Alan B Touchberry

US Patent:

6992442, Jan 31, 2006

Filed:

Dec 11, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/014993

Inventors:

Alan B. Touchberry - Saint Louis Park MN, US
Gunter Stein - New Brighton MN, US
Bruce A. Seiber - Arden Hills MN, US

Assignee:

Honeywell International Inc. - Morristown NJ

International Classification:

H01J 17/24

US Classification:

313549

Abstract:

A getter is a porous sintered metallic alloy used to absorb non-inert gases. The getter is placed in a getter well of a ring laser gyroscope system or other gas discharge system. The getter well is any enclosure in which a getter resides. The getter absorbs oxygen, which may be needed by some gyroscope components to operate. By restricting the gas flow into the getter well or by placing a diffusion barrier on the getter material, the getter may absorb non-inert gas at a slower rate.

US Patent:

8071019, Dec 6, 2011

Filed:

Oct 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/263186

Inventors:

Alan Bruce Touchberry - Saint Louis Park MN, US
Terry Dean Stark - Saint Louis Park MN, US

Assignee:

Honeywell International Inc. - Morristown NJ

International Classification:

C22C 24/00
H01L 21/677

US Classification:

420400, 414217

Abstract:

Methods for the introduction of a reactive material into a vacuum chamber while minimizing or eliminating the simultaneous introduction of contaminating materials or substances. As a result, contaminating materials and substances that can interfere with any measurements or other processes that occur in the vacuum chamber are minimized or eliminated.

US Patent:

20200400435, Dec 24, 2020

Filed:

Jun 18, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/444038

Inventors:

- Morris Plains NJ, US
Alan Bruce Touchberry - Saint Louis Park MN, US
Teresa Marta - White Bear Lake MN, US

Assignee:

Honeywell International Inc. - Morris Plains NJ

International Classification:

G01C 19/66
H01S 3/081
H01S 3/083
H01S 3/16
H01S 3/091

Abstract:

A ring laser gyroscope is provided. A light source is configured to generate light of a first wavelength. A plurality primary cavity mirrors are configured to route light of a second wavelength around a primary cavity to a readout device. One primary cavity mirror of the plurality of primary cavity mirrors includes a gain medium. The pumping mirror and the one primary cavity mirror including the gain medium is positioned and configured to reflect the light of the first wavelength back and forth in a pumping cavity through the gain medium, wherein the light of the first wavelength stimulates the gain medium to generate the light of the second wavelength that are reflected around the primary cavity to the readout device.

US Patent:

20200056888, Feb 20, 2020

Filed:

Aug 17, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/104806

Inventors:

- Morris Plains NJ, US
Jianfeng Wu - Tucson AZ, US
Alan Bruce Touchberry - Saint Louis Park MN, US
Teresa Marta - White Bear Lake MN, US

Assignee:

Honeywell International Inc. - Morris Plains NJ

International Classification:

G01C 19/66
H01S 3/083
H01S 3/0941
H01S 3/16
H01S 3/08
H01S 3/0933

Abstract:

A solid state ring laser gyroscope comprises a laser block including a resonant ring cavity having an optical closed loop pathway; a plurality of mirror structures mounted on the block and including respective multilayer mirrors that reflect light beams around the closed loop pathway; and a pump laser assembly in optical communication with the closed loop pathway through one of the mirror structures. One or more of the multilayer mirrors includes a rare-earth doped gain layer operative to produce bidirectional optical amplification of counter-propagating light beams in the closed loop pathway. In some embodiments, the gain layer comprises a rare-earth dopant other than neodymium that is doped into a glassy host material comprising titania, tantalum oxide, alumina, zirconia, silicate glass, phosphate glass, tellurite glass, fluorosilicate glass, or non-oxide glass. Alternatively, the gain layer can comprise a neodymium dopant that is doped into a glassy host material other than silica.

US Patent:

20200059062, Feb 20, 2020

Filed:

Aug 17, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/104773

Inventors:

- Morris Plains NJ, US
Lance Vrieze - Oakdale MN, US
Alan Bruce Touchberry - Saint Louis Park MN, US

Assignee:

Honeywell International Inc. - Morris Plains NJ

International Classification:

H01S 3/08
H01S 3/091
H01S 3/06
H01S 3/16
G01C 19/72

Abstract:

Systems and methods for end pumped laser mirror stack assemblies are provided. In one embodiment, an end pump mirror stack assembly for a laser resonator comprises: a pump light injection layer applied to a transparent substrate, the pump light injection layer comprising at least one light generating optical emitter embedded within the pump light injection layer, wherein the pump light injection layer is configured to transmit a pump light having a first wavelength into the substrate; a multilayer thin-film mirror stack coupled to the transparent substrate; a lasing material layer coupled transparent substrate and positioned to receive the pump light, wherein the lasing material layer is doped with a dopant that generates a fluorescent light output at a second frequency when exposed to the pump light; and an antireflective coating applied to the substrate, the first anti-reflective coating configured to pass light of the first wavelength.

US Patent:

20160054128, Feb 25, 2016

Filed:

Aug 25, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/467149

Inventors:

- Morristown NJ, US
Alan Bruce Touchberry - St. Louis Park MN, US

International Classification:

G01C 21/10

Abstract:

Systems and methods for predictive health monitoring of gyroscopes and accelerometers are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises: a plurality of navigation devices each comprising at least one gyroscope or accelerometer and at least one predictive health monitoring module, wherein the at least one predictive health monitoring module collects diagnostic parameters from the at least one gyroscope or accelerometer; and at least one server communicatively coupled to the plurality of navigation devices, the at least one server configured to receive the collected data from the plurality of navigation devices and analyze the collected data from the plurality of navigation devices to determine a service prognosis.

US Patent:

20130083329, Apr 4, 2013

Filed:

Sep 30, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/250523

Inventors:

Francis J. Judson - Circle Pines MN, US
Alan Bruce Touchberry - St. Louis Park MN, US
Stephen M. Baker - Roseville MN, US
Craig A. Galbrecht - Lino Lakes MN, US

Assignee:

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. - Morristown NJ

International Classification:

G01C 19/68

US Classification:

356475

Abstract:

A method and system for rate sensitive blanking in a path length control circuit of a gyroscope is provided. The method comprises determining an angular rate of the gyroscope, detecting a zero rate of the gyroscope where one or more single beam signals occur, and determining one or more blanker positions based on the zero rate. A blanker pulse is generated at the blanker positions such that the path length control circuit suspends operation when the one or more single beam signals occur.

US Patent:

20130085699, Apr 4, 2013

Filed:

Sep 30, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/250267

Inventors:

Alan Bruce Touchberry - St. Louis Park MN, US
Timothy J. Callaghan - Roseville MN, US
Bruce A. Seiber - Arden Hills MN, US

Assignee:

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. - Morristown NJ

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

702 94

Abstract:

Systems and methods for thermal gradient compensation for ring laser gyroscopes are provided. In one embodiment, a method for producing bias compensated angular rate measurements from a ring laser gyroscope comprises: sampling an angle measurement output from a laser block sensor to obtain an angular rate measurement; obtaining an laser block temperature measurement (T) for the laser block sensor; obtaining a temperature gradient measurement (T) for at least one gradient line across a portion of the laser block sensor; calculating a rate bias error by applying parameters produced from the temperature measurement (T) and the temperature gradient measurement (T) to a thermal gradient compensation model, wherein the thermal gradient compensation model includes at least one coefficient corresponding to the temperature gradient measurement (T); and calculating a difference between the angle rate measurement and the rate bias error to produce a bias compensated angular rate measurement.