Abstract: A digitally controllable nonlinear pre-equalizer system receiving an input signal and generating an output signal, the system including a splitter for dividing the input signal into a first signal path and a second signal path, an attenuator and a time delay element in the first signal path, the attenuator and the time delay element operable to generate a linear signal, a mixer and a vector modulator in the second signal path, the mixer being responsive to a signal from a digital to analog converter coupled to a processor chip providing a digital signal to the digital to analog converter, the mixer and vector modulator operable to generate a nonlinear signal, and a summer for summing the linear signal and the nonlinear signal to generate the output signal.

Abstract: Conventional rotorcraft are required to provide a significant amount of anti-torque movement to offset the torque created by the rotor and the right-angle gearbox coupling the rotor to the engine. By vertically integrating the engine in the unmanned rotorcraft of the present invention, the torque component rising from the right-angle gearbox is eliminated. This type of adaptation, however, is generally unacceptable in conventional helicopter integration, since a vertically mounted engine directly under the rotor would deprive the user of critical payload volume at the center of gravity. The radial distribution of payload in the design of the present invention avoids this penalty. Conventional anti-torque systems, including tail rotors, ducted gas, and dual counter rotating rotors produce drag, weight, and efficiency penalties.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for cutting curved tube and duct assemblies using a high-powered laser, which locates, measures and follows a scribe line. The invention generally is comprised of a multi-axis laser-based machine tool to cut formed (i.e., curved) welded tube and duct detailed parts to a planar scribe line. It is further comprised of a laser focusing head positioned on a rotating and tilting platform; fixturing aids to position and hold the tubes or ducts to be cut; a machine vision system to locate and measure a scribe line in a plane on the tube or duct, thus determining its orientation; and a controller that tilts the turntable to a co-planar position, and then operates a high-powered laser to cut the duct at the scribe line.

Abstract: The conformal thermal insulating blanket may have generally rigid batting material covered by an outer insulating layer formed of a high temperature resistant woven ceramic material and an inner insulating layer formed of a woven ceramic fiber material. The batting and insulating layers may be fastened together by sewing or stitching using an outer mold layer thread fabricated of a high temperature resistant material and an inner mold layer thread of a ceramic fiber material. The batting may be formed to a composite structure that may have a firmness factor sufficient to inhibit a pillowing effect after the stitching to not more than 0.03 inch. The outer insulating layer and an upper portion of the batting adjacent the outer insulating layer may be impregnated with a ceramic coating material.

Abstract: A single or multilayer smart susceptor for temperature control of part fabrication in an induction processing system generally consists of single layer or laminated layers of ferromagnetic material susceptible to heating by induction. The use of the susceptors in fabrication at elevated temperatures causes oxidation damage to the surface. The susceptor may be coated with a nickel aluminide surface coating to minimize oxidation of the susceptor outer surface.

Abstract: A fan-type foldable device for sub-dividing for privacy purposes, the space occupied by a passenger seated in a moving vehicle or a movie theatre, is described. The fan type device incorporates a means for coupling onto a side of a seat back, thereby maintaining privacy within the sub-divide. Said fan type device folds out of the way when not in use. The fan type foldable device may be used in a seating arrangement wherein rows of seats are divided by the fan type such that each seated passenger is able to enjoy privacy from adjoining passengers.

Abstract: An energy systems management method includes steps of providing a hierarchically arranged, interrelated set of synoptic displays interfaced to an energy system for receiving information from and providing command inputs to the energy system. One synoptic display of the set of synoptic displays is an overall energy synoptic, and the other synoptic displays of the set of synoptic displays are synoptics displaying the status of corresponding energy systems. The method also includes steps of acquiring human inputs through the synoptic displays, for example, by means of a computer user interface device, and controlling the energy system by processing the human inputs through the synoptic displays to provide command inputs to the energy system.

Abstract: A vented closure, for preventing deformation of a container containing a gas evolving liquid, is provided. The closure includes a first closure member and a second closure member. The first closure member seals the container from the outside atmosphere and defines a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a gas flow passage between the inlet and the outlet. A gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable membrane is placed in the gas flow passage. The second closure member is moveably fitted on the first closure member and encases the first closure member with a small clearance fit that allows gas passage. A sealing element coupled to the second closure member is aligned with the gas outlet of the first member so as to block gas flow when a predetermined load is applied to the second closure member and allow gas flow when the predetermined load is absent.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for increasing available space in an aircraft cabin cross section to improve passenger comfort. Use of one floor bin supported armrest on each side of the aircraft's cross section, rather then conventional seat supported armrest as are provided conventionally elsewhere, permits use of wider seats and/or aisles. Use of floor bin supported armrests also provides the added benefit of increasing the storage volume of floor bins. The apparatus and method for increasing available cross sectional space can also be implemented on other passenger conveyance means, such as buses, trains, vans, or the like, having floor storage bins on the outboard (away-from-aisle) sides of seating units.

Abstract: A fastener starter tool includes a number of spring retention fingers for retaining a small part, or combination of parts. The tool has an inner housing, which holds the spring retention fingers, a hand grip, and an outer housing configured to slide over the inner housing and the spring retention fingers toward and away from the hand grip, exposing and opening, or respectively, covering and closing, the spring retention fingers. By sliding the outer housing toward (away from) the hand grip, a part can be released from (retained by) the tool. The tool may include replaceable inserts, for retaining parts, such as screws, and configured to limit the torque applied to the part, to prevent cross threading. The inner housing has means to transfer torque from the hand grip to the insert. The tool may include replaceable bits, the inner housing having means for transferring torque to the replaceable bit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a boxed and self-supportive, multi-functional calendar having a cover member that supports a date element at a slanted position on a flat surface for viewing and writing notes, and also wraps around the date element for preventing information from being seen by others. The calendar also has a magnetic element, supported by the cover member, to hold metallic pieces such as paper clips for a user to keep the surrounding surface organized. The disclosed calendar is composed of a minimal number of components which simplifies the manufacturing process and lowers production costs.

Abstract: A system, including reconfigurable optical cable splice for splicing optical cables, that does not require any direct handling of the optical fiber is described. The optical splice includes at least one input line; a plurality of output lines; and a plurality of connecting elements of substantially cubic shape including at least one ninety degree turning cube and a plurality of straight through cubes. Each of the connecting elements has a first surface disposed to be coupled to an end of the at least one input line and having at least two surfaces disposed to be coupled to at least two output lines respectively, whereby each input line defines an optic path for optic signals using one of the plurality of output lines. The splice further includes at least one storage location for storing at least one connecting element not in use. For reconfiguration, the system requires no electricity, no special tools, and no cleaning of fiber connections.

Abstract: A cutting method and apparatus in a laser trim cell system for cutting ducts and tubes used in an airliner. The ducts are cut along a horizontal cutting plane using an orbiting laser nozzle and the apparatus and method includes an anti-spatter tube for removing spatter from the interior of the duct by directing the spatter through an opening in the tube where it impinges a high thermal conductivity plate that deflects it to the bottom of the tube where it solidifies by contact on a surface of high thermal conductivity for easy removal from the tube.

Abstract: A solar cell array assembly that is configured to be stowed in the payload bay of a low earth orbit space vehicle utilizes hinged panels comprising foldable outboard panels and inboard panels. The inboard panels are connected along their respective facing edges to an elongated structural boom one end of which is affixed to a deployment arm. The deployment arm has a shoulder connected to the payload bay, an upper arm, an elbow joint and a fore arm. The fore arm provides two rotational drives having respectively orthogonal axes. The panels are shaped to conform to the shape of the hinged payload bay doors which load the panels in the stowed configuration. The Complete Solar array assembly is a six degree of freedom mechanism that articulates the cell substrates out of a stowed volume (payload bay) to a selected orientation for solar array articulation relative to the sun, optimum power generation, and mission operations.

Abstract: A simple, robust algorithm for power acquisition for power, thermal, and momentum safety for high heater-power spacecraft uses current sensors rather than sun sensors and includes a wing sun search phase, an xz slew phase, and a safe hold phase. Solar wing current is continuously monitored against a high current threshold and a low current threshold. Wing sun search phase transitions either to xz slew phase or safe hold phase. When current is too low, the xz slew phase is entered and slews the spacecraft about an axis in the xz plane until current is high enough. When current is high enough, the algorithm transitions or remains in safe hold phase and the spacecraft is spun about its wing axis. A low current persistence timer is longer than a high current persistence timer in order to bias the algorithm to prefer safe hold phase over xz slew phase.

Abstract: A thruster system for spacecraft includes a thruster, a thruster mounting boom, a gimbals mechanism connecting the thruster to the thruster mounting boom, and a pivot mechanism connected to the thruster mounting boom, where the pivot mechanism attaches the thruster mounting boom to a spacecraft. A method includes steps of providing a first thruster mounted on a pivoting thruster mounting boom attached to a spacecraft; using the first thruster at a first position, for example, a north pointing position, to provide orbit control; repositioning the first thruster to a second position, for example, a south pointing position; and using the first thruster at the second position to provide orbit control so as to provide redundancy for a failed second thruster by repositioning the first thruster.

Abstract: A protective wiring assembly includes a raceway having a top portion, a bottom portion that is opposite the top portion, and a self-closing portion intermediate the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion has a bottom locking rib and interfaces a support on which the assembly can be disposed. The self-closing portion has a top locking rib and a top guide rib. The top locking rib is engageable to the bottom locking rib. A cover interfaces the top portion of the raceway. The cover has a pair of retention legs and a load bearing rib that transmits force from the top portion to the support.

Abstract: A microwave tube system for use with a spacecraft telecommunication system is provided. The system includes a traveling wave tube subsystem, a high voltage converter subsystem, and a low voltage converter subsystem. The traveling wave tube subsystem includes a plurality of traveling wave tubes. The high voltage converter subsystem powers the traveling wave tube subsystem. The high voltage converter subsystem includes a plurality of high voltage converter members that are paired with the traveling wave tubes on a one-to-one basis. The low voltage converter subsystem is a central power conditioner subsystem including a plurality of low voltage power conditioners that are connected in parallel to one another. A common power output of the central power conditioner subsystem is received by the high voltage converter members which in turn power the traveling wave tubes that are paired with the high voltage converters.

Abstract: A process for determining an attitude measurement of a spacecraft is provided. The process employs a Horizon-Crossing Indicator (HCI) sensor 108. The process uses three time tagged crossings of the earth circle 104 to provide sufficient HCI data to determine the earth center 106. Since these observations may be infrequent, the relative attitude of the spacecraft 100 changes for each observation time. Therefore, once the integrated angular rate data, and thus the attitude relative to some reference, for the first, second and third horizon crossings is obtained, the sensor bore-sight data for each of these observations is transformed back to a known reference time. In one example, the integrated angular rate data from the third and second horizon crossings is transformed back to first horizon crossing time T1.

Abstract: A satellite subsystem for a satellite employs a reconfigurable communications payload and active array antennas. The subsystem includes an active receive array antenna having a reconfigurable beam forming network for forming input beam signals from input signals received by the receive antenna from sources. An input switch matrix power divides the input beam signals into sets of input beam signals. Each of the channel signals corresponds to a respective channel of the input beam signals. The subsystem further includes a channelizer having a plurality of channel processors each receiving at least one input beam signal from the input switch matrix. The channel processors filter the input beam signals into channel signals. Each of the channel signals corresponds to a respective channel of the input beam signals. The channel processors change the frequency of at least one channel signal to route the at least one channel signal to a different channel than the respective channel of the input beam signals.