Abstract: A digital map system has a storage device for storing digital map data and a cartographic processor for generating maps utilizing digital map data from the storage device. The cartographic processor is configured to generate maps in a plurality of different formats.

Abstract: Optical coatings and methods of fabricating the same. According to a preferred embodiment, the optical coatings comprise polymeric films formed from the disassociation of chemical products from a gaseous hydrocarbon in plasma. The disassociation process is performed in low-pressure environment and without radio frequency substrate bias. The resultant optical coatings have superior stability, durability and flexibility and may be utilized on highly flexible substrates. The coatings of the present invention can additionally be utilized for multi-layer optical designs and further, may be doped with a polar material to thus cause the coating to possess a desired index of refraction.

Abstract: A fracture-resistant, thermally stable intake or exhaust valve for an internal combustion (IC) engine. The valve has a stem portion and a head portion, both of which are formed of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material. This FRCMC material generally includes a polymer-derived ceramic resin in its ceramic state, fibers, and filler materials. Employing FRCMC material to form the valve is advantageous as FRCMC material is highly temperature resistant and temperature stable, thereby allowing for increased engine operating temperatures. FRCMC material is also ductile, thus making the valve fracture resistant. The FRCMC material is also flaw-insensitive in that any flaw within the structure of the valve will not result in cracking and failure. In addition, FRCMC valves are considerably lighter than the existing metal valves. This provides an opportunity to reduce the weight of the overall valve train, thereby increasing engine performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a landing gear. The landing gear includes a trunnion having at least one principal pivot point. The principal pivot point is adapted to be pivotably coupled to an airframe to allow the trunnion to pivot about a principal trunnion pivot axis; the trunnion is operable to move between a deployed position and a stowed position by pivoting about the principal trunnion pivot axis. The trunnion further includes at least one secondary pivot point. The landing gear also includes a subframe having at least one principal pivot point. The principal pivot point of the subframe is pivotably coupled to the secondary pivot point of the trunnion to allow the subframe to pivot about a principal subframe pivot axis; the subframe is operable to move between a deployed position and a stowed position by pivoting about the principal subframe pivot axis. The landing gear further includes a wheel rotatably coupled to the subframe.

Abstract: A laser system for operation at elevated temperatures with minimal cooling requirements. The laser system comprises a laser media having first and second optical ends and an input port. The laser system further comprises at least one high-temperature laser diode which optically communicates with the laser media and is operative to generate a source beam of light which is transmitted into the input port of the laser media. Optically communicating with the first optical end of the laser media is at least one reflector, while optically communicating with the second optical end of the laser media is at least one optical coupler. The laser media, the reflector and the optical coupler are configured to form a laser resonator operative to generate a laser beam which is transmitted through the optical coupler.

Abstract: Sealed structural joints for use in manufacturing pressurized tank structures, and particularly cryogenic fuel tanks. In a preferred embodiment, the structural joints and seals comprise a strain-compliant material as applied to a joint or seam to provide a surface to bridge the joint with a continuous skin so as to provide a completed bonded inner surface. In the preferred embodiment, the strain-compliant material comprises honeycomb, although foam cores and homogenous elastomeric materials may also be utilized. Among the specific applications by which the joint seals of the present invention may be employed include splice joint seals, frame seals, and access cover openings.

Abstract: A method for creating coherent masses of burning matter for countermeasures purposes such as for protecting an aircraft and other vehicles from infrared “heat seeking” hostile missiles and also from high power Laser beams and Laser radar. One or more spurious sources of radiation are created controllably in the general vicinity of the aircraft being protected; in missile countermeasures, each of these spurious sources is capable of emitting infrared energy comparable in wave length and at a higher intensity than that emitted by the target aircraft itself such that the hostile missile will be decoyed away from its intended target by the spurious radiation sources. In this method, the spurious source of radiation is created by igniting a small amount of aircraft fuel that is gelled and controllably ejected from the aircraft.

Abstract: A spherical clevis assembly constructed as a generally U-shaped member having two generally parallel opposing arms and a base. Two opposing inwardly disposed mounting members each having a spherical portion are situated in a respective aperture of the respective arm of the U-shaped member. Each such aperture has a sidewall-defined entry of a diameter less than an adjacent curvature of the spherical portion of the mounting member to thereby permit the spherical portion to ride upon the sidewall-defined entry and be movable in axes in accord with the adjacent curvature of the spherical portion. A pin member extends between the mounting members to receive connected components whose mounting aperture surrounds the pin member as conventionally accomplished. Since each end of the pin member is situated within a respective mounting member, the arc movement and subsequent multiplanar movements translate to the pin member.

Abstract: A transformer that prevents breakage of the wire leads thereof. The transformer comprising a generally cylindrical bobbin having a plurality of windings wrapped therearound. Each of the windings has a respective first and second end. Attached to an end of the bobbin is a bobbin endplate having a plurality of first and second end lead breakouts disposed thereon. Accordingly, respective ones of the first ends are attached to respective first end lead breakouts and respective ones of the second ends are attached to respective second end lead breakouts in order to prevent breakage of the windings.

Abstract: A printed wiring board structure having at least one chip-carrying layer adjacent a core fabricated of a metal matrix having disposed therein continuous pitch based graphite fibers. The chip carrying layers and the core have an interface therebetween and are integrally connected to each other through vias plated with an electrically and thermally conductive material to thereby provide a plurality of connection sites along this interface. The matrix is preferably fabricated of aluminum. Preferred fibers are fabricated of pitch based graphite. A substantial weight savings over a common molybdenum core printed wiring board is realized due to the significant reduction in density of the core material.

Abstract: A composite electromagnetic absorber provides increased EMR absorption while being thinner and/or lighter than prior art EMR absorbers. To accomplish this, synthetic dielectric materials are combined with either synthetic magnetic materials or magnetically lossy materials in such a way that the permittivity and permeability of the composite material are substantially matched over the desired range of frequency. The match in the permittivity and permeability allows the majority of the electromagnetic fields to enter the material where the electric and magnetic loss components absorb the electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A method of communicating to a RF tag having a low power mode and a scan mode with a radar and an interrogator. The method comprises the steps of alternating the RF tag between the low power mode and the scan mode and then transmitting a wake-up call to the RF tag with the radar. Next, the wake-up call is received from the radar by the RF tag when the RF tag is in the scan mode. Once the wake-up call has been received, the radar will transmit a downlink message to the RF tag. Upon receipt of the downlink message, the RF tag will send an uplinked message to the radar. After the uplink message has been sent to the radar, the RF tag will return to the low power mode. By alternating the RF tag between the low power mode and the scan mode, the power consumption of the RF tag is greatly reduced thereby increasing the battery life thereof.

Abstract: A pressure application device for applying pressure to a repair patch of a variable contoured aircraft surface, the pressure applicator device is provided with an inflatable pressure bladder. The bladder is configured for applying pressure to the repair patch and is formed of a generally fluid tight elastic material. The pressure applicator device is further provided with at least one variable direction adjustable arm. The arm is disposed in mechanical communication with the bladder for facilitating the application of pressure by the bladder to the repair path upon inflation of the bladder. The bladder is further provided with at least one suction device for providing suction attachment to the aircraft surface. The bladder is attachable to a respective one of the at least one variable direction adjustable arm. The arm facilitates selective attachment of the respective suction device to the variable contoured aircraft surface while maintaining the position of the bladder with respect to the repair path.

Abstract: An integrated, layered armor structure having multiple layers which alternate in their exhibited characteristics between extremely hard and ductile. The extremely hard layers of the armor structure are designed to shatter an impacting projectile, or pieces thereof, and to fracture in such a way as to dissipate at least a portion of the kinetic energy associated with the projectile pieces and to disperse the projectile pieces and hard layer fragments over a wide area. The ductile layers of the armor structure are designed to yield under the force of impinging projectile pieces and hard layer fragments from an adjacent hard layer. This yielding dissipates at least a portion of the remaining kinetic energy of these pieces and fragments. Pieces and fragments not possessing sufficient kinetic energy to tear through the ductile layer are trapped therein and so stopped.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a low observable fastener for use with a panel structure having a panel bore formed therein. The panel structure has a RAM panel layer formed thereon. The RAM panel layer has a RAM panel layer bore formed therethrough aligned with the panel bore. The RAM panel layer bore defines an inner surface. The fastener is provided with a fastener head disposable within the panel bore. The fastener head has a tool engagement recess formed therein. The fastener is further provided with a RAM treatment layer disposed upon the fastener head. The RAM treatment layer has a fastener access bore aligned with the tool engagement recess of the fastener head. The RAM treatment layer further has a cylindrical outer surface sized and configured to be concentrically received by the inner surface of the RAM panel layer.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus for accomplishing the method, for determining the frequency of an RF signal that operates by sequentially applying a received RF signal to sequentially selected individual filters having predetermined frequency pass bands and comparing the magnitudes of the filtered and unfiltered RF signals. The frequency of the RF signal is determined as being within the predetermined frequency pass band of a filter that outputs a largest magnitude output signal relative to the magnitude of the RF signal. Signals of insufficient magnitude are not processed by the system.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for simultaneously producing a plurality of capacitive electroacoustic transducers. The method comprises forming a plurality of electrically insulative substrates by cutting circular slots to an insulating wafer. Each slot is interrupted by at least two tabs connecting a circular area with the remainder of the wafer. The conductive diaphragms are supported on diaphragm mounting rings disposed upon the substrate, spaced from a first electrode. The mounting rings space the diaphragm from the electrode to define a capacitor operative to convert electrical and acoustical signals.

Abstract: An optical filter for intentionally blurring camera images has a generally transparent material and a plurality of optical distortions formed in the transparent material. Placement of the transparent material longitudinally in the optical path of a camera in front of the aperture stop allows contouring the blur across the image plane. That contour is preferably random, so as to defeat digital methods for image restorations. Additionally, a linear gradient is utilized to even-out the ground resolution on oblique cameras or localized to even-out resolution on cameras that have areas of unwanted high resolution.

Abstract: A method for implementing a timed division multiple access protocol for digital communications between a radio transceiver and a repeater or another radio transceiver has the steps of dividing a radio communication into a plurality of frames having a predetermined length of time; dividing each frame into: a plurality of downlink slots, each downlink slot containing a transmission from the repeater to the transceiver; and a plurality of uplink slots, each uplink slot containing a transmission from the transceiver to the repeater.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for regulating a high voltage DC supply derived from a plurality of unstable high voltage signals. The invention functions to derive a high voltage DC signal from a received unstable high voltage signals. A derived signal is modulated and communicated to a series resonant regulation circuit by varying the operating frequency of the modulation device, while maintaining a fixed pulsed width full duty cycle operation, the output signal is translated in relation to the resonant frequency of the series resonant circuit, causing corresponding variations in the output voltage level.