Kenneth A Schmidt

US Patent:

61050881, Aug 15, 2000

Filed:

Jul 10, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/112428

Inventors:

Michael V. Pascale - Ellicott City MD
John G. Holland - Baltimore MD
Walter M. Dirndorfer - Linthicum MD
Paul LePage - Towson MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott City MD

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

710100

Abstract:

A reconfigurable backplane assembly for a programmable digital radio and consisting of a printed wire matrix plate including connectors for electronic circuit modules, power cables, RF cables, and optical cables with the connectivity between digital signals being dynamically reconfigurable electronically and with connectivity between power signals, optical signals and RF signals being manually reconfigurable.

US Patent:

58598782, Jan 12, 1999

Filed:

Aug 31, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/528206

Inventors:

William C. Phillips - Ellicott City MD
Michael V. Pascale - Millersville MD
Ronald W. Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott City MD
Benjamin F. Weigand - Ellicott City MD
Walter M. Dirndorfer - Linthicum MD
Robert S. Prill - Allenwood NJ
Arnold B. Siegel - Somerset NJ
Richard H. Nogay - West Caldwell NJ

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

H03K 900
H04L 2706
H04L 2714
H04L 2722

US Classification:

375316

Abstract:

A digital submodule is included in a software programmable common receive module for receiving IF signals and producing a serial bit stream. The digital submodule is programmable based on a selected application of a plurality of radio applications and, if present, a selected function of a plurality of functions of the selected radio application. The digital submodule may include an analog to digital converter for converting IF signals received from an analog submodule into digital signals. The digital signals are supplied to a programmable signal processing unit which is configured, according to the selected radio application and, if present, the selected function, to perform control functions, processing and analysis of the digital signals and generate output signals. The output signals are then formatted by a formatting unit producing formatted digital signals. The formatted digital signals are then supplied to a system bus.

US Patent:

55488390, Aug 20, 1996

Filed:

Oct 14, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/322513

Inventors:

Stephen P. Caldwell - Columbia MD
Marvine Harris Jr. - Baltimore MD
Demetrios J. Matsakis - Ellicott City MD
Ronald W. Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott City MD
Benjamin F. Weigand - Baltimore MD
Robert S. Prill - Allenwood NJ
Arnold B. Siegel - Somerset NJ

International Classification:

H04B 126

US Classification:

455313

Abstract:

A wideband RF-to-IF frequency converter providing multiple use of frequency conversion components for many different types of RF input signals. In specific examples, many different types of signals for communication, navigation, and for interrogation are processed through at least partly common frequency-conversion channels. Such RF input signals in the range from approximately 2 MHz to 2,000 MHz are converted to output IF frequencies, such as 1 MHz and 30 MHz, for further processing in the common receiver. Some narrow band signals, after conversion to IF, are subjected to off-center filtering in relatively broadband IF filters. Input RF filters are not used. Among several frequency conversion stages, only one of the local oscillator signals is tunable; but it is made tunable in relatively small, precise steps by using a double phase-locked loop arrangement in the frequency synthesizer.

US Patent:

58675353, Feb 2, 1999

Filed:

Aug 31, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/522058

Inventors:

William C. Phillips - Ellicott MD
Michael V. Pascale - Millersville MD
Ronald W. Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott MD
Benjamin F. Weigand - Ellicott MD
Walter M. Dirndorfer - Linthicum MD
Robert S. Prill - Allenwood NJ
Arnold B. Siegel - Somerset NJ

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

H04L 2704
H04L 2712
H04L 2720

US Classification:

375295

Abstract:

A common transmit module of a programmable digital radio has a digital submodule which receives a bit stream and produces a modulated IF signal, and an analog submodule which receives the modulated IF signal and converts the modulated IF signal to a frequency corresponding to a specific type of radio function. The digital submodule includes (a) a sequential/parallel instruction set processor for signal processing and control, (b) a reconfigurable format unit, and (c) a modulator which receives the output signals of the reconfigurable format unit and produces the modulated oscillation signal. The analog submodule includes (a) a tunable local oscillator that produces a tunable local oscillation signal, (b) fixed local oscillators that produce fixed local oscillation signals, and (c) a mixing unit that receives the modulated IF signal, the tunable local oscillation signal and the fixed local oscillation signals, selectively mixes the fixed local oscillation signals with the modulated oscillation signal to produce non-final IF signals, and mixes a non-final IF signal with the tunable local oscillation signal to produce a final converted signal for transmission at the frequency corresponding to the specific type of radio function.

US Patent:

60729945, Jun 6, 2000

Filed:

Aug 31, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/522050

Inventors:

William C. Phillips - Ellicott City MD
Charles L. Hilterbrick - Aldelphi MD
Ronald W. Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott City MD
Michael V. Pascale - Millersville MD
Robert S. Prill - Allenwood NJ

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

H04B 140

US Classification:

455 84

Abstract:

A system that partitions or divides the functions of a radio into channels and divides the functions of each channel into two major functions: 1) antenna interface and power amplification; and 2) hardwired mixing, modulation/demodulation and signal processing and further partitions the mixing through signal processing functions into the functions of a) programmable analog mixing and b) programmable digital modulation/demodulation and signal processing. Control and user interface functions, if needed for a particular application can also be functionally partitioned. A typical received signal pathway will encounter an antenna module, an antenna interface and power amplification module, a receiver module partitioned into an analog submodule that performs mixing and down conversion to produce a common intermediate frequency signal and a digital submodule that further down converts the intermediate frequency signal, demodulates the signal and performs the other signal processing necessary to provide a useful information signal. A typical transmitter pathway includes a transmitter module partitioned into a digital submodule that performs signal processing and modulation and an analog submodule that performs upconversion and mixing, followed by a power amplification and interface module and an antenna module. Control and user interface modules can also be provided along with modules that perform additional processing and information security functions.

US Patent:

6028885, Feb 22, 2000

Filed:

Sep 26, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/938790

Inventors:

Ronald William Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth Martin Schmidt - Ellicott City MD
Benjamin Frederick Weigand - Ellicott City MD
Walter Mathias Dirndorfer - Linthicum MD

Assignee:

Northrop Grumman Corporation - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

H04B 1713

US Classification:

375202

Abstract:

A radio transmitter is structured to provide frequency hopping of transmitted leakage signals in addition to RF hopping of the RF output signal. A digital computer controls a digital tuner, a TLO, a FLO, and an IF unit to provide the RF hopping and to provide digital-tuner frequency hopping and IF hopping thereby enabling the frequency hopping of transmitted leakage digital tuner and IF signals.