Abstract: A method of determining a presence of items of interest within a cargo container is disclosed. The method includes obtaining information from an initial radiation scan of at least one of the cargo container and contents therein, identifying a target portion of the cargo container in response to the information obtained, transmitting a target radiation beam along the target portion of the cargo container, and detecting radiation received in response to the transmitting. The method further includes analyzing the detected radiation for a presence of items of interest, and in response to the analyzing, generating a first signal indicative of the presence of the items of interest, or generating a second signal indicative of an absence of the items of interest.

Abstract: A RADAR system including a set of RADAR apparatuses is disclosed. Each apparatus includes a processor, a pulse unit in signal communication with the processor, a waveform signal generator in signal communication with the pulse unit, and a set of radar antennas in signal communication with the waveform signal generator. The waveform signal generator is capable of generating a waveform signal in response to pulses provided by the pulse unit. The set of antennas is capable of transmitting a burst of microwave energy in response to each waveform signal and to receive a plurality of reflected bursts associated with the transmitted bursts. An acquisition unit is configured to develop and amplify a finite window integral associated with each reflected burst, the acquisition unit in signal communication with the set of antennas and a pre-processor configured to digitize and store information relating to each finite window integral for subsequent processing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a disc has a substrate; a data layer on the substrate; an anomaly-feature in the data layer disc capable of generating a read anomaly having a predictable anomaly profile; and anomaly profile data recorded in the data layer for characterizing the anomaly-feature. A disc can be labeled by imposing an anomaly-feature in the data layer capable of generating a read anomaly having a predictable anomaly profile; and disposing anomaly profile data on the disc, wherein the anomaly profile data characterizes the anomaly-feature.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, devices, and/or systems for laser net shape manufacturing may make use of a nozzle that includes a main body with a thermal channel, a conducting channel and a gas distribution head. The thermal channel is at least partially within the main body and includes an aperture for passing thermal energy therethrough. The conducting channel includes a conducting outlet aperture that is a located adjacent to the thermal outlet aperture, and powder material can be passed through the conducting outlet aperture. The gas distribution head is capable of distributing shielding gas in a distribution path surrounding the conducting outlet aperture.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for performing prognosis and asset management services is provided. The method includes calculating an accumulated damage estimate for a component via a diagnostics function and applying future mission data for the component to at least one model that calculates accumulated damage or remaining life of the component. The method also includes inputting the accumulated damage estimate to the model and aggregating damage over time and quality assessments produced by the model. The method further includes calculating a damage propagation profile and remaining life estimate for the component based on the aggregating and providing an uncertainty estimate for the damage estimate and the remaining life estimate.

Abstract: A probe system is provided that includes a linear and/or two-dimensional sensor array for obtaining information regarding a test piece. The sensor elements of the sensor array may include ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic, and/or piezoelectric elements. The sensor array may be utilized to detect movement of the probe with respect to the test piece, and may be further utilized to obtain data regarding the test piece, such as image data, for example with respect to a characteristic of the test piece in detecting and locating flaws. A CAD type file or other graphical or image file of the test piece may be displayed concurrently with image data of the test piece obtained by the probe for example to assist an operator in navigating the probe with respect to the test piece, and/or to determine a coordinate location of characteristics of the test piece with respect to the CAD type file.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip packaging structure comprising a dielectric film having one or more through holes aligned with the one or more contact pads of at least one power semiconductor chip. A patterned electrically conductive layer adjacent to the dielectric film has one or more electrically conductive posts which extend through the one or more though holes aligned with the contact pads to electrically couple the conductive layer to the contact pads. In certain embodiments, one or more air gaps may be formed between the dielectric film and the active surface of the at least one power semiconductor chip. Methods for fabricating the semiconductor chip packaging structure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method transmitting a message over at least one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels of an RF communications network is provided. The method comprises the steps of detecting a presence of jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of RF channels. The characteristics of the jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of RF channels is determined wherein the determined characteristics define at least interstices between the jamming pulses. The message is transmitted over the at least one of the plurality of RF channels wherein the message is transmitted within the interstices of the jamming pulse determined from the step of determining characteristics of the jamming pulses.

Abstract: A multi tip clearance measurement system is provided. The clearance measurement system includes a sensor disposed on a first object, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of probe tips configured to generate signals representative of a sensed parameter corresponding to a second object and a processing unit configured to evaluate the signals from subsets of the sensed parameters from the probe tips to detect an outlier probe tip and to adjust a gain, or an offset of the respective outlier probe tip for estimating the clearance between the first and second objects based upon the signals.

Abstract: The present invention is a gas turbine engine system containing a compressor stage, a pulse detonation stage, and a turbine stage. During operation of the engine system, compressed flow from the compressor stage is directed to at least one off-axis pulse detonation tube in the pulse detonation stage. The off-axis pulse detonation tube detonates a mixture containing the compressed flow and a fuel to create a detonation wave, which is routed to an inlet portion of a reverse flow turbine. The exhaust flow from the reverse flow turbine is then directed away from the engine through ducting.

Abstract: A bypass channel for use in an inter-turbine transition duct of a gas turbine engine is connected to a suction port disposed upstream of a high-pressure turbine and an injection port disposed downstream of the high-pressure turbine. The flow through the bypass channel is motivated by the natural pressure difference across the high-pressure turbine. The flow out of the injection nozzle is used to energize the boundary layer flow downstream of the high-pressure turbine in order to allow for the use of a more aggressively expanded inter-turbine duct without boundary layer separation.

Abstract: The present invention is a pulse detonation combustion system, having a plurality of detonation initiation devices coupled to a main combustion chamber, where each of the detonation initiation devices is operating out-of-phase with each other. Each of the detonation initiation devices assists in the initiation of a detonation in the main combustion chamber, out-of-phase from each other such that the operational frequency of the pulse detonation combustion system is related to the number of detonation initiation devices multiplied by the operational frequency of a single detonation initiation device.

Abstract: A system for control of a fluid flow. The system includes an array of fluidic oscillators. Each fluidic oscillator carries an oscillating flow of the fluid and includes a throat, an input port connected to the throat, two control ports connected to the throat and two output ports extending from the throat. A feedback line is connected to each of the two output ports and each of the two control ports. The system further includes a plenum connected to the input ports of the fluidic oscillators to supply the fluid to the fluidic oscillators and a feedback chamber disposed along each feedback line of each fluidic oscillator to provide a feedback path for the control fluid to cause oscillatory fluid motion between the first output port and the second output port, the frequency of which may be modulated by adjusting the volume of the feedback chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing active clearance control between blade tips and seals in a turbomachine comprising: a first stator carrier segment, with stator seals centripetally disposed on it; a second stator carrier segment located along a same circumference as the first stator carrier segment, also with stator seals centripetally disposed on it; a shell that adjustably houses the first stator carrier segment and the second carrier segment; at least one displacement apparatus in operable communication with at least one stator carrier segment and configured to position the at least one stator carrier segment to provide active clearance control to the stator seals disposed on the at least one stator carrier segment.

Abstract: A communications network comprises a plurality of nodes including at least one earth station and at least one spacecraft. The spacecraft node is an active node of the network. A method for dynamically configuring a spacecraft to function as a node of a communications network in accordance with the defacto active network reference and with an Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model comprises the step of transmitting an object from an earth station to the spacecraft. The object comprises at least one method for configuring the spacecraft to include a node operating system (nodeOS) and at least one execution environment (EE).

Abstract: System, method and computer product for performing automated predictive reliability. A data acquisition component acquires service data for a complex system from a data repository. A statistical analysis component generates a statistical model for the service data. A simulation component predicts the reliability of the complex system according to the statistical model. An alert generation component generates alerts when predicted failures determined by the simulation component exceed predetermined alert criteria. A report generation component generates a summary of the analysis performed in the data acquisition, statistical analysis and alert generation components.

Abstract: A method of correcting scatter includes obtaining a voxellized representation of a 3D image of an object from a plurality of projection data. A single scatter profile for the object is calculated using the voxellized representation of the 3D image of the object. A total scatter profile for the object is determined using the single scatter profile and an adjustment factor and the projection data is corrected using the total scatter profile to obtain a scatter corrected projection data. A beam hardening correction method includes simulating a number of attenuation data for an x-ray spectrum, at least one object material, and a detector spectral response. A function is fitted to the attenuation data to obtain an attenuation curve. A number of projection data for an object are corrected using the attenuation curve to obtain a number of beam hardening corrected projection data. A corrected image of the object is reconstructed from the beam hardening corrected image data.

Abstract: A method facilitates operating a gas turbine engine assembly including a propelling engine and an auxiliary power engine. The method comprises channeling a portion of airflow entering an inlet to the propelling gas turbine engine through a fan assembly and a bypass duct such that the air bypasses the core engine, and channeling a portion of airflow from the bypass duct towards the auxiliary power engine.

Abstract: Computerized method and system for making decisions based on evidential reasoning are provided. The method allows for providing a model structure; including a plurality of processing nodes. Each of the processing nodes is coupled to receive a set of inputs to supply a respective output. The method further allows for evaluating a respective attribute assigned to each of the plurality of processing nodes. A number of possible linguistic evidential values is specified for each of the attributes, wherein some of the evidential values comprise unknown information. A combining step allows for combining the outputs from the processing nodes to reach a decision even in the presence of unknown information.

Abstract: A shock wave reflector includes a number of reflective units positioned along a longitudinal direction and separated by a gap G. Each reflective unit has a length L. The length L and the gap G are governed by a relationship L+G??. The variable ? characterizes a cell size for a detonation mixture. A detonation chamber includes a receiving end, a discharge end, and a wall extending along a longitudinal direction between the receiving and discharge ends. The detonation chamber further includes a number of reflective units formed in the wall and positioned along the longitudinal direction. The reflective units are separated by a gap G, and each reflective unit has a length L.