Mortimer Rogoff
Mortimer Alan Rogoff | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 1, 2008 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Innovator, entrepreneur, writer |
| Known for | Contributions to spread spectrum technology, pioneer in electronic navigation charts |
Mortimer Alan Rogoff (May 2, 1921 – August 1, 2008) was an American innovator, entrepreneur, and writer recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to spread spectrum technology, which serves as the foundation for contemporary cellular phones and GPS navigation. He is also celebrated as a pioneer in the development of the electronic navigation chart.
Early life
Rogoff was born in Brooklyn, New York and earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1943, followed by a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University in 1948. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy, where he developed advanced radio communication and aerial navigation systems. He invented a secure transmission method that was undetectable by Axis forces, which became the basis for spread spectrum technologies used later in GPS and CDMA cellular networks. Although he could not secure a patent for this classified military innovation, he was honored with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Pioneer Award in 1981.
Career
From 1946 to 1968, Rogoff was employed at ITT Laboratories in New Jersey, where he advanced to deputy director of Engineering by 1958, then Vice President between 1962 and 1963, and finally led European operations from 1963 until 1968. Afterward, he joined the Diebold Group as Executive Vice President before founding several technology and automation companies, including Teletext Communications Corporation. In the late 1970s, he held a Principal position at Booz Allen Hamilton. His 1979 publication, Calculator Navigation, presented practical techniques for accurate maritime positioning using radio navigation combined with consumer-grade calculators.
In 1981, Rogoff established Navigation Sciences Inc. based in Bethesda, Maryland. He secured a patent in 1986 for a marine navigation approach that integrated radar imagery with electronic charting—a significant breakthrough that paved the way for modern Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). Motivated by witnessing a fatal boating accident in 1968, Rogoff dedicated his efforts to automating navigation to enhance safety.
He participated on the International Maritime Organization’s sub-committee focused on Safety of Navigation, represented the United States at the International Electrotechnical Commission, and chaired the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services Special Committee 109 on Electronic Charts. Through these leadership roles, he advocated for ECDIS standards that were officially adopted by the IMO in 1995 following successful validation through a US Coast Guard Test Bed project.
Rogoff earned Fellow status at both the Institute of Navigation (in 2000) and IEEE. Additionally, he served as President of the Navigational Electronic Charts System Association, playing a key role in shaping global standards for electronic charting.
Personal
In 1979, Rogoff relocated to Washington, D.C. and acquired property in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married Sheila Zunser in 1943; their marriage lasted sixty-five years. The couple had three daughters: Louisa Thompson, Alice Rogoff, and Julia Peach. His sister was Natalie Rogoff Ramsøy, a sociologist affiliated with the University of Oslo. Rogoff was a member of the Cosmos Club and led The Navigational Electronic Chart System Association (NECSA) as its President. An enthusiastic amateur photographer and licensed radio operator (call sign W2EE), he died from bladder cancer while residing in Nantucket.
Patents
Patent number: 4176316 – System for Secure Communication – Issued November 27, 1979 Co-inventor: Louis A. DeRosa Patent number: 4590569 – System for Electronic Navigation – Issued May 20, 1986 Co-inventors: Peter M. Winkler and John N. Ackley Patent number: RE34004 – System for Secure Communication – Issued July 21, 1992 Co-inventor: Louis A. DeRosa
Publications
- September 1957. Automatic Interpretation of Infrared Spectra. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; volume 69, issue 1: pages 27–37.
- Gen. P.C. Sandretto and Mortimer Rogoff. 1958. “An Innovative Approach to Air Traffic Control.” NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation; volume 6, issue 2: pages 102–107
- 1979. Calculator Navigation. ISBN 0-393-03192-6. Published by W.W. Norton & Company (New York and London).
- December 1985. Electronic Charting Techniques. Yachting; volume 158, issue 6: pages 54–57.
- Winter 1990. Electronic Charting Developments in the Nineties. NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation; volume 37, issue 4: pages 305–318.