George W Fitzsimmons

US Patent:

8646010, Feb 4, 2014

Filed:

Jul 5, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/176570

Inventors:

Greg A. Bengeult - Auburn WA, US
Jeffrey P. Harrang - Sammamish WA, US
William R. Richards - Issaquah WA, US
Michael G. Lynch - Seattle WA, US
Michael De La Chapelle - Bellevue WA, US
Paulus J. Martens - Seattle WA, US
Ronald S. Carson - Renton WA, US
Daniel F. Miller - Sumner WA, US
Geoffrey O. White - Kent WA, US
George Fitzsimmons - Kent WA, US
Russell Berkheimer - Issaquah WA, US
Robert P. Higgins - Seattle WA, US
Arthur F. Morrison - Kent WA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H04N 7/18

US Classification:

725 76, 725 75, 455 121

Abstract:

A system for bi-directional data content transfer between a plurality of mobile platforms, such as aircraft or cruise ships, and a ground-based control segment. The system includes the ground-based control segment, a space segment and a mobile system disposed on each mobile platform. The ground-based control segment includes an antenna which is used to transmit encoded RF signals representative of data content to the space segment. The space segment includes a plurality of satellite transponders, with one of the transponders being designated by the ground-based control segment to transpond the encoded RF signals to the mobile system. The mobile system includes steerable receive and transmit antennas. The receive antenna receives the encoded RF signals from the satellite transponder, which are thereafter decoded, demodulated, D/A converted by a communications subsystem and transmitted to a server. The server filters off that data content not requested by any occupants on the mobile system.

US Patent:

20020087992, Jul 4, 2002

Filed:

Nov 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/989742

Inventors:

Greg Bengeult - Auburn WA, US
Jeffrey Harrang - Sammamish WA, US
William Richards - Issaquah WA, US
Michael Lynch - Seattle WA, US
Michael de La Chapelle - Bellevue WA, US
Paulus Martens - Seattle WA, US
Richard Williams - Kent WA, US
Daniel Miller - Sumner WA, US
Geoffrey White - Kent WA, US
George Fitzsimmons - Kent WA, US
Russell Berkheimer - Issaquah WA, US
Robert Higgins - Seattle WA, US
Arthur Morrison - Kent WA, US

International Classification:

H04N007/20
H04N007/18

US Classification:

725/076000, 725/067000, 725/072000

Abstract:

A system for bi-directional data content transfer between a plurality of mobile platforms, such as aircraft or cruise ships, and a ground-based control segment. The system includes the ground-based control segment, a space segment and a mobile system disposed on each mobile platform. The ground-based control segment includes an antenna which is used to transmit encoded RF signals representative of data content to the space segment. The space segment includes a plurality of satellite transponders, with one of the transponders being designated by the ground-based control segment to transpond the encoded RF signals to the mobile system. The mobile system includes steerable receive and transmit antennas. The receive antenna receives the encoded RF signals from the satellite transponder, which are thereafter decoded by a communications subsystem and transmitted to a server. The server filters off that data content not requested by any occupants on the mobile system. A local area network (LAN) receives the remaining data content and provides same to individual users on the mobile platform in accordance with previously submitted programming requests or data input by the users at access stations associated independently with each user.

US Patent:

20090080368, Mar 26, 2009

Filed:

Nov 17, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/272299

Inventors:

Greg A. Bengeult - Auburn WA, US
Jeffrey P. Harrang - Sammamish WA, US
William R. Richards - Issaquah WA, US
Michael G. Lynch - Seattle WA, US
Michael de La Chapelle - Bellevue WA, US
Paulus J. Martens - Seattle WA, US
Ronald S. Carson - Renton WA, US
Daniel F. Miller - Sumner WA, US
Geoffrey O. White - Kent WA, US
George Fitzsimmons - Reno NV, US
Russell Berkheimer - Issaquah WA, US
Robert P. Higgins - Seattle WA, US
Arthur F. Morrison - Kent WA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H04B 7/185

US Classification:

370316

Abstract:

A system for bi-directional data content transfer between a plurality of mobile platforms, such as aircraft or cruise ships, and a ground-based control segment. The system includes the ground-based control segment, a space segment and a mobile system disposed on each mobile platform. The ground-based control segment includes an antenna which is used to transmit encoded RF signals representative of data content to the space segment. The space segment includes a plurality of satellite transponders, with one of the transponders being designated by the ground-based control segment to transpond the encoded RF signals to the mobile system. The mobile system includes steerable receive and transmit antennas. The receive antenna receives the encoded RF signals from the satellite transponder, which are thereafter decoded, demodulated, D/A converted by a communications subsystem and transmitted to a server. The server filters off that data content not requested by any occupants on the mobile system. A local area network (LAN) receives the remaining data content and provides same to individual users on the mobile platform in accordance with previously submitted programming requests or data input by the users at access stations associated independently with each user. The transmit antenna is used to transmit data content from laptop computers, PDAs or other user electronic devices coupled to the access stations back to the designated satellite transponder. The satellite transponder then transponds the data back to the antenna of the ground-based control segment.

US Patent:

43608132, Nov 23, 1982

Filed:

Mar 19, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/131664

Inventors:

George W. Fitzsimmons - Lynnwood WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

H04B 700

US Classification:

343100R

Abstract:

Low-loss power combining-transmitting antenna arrangements are disclosed which are suitable for use in power distribution systems employing RF transmission of the energy being distributed and other applications in which it is necessary to coherently combine and transmit several RF signals. The disclosed arrangements utilize slot radiators that are excited at each end by separate feed lines. Narrow, nonradiating slots extend outwardly from the ends of each radiating slot to provide impedance matching. One modular arrangement includes amplifier circuitry for supplying the antenna excitation signals and phase error correction circuits for maintaining proper signal phase through the antenna module.

US Patent:

54883806, Jan 30, 1996

Filed:

Sep 20, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/123086

Inventors:

Donn T. Harvey - Issaquah WA
George W. Fitzsimmons - Kent WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

H01Q 322
H01Q 1300
H01Q 2100
H01P 100

US Classification:

342368

Abstract:

A dipole antenna is inserted into a waveguide to couple EM energy into and out of a waveguide. The dipole antenna is printed on a substrate of a module that contains electronic components. The substrate includes a coupled coplanar strip transmission line connecting the dipole antenna to a slotline. EM energy is electromagnetically coupled between the slotline and a microstrip transmission line. The EM energy is provided to and from the hermetically sealed electronic components by the microstrip transmission line.

US Patent:

41632320, Jul 31, 1979

Filed:

Jul 5, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/922258

Inventors:

George W. Fitzsimmons - Lynnwood WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G01S 956
H04B 714

US Classification:

343 68R

Abstract:

A four-port dual mode microwave mixer which operates without IF or RF switches and which provides both a passive mode of operation wherein the mixer operates as a lossy frequency translator when driven by a offset signal generator, and an active mode of operation wherein the mixer is used to convert a modulated received signal to an intermediate frequency which is mixed with the offset signal in a phase detector to detect the modulation which is used through a phase-locked loop to slave the local oscillator for retransmission of a translated signal with gain.

US Patent:

49395270, Jul 3, 1990

Filed:

Jan 23, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/299458

Inventors:

Bernard J. Lamberty - Kent WA
Edward J. Vertatschitsch - Bothell WA
George W. Fitzsimmons - Kent WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

H01Q 330

US Classification:

343771

Abstract:

A distribution network for a modified space-fed phased array antenna consists of a planar array of radiating slots distributed along a coplanar wall in each of an ensemble of parallel waveguides. This waveguide ensemble is fed or excited by an orthogonal waveguide or waveguides, through a row of slots in a wall common to the excitation waveguides and the parallel waveguide ensemble, one slot per waveguide. A predetermined amplitude distribution is achieved in the plane parallel to the axis of the exciting waveguide by adjusting the coupling value of each exciting slot, and in the orthogonal plane by adjusting the displacement of the radiating slots from the center line of the waveguides, and by adjusting slot width, length, and geometry. Such an array of slots is used to feed the inside face of a quasi-space-fed antenna array having identical, individual electronics modules.

US Patent:

41707737, Oct 9, 1979

Filed:

May 5, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/903312

Inventors:

George W. Fitzsimmons - Lynnwood WA
Lawrence W. Robinson - Seattle WA
Jim S. Takeuchi - Mercer Island WA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Seattle WA

International Classification:

G01S 956

US Classification:

343 65R

Abstract:

A microwave interrogation-transponder system for controlling the airborne rendezvous and closure of two aircraft for aerial refueling and the like. The system of the invention includes a microwave interrogator mounted on the aft underfuselage of a tanker aircraft, for example, for interrogating and receiving a reply from a small microwave transponder mounted on the receiver aircraft near the aerial refueling receptacle. The angle of the received signal relative to the tanker is obtained from the angle sensing receiver portion of the microwave interrogator; whereas range is obtained from the phase of the returned modulation tone (i. e. , a range tone) relative to that which was transmitted by the interrogator. The transponder sends back to the interrogator a signal which is shifted in frequency with respect to the transmitted signal and operates in an active mode with gain at long ranges and in a passive mode with no gain at shorter ranges to achieve extremely accurate guidance characteristics.