Robert E Riddle

US Patent:

6639938, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Sep 23, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/401896

Inventors:

William R. Goyette - San Marcos CA
Robert G. Riddle - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H04B 1713

US Classification:

375132

Abstract:

A method of routing a frequency hopping signal to one of two transmitting antennas in a multiple carrier communication system is disclosed. The method comprises storing known a-priori information regarding frequency hopping signal assignments, scanning a transmitter frequency and antenna path assignment table to determine the closest existing transmitting frequency and its antenna to the frequency hopping signal to be assigned, assigning the frequency hopping signal to an available path on the other antenna, and updating the transmitter frequency and antenna path assignment table. In addition the method includes determining whether the assigned path on the other antenna conflicts with existing frequency assignments, and preempting the antenna assignment when a conflict exists.

US Patent:

56182058, Apr 8, 1997

Filed:

Oct 17, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/324043

Inventors:

Robert G. Riddle - Escondido CA
Jeffrey A. Douglass - Poway CA
John D. Voss - Cumming GA
Stephen C. Ellis - Murrieta CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01R 907

US Classification:

439581

Abstract:

A solderless right-angle interconnect is provided for achieving flexible, low-profile and enhanced performance high frequency signal interconnections. The interconnect includes a compressible conductive pin assembly which has a first end electrically coupled to a first transmission path and a second end electrically coupled to a stripline circuit trace which provides a second transmission path. According to one embodiment, a springy compressible conductive button is located in a recessed chamber at the second end of the conductive pin and partially extends from the end thereof. According to another embodiment, a springy conductive bellows is formed intermediate the first and second ends of the pin assembly. The second end of the conductive pin further includes at least one tapered edge. A conductive ground layer is further provided for substantially enclosing the interconnect and providing a ground reference thereabout.

US Patent:

53562984, Oct 18, 1994

Filed:

Apr 1, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/042565

Inventors:

John D. Voss - San Diego CA
Stephen C. Ellis - Murrieta CA
Robert G. Riddle - Escondido CA
Jeffrey A. Douglass - Poway CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01R 909

US Classification:

439 63

Abstract:

A solderless right-angle interconnect is provided for achieving flexible, low-profile and enhanced performance high frequency signal interconnections. The interconnect includes a conductive pin which has a first end electrically coupled to a first transmission path and a second end electrically coupled to a stripline circuit trace which provides a second transmission path. A springy compressible conductive button is located in a recessed chamber at the second end of the conductive pin and partially extends from the end thereof. The second end of the conductive pin further includes at least one tapered edge. A conductive ground layer is further provided for substantially enclosing the interconnect and providing a ground reference thereabout. In a first embodiment, the conductor forming the first transmission path includes a coaxial cable coupled to the conductive pin. In a second embodiment, the first transmission path may include a second stripline circuit trace, in which the first end of said conductive pin likewise includes a recessed chamber for receiving a springy compressible conductive button and at least one tapered edge.

US Patent:

53732995, Dec 13, 1994

Filed:

May 21, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/065850

Inventors:

Ernie T. Ozaki - Poway CA
Robert G. Riddle - Escondido CA
John D. Voss - San Diego CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01Q 326

US Classification:

342373

Abstract:

A low-profile multioctave frequency band microwave mode forming network is provided which includes a plurality of circuit layers having circuitry for receiving M feed signals which may provide M beams or modes of operation. Each circuit layer has a dielectric board with circuitry formed on top and bottom surfaces thereof and is sandwiched between top and bottom dielectric layers to form a tri-plate stripline circuitry. The circuit layers are dielectrically isolated from one another and further separated by conductive ground planes. The circuitry includes a plurality of couplers, phase shifters and transmissions lines which do not require transmission line cross-overs on any given surface. A plurality of right-angle RF interconnects are included for providing electrical connection to the circuitry. Output ports are provided for coupling said feed network to N elements of an antenna system.

US Patent:

61306525, Oct 10, 2000

Filed:

Jun 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/333760

Inventors:

Allan C. Goetz - La Jolla CA
Robert G. Riddle - San Diego CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01Q 136

US Classification:

343895

Abstract:

A wide band, single aperture antenna system (70) that provides simultaneous detection of both RHCP and LHCP signals. The antenna system (70) includes a multiple arm spiral antenna (10) that has spiral arm elements (12, 14, 16, 18) with no sharp transitions. To simultaneously both RHCP and LHCP sensitivity, an antenna feed is connected to both the center end and the outer end of each of the antenna arm elements (12, 14, 16, 18). A separate N-port transformer (74, 78) is connected to both the end feed and the center feed for all of the arms (12, 14, 16, 18) to provide impedance matching and cross-polarization compensation. An NXN port modeformer (76, 80) is connected to the N-port transformers (74, 78) to separate the various modes. The modeformers (76,80) separate the LHCP and RHCP modes to provide an accurate AoA estimation.

US Patent:

56917287, Nov 25, 1997

Filed:

Mar 25, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/621853

Inventors:

Allan Charles Goetz - La Jolla CA
Robert Gene Riddle - San Diego CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01Q 322
H01Q 324
H01Q 326

US Classification:

342373

Abstract:

A technique for compensating for bias errors that are inevitably introduced in an N-port analog modeformer (14) of the Butler matrix type, used to transform antenna arm signals obtained from a cylindrically symmetrical or spiral antenna (10), to an equal number of more useful mode signals. Corrupted mode signals from the analog modeformer (14) are downshifted in frequency in a coherent receiver processor (18), converted to digital corrupted mode signals in an analog-to-digital converter (22), and then further processed in a bias error reduction processor (26) to produce output signals that are a close approximation of true, uncorrupted mode signals. The bias error reduction processor 26 uses a memory (28) to store matrix quantities obtained from measurements previously made of the analog modeformer (14), and performs an error reduction function by simple matrix manipulations of the digital corrupted mode signals and the matrix quantities stored in the memory (28). The processor (26) may perform the matrix manipulations by calculation or may make use of a look-up table for faster processing.

US Patent:

63009188, Oct 9, 2001

Filed:

Dec 22, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/470132

Inventors:

Robert G. Riddle - San Diego CA
Allan C. Goetz - La Jolla CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01Q 136

US Classification:

343895

Abstract:

A phased array antenna (12) that includes a plurality of multiple spiral arm antenna elements (10). The antenna elements (10) are hexagonal in shape and are aligned in a triangular lattice geometry, where the elements (10) are arranged in rings around a common center element (32). The elements (10) include at least two arms (18, 20) which terminate at opposite sides of the element (10). The ends (26, 28) of the arms (18, 20) of diagonally adjacent elements (10) are positioned proximate to each other to provide inter-element coupling to increase the bandwidth of the antenna (12). The tight coupling of the antenna elements (10) also reduces the RCS of the antenna (12).

US Patent:

60941715, Jul 25, 2000

Filed:

Oct 23, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/178355

Inventors:

Robert G. Riddle - San Diego CA
Haigan K. Chea - Oceanside CA

Assignee:

TRW Inc. - Redondo Beach CA

International Classification:

H01Q 128

US Classification:

343708

Abstract:

An aircraft antenna system integrated into one or more walls of an equipment pod (12) mounted beneath an aircraft (10). The equipment pod (12) has at least one wall with an antenna notch built into it. The antenna notch is tapered or flared toward a wider opening and is bounded on each side by conductive portions of the same pod wall. Other walls of the pod (12) are made from conductive materials, which are in electrical contact with the aircraft structure. The equipment pod (12) provide multiple antenna structures for use in a variety of aircraft applications. Further, use of multiple pods (12) allows an aircraft to be more easily reconfigured for different missions by removing and replacing the equipment pod.