Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed wherein nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on a surface of a body (such as a submersible vehicle) that is adapted to move through a fluid, such as water. The nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on the surface in a way such that the contact between the surface and the fluid is reduced and, correspondingly, the friction between the surface and the fluid is reduced. In an illustrative embodiment, the surface is a surface on a submarine or other submersible vehicle (such as a torpedo). Illustratively, electrowetting principles are used to cause the fluid to at least partially penetrate the nanostructures or microstructures on the surface of the body in order to selectively create greater friction in a desired location of the surface. Such penetration may be used, for example, to create drag that alters the direction or speed of travel of the body.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that substantially reduces or eliminates the resonance that occurs in vias that connect the layers of a printed circuit board by electrically coupling a first transmission line in a circuit board to a second transmission line in a circuit board by two electrical paths having substantially the same electrical length. The two electrical paths are created by connecting the first transmission line to a first via which is in turn connected to a second via having a second transmission line with a plurality of connecting electrical paths between the two vias. In one illustrative embodiment, electrical traces are used to connect the top of the first via to the top of the second via and the bottom of the first via to the bottom of the second via.

Abstract: A tunable microlens uses at least two layers of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid. Such a droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with a higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. When calibration of the microlens is desired, an equal and constant voltage is passed over the first layer of electrodes and a different, constant voltage is passed over the second layer of electrodes such that the droplet of conducting fluid is adjusted to a calibrated position.

Abstract: A tunable microlens uses at least two layers of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid. Such a droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with a higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. When calibration of the microlens is desired, an equal and constant voltage is passed over the first layer of electrodes and a different, constant voltage is passed over the second layer of electrodes, which may, for example, be disposed in a star-like pattern. A driving force relative to each electrode in the second layer results and is proportional to the length of the circumference of the droplet that intersects with each of the electrodes. This driving force reaches equilbrium, and hence the droplet reaches its nominal centered position relative to the second layer of electrodes, when the length of intersection of the circumference of the droplet with each of the electrodes in the second layer is equal.

Abstract: An efficient, low-loss, low sidelobe, high dynamic range phased-array radar antenna system is disclosed that uses metamaterials, which are manmade composite materials having a negative index of refraction, to create a biconcave lens architecture (instead of the aforementioned biconvex lens) for focusing the microwaves transmitted by the antenna. Accordingly, the sidelobes of the antenna are reduced. Attenuation across microstrip transmission lines may be reduced by using low loss transmission lines that are suspended above a ground plane a predetermined distance in a way such they are not in contact with a solid substrate. By suspending the microstrip transmission lines in this manner, dielectric signal loss is reduced significantly, thus resulting in a less-attenuated signal at its destination.

Abstract: A method for determining the shape and size of particles and their constituent elements is disclosed. Particle ions are accelerated through a mass spectrometer useful in identifying the source particle of the resulting ions. By measuring the time-varying intensity of the identified ions as they strike a detector, a plot of the intensity of the ions over time is obtained for each ionized particle. The size of each ionized particle is determined by measuring a time span corresponding to the width of the peak of this plot. If the detector is a phosphor detector, the shape of the particle may be determined by using a high-speed camera to capture cross-section images of the ion-induced light pattern at closely-spaced successive moments in time. Alternatively, the intensity of ions striking the detector along at least one lateral dimension may be detected.

Abstract: A tunable microlens is disclosed that having a substrate with a non-zero radius of curvature in a way such that the microlens is able to achieve a new directional view without manual repositioning. The directional view of the microlens is altered by applying a voltage to at least one of a plurality of electrodes and thereby causing a voltage differential between the at least one of a plurality of electrodes and a conducting droplet of liquid disposed on the substrate with a non-zero radius of curvature. As the droplet moves to a different point along the surface of the substrate having a non-zero radius of curvature, the directional view the microlens changes in a way such that light originating from the new directional view is more advantageously focused into an image on a detector. The field of view of the microlens is limited only by the area on the substrate over which the droplet can move. An array of such microlenses may be used to facilitate a wider field of view.

Abstract: A heat-dissipating device is disclosed for use in an electronic device. This heat dissipating device includes a reservoir for holding a substance in a liquid state (e.g., water) and at least one heat transfer point for transferring heat from a heat source, such as a component in the electronic device, to the liquid substance. Heat causes the substance to transform into a gaseous state due to the transfer of thermal energy from the heat source to the substance. A gas permeable membrane is used to permit the substance to escape the reservoir when it is in a gaseous state while, at the same time, preventing the substance from escaping when it is in a liquid state.

Abstract: A tunable microlens uses a layer of photo-conducting material which results in a voltage differential between at least one of a plurality of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid when a light beam is incident upon the photo-conducting material. Such droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. Thus, for example, when the light beam is misaligned with the microlens, the voltage differential causes the droplet, and hence the microlens, to realign itself with the beam.

Abstract: A free space optical communication system is disclosed whereby a transmit telescope and a receive telescope are aligned such that the point of maximum power of the received light beam is incident upon the optical fiber located at a specific point on the focal plane of the receive telescope. Such incidence is achieved by causing the transmitted beam to diverge by moving the transmit optical fiber to a point in front of the focal plane of the transmit telescope until at least a portion of the beam is incident upon the receive optical fiber. The transmit telescope and/or the receive telescope (or, alternatively, only the respective optical fibers of those telescopes) are then moved such that the point of maximum received power for that degree of divergence is incident upon the receive optical fiber.

Abstract: A method for transferring an inked feature pattern from a stamp to a substrate is disclosed wherein the stamp and/or substrate is flexed into a cylindrical or approximately cylindrical surface before being contacted with each other. The stamp and substrate are contacted and at least one line of contact is advanced across the surface of the stamp in order to transfer the feature pattern from the stamp to the substrate.

Abstract: A free space optical communication system is disclosed whereby the received power at the receive optical fiber is reduced by adjusting the transmitted light beam and/or the receive optical fiber with respect to each other when a specified power threshold is exceeded. This reduction in received power is achieved by either increasing the cross section of the transmitted beam relative to the receive telescope or, alternatively, moving the receive optical fiber and thereby enlarge the cross section of the received beam incident upon the receive optical fiber.

Abstract: An adaptive optics system is disclosed whereby at least one mirror in the system is manipulated using electrostatic force to selectively attract or repel a portion of the mirror to or from a particular electrode, respectively. This attraction or repulsion is accomplished by mechanically coupling a bound charge layer of dielectric material to at least one surface of the mirror and then placing a voltage across an electrode in an array of electrodes positioned near that mirror. The charge in the dielectric material combined with a suitable electric field makes it possible to attract portions of the mirror in one instant and then, by changing the sign on the voltage placed across the electrode, to repel those same portions in the next instant.

Abstract: A base station in a soft handoff adjusts its transmit power level by a first amount if the base station is participating in a soft handoff and by a second amount if the base station is not participating in the soft handoff, i.e. in simplex mode. The first and second amounts are different. In one embodiment of the invention, the adjustment is performed by using a down-step size that is larger in magnitude than an up-step size when the base station is in soft handoff. The transmit power level is then adjusted by the smaller up and larger down step sizes when the base station receives an indication to adjust the transmit power level. The step sizes used when the base station is in simplex mode is larger than the up-step size and smaller than the down step size.

Abstract: A stand-alone battery charger warning system for use with portable electronic devices is disclosed whereby a warning is generated in response to a determination that a) a battery is not presently connected to the charger and b) at least one predetermined time criterion has been met. This warning system advantageously may be used universally with any number of different battery chargers and is not limited to just one make or model. A particular embodiment of the present invention consists of a housing within which is contained the electronic circuitry and controls necessary to implement the warning system functionality. This housing is connected to an electrical source, such as a typical home electrical outlet. The battery charger for the portable electronic device is then connected electrically to the warning system.