Abstract: A vegetation treatment system includes at least one distribution apparatus, a transport such as a vehicle, having a receptacle for housing a vegetation treatment, and a funnel that facilitates passage of the vegetation treatment from the receptacle to each distribution apparatus. When in use, the vegetation treatment system may be used by an operator to target specific areas for vegetation treatment, particularly where treatments are applied to bedded crops. Each distribution apparatus is mounted onto the transport for application of the treatment. The system also includes one or more mechanisms that articulate each distribution apparatus such that they can be stowed.

Abstract: Described herein are a number of steps, methods and/or solutions that can be applied to greatly improve attenuation control of RF signals in cable plant. The present disclosure is directed to a cable modem auto-attenuation system or any other signal transferring system. The system may be capable of taking a high-power signal from the cable plant's service line, dropping the power value down to a usable level and transmitting the signal to a cable modem while eliminating the need for rigorous manual adjustments that a normal cable modem often requires. In certain embodiments, the system may be integrated into a separate device connected between the modem and the cable company service line and configured to handle upstream and downstream attenuation separately or jointly.

Abstract: A high performance wireless mesh architecture which has been optimized for mobile end points is described. The mesh architecture is intended for Navy applications, where the wireless mesh network extends between mobile ships and includes ship-to-shore links, but it is equally applicable to other mobile elements on, in, or under land, air, sea, or space.

Abstract: Controllable directional antenna apparatus and method preferably includes structure and/or steps whereby a Yagi antenna array has a first driven element, a first reflector, and plurality of first directors disposed on a common substrate. The first reflector is bent such that (i) an unbent length thereof is longer than a length of the first driven element, but (ii) a bent length thereof is shorter than the length of the first driven element. A second driven element is also disposed on the common substrate but is angled with respect to the first driven element. A second reflector and a plurality of second directors are also disposed on the common substrate. The second reflector is bent like the first reflector, to reduce the footprint of the array on the substrate. Preferably, the Yagi antenna elements are printed on a printed circuit board.

Abstract: A high performance wireless mesh architecture which has been optimized for mobile end points is described. The mesh architecture is intended for Navy applications, where the wireless mesh network extends between mobile ships and includes ship-to-shore links, but it is equally applicable to other mobile elements on, in, or under land, air, sea, or space.

Abstract: A radio-frequency probe system with a transmitting or receiving element integrated into a cable assembly is disclosed. In some embodiments a preferred configuration may contain one or more sensing elements integrated into the transmitting or receiving element. In another embodiment, the radio frequency probe comprises an antenna body fixed to a coaxial cable, in which the center conductor of the coaxial cable serves as the transmitting or receiving element. A method for monitoring, transmitting, or detecting one or more parameters using a single radio frequency probe is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vegetation treatment system includes at least one distribution apparatus, a transport such as a vehicle, having a receptacle for housing a vegetation treatment, and a funnel that facilitates passage of the vegetation treatment from the receptacle to each distribution apparatus. When in use, the vegetation treatment system may be used by an operator to target specific areas for vegetation treatment, particularly where treatments are applied to bedded crops. Each distribution apparatus is mounted onto the transport for application of the treatment. The system also includes one or more mechanisms that articulate each distribution apparatus such that they can be stowed.

Abstract: Multi-beam smart antenna for WLAN and cellular applications preferably has a steerable antenna system with a dipole antenna element located at the center of a ground plane. A first conductor is oriented parallel and collinear with a second conductor, and the ground plane is located therebetween. Each of first parasitic elements is positioned substantially parallel to the dipole element, and arranged on the upper-side of the ground plane in an array. Each of second parasitic elements is positioned parallel to the dipole element, and arranged on the underside of the ground plane in the same predetermined array. A plurality of switching elements connect parasitic elements and the ground plane to form reflective elements. Each parasitic element and corresponding parasitic element are oriented parallel and collinear with each other. A switching controller controls the switching elements to alter the antenna system's beam pattern by selectively activating or deactivating the reflective elements.

Abstract: An Alford antenna array having at least three driven elements disposed on a substrate, a first portion of each driven element being disposed on one side of the substrate, and a second portion of said each driven element being disposed on a second side of the substrate. At least one of the driven elements has a bent-dipole Alford loop coupled to two feed points and has an acute-angle dipole feed point and acute-angle loaded ends. In other embodiments, the driven elements may comprise any combination of bent-dipoles and/or folded-and-bent dipoles. In further embodiments, six dipoles are concentrically disposed about a central point, where three of the dipoles may operate at a different frequency than the other three dipoles.

Abstract: Controllable directional antenna apparatus and method preferably includes structure and/or steps whereby a Yagi antenna array has a first driven element, a first reflector, and plurality of first directors disposed on a common substrate. The first reflector is bent such that (i) an unbent length thereof is longer than a length of the first driven element, but (ii) a bent length thereof is shorter than the length of the first driven element. A second driven element is also disposed on the common substrate but is angled with respect to the first driven element. A second reflector and a plurality of second directors are also disposed on the common substrate. The second reflector is bent like the first reflector, to reduce the footprint of the array on the substrate. Preferably, the Yagi antenna elements are printed on a printed circuit board.

Abstract: A fringe-effect vault antenna includes a communications vault having a non-conductive cover disposed substantially at ground level. An antenna element is positioned in the communications vault. A metallic reflector has an edge, positioned substantially parallel to the ground, where the metallic reflector and the edge are configured to cause an edge diffraction, or “fringe-effect” upon the RF fields of the antenna to cause those RF fields to diffract in a direction toward the ground.

Abstract: A system and method for improving signal reception in an access point. The system and method may comprise the steps of: transmitting a non-zero 802.11 NULL-data packet to a client, wherein the traffic test is initiated at intervals; receiving an 802.11 ACKnowledgement packet from the client wherein the 802.11 ACKnowledgement packet indicates that the non-zero 802.11 NULL-data packet was received by the client; and discarding the non-zero 802.11 NULL-data packet after receipt.

Abstract: A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.

Abstract: A system for improving TCP signal reception comprising a TCP-relay component, a wireless component and an antenna (e.g., a smart antenna) coupled to the wireless component. The system being configured to receive a TCP packet with sequence number “N”, send that packet wirelessly (e.g., using 802.11) to a client, receive the client's wireless ACK indicating that the packet was received, and use the client's ACK as the trigger to send a TCP-Acknowledgement of the TCP sequence number “N”.

Abstract: A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.

Abstract: A fringe-effect antenna module includes coupling structure configured to couple the module to a communications vault that is disposed substantially at ground level. A support structure (which preferably includes an electronics unit) is coupled to the coupling structure, and at least one antenna element is coupled to the support structure. A metallic deflector is coupled to at least one of (i) the coupling structure and (ii) the support structure. The metallic deflector has an edge that is positioned substantially parallel to the ground so as to cause a fringe effect upon the RF signals of the antenna to cause those RF signals to bend in a direction toward the ground.

Abstract: A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.

Abstract: A system and method for managing information communication in a network includes a plurality of network nodes. A plurality of circuit emulation data flows are established between a first network node and at least a second network node. Different data transmission rates are assigned to each circuit emulation data flow such that the frequency of communicated packets is different at least for each circuit emulation data flow used for timing recovery to make the plurality of circuit emulation data flows substantially independent of each other. For example, different frame rates can be assigned to synchronous backhaul transmission links such that the frequency of the backhaul transmission rates is substantially independent of the circuit emulation flow rates.

Abstract: A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.

Abstract: A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.