Richard A Pringle

US Patent:

7082172, Jul 25, 2006

Filed:

Oct 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/268170

Inventors:

Richard Charles Pringle - Van Nuys CA, US
Joanna S. Quan - West Hills CA, US

Assignee:

Alliant Techsystems Inc. - Edina MN

International Classification:

H03K 9/00

US Classification:

375316, 375371, 375332, 375340, 375341, 375354, 375346, 375326, 342 80, 342 13, 386 2, 348506, 356323, 327280

Abstract:

A digital signal gating method and apparatus of a preprocessor in a detection system wherein the detection system includes a central processing unit, a main memory and a receiver, whereby the apparatus and method bifurcate received digital signals, delays them along a first path while subjecting the digital signals along a second path to detection, delay, and thresholding and thereby generates a gating signal from the second path so that digital signals of the first path, including pre-threshold amplitudes, may be recorded.

US Patent:

7184493, Feb 27, 2007

Filed:

Oct 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/270864

Inventors:

Richard Charles Pringle - Van Nuys CA, US
Joanna S. Quan - West Hills CA, US

Assignee:

Alliant Techsystems Inc. - Edina MN

International Classification:

H03K 9/00
H04L 27/00

US Classification:

375316, 375275, 375335, 342 18, 342111, 342116

Abstract:

Disclosed is a real-time pulse sorting apparatus of a preprocessor in a pulsed radiation detection system. The apparatus, responsive to digital signals generated by a system receiver, uses the instantaneous frequency as the address input to store discrete data groups in main memory. Each data group, comprising the digital data corresponding to a single analog-to-digital converter sample point, includes the RF signal amplitude, inter-channel phase difference, instantaneous frequency as well as a unique pulse number generated by the pulse sorting apparatus. The present invention further includes a TOA memory for storing the time-of-arrival of each pulse at an address given by the pulse number. The main memory, organized in the form of a frequency-based histogram, together with the TOA memory, linked to the main memory by means of the pulse number pointer, sorts and records RF signal data with minimal processor control and intervention.

US Patent:

50703366, Dec 3, 1991

Filed:

Feb 11, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/653527

Inventors:

Richard C. Pringle - Van Nuys CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

G01S 1344

US Classification:

342151

Abstract:

A phase dependent radar guidance system, the receiver (18) of which separates returns into a channel (22) where returns are summed (S) and a further channel (24) where the returns are differenced (jD). The S and jD signals are combined (26) and formed into two further channels as S+jD and s-jD, both of which are passed through AGC controlled amplifiers (28, 30) into a phase angle detector (32) which provides the target (14) angle. beta. to boresight (20). A test signal is applied to the receiver (18) with jD=O, the output value of the phase angle detector (32) for various values of AGC attenuation are stored by a digital processor (34), and the processor (34) modifies measured target phase value with the stored values to correct for AGC amplifier-induced errors.

US Patent:

62818333, Aug 28, 2001

Filed:

Nov 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/437828

Inventors:

Richard C. Pringle - Van Nuys CA
Charles T. McMurray - Northridge CA

Assignee:

Science and Applied Technology, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

G01S 1318

US Classification:

342 95

Abstract:

A timing and control method and apparatus (111) for performing precise range rate aiding includes a range gate delay means (114) for generating an estimate of the range gate delay (135) each pulse repetition interval as a function of the initial range (134) and velocity (133) provided by a processor (104). The range gate delay (135) is converted into a coarse delay (138) defining the integral number of clock cycles preceding the range gate, and a fine delay (139) for positioning a range gate to within a fraction of a clock cycle. Fine temporal control is achieved using programmable delay lines (117) and (118), which retard various control signals, including the system clock signal (131), in accordance with the fine delay (139). A modified signal (126) then drives a counter means (119) which outputs a signal (128) that defines an analog-to-digital sampling window beginning at the elapse of the range gate delay (135). The apparatus (111) may further include a rate reducing means (115) for reducing the frequency at which the range gate delay (135) is generated, thereby permitting the delay (135)to be precisely regulated to within a fraction of a nanosecond over a period of multiple pulse repetition intervals.

US Patent:

52413160, Aug 31, 1993

Filed:

Sep 26, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/765799

Inventors:

Richard C. Pringle - Van Nuys CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

G01S 734

US Classification:

342 62

Abstract:

A method and apparatus that uses iteration to achieve a better prediction of the values of the commands needed to balance the gains of. SIGMA. +. DELTA. and. SIGMA. -. DELTA. channels of a radar guidance system, when an imbalance occurs due to a change caused by the AGC circuitry. An improved method of measuring channel-to-channel gain imbalance versus AGC measurements is provided, which produces modified input values that are used as commands that correct the mismatch during missile flight so that residual error is minimized and more accurate guidance is achieved. The present method is implemented by measuring the gain imbalance at predetermined AGC points during system calibration, and iterating these measurements to produce a relatively small channel-to-channel gain imbalance at the. DELTA. AGC amplifiers. The measured imbalance is then converted to. DELTA.