Patents Assigned to Thomson-CSF
  • Patent number: 6450726
    Abstract: A swivelling device to adjust the swivelling of two mechanical parts includes a flexible coupling placed between the two mechanical parts which have opposed interior surfaces facing each other. The opposed external surfaces of the swivelling device are contiguous with respective opposed interior surfaces of the two mechanical part and providing a flexible cushion between the two parts. The method for positioning the flexible coupling includes the operations of drilling a hole into one of the mechanical parts and then injecting a flexible material through the hole to form a flexible coupling between the two mechanical parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Baudu, Dominique Chervin, Boris Vigaud
  • Patent number: 6445265
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device including a thin layer of piezoelectric material, a layer of molecular bonder, and a carrier substrate. The thin layer constitutes an acoustic energy guide that augments the performance characteristics of the device. A method for making the acoustic wave device includes a step of molecular bonding between a carrier substrate and a piezoelectric substrate, and then a step for reducing the thickness of the piezoelectric substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Peter Wright
  • Patent number: 6437731
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and devices for adjusting and setting the alignment of the radio axis of a radar installed on a vehicle with respect to a determined direction. The method, in making use of an adjustment and setting stand comprising a goniometer-responder, consists: in acquiring the angles &agr; and &bgr;, &agr; a being the azimuthal angle at which the radar perceives the goniometer-responder and &bgr; being the angle between the determined direction and the axis of the stand; determining the azimuth &ggr; of the radar by means of the goniometer-responder when the radar, configured in test mode, sends out a continuous frequency; equalizing the azimuth &ggr; with the angle &bgr; by translating the goniometer-responder along its axis of motion; nullifying the angle of azimuth &agr; by actuating the means to adjust the radar in azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Jean-François Henrio, Jean-Paul Artis
  • Patent number: 6438253
    Abstract: The process according to the invention used for weather radar images is used for dynamic monitoring of cloud masses, particularly to predict future changes. It consists essentially of creating the skeleton of each cloud mass, for several images at different times, determining the displacement vectors for segments of vectorized skeletons, and extrapolation to rebuild the predicted skeletons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Frédéric Barbaresco, Samuel Legoupil, Bernard Monnier
  • Patent number: 6437730
    Abstract: A radio altimeter using a linear oscillator to send out a continuous wave that is frequency modulated linearly between two boundary values sends the antenna installation an incident signal, collects the signal reflected by the installation and examines it. This incident signal may be that of the linear oscillator. For the reception antenna installation, this means providing for a rerouting in order to direct a small part of the signal of the oscillator to this installation. In the case of the transmission antenna installation it is enough to provide for a rerouting that injects the signal reflected by this installation into the reception channel. Application to all the FM/CW radio altimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Fabrice Orlandi
  • Patent number: 6436307
    Abstract: A ferrite material based on nickel, copper and zinc has the following formula: NixZnyCuzCo&egr;Fe2±&dgr;O4 in which: x+y+Z+&egr;=1±&dgr; &dgr;≦0.05 0.04≦&egr; 0.05≦z≦0.35 A material of this kind has the advantage of showing reduced losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Richard Lebourgeois, Jérôme Ageron, Jean-Charles Bremaud, Georges Peyresoubes, Jean-Pierre Joulain
  • Patent number: 6431749
    Abstract: In a method and a device for the measurement of the mean temperature of components, a sequence of test pulses of increasing duration is applied to the component, the power of the pulses representing a state of operation of the component, a measurement of junction temperature being performed at the end of each pulse to obtain a curve representing the progress of the junction temperature of the component as a function of time on the basis of the temperature measurement points obtained at the end of each pulse. The disclosed method and device can be applied especially to determine the junction temperature of microwave electronic components working in continuous mode or in pulsed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Clément Tolant, Joël Cordier, Philippe Eudeline, Patrick Servain
  • Patent number: 6430206
    Abstract: An unstable optical cavity for laser beams, having at least 3 deflection means for making a beam created in the cavity undergo at least three changes in direction so to form an optical ring path, and an optical magnification set disposed among the deflecting means. The at least 3 deflection means are prisms, each of which has an air-glass reflecting interface that provides one of the changes in direction by total reflection. A first of the at least 3 prims is positioned at an output of the cavity and has an air-glass reflecting interface with an insufficient size for a total reflection of the beam in the cavity, and remaining ones of the prisms have an air-glass reflecting interface with a sufficient size for a total reflection of the beam in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Thierry Debuisschert, Jean-Paul Pocholle
  • Patent number: 6430239
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process of cyclic detection in diversity of polarization of digital cyclostationary radioelectric signals. The process consists in acquiring the signals on a network of at least two of antennas, in calculating a cyclic covariance matrix on a first moment, and on a second moment, of a spectral correlation of the digital signals acquired, and in detecting peaks of spectral correlation by comparing a likelihood ratio with a detection threshold determined statistically. The invention is applicable notably to digital radioelectric signals emitted by a satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Anne Ferreol
  • Patent number: 6429437
    Abstract: A photosensitive matrix sensor include a faceplate of caesium iodide CsI mounted on a graphite base so as to transform high-frequency radiation, X-ray radiation, into low-frequency radiation, in the visible spectrum. It is shown that if the CsI is grown on such a graphite base, a sensor with much better resolution and much better sensitivity is obtained than if a gadolinium oxysulphide scintillator were used. Precautions in preparing the graphite may furthermore be taken rendering the surface of the graphite denser. It can thus be covered with a layer of amorphous carbon and or be made to undergo impregnation. This densification contributes to the homogeneity of the sensor. Protection of the CsI is then effected by a synthetic resin layer allied with a layer of liquid resin for optical coupling with a detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Roger Laugier
  • Patent number: 6429822
    Abstract: A microwave phase-shifter including a coupler in a waveguide form, at least one pair of phase-shifter cells, and a conductive strip positioned between each phase shifter cell and configured with a conductive plane to form a guided space where a wave cannot propagate. An incident wave entering a first input of the coupler is subdivided into two waves. Each of the waves are reflected on an elementary cell with identical phases to the incident wave and are recombined into a resultant phase-shifted wave prior to exiting the coupler by an output juxtaposed with the first input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Philippe Naudin, Michel Soiron, Claude Chekroun
  • Patent number: 6429805
    Abstract: A radar including a plurality of reception antennas corresponding to a plurality of homodyne reception channels, and a transmission antenna positioned with respect to the plurality of reception antenna such that a distance between the transmission antenna and each consecutive reception antenna of the plurality of reception antenna respectively increases from one reception antenna to the next. Also included is a beam-formation mechanism associated with the plurality of reception channels for receiving a reception signal from each of the homodyne reception channels. Further, a spacing between each reception antenna is set so as to orient a homodyne leakage in a direction located in an angular zone of space not processed by the radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Philippe Laviec, Dominique Lo-Hine Tong
  • Patent number: 6426810
    Abstract: Color display system, which includes an electrooptic modulation screen (LCD) and in which a chromatic modulator (RC) is provided between the multiple-wavelength light source (S, C) and the screen (LCD). This chromatic modulator modulates a wavelength or a restricted range of wavelengths of the source in order to adjust the saturation of the various primaries transmitted to the screen as well as to effect colorimetric balance. Applications include liquid-crystal color displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Cécile Joubert, Brigitte Loiseaux, Jean-Pierre Huignard, Anne Delboulbe
  • Patent number: 6424889
    Abstract: A method for generating a horizontal path for the avoidance of danger zones for an aircraft. The method models the contours of each danger zone by a succession of segments demarcated by points. The method determines two homing circles and two capture circles passing respectively through the initial point and final point which are tangential respectively to the initial route and to the final route and have respectively the initial and final turning radius. The method also determines tangents both to the homing circles or the capture circles and to the contour of each danger zone. Among these tangents, a pair of tangents to a homing circle and to a capture circle are selected, defining a path skeleton connecting a homing circle to a capture circle without meeting a danger zone. And, an automatically controllable evasion path that lies on the previously defined path skeleton is then determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF Sextant
    Inventors: Fabienne Bonhoure, Fabien Inglese
  • Patent number: 6418300
    Abstract: A process for transmitting mixed analog and digital signals. A composite signal is transmitted whose frequency spectrum is composed of a first analog spectrum representative of the amplitude of single-sideband modulation and of a second spectrum composed of multi-subcarriers. The two spectra occupy two disjoint frequency bands. The device may be used for simultaneous broadcast of the same program or its reception by analog or digital receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Pierre André Laurent
  • Patent number: 6417804
    Abstract: A control device for the formation of plural simultaneous radar reception beams in an electronic scanning antenna. The electronic scanning antenna includes an array of detectors of a reception microwave signal arranged in n columns and m rows. The control device makes, in the microwave domain, a first partial combination of the signals received, the first combination being made according to each column. An optical device makes a second partial combination in the optical domain, the optical device including at least n optical sources each producing an optical signal modulated at the frequency of the reception microwave signal by an associated microwave combination signal. The optical signal is divided into r optical signals to obtain nxr optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Thomas Merlet, Olivier Maas
  • Patent number: 6414414
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave transducer in which an etching network is superimposed on the conventional networks of electrodes of acoustic transducers. The superposition of these networks makes it possible to obtain a favored direction of propagation of the acoustic waves while maintaining a high quality factor Q comparable with that of conventional bidirectional transducers. Such a surface acoustic wave transducer may find application in mobile radio communication systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Peter Wright
  • Patent number: 6408273
    Abstract: A method for providing auditory correction for a hearing-impaired individual, including extracting pitch, voicing, energy and spectrum characteristics of an input speech signal. The method also includes modifying the extracted pitch characteristic by multiplying a pitch factor times the extracted pitch characteristic, modifying the extracted voicing characteristic by multiplying a voicing factor times the extracted voicing characteristic, modifying the extracted energy characteristic by applying a compression function to the extracted energy characteristic, and modifying the extracted spectrum characteristic by applying a homothetical compression function to the extracted spectrum characteristic. Further, a speech signal is reconstituted perceptible to the hearing-impaired individual based on the modified pitch, voicing, energy and spectrum characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Gilles Quagliaro, Philippe Gournay, Frédéric Chartier, Gwenaël Guilmin
  • Patent number: 6404396
    Abstract: The invention concerns detachable whip antennae with capacitive load wherein the load does not need to contribute to the antenna mechanical strength. To achieve this, the entire load (3) is inserted in the conductor strand (2f-21-33-32-2n) of a radiating segment of the antenna, the mechanical strength being provided by a hollow plastic insulating tube (20) reinforced with glass fibres, which acts as support for the conductor strand and as housing for the load and said load consists of a metal enclosure (33) wherein penetrates the insulated part of an electric cable (32). The invention is particularly applicable to whip antennae designed for mobile stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Frederic Ngo Bui Hung, Claire Dassonville
  • Patent number: 6400343
    Abstract: A method for activating the cells of an image display screen. Electric potential signals called activation signals are produced to activate the cells and to supply the current consumed by this activation. An electric potential is applied to a solenoid so as to develop the activation signals at the solenoid terminals and to cause a change in the main current in the solenoid which serves as the current consumed by the cell activation. Thus, cell activation control of the “current supply” type is effected, and is particularly suited for the delivery of large amounts of current in a short time. This may be used in image display screens such as plasma panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Philippe Zorzan, André Dunand