Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7365703 | Radar reflector A radar reflector including a first and a second radar corner. The radar corners are formed by an essentially rectangular first flat plate and a second and a third essentially flat plate arranged perpendicular to the first plate at two perpendicular edges of the fir... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7364488 | Methods and apparatus for enhancing inflatable devices Methods and apparatus for enhancing an inflatable device. In one example, a first component adapted to generate at least one of light and sound is coupled to a second component that is adapted to facilitate insertion into an inflatable device. The first component ma... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7356390 | Systems and applications of lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms Innovative new methods in connection with lighter-than-air (LTA) free floating platforms, of facilitating legal transmitter operation, platform flight termination when appropriate, environmentally acceptable landing, and recovery of these devices are provided. The n... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7203491 | Unmanned lighter-than-air safe termination and recovery methods Innovative new methods in connection with lighter-than-air free floating platforms, of facilitating legal transmitter operation, platform flight termination when appropriate, environmentally acceptable landing, and recovery of these devices are provided. Especially,... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7170458 | Inflatable antenna system The present invention involves an inflatable antenna system including an inflatable antenna and a mounting plate. The inflatable antenna includes an inflatable cone or cylinder and a plurality of conductors integrated therein. The mounting plate can be incorporated ... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7102580 | Antenna alignment devices An alignment device for aligning an antenna with a satellite. In one embodiment, the device includes a digital compass to provide an azimuth reading of the antenna when the device is removably affixed to the rear surface of the antenna reflector. In another embodime... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7036958 | Lighting balloon A lighting balloon is filled with a buoyant gas, such as helium, and carries a light source. To enable the balloon to withstand the rigours of field application and to be rapidly deployable, the light source may be installed in a cage and/or the ballon may be aerody... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7025304 | Helicopter messenger cable illumination An apparatus for illuminating the messenger cable of a helicopter includes a helicopter having a floor and including a RAST system; the RAST system comprising a messenger cable with a connector attached to one end for lowering to a landing deck of a ship, the RAST s... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6950075 | GPS antenna for submarine towed buoy An apparatus including a gimbal and an antenna with a hollowed frustum having a closed end and an open end. The antenna includes a feed stem at the closed end extending as an internal rod into the hollowed frustum. The opposite end of the rod connects to a receiver ... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6513758 | High altitude platform control system A method and system for controlling a movable appendage on an aerospace vehicle independent from the position of the aerospace vehicle. First and second beacons containing actual position information for the movable appendage are tracked and acquired by f... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6323813 | Communication system and method An antenna system and method of improving radio frequency isolation in such a system positioned on a hull of a vessel includes a first antenna that transmits a signal having a wavelength. The antenna system also includes a second antenna which is position... | 11/27/2001 |
| 5974317 | Cell-clustering arrangements and corresponding antenna patterns for wireless communication networks employing high-altitude aeronautical antenna platforms A multi-beam antenna for a wireless communication network, a method of creating cells for a wireless communication network with a multi-beam antenna held aloft by an aeronautical vehicle and a wireless infrastructure. The multi-beam antenna projects: (1) ... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5844528 | Satellite feedhorn including a heating assembly The invention is directed to a heatable feedhorn assembly including a feedhorn having a wide end and a heater assembly wrapped around the wide end. The heater assembly includes an elongate element in the form of a cable tie and an electrically insulated h... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5065163 | Reusable deployable antenna A reusable portable device for providing location data by a lost individual as well as a signal enhancer for radios or other signal emitting devices. The device is in the form of a briefcase size unit containing a deflated airfoil with air brake and a gas... | 11/12/1991 |
| 4999640 | Aerostat tether lighting apparatus Lighting devices for an aerostat tether wherein the tether is used as a communication antenna. The lighting apparatus includes a split core transformer having a plurality of turns of secondary winding with the electrical portion of the tether constituting... | 03/12/1991 |
| 4956646 | Deployment apparatus and method for radiosondes A flexible cord and antenna is paid out at a controlled rate from a radiosonde as it is lifted into the upper atmosphere by a balloon. The cord is knit into a tubular body and folded into a compartment in the radiosonde. The extended end is wrapped around... | 09/11/1990 |
| 4903036 | VLF communication system A VLF communication system which utilizes the tether of an aerostat system as the VLF antenna. The aerostat is flown at an altitude such that the tether is approximately a quarter wavelength of the operating frequency and the transmitter signal is coupled... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4842221 | Lightning hardened tether cable and an aerostat tethered to a mooring system therewith An improved tether having a central strength member comprised of layers of synthetic fibers surrounded by a thin weatherproof plastic barrier. A current carrying metallic braid surrounds the weatherproof barrier and in a portion of the tether is of a high... | 06/27/1989 |
| 4633263 | Corona mode ELF antenna system An antenna system for radiating information in the ELF range is disclosed and comprises an extended conductor sized to produce a corona at the operating voltage. In the preferred embodiment, "ultra-thin" wire is used as the antenna element for weight savi... | 12/30/1986 |
| 4570164 | Receive antenna system in the presence of a transmitting antenna A receiving antenna for use in proximity to an antenna having a circular radiating magnetic field includes at least one antenna having a null spatial sensitivity pattern along at least one axis, oriented with the circular radiating antenna located in said... | 02/11/1986 |
| 4476576 | VLF Communication system A VLF communication system which utilizes the electrically conducting portions of an electromechanical cable connected to a deployed aerostat and acting as its tether so as to additionally serve as the VLF antenna.... | 10/09/1984 |
| 4236234 | Radio frequency seismic gathering system employing an airborne blimp The central station of a radio-connected seismic surveying system uses a tethered blimp carrying an antenna and an electronics package including a dc voltage/rf decoupler, a variable dc controlled preamplifier, a P-I-N diode switch for changing the antenn... | 11/25/1980 |
| 4220956 | Collinear series-fed radio frequency antenna array A collinear series-fed antenna array formed from two spaced-apart electrical conductors extending parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction and having regularly spaced complementary changes in transverse dimensions along the longitudinal directi... | 09/02/1980 |
| 4219819 | Safety devices A device for aiding in the location of a person or object comprises a balloon connected by a valve to a container for a pressurized gas lighter than air, all of which are disposed within a casing in which a tethering line for the balloon is disposed and h... | 08/26/1980 |
| 4204213 | Flexible dipole antenna A flexible strap-like antenna which may be supported on the outside surface of an aerostat includes a first substrate member having conductors thereon in a pattern which includes a center conductor and dipole antennas on either side of the center conducto... | 05/20/1980 |
| 4051479 | ELF vertical dipole antenna suspended from aircraft A vertical dipole antenna for the ELF (extremely low frequency) range. The antenna provides a series resonant circuit consisting of an inductor and the distributed capacitance of the conductor such as a wire which may be carried by lighter-than-air craft.... | 09/27/1977 |
| 4025913 | Electrical field sensing and transmitting apparatus A pair of conductive spherical shells are carried by a balloon or other means into an electrical field which induces equal and opposite charges on the shells. Rotation of the shells causes the charges to alternate. The alternating sinusoidal charge is app... | 05/24/1977 |
| 3979753 | Portable balloon antenna support structure A portable antenna support structure which can be carried by a vehicle and includes an inflatable balloon and telescopic extension poles that are pivoted to the sides of the vehicle at the front and back and may be extended radially when the vehicle is at... | 09/07/1976 |