Abstract: A packaging system in one example comprises an improved mechanical packaging system for a circuit board disposed between housing elements, the improvement comprising an upper housing member having a centrally disposed opening provided therethrough, a unitary electromagnetic shield disposed on at least an upper surface of the circuit board and secured to the circuit board, the unitary electromagnetic shield secured to the upper housing member, such that undesired mechanical vibration modes are substantially reduced.

Abstract: A pendulous sensor component of an apparatus in one example reacts to a parameter. One or more pickoff sensors that obtain a value of the parameter from a substantially zero net dampening torque location of the pendulous sensor component.

Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier array and related method, in which high beam quality is achieved by varying the frequency of an input signal applied to all of the fiber amplifiers, to locate a frequency at which the amplifiers produce nearly coherent optical outputs. In spite of statistical variations in length and other factors among the fibers, there are frequencies at which the amplifiers produce nearly coherent outputs. In the control system of the invention, the input signal frequency is scanned across a selected narrow range and the beam quality is monitored by measuring on-axis far-field output beam intensity. The frequency is scanned until the beam intensity exceeds a selected threshold, and then the frequency is held constant until the beam intensity falls below a second selected threshold.

Abstract: A deformable membrane mirror and a related method for its use, the mirror including a deformable membrane having a reflective front face and a back face, and further including electrodes located on both sides of the membrane, to provide a desired surface contour without imparting a concave bias to the membrane. The electrodes include a first set of electrodes spaced from the back face of the membrane, and at least one additional electrode spaced from the front face of the membrane.

Abstract: An exemplary vibrating mass gyroscope uses a mass disposed for movement along an x-axis and y-axis. First and second electrodes are disposed adjacent surfaces of the mass along an x-axis and y-axis. Circuitry, coupled to the first and second electrodes, provides during a first mode a dither driving voltage on one of the first and second electrodes causing vibrating displacement of the mass along the one of the x-axis and y-axis. The measurement voltage is sensed on the other of the first and second electrodes where the measurement voltage represents a first angular rate value. During a second mode, the circuitry provides a dither driving voltage on the other of the first and second electrodes causing vibrating displacement of the mass along the other of the x-axis and y-axis and measurement voltage is sensed on the one of the first and second electrodes where the measurement voltage represents a second angular rate value.

Abstract: A method of applying a moisture barrier seal to a fiber optic coil includes mounting a fiber optic coil in a vacuum deposition chamber, so as to expose a large exterior surface area of the fiber optic coil to an interior portion of the deposition chamber. The method further includes reducing the air pressure within the chamber to a value that is less than ambient pressure outside of the chamber. The method further includes introducing a vapor form of a non-porous material, preferably parylene, into the chamber. The vapor form of the non-porous material changes into a solid state upon contact with the fiber optic coil, so as to form a conformal coat on the fiber optic coil.

Abstract: An antenna horn having multiple flared sections with their slopes and lengths selected to enhance desirable electromagnetic modes and to suppress undesirable modes at the horn aperture, thereby increasing the aperture efficiency and antenna gain.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a first proofmass employable to sense a first acceleration along a first input axis; a second proofmass employable to sense a second acceleration along a second input axis; and a third proofmass employable to sense a third acceleration along a third input axis. The first input axis, the second input axis, and the third input axis are substantially orthogonal. The first proofmass, the second proofmass, and the third proofmass are substantially coplanar.

Abstract: A wireless call management system (10) for initiating wireless phone calls includes a request module (20), an initiation module (30), and a wireless phone user interface (40) and only requires knowledge of the requesting party's phone number. The request module (20) transmits outgoing call initiation requests to remote users based on local requests from a local user (16). The initiation module (30) requests authorization from the local user (16) based on incoming call initiation requests. The incoming call initiation requests include phone numbers corresponding to the remote users (18). The wireless phone user interface (40) generates the outgoing call initiation requests based on the local requests for initiation of phone calls and transmits authorization requests to the local user (16) based on the incoming call initiation requests.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a vibrating beam, a first drive component, and a second drive component. The first drive component for a first time period oscillates the vibrating beam in a first direction to sense angular rate of the vibrating beam. The second drive component for a second time period oscillates the vibrating beam in a second direction to sense angular rate of the vibrating beam.

Abstract: A first communication node of a plurality of communication nodes connected with processorless central equipment in a system sends one or more first portions of node-output information to the processorless central equipment. One or more additional communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes send one or more additional portions of node-output information to the processorless central equipment. The first communication node receives from the processorless central equipment a portion of central-output information. The portion of central-output information comprises the one or more first portions of node-output information and the one or more additional portions of node-output information.

Abstract: A trapezoidal bobbin for providing a foundation for a coil of optical fiber comprises an elongated hub, an upper flange and a lower flange. The elongated hub includes a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end and an exterior surface. The hub is symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis. The upper flange is disposed at the first end of the hub, and includes an exterior surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and faces away from the hub. The upper flange is further includes an interior surface that forms an angle of substantially 60 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis. The lower flange is disposed at the second end of the hub, and includes an exterior surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and facing away from the hub, and an interior surface forming an angle of substantially 60 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: One or more panels of an apparatus in one example comprise a plurality of receptacles for a plurality of pegs. One or more ultraviolet lights illuminate the plurality of pegs.

Abstract: An array of cylindrical end-caps with separate or integral lenses is stacked with its members in close contact, forming inter-cylinder gaps between every subset of three adjacent cylindrical lenses. Conductive fibers are disposed in the inter-cylinder gaps. Heat that would otherwise accumulate in the array is removed through the conductive fibers and transmitted to an external heat sink.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a computer component that receives one or more images of one or more packaging materials from one or more imaging components. The computer component employs an analysis of the one or more images to make a determination of a package integrity of the one or more packaging materials.

Abstract: Antimony-based semiconductor devices are formed over a substrate structure (10) that includes an antimony-based buffer layer (24) and an antimony-based buffer cap (26). Multiple epitaxial layers (30–42) formed over the substrate structure (10) are dry etched to form device mesas (12) and the buffer cap (26) provides a desirably smooth mesa floor and electrical isolation around the mesas.

Abstract: An improved load configuration is provided for differential circuits which increases circuit bandwidth without increasing power dissipation. A differential circuit generally includes a differential pair of transistors having emitters coupled together. The improved load configuration is comprised of a load resistor coupled to the collector of each transistor and an inductor coupled in series with each of the load resistors, such that the inductors are coupled to each other by mutual inductance.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a first capacitor component, a second capacitor component, and a switch component. The first capacitor component, the second capacitor component, and the switch component cooperate to maintain an input voltage to a target circuit at or above a cut-off voltage of the target circuit until a power circuit is able to maintain the input voltage of the target circuit at or above the cut-off voltage of the target circuit. The switch component serves to control a flow of current from the first capacitor component to the second capacitor component.

Abstract: An exemplary inertial measurement apparatus incorporates self-calibrating bias correction signals. First and second inertial instruments generate respective input signals representative of an inertial attribute to be measured. A bias estimator generates first and second bias correction signals. First and second summation nodes receive the respective input signals and the respective first and second bias correction signals. The first and second summation nodes provide respective summed signals to the first and second inertial instruments. The first and second inertial instruments generate respective output signals representative of a value of the inertial attribute based on the respective summed signals.

Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) transmitter power amplifier circuit provides for practically linear performance by predistorting the amplifier input signals to compensate for amplifier distortion at high power levels, and provides a fine degree of control of amplifier power needed to handle complex modulation schemes with widely and rapidly varying power requirements. A predistortion database (20) contains gain and phase corrections for various transmission types and a separate automatic gain control database (38) contains fine amplifier gain corrections. A real-time processor (26) combines the two types of corrections and applies them to the amplifier input signals, and a background processor (16) continually updates both databases in accordance with a programmable priority scheme. Integration of predistortion and amplifier power control is achieved in a manner that minimizes adverse effects of one type of control on the other.