Robert Berton Vaughan

US Patent:

6421528, Jul 16, 2002

Filed:

Apr 29, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/301967

Inventors:

Harold A. Rosen - Santa Monica CA
Todd K. Citron - Pacific Palisades CA
Steven O. Lane - Rolling Hills Estates CA
James D. Thompson - Manhattan Beach CA
Arnold L. Berman - Los Angeles CA
Robert E. Vaughan - Redondo Beach CA

Assignee:

Hughes Electronics Corp. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04J 1302

US Classification:

455 676, 455 133, 455428

Abstract:

A system and method for adjusting satellite communication signal transmit power for signals transmitted to a localized region within a satellite coverage area utilize real-time information on weather conditions ( ) and/or actual path losses ( ) within the localized regions to adjust the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of the satellite beams ( ) to minimize the total radio frequency (RF) power required for transmission. The transmission system may be realized using a variety of antenna types for transmitting spot beams and/or area coverage beams. Representative antenna implementations include multi-beam antennas having a low-level beamforming network and hybrid matrix amplifier system, phased-array with independent input amplitude control and beamsteering for each beam, and a phased-array feeding a confocal imaging system for single broadcast beam per polarization. The present invention allows for the reduction of RF transmit power to achieve the same communications performance enabling either increases in satellite functionality and/or an increase in total capacity of the satellite communication system.

US Patent:

6430393, Aug 6, 2002

Filed:

Aug 23, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/379173

Inventors:

Harold A. Rosen - Santa Monica CA
Steven O. Lane - Rolling Hills Estate CA
Robert E. Vaughan - Manhattan Beach CA

Assignee:

Hughes Electronics Corporation - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04B 7185

US Classification:

455 121

Abstract:

An improved satellite communication device and system are provided. The satellite communication device uses yaw or roll-yaw steering to linearize angular track of uplink cells; one-dimensional linear âratchetingâ in an uplink antenna to maintain resource allocation of uplink cells along antenna columns; phased-array downlink antennas which can track earth-fixed downlink cells while compensating for the yaw (or roll-yaw) satellite steering; and variable rate TDMA service among downlink cells in a footprint. As a result, system overhead for performing new resource allocations between satellite handovers is minimized, thereby reducing resource management and increasing system capacity. Flexible bandwidth/capacity assignment of both uplink and downlink resources to earth locations via linear cell ratcheting, uplink RF peaking switch, and data-driven variable-TDMA downlink phased-arrays, is provided.

US Patent:

6442148, Aug 27, 2002

Filed:

Dec 23, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/222200

Inventors:

Gerald J. Adams - Rancho Palos Verdes CA
Paul D. Tarbuck - Hawthorne CA
Robert E. Vaughan - Redondo Beach CA
Shih-Chang Wu - Alhambra CA
Thomas S. La France - Manhattan Beach CA
Sudhakar K. Rao - Torrance CA

Assignee:

Hughes Electronics Corporation - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04B 719

US Classification:

370325, 370330, 342356, 342368, 445 121, 445427

Abstract:

A satellite subsystem for a satellite employs a reconfigurable communications payload and active array antennas. The subsystem includes an active receive array antenna having a reconfigurable beam forming network for forming input beam signals from input signals received by the receive antenna from sources. An input switch matrix power divides the input beam signals into sets of input beam signals. Each of the channel signals corresponds to a respective channel of the input beam signals. The subsystem further includes a channelizer having a plurality of channel processors each receiving at least one input beam signal from the input switch matrix. The channel processors filter the input beam signals into channel signals. Each of the channel signals corresponds to a respective channel of the input beam signals. The channel processors change the frequency of at least one channel signal to route the at least one channel signal to a different channel than the respective channel of the input beam signals.

US Patent:

6799014, Sep 28, 2004

Filed:

Feb 6, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/068543

Inventors:

Harold A. Rosen - Santa Monica CA
Todd K. Citron - Pacific Palisades CA
Steven O. Lane - Rolling Hills Estates CA
James D. Thompson - Manhattan Beach CA
Arnold L. Berman - Los Angeles CA
Robert E. Vaughan - Redondo Beach CA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H04B 7185

US Classification:

455 121, 455 133, 455 636

Abstract:

A system and method for adjusting satellite communication signal transmit power for signals transmitted to a localized region within a satellite coverage area utilize real-time information on weather conditions ( ) and/or actual path losses ( ) within the localized regions to adjust the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of the satellite beams ( ) to minimize the total radio frequency (RF) power required for transmission. The transmission system may be realized using a variety of antenna types for transmitting spot beams and/or area coverage beams. Representative antenna implementations include multi-beam antennas having a low-level beamforming network and hybrid matrix amplifier system, phased-array with independent input amplitude control and beamsteering for each beam, and a phased-array feeding a confocal imaging system for single broadcast beam per polarization. The present invention allows for the reduction of RF transmit power to achieve the same communications performance enabling either increases in satellite functionality and/or an increase in total capacity of the satellite communication system.

US Patent:

6975600, Dec 13, 2005

Filed:

Sep 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/664082

Inventors:

Robert E. Vaughan - Redondo Beach CA, US
Harold Rosen - Santa Monica CA, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04L012/50

US Classification:

370321, 370323, 370325

Abstract:

A multimode transmission system using TDMA provides a plurality of satellite services to a ground station terminal. These services include timing beacon synchronization, multi-cast/broadcast data service, calibration data, and point-to-point data service. The multimode transmission system uses a TDM switch to generate a TDMA signal having a plurality of TDMA transmission frames. Each TDMA transmission frame includes a plurality of downlink frame time slots. Each time slot may be of variable length and is dynamically allocated to an individual satellite service based upon demand. The TDMA signal is then broadcast using an advanced transmit antenna system, which requires beam-shaping and beam power control features, to enable TDMA switching between shaped beams and spot beam modes of the antenna. These antenna features allow for the dynamic partitioning of satellite system capacity between wide-area broadcasts and localized point-to-point service and efficient utilization of the satellite transmission power.

US Patent:

7171158, Jan 30, 2007

Filed:

Jun 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/172260

Inventors:

Harold A. Rosen - Santa Monica CA, US
Steven O. Lane - Rolling Hills Estate CA, US
Robert E. Vaughan - Manhattan Beach CA, US

Assignee:

The DirecTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04B 7/185

US Classification:

455 121, 455 131, 455 133, 455427, 455428, 455446, 370316, 701 13

Abstract:

An improved satellite communication device and system are provided. The satellite communication device uses yaw or roll-yaw steering to linearize angular track of uplink cells; one-dimensional linear “ratcheting” in an uplink antenna to maintain resource allocation of uplink cells along antenna columns; phased-array downlink antennas which can track earth-fixed downlink cells while compensating for the yaw (or roll-yaw) satellite steering; and variable rate TDMA service among downlink cells in a footprint. As a result, system overhead for performing new resource allocations between satellite handovers is minimized, thereby reducing resource management and increasing system capacity. Flexible bandwidth/capacity assignment of both uplink and downlink resources to earth locations via linear cell ratcheting, uplink RF peaking switch, and data-driven variable-TDMA downlink phased-arrays, is provided.

US Patent:

8092489, Jan 10, 2012

Filed:

Apr 17, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/736539

Inventors:

Richard C. Ewers - Fullerton CA, US
Eugene Chen - Carlsbad CA, US
Arvin T. Chang - West Covina CA, US
Robert A. Vaughan - Laguna Niguel CA, US

Assignee:

USGI Medical, Inc. - San Clemente CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/28

US Classification:

606208

Abstract:

A tissue grasping apparatus includes a control member, an elongated shaft, and a tissue grasping member attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft. An activation mechanism provides an user-operable connection between the control member and the tissue grasping member. In an embodiment, the tissue grasping member includes a pair of jaws configured to open to an included angle between the jaws of 180 degrees or more. In an embodiment, the activation mechanism includes a flexible drive wire attached to the penetrating member.

US Patent:

20060271073, Nov 30, 2006

Filed:

May 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/139920

Inventors:

Cang Lam - Irvine CA, US
Richard Ewers - Fullerton CA, US
Robert Vaughan - Laguna Niguel CA, US
Vahid Saadat - Saratoga CA, US

Assignee:

USGI Medical Inc. - San Clemente CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/04

US Classification:

606148000

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for securing and deploying tissue anchors are described herein. A tissue manipulation assembly is pivotably coupled to the distal end of a tubular member. A reconfigurable launch tube is also pivotably coupled to the tissue manipulation assembly, which may be advanced through a shape-lockable endoscopic device, a conventional endoscope, or directly by itself into a patient. A second tool can be used in combination with the tissue manipulation assembly to engage tissue and manipulate the tissue in conjunction with the tissue manipulation assembly. A deployment assembly is provided for securing engaged tissue via one or more tissue anchors, the deployment assembly also being configured to disengage the anchors endoluminally or laparoscopically.