My Patents

Jed Margolin

United States Patent    8,373,591

Margolin 

February 12, 2013

System and Method For Sensing Aircraft and Other Objects

Abstract

A system for sensing aircraft and other objects uses bistatic radar with spread-spectrum signals transmitted from remotely located sources such as aircraft flying at very high altitudes or from a satellite constellation. A bistatic spread spectrum radar system using a satellite constellation can be integrated with a communications system and/or with a system using long baseline radar interferometry to validate the digital terrain elevation database. The reliability and safety of TCAS and ADS-B are improved by using the signals transmitted from a TCAS or ADS-B unit as a radar transmitter with a receiver used to receive reflections. Aircraft and other objects using spread spectrum radar are detected by using two separate receiving systems. Cross-Correlation between the outputs of the two receiving systems reveals whether a noise signal is produced by the receiving systems themselves or is coming from the outside.

Patent (PDF)

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United States Patent    7,360,130

Margolin 

April 15, 2008

Memory with integrated programmable controller

Abstract

An internal processing capability is added to a computer memory by adding a small processor, a small amount of processor RAM memory, a small amount of non-volatile memory, and some logic. During wafer testing the internal processor system allows the memory to be tested at full speed and substantially simultaneously with the testing of other memories on the wafer. At any stage after packaging, the part can be tested by having the host processor read the non-volatile memory, determine what test program to use, load it into the RAM memory, and run the Self-Test program. The internal processor system also allows additional functions such as data searching, data moving, and graphics primitives to be performed entirely within the memory.

Full Patent     755 KBytes (PDF)

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United States Patent    6,377,436

Margolin 

April 23, 2002

Microwave transmission using a laser-generated plasma beam waveguide

Abstract

A directed energy beam system uses an ultra-fast laser system, such as one using a titanium-sapphire infrared laser to produce a thin ionizing beam through the atmosphere. The beam is moved in either a circular or rectangular fashion to produce a conductive shell to act as a waveguide for microwave energy. Because the waveguide is produced by a plasma it is called a plasma beam waveguide. The directed energy beam system can be used as a weapon, to provide power to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as for providing communications in a cellular telephone system, or as an ultra-precise radar system. 

Full Patent     1.4 MBytes (PDF)

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United States Patent  6,177,943 

Margolin

January 23, 2001

 Digital map compression and display method

Abstract

A digital elevation database is compressed to create a compressed digital map database which is used by a digital computer system for displaying three-dimensional terrain data in the form of polygons. The compressed digital map database is produced from a database of elevation points by selecting every mth row and every nth column, thereby resulting in a reduction of database storage requirements. During program run-time the intersection of rows and columns forms cells with four corners. The elevation value of a center elevation point for each cell is formed by various methods, thereby creating a cell made up of four three-dimensional triangles. One method for creating the elevation of the center elevation point uses the elevations of the four corners of the cell. Another method uses extrapolated elevation values from the cell's extended diagonals. The three-dimensional triangles formed from the center elevation point are then transformed and projected using standard computer graphics methods on a digital computer to produce a three-dimensional projected display.

Full Patent   2.5 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent  6,023,278

Margolin 

February 8, 2000

Digital map generator and display system 

Abstract

A digital map system for displaying three dimensional terrain data uses terrain data in the form of polygons. The polygon database is produced from a database of elevation points which are divided into, for example, n*n (where n is a positive integer) squares which have an elevation point in the center of the square. The center point forms four polygons with the corners of the square. The elevation of the center point may be chosen to be the highest elevation point in the n*n square, the average elevation of the elevation points in the n*n square, the elevation of the actual center point, or other methods. The method chosen depends on how the data base is to be used. The size of the n*n square chosen also depends on how the data base is to be used since there is a tradeoff between the resolution of the displayed scene and the amount of data reduction from the original database of elevation points. The polygon database may be used in a pilot aid using a synthetic environment, a flight simulator, as part of the control system for a remotely piloted vehicle, or in a video game.

Full Patent   2.8 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,978,488

Margolin

November 2, 1999

 Simulated AM radio

Abstract

A realistic illusion of listening to an actual AM radio is produced by providing a number of audio program signals and by simulating the process of tuning across the radio dial where each station is playing a different program. In a superheterodyne receiver using envelope detection, tuning a station off-channel results in a changing mixture of distortion and noise. The distortion function is caused by a variety of processes, among them being the filtering action as parts of the signal spectrum are cut off by the bandpass filter in the IF amplifier. Another is caused by the reduction in the carrier which causes the foldover of negative peaks in the envelope detector. 

Full Patent   2.2 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent  5,974,423 

Margolin

October 26, 1999

 Method for converting a digital elevation database to a polygon database

Abstract

A Digital Elevation Database is converted to a Polygon Database by creating square cells of varying sizes, starting with a minimum size cell. A center elevation point in the cell is used to form four three-dimensional triangles. The points within the cell are then tested against the flatness criteria. If the cell meets the flatness criteria it is expanded and tested again. This goes on until the cell fails the flatness criteria or a maximum specified cell size is reached. The cell parameters for the last trial cell meeting the flatness criteria or the maximum specified cell size are then entered into the polygon database. The points in the cell are then removed from the elevation database and the process starts over until all the points have been processed. In a second embodiment the procedure starts with a maximum size cell and the cell size is reduced until the cell meets the flatness criteria. 

Full Patent   1.6 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,933,156

Margolin

August 3, 1999

 Z-Buffer for row addressable graphics memory with flash fill 

Abstract

A Z-Buffer is added to a Row Addressable Graphics Memory With Flash Fill so that a Z (or Depth) value is supplied with each Start and End address. The Z value is calculated for each pixel between the Start and End address. This value is compared to the existing Z value for that pixel stored in the Z-Buffer. Values less than the existing value replace the Z value for that pixel in the Z-Buffer and allow the new pixel to be written into the display memory. The Z data are read, modified, and written back to the Z-Buffer in parallel thereby requiring a maximum of three memory cycles to operate on a line segment independent of the length of the line.

Full Patent   2.1 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,904,724

Margolin

May 18, 1999

 Method and apparatus for remotely piloting an aircraft

Abstract

A method and apparatus that allows a remote aircraft to be controlled by a remotely located pilot who is presented with a synthesized three-dimensional projected view representing the environment around the remote aircraft. According to one aspect of the invention, a remote aircraft transmits its three-dimensional position and orientation to a remote pilot station. The remote pilot station applies this information to a digital database containing a three dimensional description of the environment around the remote aircraft to present the remote pilot with a three dimensional projected view of this environment. The remote pilot reacts to this view and interacts with the pilot controls, whose signals are transmitted back to the remote aircraft. In addition, the system compensates for the communications delay between the remote aircraft and the remote pilot station by controlling the sensitivity of the pilot controls.  

Full Patent   1.2 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,566,073

Margolin

October 15, 1996

 Pilot aid using a synthetic environment 

Abstract

A pilot aid using synthetic reality consists of a way to determine the aircraft's position and attitude such as by the global positioning system (GPS), a digital data base containing three-dimensional polygon data for terrain and manmade structures, a computer, and a display. The computer uses the aircraft's position and attitude to look up the terrain and manmade structure data in the data base and by using standard computer graphics methods creates a projected three-dimensional scene on a cockpit display. This presents the pilot with a synthesized view of the world regardless of the actual visibility. A second embodiment uses a head-mounted display with a head position sensor to provide the pilot with a synthesized view of the world that responds to where he or she is looking and which is not blocked by the cockpit or other aircraft structures. A third embodiment allows the pilot to preview the route ahead or to replay previous flights.

Full Patent   1.7 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,553,229

Margolin

September 3, 1996

 Row addressable graphics memory with flash fill 

Abstract

A single-chip semiconductor memory device optimized for high performance flat-shaded polygon video systems consists of a RAM with flash fill circuitry whereby the Start and End addresses are specified for a given row; the data within this range are read, modified, and written back to the memory in parallel thereby requiring a maximum of three memory cycles to fill a line segment independent of the length of the line. The data are modified according to a function between a color register and the data already present in the memory array, the functions being: AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, or REPLACE. 

Full Patent   1.7 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,422,998

Margolin

June 6, 1995

 Video memory with flash fill 

Abstract

A single-chip semiconductor memory device optimized for high performance flat-shaded polygon video systems consists of a RAM with flash fill circuitry whereby the Start and End addresses are specified for a given row; the data within this range are read, modified, and written back to the memory in parallel thereby requiring a maximum of three memory cycles to fill a line segment independent of the length of the line. The data are modified according to a function between a color register and the data already present in the memory array, the functions being: AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, or REPLACE. 

Full Patent   1.8 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,577,913

Moncrief, Mott, Behensky, and Margolin 

November 26, 1996

  System and method for driver training with multiple driver competition

Abstract

A driver training system for a user of a simulated vehicle. The system includes input devices for controlling the simulated vehicle, a video display having three-dimensional graphics, modeling software for determining position information based on the input devices, and recursive training software to display a previous route through an environment simultaneously with a present route through the environment. The user then incrementally and recursively maximizes parameters associated with vehicle operation skill. In addition, a present user may compete with one or more previous users by having previously recorded routes played back on the video display simultaneously with the route of the present user. The driver training system may be embodied as an arcade game.

Full Patent   1.5 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,354,202

Moncrief, Mott, Behensky, and Margolin

October 11, 1994

  System and method for driver training with multiple driver competition

Abstract

A driver training system for a user of a simulated vehicle. The system includes input devices for controlling the simulated vehicle, a video display having three-dimensional graphics, modeling software for determining position information based on the input devices, and recursive training software to display a previous route through an environment simultaneously with a present route through the environment. The user then incrementally and recursively maximizes parameters associated with vehicle operation skill. In addition, a present user may compete with one or more previous users by having previously recorded routes played back on the video display simultaneously with the route of the present user. The driver training system may be embodied as an arcade game.

Full Patent   1.6 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 5,005,148

Behensky, Moncrief, Margolin, and Mott

April 2, 1991

  Driving simulator with moving painted dashboard

Abstract

A driving simulator for a video game is disclosed. It includes an apparatus and method for moving the visual display of the dashboard relative to the visual display of the outside scene by horizontal scrolling when the car is being turned. A model processor calculates an acceleration vector acting on the drivers head based upon conditions affecting the vehicle such as acceleration during turns. This acceleration vector is scaled and converted to an integer from floating point. The integer value is then digitally low pass filtered to eliminate the graininess of the discrete nature of the process. Finally two routines are called which use the integer data to calculate where the dash, mirror and cab sidepost are to be displayed in the scene of the simulated environment displayed to the driver. Another routine is then called to load the appropriate data into the hardware which performs the scrolling. 

Full Patent   1.1 MBytes PDF

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United States Patent 4,195,293

Margolin

March 25, 1980

  Random dot generator for raster scan video displays

Abstract

A Linear-Feeback-Shift-Register produces a pseudorandom sequence of bits that are used to produce a stationary random pattern of dots on a standard raster scan video display. The density of dots is adjustable as is their intensity. This dot pattern may be combined with other video sources and thus may serve as a background for the playing of TV video games, especially those of the "space war" variety. The dot pattern may also be moved as a whole under player control and thus form the basis for a novel type of video game to be described. 

Full Patent   516 KBytes PDF

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United States Patent 4,179,124

Margolin

December 18, 1979

  Electronic video game

Abstract

An electronic game in which a standard television receiver may be a terminal is fed by an interface device which is in turn interconnected to first and second controllers, the first controller interacts with a matrix or display memory, which may be a read-only-memory (ROM) which is controlled by a matrix selector register. The first controller also has a matrix address register which feeds it. The second controller is fed by a dot address register. The matrix memory stores the digital data to control the matrix image desired to be displayed. The controller contains X and Y display address counters which indicate the position of the video beam on a grid at any given time. When the addresses of the beam coincide with the addresses of the positions stored in the memory as determined by a comparator the matrix will be displayed. A similar structure is utilized for a dot display (normally smaller) matrix in which the X and Y display address registers have a dual function working for both dot display and matrix display positions of the game and use a second comparator to control the output of the dot display.

Full Patent   1.2 MBytes PDF

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