Christopher B Rodgers

US Patent:

8193968, Jun 5, 2012

Filed:

Jan 15, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/688299

Inventors:

Omid Ebrahimi Kia - North Bethesda MD, US
Christopher Rodgers - Adamstown MD, US
Brian Bradford - Vienna VA, US

Assignee:

Exelis, Inc. - McLean VA

International Classification:

G01S 13/00
G01S 13/08
H04B 7/185

US Classification:

342 26A, 342 26 R, 342 59, 342 95, 342118, 342120, 342352

Abstract:

Systems and methods for detecting objects and weather in space are disclosed. A system for detecting an object in space and space weather includes at least one spacecraft, at least one radiation source, at least one detector, and a controller. The at least one radiation source and the at least one detector are coupled to the at least one spacecraft. The at least one radiation source is configured to transmit a signal. The at least one detector is configured to detect the signal. The signal may be reflected from an object in space. The controller is coupled to the spacecraft and is in communication with the plurality of detectors. The controller is programmed to calculate either a relative position of the object based or a plasma parameter in a region traversed by the signal based on the detected signal.

US Patent:

8600589, Dec 3, 2013

Filed:

Apr 24, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/454158

Inventors:

Javier Mendez-Rodriguez - Gainesville VA, US
Christopher T. Rodgers - Adamstown MD, US

Assignee:

Exelis, Inc. - McLean VA

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
B64D 45/08

US Classification:

701 16, 701 17, 73178 T

Abstract:

A processor calculates a safe landing zone for an aircraft. The processor executes the following steps: (a) converting 4D point cloud data into Cartesian coordinates to form a height map of a region; (b) segmenting the height map to form boundaries of an object in the region; and (c) determining maximum height within the boundaries of the object. Also included are (d) determining if the maximum height is greater than a predetermined height to form a vertical obstruction (VO) in the region; and (e) determining if the VO is in the line of sight (LOS) of the aircraft to classify the landing zone as safe or unsafe. The processor further includes the step of: (f) forming a slope map over the height map.

US Patent:

8616052, Dec 31, 2013

Filed:

Dec 22, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/975773

Inventors:

Omid E. Kia - North Bethesda MD, US
Christopher T. Rodgers - Adamstown MD, US

Assignee:

Exelis, Inc. - McLean VA

International Classification:

G01W 1/00

US Classification:

7317016, 702 3

Abstract:

A system for identifying at least one species in space includes a physical response module for outputting multiple spectral data based on received signals from a target in space; a calibration module for receiving the spectral data and outputting a first dataset, including density of an {x, y, z} coordinate location in space as a function of time, t; and a classification module for receiving the first dataset, and outputting a second dataset including multiple tuples of {x, y, z, t, d} associated with the at least one species, wherein d is density of the at least one species. Also included is an HD processor for receiving the second dataset from the classification module and providing a visual image of the second dataset to a user.