Abstract: An apparatus using field emission techniques to limit voltage on RF transmission lines. A voltage limiter comprises a cathode and an anode housed in an airtight tube, whereby the cathode comprises a field emitter array having a plurality of field tips distributed about the surface of an insulating layer, and a microstrip transmission line overlying the insulating layer and having a predetermined width to form electrical contact with a selected group of the field tips. The microstrip transmission line enables propagation of electromagnetic microwave energy over a bandwidth of multiple octaves. The field emitters enable the generation of a flow of electrons at a predetermined breakdown threshold voltage, without the necessity for an external source to induce electron flow. Generation of the electron flow by the field tips creates a reflection wave on the transmission line that interferes with the incident electromagnetic energy to limit the voltage on the transmission line.

Abstract: A warhead for use in air defense missiles has a flat-sided cross-sectional onfiguration which can be mass focused to direct an entire side onto a target. The warhead may be rotated about the missile longitudinal axis to properly orient a warhead side at the time of detonation.

Abstract: A laser transmitter is amplitude modulated with a chirp signal to illumin an entire scene or field of view. A mixing process occurs in the received light path using an electro-optic light modulator positioned just in front of the focal plane detector array. The detector array detects and integrates the mixed light signal over some field of view. Numerous image frames are recorded periodically in the time over the FM period. The Fourier transform taken over time for a pixel establishes the range to the target in that pixel. Performing the Fourier transform for all pixels yields a three-dimensional image of objects in the field of view. Such an arrangement yields a scannerless ladar possessing high range resolution with no range ambiguities.

Abstract: A module and a method of making the module is disclosed. The module is formed from a semiconductor substrate and a silicon carbide chip for high temperature applications. The module is designed to be compatible with current silicon IC processes.

Abstract: A response compensation circuit receives the response signal of a first or transducer having a known response constant, splits the signal into a first and a second signal, time differentiates the first signal, then passes this signal through a first inverting amplifier with a gain equal to the transducer response constant. The second signal is passed through a second inverting amplifier with a gain equal to one and this output and that of the first inverting amplifier are passed through a summing amplifier to produce response compensated output signal.

Abstract: A computational methodology significantly enhances the prior art representation of terrain and terrain-related processes. This methodology allows for the representation of terrain as a smooth surface containing realistic terrain features with a variable amount of terrain detail. The design includes improved methodology for the generation of examples of a variety of general terrain types as well as the representation of existing geographical areas. The process of surface construction insures that the surface has characteristics that accurately reflect the terrain under consideration, whether the representation is of a general terrain type (generic) or of a specific geographical area. As a consequence of the smooth surface being defined at every point of the geographical area, this terrain representation has infinite resolution.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to ultra high bandwidth, ultra high ample rate systems and more particularly to equivalent time sampling and signal reconstruction. The disclosed technique provides a means to obtain high SNR (signal to noise ratio), uniformly spaced, ET (equivalent time) measurements from data where each point may have differing SNR and/or where the data is not uniformly spaced. The invention disclosed provides least-square optimum SNR output data from a plurality of arbitrarily time-skewed input data. The invention further discloses an implementation of the technique that requires no matrix inversion, but instead puts nearly all operations in a vector multiply or vector add form. The disclosed technique vectorizes the required equations allowing the invention to be implemented in low cost real-time hardware--that is, DSP (digital signal processing) integrated circuits, common micro-processors, or special purpose chip sets.

Abstract: A missile or other smart munitions simulator uses an analog function simuor to simulate the detector signal of the missile's optical tracking components. The analog function simulator stores convoluted scene data for respective ranges between the missile and the `target` it is tracking. The scene data are stored in respective data matrices, and may correspond to the target itself or to the background. Depending on the value of variables produced during the missile tracking simulation, the analog function simulator accesses elements in the data matrices and interpolates between them, thereby producing an analog signal which simulates the detector signal of the missile's optical tracking components.

Abstract: A natural computational system and environment replaces domain-specific centional application programs by allowing the juxtaposition of text, graphs, tables, equations, and sketches while concurrently permitting the use of these computational features in calculations and other problem-solving procedures, allowing non-programmers to develop computational schemes and obtain solutions to domain problems in a natural manner, with little or no code development, using familiar representational schemes presented to the user with the same functionality as is provided by a textbook or handbook. Each of the features is made up of a plurality of objects in a hierarchical scheme which permits development and use of the features in a completely natural and flexible manner. The system and environment thus permits the development of electronic textbooks, handbooks, and catalogs in which the text and features are simultaneously displayed, but which permits interactive use of the features.

Abstract: A lead-acid (SLI) battery desulfator which is powered by the batteries wh it is conditioning when a motor associated with the batteries is off. The desulfator activates whenever an alternator supplies charge to the battery then deactivates itself upon expiration of a set time or is reset upon starting of the motor.

Abstract: A device for locating a position of impact of a projectile upon a planar surface of a target. The device includes a plurality of lamina-type parallel planes, fully covering the surface of the target. Each plane has at least two windings, disposed on its surface, which are arranged in zones forming a continuous conducting path. When a projectile breaks a winding, its location is rapidly sensed and reported. The pattern of wires and layers provides simple, direct compatibility of the output of the device with digital processing operations. An orthogonally situated second device locates the impact position in two dimensions and resolves possible errors in results due to the size of a projectile or a boundary hit. The device can also locate the impact of a second hit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for and method of simulating an image in real time under turbulent atmospheric conditions. The present invention is realized by expanding a first laser beam using a microscope-objective and a first lens. The expanded light is then projected onto a first LCLV. Light reflecting from the first LCLV is filtered, focused onto a diaphram, polarized, and directed along a path that is around two meters in length. The light is then split into a first beam and a second beam. The first beam is focused onto an optical fiber bundle which is connected to the first LCLV. One end of the optical fiber bundle is rotated with respect to the other end. The second beam is projected upon a second LCLV. A second laser beam is expanded and projected onto a LCTV. The image is provided to the LCTV. The LCTV image is projected onto, and modulated by the second LCLV.

Abstract: An optical waveguide device based on the self-imaging (Talbot) effect is closed. An induced mode index difference between the device's multimode propagation (MMP) region and its surrounding host region forms a total internal reflection (TIR) interface. A pair of TIR interfaces result in lateral waveguide mode confinement and self-imaging formation. Also disclosed is an improved method of manufacturing the waveguide device.

Abstract: In a high range resolution ladar, a chirp signal waveform is propagated as a divergent laser light waveform and the target reflected return is collected and converted to a current proportional to power. An undelayed chirp signal is added in a mixer to the return current and then low pass filtered to recover a mixed intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a frequency proportional to the target range. Periodically, the light circuit is interrupted and the chirp signal is processed through the mixer and low pass filter without a target return current and this output, the mixer self-clutter, is stored. This stored self-clutter signal is subsequently subtracted from the mixed IF signal on a chirp by chirp basis to cancel the self-clutter produced by the mixer. The subtracted signal is then frequency analyzed to determine target range.

Abstract: An antenna for radiating UWB RF pulses is disclosed. The antenna may incl a transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM) horn antenna section connected to a pair of a resistively loaded parallel plates. Each of a pair of protrusions may be connected one of the parallel plates and a shunt network is connected to the parallel plates. Each of said parallel plates includes a plurality of plate segments having varying widths. The protrusions may have a geometric shape such as a quadrilateral, rectangle, square semi-circle or triangle. The protrusions may be made of metal such as copper or aluminum or a resistive material such as carbon. Alternatively, the protrusion may be made of plated PC board such as glass epoxy or duoroid, a carbon composite or fiber glass plated with a conductive material such as copper, tin or carbon. This invention may also be used for narrow band applications, as the shunt network can be tuned to null certain frequency ranges.

Abstract: An integrated magnetic exploding foil initiator fire set includes a DC-DC converter with a first transformer, a triggering mechanism with a second transformer, and an integrated magnetic structure for the respective transformers. Inductive interference is minimized in the respective transformers by the construction and placement of the transformer windings. The use of planar magnetic core material and flexprint or printed circuit technologies for the windings reduces the cost and weight of the structure and provides a compact construction. Thus, the triggering mechanism provides higher energy and voltage output and eliminate the need for expensive spark-gap switches.

Abstract: A device and method for efficiently and repeatably optically aligning mulode optical fibers. Silicon V-grooves are used to position each fiber in a linear array. The fibers make up two arrays which are separable for repairs and upgrades. The alignment mechanism features a kinematic mounting using a metal balls. The device and method advantageously aligns fiber arrays of varying sizes.

Abstract: A photoconductive spread-spectrum communications system that includes a tsmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes an oscillating laser, a Pockels' cell, a delay cell, a photoconductive switch, and an antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic spread-spectrum signal. The receiver includes an oscillating laser, a Pockels' cell, an antenna for receiving a spread-spectrum signal, a photoconductive switch, a filter, and a threshold detector for regenerating the signal contained within the spread-spectrum transmission.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for the non-destructive inspection and/or evaluation of materials by the computer processing of images produced on/by an image conversion screen/device is disclosed in which the images are produced by placing the object to be inspected and/or evaluated between the screen/device and a source of x-rays from an x-ray machine having the capability of varying its focal spot area size. Two images, one created with a large focal spot size and one created with a small focal spot size are processed and then combined in such a manner so as to accentuate the fine structure detail in the resulting image.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprises a detector, an emitter and a modulator corporated into a single semiconductor chip. The optoelectronic device provides electrical isolation and optical interconnection (via waveguides) of the components of the semiconductor chip. Contacts for providing forward and reverse bias voltages are included in the device. The optoelectronic device is fabricated by growing a strained-layer quantum diode structure to produce a piezoelectric field in a quantum well, electrically isolating portions of the structure, and optically interconnecting portions of the structure. The fabrication is carried out by using an implant process or an etching process, and without having to use either regrowth techniques or packaging together of multiple optical elements.