Abstract: A food product slicing apparatus includes a frame, a tray mounted on the frame and configured to support food product blocks, a product gate assembly mounted on the frame and configured to support front ends of the food product blocks, and a gripper assembly mounted on the frame and configured to grip rear ends of the food product blocks. The product gate assembly is moved from an up position to a down position using a camming action.

Abstract: A method of determining feasible swaths of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) includes determining a first plurality of swaths that are transmit-feasible and nadir-feasible, determining a second plurality of swaths of the first plurality of swaths that satisfy at least one hard constraint, the at least one hard constraint being an image quality constraint or a system constraint, and generating a graph of the second plurality of swaths. The method may include assigning each feasible swath of the second plurality of swaths to a node in a directed graph, and adding a directed edge in the directed graph when a pair of swaths of the second plurality of swaths satisfy one or more defined constraints. The method may include configuring the SAR to operate based at least in part on the generated graph of the second plurality of swaths. Operating the configured SAR may include obtaining SAR images.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in a self-imaging mode, the self-imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a self-imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system may employ SAR imaging to advantageously estimate or monitor a transit characteristic (e.g., velocity, acceleration) of a vehicle, for example a ground based vehicle or water based vehicle. A dual-beam SAR antenna illuminate a moving target with a first radar beam and a second radar beam at an angular offset relative to the first radar beam. Pulses may be transmitted and backscattered energy received simultaneously by the SAR transceiver via the first and second radar beams. A SAR data processor may generate a first image from the first radar beam and a second image from the second radar beam, co-registering the first and second images, comparing the location of the moving target in the first and second images, and estimate a velocity of the moving target based at least in part on the angular offset.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system generates an image of a first swath. The SAR includes at least one SAR antenna, at least one SAR processor and at least one SAR transceiver. In operation the SAR defines a first beam to illuminate the first swath and one or more second beams to illuminate area(s) of ambiguity associated with the first beam. The SAR transmits a pulse via the first beam and receives backscatter energy. The SAR generates a first signal associated with the first beam and one or more second signals associated with the second beam(s). The second signal(s) are combined with determined complex vector(s), generating ambiguity signal(s) and the ambiguity signals are combined with the first signal to generate an image associated with the first swath.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in an imaging mode, the imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression. If the SAR is a multi-band SAR the transmitted pulses can be in two or more frequency bands, and subsequent pulses in one frequency band can include encoded returns from pulses transmitted in a different frequency band.

Abstract: A method of determining feasible swaths of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) includes determining a first plurality of swaths that are transmit-feasible and nadir-feasible, determining a second plurality of swaths of the first plurality of swaths that satisfy at least one hard constraint, the at least one hard constraint being an image quality constraint or a system constraint, and generating a graph of the second plurality of swaths. The method may include assigning each feasible swath of the second plurality of swaths to a node in a directed graph, and adding a directed edge in the directed graph when a pair of swaths of the second plurality of swaths satisfy one or more defined constraints. The method may include configuring the SAR to operate based at least in part on the generated graph of the second plurality of swaths. Operating the configured SAR may include obtaining SAR images.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system may employ SAR imaging to advantageously estimate or monitor a transit characteristic (e.g., velocity, acceleration) of a vehicle, for example a ground based vehicle or water based vehicle. A dual-beam SAR antenna illuminate a moving target with a first radar beam and a second radar beam at an angular offset relative to the first radar beam. Pulses may be transmitted and backscattered energy received simultaneously by the SAR transceiver via the first and second radar beams. A SAR data processor may generate a first image from the first radar beam and a second image from the second radar beam, co-registering the first and second images, comparing the location of the moving target in the first and second images, and estimate a velocity of the moving target based at least in part on the angular offset.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in a self-imaging mode, the self-imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a self-imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in a self-imaging mode, the self-imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a self-imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system generates an image of a first swath. The SAR includes at least one SAR antenna, at least one SAR processor and at least one SAR transceiver. In operation the SAR defines a first beam to illuminate the first swath and one or more second beams to illuminate area(s) of ambiguity associated with the first beam. The SAR transmits a pulse via the first beam and receives backscatter energy. The SAR generates a first signal associated with the first beam and one or more second signals associated with the second beam(s). The second signal(s) are combined with determined complex vector(s), generating ambiguity signal(s) and the ambiguity signals are combined with the first signal to generate an image associated with the first swath.

Abstract: A digital beamforming synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mixes a first analog signal to generate a frequency-shifted first signal having a first spectral band, mixes a second analog signal to generate a frequency-shifted second signal having a second spectral band, positioned at a defined frequency offset from the first spectral band, and positioned non-overlapping relation with the first spectral band, combines the first and second frequency-shifted signals to generate a combined analog receive signal, and band-pass samples the combined analog receive signal to generate a digital baseband signal representative of the first and second analog signals. The SAR may mix the second analog signal to position the second spectral band in the Nyquist bandwidth, and in non-overlapping relationship with the first spectral band. Mixing may include down converting the analog signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a botanically-derived composition includes mixing a cooling agent with a plant causing biomass particles to be removed from the plant. The method further includes creating a suspension comprising the biomass particles. The method further includes removing the biomass particles from the suspension. The method further includes drying the biomass particles to form the botanically-derived composition.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system and method of operation advantageously implements dynamic self-cueing or autonomous cueing of successive high-resolution SAR data collection based on previously collected wide-swath SAR data, for instance without the intervention of ground-based resources. For example, target detection may be performed on-board a spaceborne or airborne SAR platform using wide-swath SAR data acquired via a first beam at a first frequency band, the first beam pointed at a first angle relative to an along-track direction. Subsequent activities are cued by the platform based on the previously collected wide-swath SAR data. For instance, the SAR platform may cue subsequent acquisition of SAR data via a second beam at a second frequency band, the second beam pointed at a second angle relative to an along-track direction. The SAR platform may advantageously employ a multi-band SAR antenna.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in an imaging mode, the imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression. If the SAR is a multi-band SAR the transmitted pulses can be in two or more frequency bands, and subsequent pulses in one frequency band can include encoded returns from pulses transmitted in a different frequency band.

Abstract: A planar phased array antenna assembly includes a first face sheet with a first plurality of radiating slots for a first frequency band and a second plurality of radiating slots for a second frequency band, a second face sheet, a third face sheet, and a structure interposed between the first and second face sheets with a third plurality of radiating elements at the first frequency band and a fourth plurality of radiating elements at the second frequency band, and a first feed network for the third plurality of radiating elements and a second feed network for the fourth plurality of radiating elements, and the second face sheet interposed between the structure and the third face sheet. The planar phased array antenna assembly may form part of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antenna.

Abstract: A Spotlight SAR imaging mode is implemented by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system in which an SAR controller intentionally spoils a transmit beam of the SAR antenna to form a spoiled transmit beam. The SAR system transmits pulses using the spoiled transmit beam, divides the SAR antenna into a plurality of azimuth apertures, receives received pulses by the SAR antenna using a number M of multiple receive beams, processes data received by each of the number M of multiple receive beams to generate a number M of sub-images by the SAR processor; and coherently combines two or more of the number M of sub-images to form a Spotlight image. Thus, a multi-aperture antenna comprises multiple azimuth apertures (i.e., a sub apertures), each formed from one or more azimuth phase centers. The sub-apertures can be independent from one another. The sub-apertures can keep a target illuminated by the beam for a longer time than conventional Stripmap mode, for example.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system may employ SAR imaging to advantageously estimate or monitor a transit characteristic (e.g., velocity, acceleration) of a vehicle, for example a ground based vehicle or water based vehicle. A dual-beam SAR antenna illuminate a moving target with a first radar beam and a second radar beam at an angular offset relative to the first radar beam. Pulses may be transmitted and backscattered energy received simultaneously by the SAR transceiver via the first and second radar beams. A SAR data processor may generate a first image from the first radar beam and a second image from the second radar beam, co-registering the first and second images, comparing the location of the moving target in the first and second images, and estimate a velocity of the moving target based at least in part on the angular offset.

Abstract: A planar phased array antenna assembly includes a first face sheet with a first plurality of radiating slots for a first frequency band and a second plurality of radiating slots for a second frequency band, a second face sheet, a third face sheet, and a structure interposed between the first and second face sheets with a third plurality of radiating elements at the first frequency band and a fourth plurality of radiating elements at the second frequency band, and a first feed network for the third plurality of radiating elements and a second feed network for the fourth plurality of radiating elements, and the second face sheet interposed between the structure and the third face sheet. The planar phased array antenna assembly may form part of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antenna.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is operable in an interrogation mode and in a self-imaging mode, the self-imaging mode entered in response to determining a response to interrogation pulses have been received from a ground terminal and position information specifying a ground location has been received from the ground terminal. A ground terminal is operable to receive interrogation pulses transmitted by a SAR, transmit responses, and transmit position information to cause the SAR to enter a self-imaging mode. The ground terminal receives first and subsequent pulses from the SAR where subsequent pulses include backscatter and are encoded. The ground terminal generates a range line by range compression.