Abstract: A communication interference detection method determines the direction toward a source of interference by combining interference signals from a sweeping directional antenna with communication signals from an omni antenna while measuring and recording power, frequency spectra, and interference-to-signal ratio over a wide range of conditions using a spectrum analyzer and power meter and communication receivers. The method can be used in the field to locate interfering sources which might interference with the reception of communication signals such as Global Position System (GPS) communication signals.

Abstract: A thin film stress sensor measures the maximum compressive stress between two elements that are compressed together. The sensor is formed from a thin RTV film impregnated with microballoons and reinforced with carbon fibers to restrain the lateral deformation of the RTV so that more uniform pressure can be exerted on the microballoons when the sensors are uniaxially compressed.

Abstract: A backup battery charger measures charging capacitor voltage and charging battery current to calculate battery charging circuit resistance and open circuit float battery voltage. Microcontroller computation of the backup battery float battery voltage and battery charging circuit resistance changes enable efficient charging and monitoring of battery conditions.

Abstract: A thin film stress sensor measures the maximum compressive stress between two elements that are compressed together. The sensor is formed from a thin RTV film impregnated with microballoons and reinforced with carbon fibers to restrain the lateral deformation of the RTV so that more uniform pressure can be exerted on the microballoons when the sensors are uniaxially compressed. The testing method includes applying a compressive stress up to an maximum compressive stress to rupture a first portion of the microballoons, and then applying an interrogating pressure causing acoustic emissions emitted by a second portion of the microballoons when the interrogating pressure equals the equivalent maximum compressive stress, so as to determine the maximum compressive stress.

Abstract: A communication system including a transmitter and receiver, encodes a data set into a pixelized image for display and projection transmission through free space to a receiving camera regenerating the pixelized image which is then decoded back into the data set, the image transmission increases data transmission rates over serial bit free space communication by coding an entire data set into one pixelized image matched to one of several image patterns to which the data set may be coded using various image coding schemes, as examples, hexadecimal, angular and symbolic image coding schemes are particularly disclosed.

Abstract: An adaptive transmitting antenna includes an array of antenna elements having respective weighing coefficients to respectively transmit components of a transmit signal which reduces locally reflective multipath signals received by the transmitting antenna to sample respective reflective components which are summed and cross correlated to a time delayed transmit signal to produce a correlated output indicative of the reflective signal strength. The correlated output is minimized by adjusting the weighing coefficients so that the transmit signal has reduced multipath distortions. The adaptive technique is well suited for mobile telephone transmitters moving about objects tending to reflect and distort transmitted signals.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition of titanium nitride thin films is based upon the gas phase kinetics of the reaction of a metal-amido precursors, e.g. tetrakis dimethylamido titanium (Ti(NMe.sub.2).sub.4), which when reacted with a reagent, for example, NH.sub.3 produces in a transamination reaction, an amine, e.g. HNMe.sub.2, as a direct product, which when added to the reaction in excess, inhibits the reversible transamination reaction so as to slow and control the rate of reaction to produce titanium nitride films having conformal step coverage over sub-micron integrated circuit features.

Abstract: A back-to-back, single lap-joint test fixture and method provides for uniform shear strength determination in a lap-joint area at an adhesive bond plane between a low-modulus rubber-like elastic material substrate and a stiff panel both defining a single lap-joint specimen, two of which are disposed back-to-back with the rubber substrates being constrained from lateral deformation by respective aluminum housings each having a load-transferring lip pushing upon a substrate also being pulled by load transferring dowel pins pulling upon the rubber substrate while with a restraining clamp that restrains transverse movement of the housing and rubber substrate all so as to produce only shear-type failures based on the near-incompressible nature of the rubber materials in the two back-to-back single lap-joint specimens.

Abstract: A fiber optic chemical dosimeter system detects the presence of hydrazine fuels and nitrogen tetroxide and nitrogen dioxide gases that are used at rocket launch sites using colorimetric sensors that react selectively with the gases and then absorb laser light communicating through a fiber optic network having a conventional diode laser source transmitting interrogation pulses to a plurality of distributed sensors covering a wide area launch site, the sensor being reactive cladding or distal end types both providing optical reflective returns well suited for reflective near infra-red and visible-red laser interrogation by an optical time domain reflectometry monitor which compares the interrogated laser pulses with sensor returns to determine the extent and location of gas cloud exposures over the distributed wide area.

Abstract: Over the counter assay cassette for clinical or home use for testing human conditions such as, HIV and Hepatitis B, having a blood well for receiving blood and viewing aperture for viewing an indication of the assay results and a membrane strip disposed within the cassette for receiving the blood and providing an indication of the human condition, is improved with an integrally disposed needle and an outer covering which, in a first position exposes the needle for drawing of the blood and exposes the blood well but covers the viewing aperture, and in a second position, covers the needle and exposes to the viewing aperture, so that, the human can view the results of the assay while the covered needle reduces the risk of secondary inadvertent puncturing by the used needle to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious disease.

Abstract: A system for achieving a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric display by using a successive stack of transparent two-dimensional planar layers each having light-absorbing elements representing contours as dark features associated with individual respective slices through a three-dimensional object in a direction perpendicular to the plane of view of each of the planar layers so that the combined assembled volumetric display when viewed achieves a volumetric display which may be reconfigured using physical, chemical, electronic and computer-assisted means, so as to effect a dynamic volumetric display.

Abstract: An adaptive receiving antenna reduces interference arriving in the main beam of the antenna by redirecting the antenna beam away from the interference source. The receiving antenna projects the main beam to receive desired source signals from a source direction and may receive interfering signals from the interfering source. The antenna system measures the strength of the source signal and interference signal for controlling the direction of the main beam to marginally decrease the received desired source signal while substantially decreasing the received interfering signal to increase the desired source signal to interfering signal ratio so that the desired source signal can be received in the presence of interference.

Abstract: Piezoelectric actuators bonded on S-shaped brackets extending between a support and a payload, improve vibration isolation therebetween by attenuating resonant vibrations under computer dynamic control relying on predetermined dynamic resonant characteristics and H-Infinity control methods. The system can also be used for pointing the attitude of a payload on a supporting platform. Bonded piezoelectric ceramic actuators bend aluminum portions of the brackets to adjust the attitude and position of the payload respecting the support well suited for improved optical communications, observation and telemetry. The system is enables concurrent vibration isolation and directional control.

Abstract: A free-space passively star-coupled optical data bus uses uniform uncollimated transmission light communicating data among a plurality of transmitter and receiver paired transceiver nodes of respective communication subsystems for communicating data from one transmitting node simultaneously to each of all of the remaining receiving nodes, the data bus being defined by a transmission volume having peripheral optical ports for optically interfacing the transceivers nodes to the free-space communication transmission medium having a distribution means to distribute the light and provide a variety of data bus configurations each supported by protocol addressing and optical modulation for connectorless communications for improved reliability and reduced costs especially well-suited for conference room, office, and spacecraft applications.

Abstract: A sapphire window is laser edge tested using a CO.sub.2 laser spot illuminating along a path following the periphery of the optical surface of the window so as to diffuse heat towards the edges which may crack and fail if defective with subsurface defects which are likely to cause stress fractures when stressed.

Abstract: A back-to-back, single lap-joint test fixture and method provides for uniform shear strength determination in a lap-joint area at an adhesive bond plane between a low-modulus rubber-like elastic material substrate and a stiff panel both defining a single lap-joint specimen, two of which are disposed back-to-back with the rubber substrates being constrained from lateral deformation by respective aluminum housings each having a load-transferring lip pushing upon a substrate also being pulled by load transferring dowel pins pulling upon the rubber substrate while with a restraining clamp that restrains transverse movement of the housing and rubber substrate all so as to produce only shear-type failures based on the near-incompressible nature of the rubber materials in the two back-to-back single lap-joint specimens.

Abstract: A sapphire window is laser edge annealed using a CO.sub.2 laser spot illuminating along a path following the edge of the window so as to heat the edges to remove or reduce sub surface defects which can cause stress fractures.

Abstract: A passive strain gauge of brittle carbon fibers are aligned along an elongated length and encapsulated in an epoxy matrix to emit acoustic emissions when under stress exerted along the length of the gauge. The gauge can be mounted onto and along a mounted direction upon a structure in line with the carbon fibers which retain a state indicating peak stress along the mounted direction. When removed from the structure, the gauge can be monitored during stress testing by applying an increasing load along the length to determine the amount of peak strain exerted upon the structure which is the strain when the gauge begins to emit acoustic emissions. The strain gauge is well suited for mounting to bridges and buildings which are likely to be subjected to stress events such as an earthquakes for determining the amount of stress exerted upon the structure during the stress inducing event.

Abstract: A vehicular tire air pressurization system having an intelligent controller is connected to one or more manifolds each connected to at least one set of tires with the controller for selecting current operation conditions and controlling the manifolds to maintain tire pressure at desire air pressures, the controller having non volatile memory for storing dynamic parameters used to control manifolds having inflation and deflation valves for pressurizing the sets of tires to the desired pressures subject to dynamic parameters which are field programmable and which may be updated after each pressure adjustment cycle so that the tires are efficiently pressurized to the desired pressures even during changing dynamic characteristics caused by changing conditions such as temperature, altitude and tire wear, the non volatile memory is also for storing operational data after installation to reselect operating functions and to reset operating parameters.

Abstract: A vehicular tire air pressurization system having an intelligent controller for macro control is connected to one or more intelligent manifolds for micro control so as to distributively process air pressurization functions, with the controller having non volatile memory which is field programmable and alterable for storing current operating conditions, functions and parameters for communicating desired air pressures to the manifolds each connected to at least one set of tires and each including non volatile memory for storing pressurization parameters used to control inflation and deflation of the sets of tires to the desired pressures subject to the pressurization parameters which are also field programmable and alterable and which are updated after periodic pressure adjustment cycles, so that, the tires are efficiently pressurized and maintained at the desired pressures even during changing performance characteristics.