Abstract: An attitude determining system for vehicles, such as spacecraft or for ground-based environments measures the angle between a reference and the line-of-sight to a star or other celestial object of known position or to aircraft and missiles. The system includes a rotating scanning telescopic sensor, and a fixed mirror positioned so that the sensor scans both the direct and the reflected line-of-sight of the celestial object in the course of each rotation. Associated transducers and electronic circuits determine the relative angular positions of the telescopic sensor at the instants it detects the direct and the reflected radiation from the celestial object. A computation based on the two angles gives the angular position of the celestial object relative to the vehicle reference. The system cancels or substantially reduces errors due to optical or electronic inaccuracies which identically affect the direct and the reflected angular position measurements.

Abstract: An array of equi-spaced photodetectors can be used to detect the reconstructed image of a binary-coded Fraunhofer hologram read out at a different wavelength from that employed in recording the hologram, without the chance of spurious data bits due to reinforcement of intermodulation components, by aperiodically spacing an array of points, corresponding to the bit positions of the binary code, during the recording of the hologram in an appropriate manner.

Abstract: A planar transferred electron device is biased such that the voltage across the anode and cathode electrodes is above that of a threshold voltage in the presence of which the device is characterized by a transfer of electrons from a high to a low mobility sub-band and the formation of domains. A reverse biasing potential is applied between the gate and cathode electrodes which is of sufficient magnitude to cause in the quiescent state the suppression of the formation of these domains. When signals above a given level are provided between the gate and cathode electrodes, the device operates according to a transferred electron effect including the formation of the domains.

Abstract: A linear high power transistor amplifier operable over a wide band of modulation frequencies wherein linearity of response is maintained by use of an active bias circuit.

Abstract: An optical scanner for focusing an optical beam on a surface, which may be at any of a range of distances, utilizes a plurality of optical plates. The plates, which are of different thicknesses, are selectively insertable in the optical beam path to focus the beam at the surface according to the particular distance thereof.

Abstract: Shift register data reordering system for reordering serial input data to an output data sequence according to a desired schema, using varying length registers with selective gating.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transducer in the form of a single wire shaped as a one-turn helix records a signal pattern on a web of magnetic material. The portion of the web including the recorded signal pattern thereafter passes opposite a magnetic fluid layer to provide an optical display.

Abstract: Passive or active networks responsive to changes in motor drive current alter the motor drive voltage or phase to damp hunting of the motor.

Abstract: A tracker for an air borne or maritime collision avoidance system includes digital logic to servo a track gate pulse about the target pulse. The logic is arranged to utilize range change data during the interval from the track gate pulse to a moving target pulse. This arrangement eliminates the need for a range counter to measure the entire range from the interrogation pulse to the target pulse. Instead, the range counter measures the range from the leading edge of the track gate pulse to the target pulse and compares the range counter value with a predetermined fixed number representing the range interval from the leading edge of the track gate to the target pulse of a perfectly centered target pulse, or, simply, one half the desired resolution of the system.

Abstract: Uncompressed linear frequency modulated signals from a radar or other type system are compressed in time by a digital matched filter employing a step transform process.

Abstract: A right parallelepiped object is located on an upwardly inclined moving conveyor having a low coefficient of friction and spaced apart cleats. A dimension to be oriented of the object is in one of three known orientations: along the conveyor, across the conveyor, or normal to the conveyor. Depending on the initial orientation and the desired orientation, the object is in one case rotated on the conveyor by a pivotally movable arm an amount in excess of 45.degree. and then oriented to complete a full 90.degree. rotation by one of the cleats advanced by the conveyor. Alternately, the object is moved off the conveyor onto a platform which is thereafter tilted such that the object falls to a given one of its other sides, thereafter being in its desired orientation.

Abstract: 1. Apparatus for deriving an electrical signal comprising, means for initially positioning a body along an axis including means for supporting said body so that said body is free to tilt and thereby depart from a position along said axis, means for rotating said body about said axis at a constant rotational velocity, thereby causing the body to exert a centrifugal force in a rotating radial line normal to said axis, and means responsive to variations in the force of said body along the said radial line of centrifugal force resulting from departure of said body from said position on said axis to provide an electrical signal with a periodicity equal to that of said rotation and variable in accordance with said force variations.

Abstract: A specimen containing biological cells is exposed to an electron beam. The secondary electrons emitted from the specimen are measured. Specimens with and without malignancy exhibit differences in magnitude of charging under an electron beam and differences in secondary electron energy distributions.

Abstract: A flying spot scanner is disclosed for scanning an object document or scene with a spot of light, and producing an electrical video signal representing the object. The scanner can be operated under normal ambient light conditions without a light-shielding enclosure. A light beam is deflected in repetitive scanning fashion over the object. The light beam is modulated in amplitude (intensity) at a radio frequency f.sub.c such as 1.2 MHz. A photodetector is positioned to receive light from the object, and it produces an unwanted electrical ambient light noise signal having a maximum frequency f.sub.a, and an electrical information signal consisting of a carrier at frequency f.sub.c modulated by a video signal having a maximum frequency f.sub.m, where f.sub.c - f.sub.m is larger than f.sub.a. The information signal is separated from the ambient light noise signal by a filter, and the information signal is demodulated to produce a facsimile or video information signal free of noise due to ambient light.

Abstract: Digital apparatus employing a direct frequency synthesizer for accurately measuring the phase difference between a received signal and a phase reference signal by calculating a coarse value based on the synthesizer's internal clock and subtracting therefrom a correction based on triangular relationships in the vicinity of the received signal's actual zero crossing point.

Abstract: A homodyne communication system comprising an interrogating unit and a plurality of responsive remote units wherein a continuous wave RF signal is transmitted from the interrogating unit to illuminate a remote unit. The remote unit causes a return (reply) signal to be transmitted or reflected back to the interrogating unit. A sample of the transmitted (interrogation) signal is mixed with the return signal. Amplitude nulls in the mixer output signal at given relative phase relationships between interrogation and reply signals, are substantially eliminated by selectively shifting the relative phase of the signals. Also disclosed are a homodyne communication system utilizing phase modulation to impress FSK signaling on the reply signal and an automatic vehicle location system utilizing the present invention.

Abstract: Vacuum controlled apparatus for automatically applying a label to an item which may not lie desirably along a given plane. A label head consists of two separate elements forming a chamber to which a source of vacuum is connected. One of the elements contains openings extending between a label holding surface and the chamber. When the label head is moved to the item to be labeled, overtravel is provided, causing the two elements to separate, which reduces the vacuum and allows the element holding the label to align the label holding surface with the surface of the item to be labeled. Also disclosed is a device for enhancing the stripping of a label from a label carrier.

Abstract: A two-inductor varactor tunable solid-state microwave oscillator comprising a series tunable circuit wherein one inductor is serially connected with a negative resistance active element, an impedance load, and a varactor. The circuit is tuned by changing the reactance of the circuit by varying electrically the capacitance of the varactor. The second inductor is connected in parallel with the varactor to increase the range of reactance change of the series circuit effected by the variation in capacitance of the varactor to provide thereby for a wider frequency tuning range.

Abstract: A low cost broadband antenna system particularly suitable for television reception is described wherein the feed line includes a pair of conductors mounted in insulated manner one above the other above a support boom with the conductors having a fixed separation from each other and from the boom, a fixed conductor diameter and boom dimension maintaining a constant impedance along the line. Dipoles extend transverse the longitudinal axis of the boom and are symmetrically disposed about the axis with the dipole half elements on the same side of the axis successively connected alternately to the first and second conductors of the pair.

Abstract: Counter with display devices for exhibiting successive identifiers in response to a change in ambient light such as used in reproducing an image. Each change in ambient light, such as the flash in a photocopying machine or flashbulbs in a camera, increments a counter which is coupled to display devices, which are disposed between the image to be reproduced and the image reproducing means, and which display an identifier corresponding to the number in the counter.