AGI holds many official patents on innovations created by employees and incorporated into AGI technologies.
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US Patent 7,423,583
Issued: 09.09.08
Inventor: Jim Wright, William Chuba, and Dick Hujsak
Method for Refining State Estimates of a Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver Based Upon Sequential GPS Carrier Phase Measurements
Sequential GPS Doppler carrier phase count measurements are used for precision sequential determination of position and velocity of a GPS receiver, such as for orbit determination and geolocation, with minimum throughput time. Real-time orbit determination and geolocation performance is enabled with an optimal sequential filter, and near-real-time performance is enabled with an optimal fixed-lag smoother. Many problems associated with prior art orbit determination are eliminated by addressing the "cycle slip" problem, the unknown initial range problem with RANGE.sup.CP measurement representations, the problem of serial correlation in the measurements due to reprocessing of overlapping thermal noise. Also, the present invention significantly attenuates the carrier signal phase variation due to rotation of receiver antenna relative to transmitter antenna because the sequential phase count time intervals are sufficiently short. |
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US Patent 7,224,311
Issued: 05.29.07
Inventor: Dr. Haroon Rashid and Dr. Sergei Tanygin
A System and Method for Visualization and Attitude/Position-Dependent Data
An attitude sphere is defined around an object of interest located at the
center. Grid points are defined on the surface of the attitude sphere to represent directions. An attitude dependent FOM result is mapped onto the sphere,
which is color coded on the associated point to visualize attitude dependency. When used to analyze signals arriving at a receiver, the method accounts for
motion of the receiver, the transmitter, and the signal sources.
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US Patent 7,050,002
Issued: 05.23.06
Inventors: Jim Wright, William Chuba, Dick Hujsak
GPS Carrier Phase Measurement Representation and Method of Use
This patent covers technology used in AGI's Orbit Determination Tool Kit, and discusses how
real-time orbit determination and geolocation performance is enabled with an optimal sequential filter and how near-real-time
performance is supported by an optimal fixed-lag smoother. Many problems associated with prior art orbit determination are
eliminated by addressing the "cycle slip" problem, the unknown initial range problem with RANGE.sup.CP measurement representations,
the problem of serial correlation in the measurements due to reprocessing of overlapping thermal noise. Also, the present
invention significantly attenuates the carrier signal phase variation due to rotation of receiver antenna relative to transmitter
antenna because the sequential phase count time intervals are sufficiently short. |
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US Patent 6,937,968
Issued: 08.30.2005
Inventor: John Carrico and Frank Stoner
Method and Apparatus for Sequentially Profiling and Solving Problems in Space Mission Analysis
This patent covers technology used in AGI's STK/Astrogator module. It provides a system and method for orbital planning that allows iterative calculations of orbital parameters to be accomplished in an automated
way with one parameter solution serving as input to the next parameter's calculation. A software program employs a graphical user interface (GUI) to allow a space mission analyst to set up a series of sub-problems
of any desired level of complexity.
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The program then implements the series automatically and sequentially, incorporating the solution to one sub-problem into the input to the next.
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US Patent 6,859,769
Issued: 02.22.2005
Inventor: Dr. Sergei Tanygin
Method and Apparatus for Creating Elements and Systems for Description of Position and Motion of Bodies in Three-Dimensional Space to Support Orbital Maneuver Analysis
This patent covers technology used in AGI's Vector Geometry Tool. It provides a graphical user interface and software architecture that empowers users to create new vectors, axes, points, coordinate systems, and other elements. The explicit means of creating coordinate systems and primitives are carried out via user input, imported data from files, or any other means of supplying numerical data to computer programs.
US Patent 6,850,875
Issued: 02.01.2005
Inventor: Deron Ohlarik
Method and Apparatus for Determining Obscuration of Sensors that are Mounted on a Spacecraft
This patent is based on an innovation that covers technology used in AGI's STK/Advanced Visualization Option module.The field of view of a sensor mounted on a satellite (or other spacecraft) is obscured by various objects, such as celestial bodies and the satellite's own solar panels. A method is disclosed for visualizing and quantifying, with respect to time, variations in the portions of the sensor's field of view that are obscured. The graphical output of a satellite systems analysis program, which features high-resolution, three-dimensional, animated images of spacecraft, celestial bodies and other objects in the space environment, is utilized. The graphical output is simplified to only a few colors to differentiate only background and irrelevant objects from relevant objects. Differentiation is also made, using different colors, in representation of those portions of the field of view that overlap relevant (obscuring) objects from the remainder of the field of view which is unobscured. By counting pixels of the respective colors, frame-by-frame during animation, the percentage of obscuration over time is quantified.
US Patent 6,708,116
Issued 03.16.2004
Inventor: Jim Wright
Method and Apparatus for Orbit Determination
Technology covered by the patent is used in AGI's Orbit Determination Tool Kit. A method and apparatus for estimating the orbits of spacecraft or other objects
relative to primary celestial bodies, given applicable measurements. The present invention uses the variation of parameters in universal
variables for spacecraft trajectory propagation during operation of its optimal sequential orbit estimation. This method provides a universal
capability for all three conics: elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic, forward-time and backward-time numerical integration for filtering and
smoothing, respectively. A method for determining local and global estimates of atmospheric density is also provided. A method for realistic
orbit simulation provides a means for validating an orbit estimate.
US Patent 6,473,597
Issued 10.29.2002
Inventor: Tom Johnson
Method and Apparatus for Modelling Transmitter Bandwidth for Telecommunications Analysis
This patent is based on an invention covering the transmitter autoscaling feature found in STK/Comm. This application extends our previously patented
receiver autoscaling technology to transmitters (see US Patent 6,021,268 listed below).
US Patent 6,195,553
Issued 02.27.2001
Inventor: Dave Holland
Method and Apparatus for Determining Optimal Paths Among Objects of a Communications Network
This invention involves evaluating available links and identifying the optimal path between the starting point and the desired end point in a communications
system when the availability of the links is in a constant state of change. The invention has been incorporated into functionality provided to Iridium in
the STK/Chains module.
US Patent 6,160,509
Issued 12.12.2000
Inventor: Paul Graziani
Method and Apparatus for Alerting a User Regarding the Position of a Satellite
The patent is based on an invention involving a method for determining the position of a satellite overhead using a portable device such as a wristwatch or
handheld computer. The required data can be downloaded from a larger unit, such as a PC, for later use in the field.
US Patent 6,144,334
Issued 11.07.2000
Inventor: Dr. Jim Woodburn
Method and Apparatus for Calculating Access Between Satellite Constellations and Ground Targets
For a given constellation of satellites, each with a number of sensors, this invention is a method for determining the access times between each sensor and
multiple ground targets of varying shapes and sizes. This process has been integrated into many key visibility analysis methods within the STK software
suite.
US Patent 6,102,334
Issued 08.15.2000
Inventor: Dr. Jim Woodburn
Method and Apparatus for Determining Close Approaches for Earth-Fixed Launch Trajectories
This invention involves a method for minimizing close approaches between a launch vehicle and other objects in space during the launch and early deployment phase of the vehicle.
This AGI invention has been incorporated into the close approach analysis feature within STK/Conjunction Analysis Tools (STK/CAT).
US Patent 6,021,268
Issued 02.01.2000
Inventor: Tom Johnson
Method and Apparatus for Modeling Receiver Bandwidth for Telecommunications Analysis
Process for modeling a telecommunications link by automatically scaling the bandwidth of the receiver to take account of the varying data rates and
modulation types of one or more transmitters in the system. This is essentially the receiver "autoscaling" feature of the STK/Comm module.
US Patent 6,011,913
Issued 01.04.2000
Inventor: Jimmy Tucholski
Method and Apparatus for Determination of Spacecraft Drag
Process for modeling atmospheric and other types of drag that can affect a satellite over a given interval, such as an orbit period. This can be used to
predict orbit decay and calculate fuel requirements for orbit maintenance and station keeping.
US Patent 5,864,489
Issued 01.04.2000
Inventor: Jimmy Tucholski
Method and Apparatus for Determining Exposure of Spacecraft-Mounted Solar Panels to Sun
Process for modeling the exposure of solar power panels on a satellite or other spacecraft to the Sun over a period of time. This can be used to determine the availability of electrical power for operations to be performed by the spacecraft and on-board equipment.
Desktop Applications
