Abstract: An image conversion system for altering an image to adjust the overall brightness of the image when displayed is provided. The image conversion system includes a luminance transformer and a color adjuster. To adjust the overall brightness of the image, the luminance transformer reverses the luminance of each original color in the image. The new luminance of each transformed color is then compared to the desired luminance for that color. When the transformed colors do not have the desired luminance, the color adjuster modifies the hues of transformed color to achieve the desired luminance. Specifically, the color adjuster modifies the transformed color using a weighted average to achieve the desired luminance while maintaining the hues of the original color to the extent possible. By substituting each original color with a transformed color that is adjusted as needed to reach the desired luminance, the overall brightness of the image is adjusted.

Abstract: A method and system compares combinations of vehicle or aircraft state variables against known combinations of potentially dangerous states. Alarms and error messages are selectively generated based on such comparisons. In one embodiment, pairs of aircraft state variables are selected and compared to known undesirable pairs of state combinations that indicate an error or a condition that a crew should monitor closely. The combinations and error messages are provided by the database. The comparisons are conducted on a periodic basis monitoring real time states of the parameters collected from various sensors and commands. Experts considering a matrix that provides an exhaustive pairwise comparison of potentially important state variables initially identify undesirable state combinations. Error messages and identification of potential alarms are generated based on both knowledge of actual accidents, and on use of expert knowledge to predict potentially dangerous states.

Abstract: A demodulator for demodulating digital data includes a receiver for receiving a digital data signal, a determining device to determine if a fractional sample delay added to a demodulator's symbol sampling timing would improve synchronization timing, an implementing device implementing the fractional sample delay if the determining device determines that a fractional sample delay would improve the demodulation synchronization timing, and a demodulating device for demodulating the digital data signal. A method for demodulating digital data includes the steps of receiving a digital data signal, determining if a fractional sample delay added to a demodulator's symbol sampling timing would improve synchronization timing, implementing the fractional sample delay if it is determined in the determining step that a fractional sample delay would improve the demodulation synchronization timing, and demodulating the digital data signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sending and receiving e-mail from a terminal on a vehicle are provided. According to one embodiment, a passenger in a vehicle, such as an airplane, has access to a terminal and can send and receive e-mail messages between the terminal and a first server located on the vehicle. The first server wirelessly communicates e-mail messages with a second server external to the vehicle. The second server is configured to send and receive e-mail messages between the second server and a data network.

Abstract: A display system according to various aspects of the present invention provides systems and methods for an integrated graphical user interface which facilitates the interactive and dynamic display aircraft data. In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a user (e.g., a pilot) provides input to a processor and receives visual feedback via a display produced by one or more monitors. The display includes various graphical elements according to the operator's commands and a predetermined set of rules. By adjusting the information on the display, the user may view the desired information according to the operator's current needs and interests.

Abstract: A modular and scalable seamless tiled display apparatus includes multiple display devices, a screen, and multiple lens assemblies. Each display device is subdivided into multiple sections, and each section is configured to display a sectional image. One of the lens assemblies is optically coupled to each of the sections of each of the display devices to project the sectional image displayed on that section onto the screen. The multiple lens assemblies are configured to merge the projected sectional images to form a single tiled image. The projected sectional images may be merged on the screen by magnifying and shifting the images in an appropriate manner. The magnification and shifting of these images eliminates any visual effect on the tiled display that may result from dead-band regions defined between each pair of adjacent sections on each display device, and due to gaps between multiple display devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing weather information onboard an aircraft includes a processor unit and a graphical user interface. The processor unit processes weather information after it is received onboard the aircraft from a ground-based source, and the graphical user interface provides a graphical presentation of the weather information to a user onboard the aircraft. Preferably, the graphical user interface includes one or more user-selectable options for graphically displaying at least one of convection information, turbulence information, icing information, weather satellite information, SIGMET information, significant weather prognosis information, and winds aloft information.

Abstract: An aircraft flight management system having a flight management computer that stores a pre-planned lateral route of flight of the aircraft comprising a plurality of successive waypoints to be overflown, the next proximate waypoint being an active waypoint, a method providing a return-to-path maneuver in the event that the aircraft deviates from the pre-planned route, including selecting a new active waypoint, calculating a return-to-path route to overfly the new active waypoint, and selectably accepting the calculated return-to-path route.

Abstract: A network architecture (100) that supports periodic and aperiodic data transmissions over a network databus. The network (100) comprising a plurality of Network Interface Controller (NIC) modules (120, 169) configured to communicate with each other with at least one of the modules acting as a master NIC modules (120) and configured to allocate data transmission bandwidth on the network databus (114) using a set of priority sequences stored in a table (158) accessible by the master NIC (154) within the master timing NIC module (120). The table (158) is used by the master NIC (120) to allocate bandwidth on the network databus (114) after transmission of periodic data and according to priority, length and frame sequence. In this way, aperiodic data from some NIC modules is guaranteed a certain amount of bandwidth on the network databus (114).

Abstract: A high-g shock-producing device for testing a sample specimen is described which includes a beam and a shock column. The beam is of predetermined length and has at least one end substantially rigidly fixed with the specimen mounted thereon at a position remote from the one end. The shock column is positioned to apply a force causing said beam to bend in a direction transverse to the length. The column is configured to have a buckling failure when exposed to a pressure which is sufficient to bend the beam an amount to provide the desired high-g force to the specimen. The buckling failure causes the force to be suddenly removed from the beam so as to release the beam and produce the high-g shock on the specimen.

Abstract: A lamp driver system that facilitates improved reliability and performance for a display system is provided. The lamp driver system includes a fault detector and an output steering device. The fault detector determines when a failure occurs in a lamp illuminating the display system. The output steering device selectively drives the lamps to illuminate the display system. Specifically, when a failure in a first lamp is detected by the fault detector, the output steering device is used to selectively drive a second lamp to provide the needed illumination to the display system. The lamp driver system thus can provide redundancy in the display system by automatically switching to a backup lamp when a failure in the first lamp is detected. This redundancy can improve the reliability and performance of the display system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a set of holding pattern entry algorithms used to define flight segments for entry into holding patterns. These geometries preferably describe the specific location and distance of various segments used in the holding pattern and holding pattern racetrack, with each segment defined as a curved or straight segment between endpoints. The algorithms also preferably include criteria used to determine entry extension, maximum initial turn angle, and minimum distance between a hold fix and an entry turn point. The geometry also preferably extends entry distance to avoid excessive iterative calculations. The algorithms are preferably utilized by a flight management system and method that determines segment sequencing during entry into holding patterns and the holding patterns themselves.

Abstract: The instant invention is a system and method for converting improvement images to geographically referenced chart symbols and for combining improvement images with other geographically referenced information to create composite images. The instant invention provides for marking specific reference points on the improvement image with textual strings and using a system configured to recognize textual strings, to understand the information, and to determine the appropriate translation, rotation angle, and scale factor of the improvement image to render a geographically referenced image.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for thermally coupling one or more electronic devices to a heatsink. The apparatus comprises a heatsink having a substantially planar upper surface, a wiring board (PWB) with a through-hole for receiving the device such that a principal face thereof is in thermal contact with the heatsink, its electrical leads are captured between at least a portion of the wiring board and the heatsink, and a top of the device protrudes through the PWB. The method comprises placing the device in the through-hole with its base exposed on and protruding from the underside of the PWB, attaching its electrical leads to contacts on the wiring board and pressing the PWB toward the heatsink with the leads captured there between. An electrically insulating thermally conducting layer is desirably placed between the wiring board and the heatsink.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for chromatic vignetting in lens systems. The apparatus includes a projection lens unit having an aperture stop, and a selective filter positioned at the aperture stop. The aperture stop defines a ray bundle boundary of an image passing therethrough. The selective filter includes a transmission area having an optical perimeter based on the ray bundle boundary, and a wavelength band filter partially extending from the optical perimeter into the transmission area. The projection lens unit may be used with an illumination unit having a light source and optics conditioning the light from the light source prior to illumination of a light valve. The selective filter may optionally be positioned at a conjugate plane to the aperture stop in the illumination unit.

Abstract: The invention includes a device for measuring the velocity of a target that includes an array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers having an energy output, a first lens configured to capture the energy output of the array and project it onto the target whose velocity is to be monitored, a second lens configured to capture the energy output reflected from the target, and at least one detector configured to detect the energy transmitted from the second lens, where the energy of the array projected onto the target creates pulses of light from reflectance off of surface imperfections on the target, and the velocity of the target is determined by monitoring the frequency of the pulses of light.

Abstract: Systems and methods analyze the performance of a mechanical system having two identical rotating members therein. Light is directed from two identical light sources to intercept encoded portions of the rotating members. A portion of the light is reflected from the encoded portions of each rotating member. The reflected portion of the light can be then detected to recover performance data maintained therein, wherein the performance data contains performance characteristics of the mechanical system. A reflected portion of the light can be detected to recover performance data. The light sources can be configured as Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL). The encoded portions of rotating members thereof can include a bar code. Images from a first encoded surface may interact with an image from a second encoded surface after the light beams are reflected off the first and second rotating surfaces to produce Moirè fringes.

Abstract: Multiple laser optical sensing systems and methods for detecting target characteristics are disclosed. The present invention detects the presence of an object in a monitored area using an laser-based object detection system and may selectively cause a controlled response when an object is detected. At least two laser signals may be emitted into a monitored area using a vertical cavity surface emitting laser structure. At least one detector receives any laser signals not blocked by an object. The system determines the presence or absence of an object in the environment using a microprocessor and determines the objects characteristics by comparing received laser signals associated with it to object characteristics stored in a memory. The system may selectively causing a controlled response in accordance with the determination of object characteristics and/or correlating response criteria.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring the power level of a multi-wavelength optical signal are provided. Also provided are methods and apparatus for adjusting the power level of selected optical emitters to compensate for the changes in power levels.

Abstract: A method and system for determining dissolved oxygen is disclosed. One or more constant currents are driven through amperometric-type dissolved oxygen probes to develop reference electrode potentials defining the envelope of oxygen electrochemistry. The reference electrode voltage is generally measured at a first current level and at a second current level utilizing the oxygen probe, wherein the first and second current levels define limitations of oxygen electrochemistry. An optimum electrode bias voltage can thereafter be automatically calculated based the reference electrode voltage measured at the first current level and the second level to thereby provide accurate indications of dissolved oxygen thereof.