Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching an unpolarized pulsed laser is disclosed. An example is a laser system having a source for producing input energy in response to an input drive signal. A laser medium is provided for receiving the input energy and converting the input energy to a circulating beam which is reflected between an output mirror and a reflective mirror disposed on opposing sides of the laser medium. A displacer is disposed between the mirrors and in a path of the circulating beam. The displacer splits the circulating beam into an e-polarized wave and an o-polarized wave. A Pockels cell is disposed between the displacer and the reflective mirror. The Pockels cell is energized to change the phase of the polarized waves and deenergized to allow transmission of the waves without a phase change.

Abstract: A cooling system is provided for providing a coolant to a laser system at a substantially set temperature. The cooling system employs a stratified thermal energy storage (TES) device that is configured to distribute hot coolant provided at an inlet port over a cross-sectional area of the TES device to provide a substantially uniform, stratified flow of a hot coolant that flushes a cold coolant from the TES device at an outlet port. The distributed inflow of the hot coolant provides a uniform downward velocity flow of the hot coolant and the cold coolant and takes advantage of an unmixed condition of the hot coolant and the cold coolant.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a quantization circuit. The circuit comprises a sense resistor configured to provide a voltage that is indicative of a digital quantization of an input voltage. The circuit also comprises a plurality of resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) arranged in series between the input voltage and the sense resistor. The circuit further comprises a sequencing circuit arranged in parallel with the plurality of RTDs and configured to conduct a portion of a current flowing between the input voltage and the sense resistor to define a sequential order of triggering of the plurality of RTDs in response to a given magnitude of the input voltage.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for editing and displaying a structured argument. An argument model comprises a plurality of parameters associated with a structured argument. A user interface graphically displays the plurality of parameters at a user accessible display and receives input from a user defining the value of a selected parameter. A computational engine alters the selected parameter to the defined value and updates the plurality of parameters according to the defined value of the selected parameter. The altered parameters are provided to the user interface, such that the display is updated in real time to reflect the user input.

Abstract: A resonant transistor includes a substrate, a source and a drain formed on the substrate, an input electrode and a carbon nanotube gate. A gap is formed between the source and the drain. The input electrode is formed on the substrate. The carbon nanotube gate is clamped on one end by a contact electrode and positioned, preferably cantilevered, over the gap and over the input electrode.

Abstract: A communication system and method is provided that modifies a signal for transmission at a transmitter to reduce peaks associated with the signal. The signal can be modified employing signal shaping, signal clipping, signal decomposition or other techniques to remove peaks associated with the signal. The communication system can also correct the modified signal at a receiver to reconstruct the originally wanted signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for high power amplification in a multimode fiber amplifier. The apparatus includes a diffraction limited low power laser, a multimode fiber amplifier, and a lens. The multimode fiber amplifier is coupled to the low power laser to amplify the low power laser output. The multimode fiber amplifier has a length that is set to a phase-matching length at which the transverse modes of the multimode fiber amplifier are in phase. The lens is coupled to the multimode fiber amplifier and outputs a kilowatt (KW)-level, diffraction-limited output beam from the multimode fiber amplifier.

Abstract: A sandwich panel includes a honeycomb core of a plurality of cells. A first skin is adhered to a first surface of the honeycomb core with an adhesive. A second skin is adhered to a second surface of the honeycomb core with the adhesive. The plurality of cells extend longitudinally between the first and second skins. The first and second skins adhere to the honeycomb core to form a sandwich panel having a surface area of at least 2.25 square feet. A foam fill is disposed within the cells of the honeycomb core. The foam fill and the honeycomb core define a first gap region proximate to the first skin and a second gap region proximate to the second skin.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for detecting aerosols. The systems and methods can be used to detect harmful aerosols, such as, bio-aerosols.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for: (a) the correction of one or more elements determined from a first set of continuous gyro and accelerometer measurements comprising using a second set of discontinuously measured higher accuracy accelerometer measurements doubly integrated in an inertial coordinate system, (b) determining relative movement of a vehicle using a first set of acceleration measurements that do not include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field, and a second set of acceleration measurements that do include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field; and (c) correcting errors in an inertial navigation system positioned in a vehicle comprising using independently measured changes in position of the vehicle relative to an inertial coordinate frame.

Abstract: The approach of the present invention is called optical word recognition (OWR). The present invention advantageously uses techniques to search for arbitrary textual information contained in imaged documents. The result is a significant advance in high-speed search for textual information within imaged documents. The optical apparatus includes a generating unit for synthetically generating textual patterns as signal templates. The optical apparatus has a compensating unit for compensating, if necessary, for visual differences between the synthetically generated textual patterns and images being compared against the synthetically generated images. The optical apparatus has a comparing unit for comparing compensated images against images in a database.

Abstract: Mail reorientation apparatus which transfers horizontally oriented mail stack in an input tray to a vertical orientation in an output tray. The input tray is brought to a rotating station where a plate is brought down on top of the mail stack and a plurality of pusher rods are extended through apertures in the bottom of the input tray to contact the bottom of the mail stack. The rotation process orients the mail stack to the desired vertical orientation and the rods and plate are simultaneously moved to eject the mail from the input tray to the output tray.

Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) balun and methods of making the same are provided. A primary spiral winding is spaced apart from a secondary primary winding by a gap in a substantially aligned stacked configuration forming a balun. The gap medium can be a low dielectric constant material if employing a multi-metal process or air if employing a wafer level packaging process.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for graphically representing uncertainty in an assisted decision-making application. A database contains a class vector for each of a plurality of objects of interest. A given class vector includes a plurality of possible classes for its associated object of interest and a corresponding set of confidence values. The database also contains a set of assumptions associated with each confidence value. A user interface displays a plurality of graphics representing the objects of interest. A given graphic includes a set of at least two class icons, each corresponding to one of the plurality of classes associated with its corresponding object of interest. The graphic also includes a qualitative indication of the confidence values associated with the set of classes. The assumptions associated with a given confidence value are retrievable by a user by selecting the class icon associated with the confidence value.

Abstract: A ferroelectric loaded waveguide resonator capable of operation at microwave, millimeter-wave and higher frequencies and suitable for integration into a three-dimensional monolithic microwave integrated circuit (3D MMIC) is disclosed. The resonator includes a resonator cavity, which, in one form of the invention, is formed by two parallel metal layers and a metallized wall structure extending between the metal layers. The cavity is filled with dielectric material and includes a layer of ferroelectric material, which is used to control the resonant frequency by varying a voltage bias applied to the ferroelectric layer. The cavity includes a slot in one of the metal layers and a coupling strip formed adjacent to the slot to provide electromagnetic coupling to other components, such as a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The invention can also be applied to other multi-metal semiconductor or wafer level packaging technologies.

Abstract: Phase compensation for the phase non-linearities introduced by the filters, amplifiers, and other microwave devices included in waveform generators in a radar system is achieved by first measuring the phase errors over a predetermined frequency range which are then fed to a pair of digital random access memories (RAMs), whereupon phase predistortion commands for both the local oscillator signal used to generate the RF transmit signal and the phase non-linearity in the RF transmit signal itself are called up and applied by first applying a predistortion phase shift to the local oscillator signal when it is being generated and secondly by applying a second predistortion phase shift when the RF transmit signal is being generated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the beamwidth of an antenna system are provided. An evanescent field generator generates an evanescent field representing a far field radio frequency (RF) signal received at the antenna system. A negative refractive index lens assembly focuses the evanescent field onto a focal plane. An RF detector assembly located in the focal plane detects the amplified evanescent field.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to signal inconsistency detection of spoofing (SIDS), i.e. the use of inconsistencies in signals received at a plurality of points in space to detect spoofing.

Abstract: A wide field of view heterodyne receiver is provided for enhancing mixing efficiency of a returned signal with a local oscillator signal to generate a heterodyned signal. The returned signal defines a first wave front, and the local oscillator signal defines a second wave front. The receiver includes an optics system, a local oscillator, and a focal plane array. The optics system is operative to transmit the returned signal along an optical path and to focus the returned signal onto a focal plane. The local oscillator is operative to provide the local oscillator signal being directable toward the focal plane. The focal plane array is disposed coincident with the focal plane and is operative to receive the focused returned signal and the local oscillator signal. Upon reaching the focal plane array, the first wave front and the second wave front are planar and oriented substantially parallel relative each other.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a specimen under test may comprise the step of disposing melted thermoplastic media onto a surface under test of the specimen under test, maintaining a constant temperature of the specimen under test at or about room temperature wherein the temperature of the specimen under test is initially lower than the temperature of the melted thermoplastic media, hardening the melted thermoplastic media to produce a replica with imperfections molded into a mating surface of the replica, and inspecting the mating surface of the replica for unsatisfactory or satisfactory imperfections in the specimen under test.