Abstract: A satellite data communication system and method of operating the same is disclosed. The satellite data communication system provides switched transport services for multi-media networks, wherein access schemes, protocols and switching techniques are combined to offer optimized dynamic bandwidth-on-demand on a cell-by-cell basis.

Abstract: An extendible wrist mechanism comprises a base and a spaced end plate to which an end effector or other tool holder may be mounted. Three linear actuators are disposed about the central axis directed from the base to the end plate. Each actuator is joined to the base by a joint permitting pivoting toward and away from the central axis and pivoting tangentially of a circle centered about the central axis. Each linear actuator is mounted to the end plate by a joint permitting pitch, yaw, and roll of the end member with respect to the linear actuator. A tube extends from the base and telescopingly receives a member which is attached to the end plate at the central axis by a U-joint permitting pitch and yaw of the end plate. The base mounted tube is keyed to the end plate mounted member so that the end plate is held against rotation with respect to the base.

Abstract: A joint for a storable tubular extendible member comprises an input housing with sets of rollers which progressively deform the storable tubular extendible member from its tubular state to a tape-like flat state. An output housing includes rollers allowing the tape-like member to recover to its tubular state. A pivot joins the input and output housings and a plurality of confining members such as nip rollers are provided between the input and output housings to maintain the member in its flat state. The nip rollers are supported by link arms much that some of the rollers may pivot about a pivot on the input housing and others may pivot about a pivot on the output housing. A medial set of nip rollers is constrained to remain medially positioned between the input housing and output housing by having link arms extending from both the input housing pivot and the output housing pivot. A drive is provided to cause the joint to selectively bend.

Abstract: A dual frequency array antenna comprises an upper layer including an array of antennas operating at a first frequency, a first ground layer disposed below the upper layer at a predetermined distance and a dielectric material disposed between the first ground layer and the upper layer. An array of slot radiator apertures are provided in the first ground layer. The apertures are spaced from the array of antennas and radiate at a second frequency. An array of feed lines is disposed at a predetermined distance below the first ground layer with one of the feed lines below each one of the apertures. A second ground plane layer is disposed at a predetermined distance below the array of feed lines. The two frequencies are, for example, from two distinct microwave bands.

Abstract: A half-band filter for cellular group demultiplexer has a top half and a symmetrical bottom half. Each half consists of a plurality of shift registers, adders and multipliers connected in serial arrangement so as to produce a desired result at the output whereby the number of multipliers is reduced relative to the amount of multipliers in a conventional half-band filter.

Abstract: The reflector consists of a ground plane, enclosed in a ground plane frame, and a phasing plane, enclosed in a phasing plane frame. Spacers maintain the planes in connected, spaced relationship. The phasing plane includes a plurality of reactive elements sensitive to different frequencies in the bandwidth of the reflector. Thus, an E-M wave directed at the reflector is reflected to the angle of the received wave.

Abstract: To determine whether ice is present on an aircraft wing, the intensity of light in a band between 1.16 and 1.20 microns is determined as is the intensity in a band between 1.24 and 1.28 microns. The contrast, defined as the difference between the intensities over the sum of these intensities, is determined. Because of the peculiar characteristics of the reflectivity of ice, water, Type I de-icing fluid, and Type II anti-icing fluid, if the contrast is positive, it is an indication of ice on the wing whereas if it is negative it is an indication there is no ice present.

Abstract: An aircraft servicing system comprises four robot arms mounted to the ground so as to form a lane with the base of two of the robot arms delineating one side of the lane and the base of the other two robots delineating the other side of the lane. The robot arms may assume a low position which allows an aircraft's wings to pass over the arms while the aircraft enters the lane between the arms. Thereafter, the arms may be moved so that a nozzle array at the end of each arm may de-ice or wash the aircraft. Subsequently, the arms may again assume a low position to allow the aircraft to leave the lane. Each robot arm has an elongated member connected to the base by a yaw joint, a first arm segment connected to the elongated member by a pitch joint, second arm segment connected to the first arm segment by a pitch joint, and a third arm segment connected to the second arm segment by a telescoping joint.

Abstract: A scanning infrared sensor has a continuously rotating head to which is mounted an infrared telescope with a two-dimensional detector array. Blurring of the image output by the detector array is avoided by means of a fast steering mirror positioned on the head at the input of the telescope. The fast steering mirror is rotated in an opposite sense to the sensor head so that the array stares at a region of space for a sufficient time to allow the capture of an unblurred image from the detector array. The mirror then flies back to a starting position and then begins to rotate once more in an opposite sense to the sensor head so that the array stares at a further region of space, and so on.

Abstract: Apparatus to axially hold a featureless shaft has an abutment for abutting the side of the shaft and a cam to wedge the shaft against the abutment. The cam has a convexly radiused face which is generally opposed to the abutment. The generating radius for the face is offset from the pivot axis of the cam in the direction in which a shaft is inserted into the apparatus. Consequently, once the cam wedges the shaft against the abutment any withdrawal force on the shaft will tighten the wedging effect since the eccentric radiused face will attempt to move closer to the abutment.

Abstract: Apparatus for deploying an articulated panel array comprises a spring motor between adjacent panels and a latch between adjacent panels. The latch between a given pair of panels is released by an abutment on the panel which is adjacent to the pair and toward the proximal end of the array only when the more proximally disposed panel of the pair moves to its fully deployed position. With this arrangement, only a single group of panels of the array moves at any given time providing an accurate deployment envelope.

Abstract: A force moment sensor for interjection in a load path comprises two rings having a common central axis joined by a resilient wall. Three or four tongue-like targets attached to one of the rings and equally spaced about the periphery of the ring project parallel to the central axis and a like number of proximity sensing assemblies attached to the other ring detect the proximity of these targets. These target-sensing assembly pairs allow sensing of forces along the central axis and torques about the two shear axes. Three or four additional tongue-like targets attached to one of the rings and equally spaced about the periphery of the ring project perpendicular to the central axis and a like number of sensing assemblies attached to the other ring detect the proximity of these targets. These target-sensing assembly pairs permit the measuring of forces along the two shear axes and torque about the central axis.

Abstract: To hold a solar panel array of a satellite in a folded position, cable runs from a support on the outside panel through the four corners of the array to a tie down device. Each tie down device has a rotatable shaft with a hook for holding a loop at the end of a cable offset slightly from the center of rotation of the shaft. A lever arm depending from the shaft extends a significant distance from the center of rotation so that the force required to hold the shaft in the tie down position with a cable hooked on the hook is relatively small. Furthermore, because of this relatively small force, the lever arm may be readily released whereupon the small torque applied by the cable to the shaft rotates the shaft thereby releasing the cable. In this way, the satellite solar panel array is released for deployment.

Abstract: In an IRST system, a determination of the range and type of a detected target may be made as follows. Atmospheric transmittance and background spectral radiance is estimated from available meteorological data and then, at each of consecutive scans, the contrast irradiance in the direction of a target is measured as well as the azimuth and elevation of said target. A target type is selected from a library of target types storing signatures of the target types considering the measured contrast irradiance as well as the measure of the contrast irradiance at the previous scan (if any). The range of the target is calculated considering the selected target type, the estimated atmospheric parameters and the measured contrast irradiance. Where the target has other than a radially inbound trajectory the trajectory of the target is estimated and the target type selected from the library, considering the estimated trajectory.

Abstract: A device to remotely extract particulate material comprises a number of archimedes screw sections joined end-to-end by universal joints and surrounded by a housing which articulates at the universal joints. The screw sections terminate in a material extraction head at the ingress end of the housing. A housing support runs the length of the housing and includes push arms which extend to the housing proximate the ingress end of the housing. The push arms may be remotely extended in order to translate the material extraction head. Furthermore, the housing support may be rotated about its longitudinal axis to move the material extraction head. In this way material over an area may be extracted.

Abstract: In a human-in-the-loop robotic control loop, the constrained forces and moments at the gripper (also called hand or end effector) of the manipulator are measured by a force-mement sensor. The resulting force and moment signals are scaled and fed as input voltages to motors in a hand controller to provide torques which oppose deflection of the hand controller. Thus, the operator feels the opposing torques which are proportional to the magnitude of the constrained forces and moments. The force feedback loop may be opened to selectively provide a passive control loop. In either the active or passive mode, the hand controller position signals may be selectively mapped to either gripper position signals or gripper velocity signals in order to control movement of the gripper in the desired manner.

Abstract: The force and moment sensor of the present invention has first and second load paths for transferring forces and moments from an input member to the output member. The first and second path forming members cooperating with one another to divide the forces and moments which are transferred through the sensor whereby minor components of the moments and substantial components of the forces are transferred through the second load path forming means. Strain sensors are located in the second load path for sensing the forces and moments applied to the second load path forming members from which the total value of the forces and moments transferred from the input member to the output member may be determined while simultaneously transferring large moments and small forces.

Abstract: A telerobotic system adapted for tracking and handling a moving object comprises a robot manipulator, a video monitor, an image processor, hand controls and a computer. The robot manipulator comprises a movable robotic arm having an effector for handling an object, a drive system for moving the arm in response to arm input signals, sensors for sensing the position of the arm and for generating arm output signals which characterize the dynamic motion behavior of the arm, and a vid=eo camera carried by the arm. The camera responds to motion of the moving object within the field of view of the camera. The video monitor receives an input video signal from the video camera, for displaying an image of the object to a human operator. The image processor is responsive to the output signal of the camera, and is capable of acquiring and pre-processing an image of the object on a frame by frame basis. The hand control is capable of generating a hand control output signal in response to input from a human operator.

Abstract: The devices are floating engageable means which may be a floating nut or a floating driver for use in hostile environment, such as space. The device includes a housing with a cross-shaped opening, each arm of the cross receiving a wing of a floating member. A spring between the base of the housing and the back of the floating member urges the wings against the top surface of the arms of the cross-shaped opening in the housing. The cross-shaped openings may have a rectangular configuration with a thread surface forming the top surface of the opening. This permits the floating member to maintain a lateral offset. Alternatively, the arms may have a triangular outline with the vertex forming the top surface of the arms. With this configuration, a force will be provided to center the floating member in the housing. The floating member terminates in a an outwardly facing taper guiding surface which tapers to the engaging means of the floating member. With this arrangement, off axis and off angle mating is possible.

Abstract: A communications satellite has several radiating elements connected respectively to the output ports of a hybrid matrix power amplifier the input ports of which are connected to respective output ports of a low level beam forming network. The low level beam forming network has input ports to which are applied individual beam signals and these are combined within the network to provide at the network output ports different component sums of the input signals. By selecting appropriate connections between the beam forming network and the hybrid matrix power amplifier on the one hand and between the hybrid matrix power amplifier and the radiating elements on the other hand, desired beam overlap and equal power amplifier loading can be achieved.