University seeks patents on radar, keyboard inventions

April 15, 2015

University Relations

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has taken steps to protect two employee inventions — computer software that sharpens radar signals and an LED bar that illuminates piano keyboards.

The UAF Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization filed the non-provisional patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Tim Theurer, an engineering doctoral student, and Bill Bristow, a professor of space physics and aeronomy, both of the Geophysical Institute, created the Over the Horizon Correction Software. It improves radar resolution by approximating the signals that would exist under ideal conditions and updating the received signals individually over time. The inventors found that the software makes detection of a target's direction up to 10 times more accurate.

OIPC plans to license this technology to private companies within the military, security and global positioning system industries.

Gary Toth, the Department of Music's operations director at the Davis Concert Hall, invented the piano lighting device. The Luma Clavier enables pianists to see their keyboards in low light. The LED light bar is suspended above the keyboard and controlled by a dimmer. A video demonstration can be viewed on the OIPC website at uaf.edu/oipc/technologies.

Manufacturers and distributors of music accessories have shown an interest in licensing the Luma Clavier, and OIPC is working with them.

UAF inventors who have developed a new technology can contact OIPC at 907-474-2605 or via email at uaf-oipc@alaska.edu.