Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a configurable ground plane for a matched antenna so that by configuring or changing the ground plane shape in a controlled manner, a change in the radiation pattern can be achieved such that the main beam of the antenna is steered in a particular direction, and a null in another direction. According to one aspect of the present invention, antennas such as monopole or patch antennas with a configurable ground plane of the present invention with a plurality of configurable sectors can be made to change in shape, size and conductivity. Such ground plane modifications can be used to select the direction of maximum gain away from a direction of interference, such in the case of tactical jamming. Likewise, the ground plane modifications can be used to steer the maximum directivity of an antenna in a desired direction for increased signal integrity.

Abstract: A method of distinguishing center-frequency-tuned signals from off-tuned signals and noise in a single-channel receiver, comprising: receiving a signal with the single-channel receiver; storing the signal in a memory store; calculating the variance of a time-windowed segment of the signal; storing data representing the variance of the segment in the memory store; calculating the kurtosis of the segment of the signal; storing data representing the kurtosis of the segment in the memory store; comparing the variance data and the kurtosis data to variance and kurtosis thresholds respectively; identifying the segment as center-frequency-tuned if the variance of the segment exceeds the variance threshold and the kurtosis falls below the kurtosis threshold; and identifying the segment as non-center-frequency-tuned if the variance of the segment is less than or equal to the variance threshold and/or the kurtosis is greater than or equal to the kurtosis threshold.

Abstract: The underlying objective of this invention is to show how fuzzy sets (and information granules in general) and grammatical inference play an interdependent role in information granularization and knowledge-based problem characterization. The bottom-up organization of the material starts with a concept and selected techniques of data compactification which involves information granulation and gives rise to higher order constructs (type-2 fuzzy sets). The detailed algorithmic investigations are provided. In the sequel, we focus on Computing with Words (CW), which in this context is treated as a general paradigm of processing information granules. We elaborate on a role of randomization and offer a detailed example illustrating the essence of the granular constructs along with the grammatical aspects of the processing.

Abstract: A method for quantifying the effective loss of a mast-clamp-current-probe (MCCP) antenna comprising the following steps: providing a vector network analyzer (VNA) having first and second ports (Ports 1 and 2 respectively); coupling a transmit monopole antenna to Port 1 via a first transmission line; coupling a receive antenna to Port 2 via a second transmission line; determining the S-parameters of the two coupled antennas; calculating the power at the receive antenna (Pr); converting the transmit antenna to the MCCP antenna by shorting the transmit antenna to ground and clamping a current probe around the transmit antenna; determining the S?-parameters of the MCCP antenna and the receive antenna; calculating the power at the receive antenna (Pr?) when coupled to the MCCP antenna; and quantifying the effective loss of the MCCP antenna as the difference Pr?Pr?.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for forming battery tray for holding cylindrical cell batteries. The method includes forming a battery try including a base support having a generally flat bottom surface and multiple adjacent cylindrical cavities are formed within the base support, using a circle packing algorithm to form the cylindrical cavities. The adjacent cavities each have at least some interstitial cylindrical riser wall structures formed with a predetermined height to hold the cylindrical cell batteries. In another embodiment, the present invention allows for packing maximum energy density per layer. This allows lifetime and power output of a battery powered device to be optimized and/or increased.

Abstract: The present invention enables the construction and deployment of semantic search engines, which learn. Here, the learning necessarily occurs in unsupervised mode given the huge amount of text being searched and the resultant impracticality of providing human feedback. That is, it acquires a lexicon of synonyms and the context for their proper application by searching a moving window of text and compiling the results. No human operator is involved. This allows for the practical search, using machine learning techniques, of very large textual bases.

Abstract: A circulator-enabled signals suppressor (CENSOR) for reducing co-site interference comprising: a first circulator comprising first, second, and third ports, wherein the first port is disposed to receive an incoming signal from an antenna, wherein the incoming signal comprises a desired signal and an interference signal; a first reflective, tunable bandpass filter-bank operatively coupled to the second port, disposed to reflect a reflected signal back into the second port and also to produce a filtered signal, wherein the reflected signal comprises the desired signal and a reflected portion of the interference signal, and the filtered signal comprises a majority portion of the interference signal; and a receiver operatively coupled to the third port and disposed to receive the reflected signal.

Abstract: A new production generation method comprising: a.) storing a list of productions on a memory store on a computer, wherein each production comprises a context and a consequent, each context and consequent comprising at least one feature; b.) searching the production list for productions with contexts that match a user-provided context; and c.) if no context-matching production is found, i.) randomly selecting a sub-set of features from the user-provided context, ii.) selecting from the production list by uniform chance a first production with a context that matches the selected feature sub-set, iii.) substituting the feature or feature sub-set with the consequent of the first production to create a first feature set, iv.) replacing features in the first feature set as specified by predefined rules to create a new feature set, and v.) displaying a new production consisting of the user-provided context and the new feature set.

Abstract: A lighter than air (LTA) balloon and payload for the LTA balloon are stored on or in an underwater launcher. The launcher provides a source for a supply of a lighter than air gas, which is operatively connected to the LTA balloon until release. On deployment, the lighter than air gas is generated. The LTA balloon is deployed by activating the launcher to fill the LTA balloon and then releases the LTA balloon.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an optical signal comprising: directing the optical signal into a scanning spectrometer system comprising a variable-wavelength filter and a detector; continuously modulating the variable-wavelength filter at a given modulation frequency to produce a time-based waveform; measuring the time-based waveform with the detector; converting the time-based waveform into a frequency spectrum comprising harmonics of the modulation frequency; and comparing the harmonics of the modulation frequency to premeasured harmonic spectra in a reference database.

Abstract: An ambient electric field detector comprising: a collection mechanism disposed to generate a current signal in response to the ambient electric field; an input current mirror operatively coupled to the collection mechanism and disposed to amplify and duplicate the current signal to generate a duplicate signal; and an odd number (i) of at least three nonlinear, over-damped, bi-stable elements coupled uni-directionally in a ring such that the ring of elements oscillates, wherein at least one of the elements has a different initial state than the other elements and each element is disposed to receive the duplicate signal.

Abstract: A broadband cage antenna about a mast of a vessel is described, containing a first plurality of wires aligned in a substantially vertical orientation and arranged circumferentially around the mast; a second plurality of wires aligned in a substantially horizontal orientation and placed around the mast, a first wire of the second plurality of wires joining, near a top portion of the mast, all the first plurality of wires, and a second wire of the second plurality of wires joining, near a bottom portion of the mast, all the first plurality of wires; and an antenna feed coupled to the second wire of the second plurality of wires, wherein the first and second plurality of wires are electrically insulated from the mast, to form a broadband antenna having a VSWR response of less than 4 over a designated frequency range.

Abstract: A composite flexible and aerodynamic load bearing wing structure suitable for compact unmanned vehicles, is described. Flexible printed circuitry and micro fuel cells can be incorporated as, or part of, the flexible aerodynamic structure. Accordingly, the overall system configuration can be optimized with respect to weight, space and size requirements. The flexible aerodynamic structure for the unmanned vehicle may be configured with a flexible dielectric substrate having an electrical contact on at least one surface of the substrate, and a flexible printed circuit disposed upon the substrate. The printed circuit can flex with the substrate and the substrate, with the printed circuit, to form a load lifting aerodynamic wing configuration when unfolded from a folded position.

Abstract: An energy harvester comprising: a substrate; two magnets coupled to the substrate in close proximity to each other with like magnetic poles facing each other creating a flux gap; a coil coupled to the substrate and disposed within the flux gap, wherein the coil and the magnets are coupled to the substrate such that substrate acceleration causes relative elastic motion between the magnets and the coil thereby exposing the coil to a changing magnetic flux; and a resonant frequency tuner coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the coil and the magnets.

Abstract: Fabrication of a semiconductor structure is achieved by using a Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN) tip to apply a metal catalyst to a prepared substrate. The catalyst is applied in a predetermined pattern, and crystal growth is established at the catalyst site.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing clocks between local and remote unix-like computers comprising: sending internet control message protocol (ICMP) ping packets between at least two computers in a network; archiving ICMP echo-request and echo-reply packets from the networked computers in an archive file with an ICMP packet capture utility; including information in each echo-request sent from a local computer to a remote computer comprising: (1) the local time stamp of when the last echo-request from the remote computer was received at the local computer, and (2) the local time stamp of when the corresponding echo-reply was sent from the local computer; calculating an approximate clock offset between the networked computers based on the time stamps; and synchronizing the clocks of the networked computers based on the approximate clock offset of the computers.

Abstract: The present invention provides an array of tunable, injection-locking oscillators which are scalable to higher frequencies and measure the entire relevant frequency space simultaneously. The scalable, highly-parallelized, adaptive receiver architecture uses arrays of tunable, injection-locking nonlinear oscillator rings for broad spectrum RF analysis. Three separate and different microelectronic circuit configurations, each having a different type of readout, are described. The embodiments are designed to be incorporated as a subsystem in any type of powered system in which a fast image of the broader spectrum is valuable, when no information about the location of signals in the frequency space is predictable or forthcoming.

Abstract: An antenna comprising: a first current probe comprising a core of ferromagnetic material having an aperture therein; a pump comprising a nozzle, wherein the pump is configured to pump a free-standing stream of electrolytic fluid out the nozzle and through the aperture such that the stream and the current probe are magnetically coupled; and a first transceiver operatively coupled to the current probe.

Abstract: A multi-band antenna comprising a conductive structure and a plurality of current probes coupled around the conductive structure is disclosed. An existing antenna capable of generating H fields having a first signal line is converted into a multi-signal line antenna with increased frequency capabilities, by mounting a first current probe having a designated frequency range about a periphery of the existing antenna; coupling a second signal line to the first current probe; and performing at least one of transmitting and receiving via at least one of the first and second signal lines, wherein the mounting of the first current probe to the existing antenna improves a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the existing antenna and the second signal line operates as an independent signal line for signal reception/transmission within the designated frequency range.

Abstract: A knowledge-based decision support system that allows for communication and learning to occur using natural language is presented. The system has a capability to automatically extract features from the natural language using symmetric reductions and random search. The iterative generalization of the rule base and checking of the resultant base against a case base from which the generalizations are induced is also provided. The decision support system can be used to search semi-structured databases and automatically learns new knowledge and search control knowledge where it is most needed based on the pattern of previous rule firings.