A wearable apparatus includes an antenna affixed to a surface of the apparatus. A device is in electrical communication with the antenna. A control circuit is in electrical communication with the device and a communications device. The antenna includes a composition that includes a polymer and carbonaceous material made up of individual graphene sheets that are present in the polymer in a three-dimensional percolated network. A mobile device is communicatively coupled to a cellular RF source via a first wireless signal. The control circuit is configured to communicate, using the communications device, with the mobile device via a third RF signal; communicate, using the device, with the RF source via a second RF signal; and cause the mobile device to communicate with the RF source via the third RF signal when the second RF signal is greater than the first RF signal.

A communications node includes an apparel item in the form of a harness that includes a primary portion. A halo element extends from the primary portion and is configured to be worn about the neck. A fastener that demountably couples the primary portion to the halo element. An antenna element positioned within the apparel item. An A/V hub is affixed to the halo portion and configured to receive audio/video input. The apparel item also includes a communications device and battery. A control circuit is communicatively coupled to the antenna element, the A/V hub, the communications device, and the battery. The A/V hub demountably and communicatively couples to an audio/video source. The control circuit is configured to establish a self-organizing WAN with computing devices that connect directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically to the WAN. The antenna elements include a graphene polymer conductive composition. The apparel item is multilayered and reflects RF radiation.

Self-organing communications network and systems

Wearable antenna systems in the form of suspenders are disclosed. Such communications suspenders employ antenna elements having a reduced visual signature while maintaining the load bearing functionality of traditional suspenders. The antenna system communicatively couples to portable radios that operate on different RF frequencies via a communications hub. Some of the antennas elements are dynamically positionable (i.e., swappable, switchable, etc.) on the communications suspenders. A plurality of straps are pivotably coupled to an intermediate portion at one end and a demountable fastener at the other end. The demountable fasteners couple to the user's garment item (e.g., trousers, shorts, skirts, and similar articles). The straps include RF shielding material positioned to reflect RF radiation that emanates from the antenna elements away from the user. The antenna elements are formed using a conductive composition of fully exfoliated graphene sheets present as a percolated network in a polymer matrix.

A modular communications system having dynamically positionable non-metallic antenna elements and communications devices is disclosed. The system includes an apparel item with a surface and a foam layer positioned therein. Landing pads are each uniquely positioned on the surface. The antenna elements are demountably, intermittingly, and conductively coupled to the landing pads; includes a non-metallic conductive composition; and a unique operational frequency. A hub is positioned on the surface and conductively coupled to each landing pad. Each communications device is demountably affixed to the surface; intermittingly, demountably, and conductively coupled to the hub; and includes a unique operational frequency. The hub intermittingly, demountably, and conductively couples each communications devices to a unique landing pad included in the plurality of landing pads. The foam layer is lined with a conductive material that reflects RF radiation that emanates from the plurality of non-metallic antenna elements.

Modular communications systems with dynamically positionable antenna elements

A communications node includes an apparel item in the form of a shoulder belt that includes an open state, closed state, and main body. A first portion curvingly extends from the main body. A second portion angularly extends from the main body opposite the first portion. A primary fastener demountably couples the first and second portions together when in the closed state. An antenna element and communications device are positioned within the apparel item. An hub is affixed to the apparel item and configured to receive audio/video input. A battery is positioned adjacent to the apparel item. A control circuit is positioned within the apparel item and coupled to the antenna element, hub, communications device, and battery. The control circuit establishes a self-organizing WAN with a plurality of computing devices each directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically connected to the WAN; and communicates with the computing devices using the self-organizing WAN.

A communications node includes an apparel item in the form of a harness that includes a primary portion. A halo element extends from the primary portion and is configured to be worn about the neck. A fastener that demountably couples the primary portion to the halo element. An antenna element positioned within the apparel item. An A/V hub is affixed to the halo portion and configured to receive audio/video input. A communications device and battery are positioned within the apparel item. A control circuit is positioned within the apparel item and communicatively coupled to the antenna element, the A/V hub, the communications device, and the battery. The A/V hub includes a microphone. The control circuit is configured to establish a self-organizing wide area network with a plurality of computing devices that connect directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically to the WAN.

Growing community of inventors

Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Sriram Manivannan