Abstract: An on-board entertainment display housing system for mounting flat panel displays, incorporating a plurality of interlocking extensions on a pair of mated panels coupled via a cam lock that provides operational support and rapid maintenance access to the flat panel.

Abstract: A receiver and method for acquiring a large pseudorandom (PN) sequence such as a GPS P(Y) code signal with poor or no knowledge of an external time reference are disclosed. A reference PN sequence is sectioned into a predetermined number of subsequences. The large PN sequence to be acquired is received from a remote source. The received PN sequence is correlated with each of the predetermined number of subsequences simultaneously. The large PN sequence is acquired, and a GPS solution may be provided, in the event the correlation produces a correlation between the received PN sequence and one of the predetermined number of subsequences. The large PN sequence may acquired without knowledge of an external time reference in a reasonable amount of time (e.g., less than ten minutes).

Abstract: An alignment detector is disclosed that determines whether a first element has been moved to a predetermined position relative to a second element. The detector includes an emitter that is secured within a first optical chamber. A first detector is secured within a second optical chamber. The first optical chamber is optically connected to the second optical chamber such that a signal emitted from the emitter is detectable by the detector. An occluding element at least partially obstructs the signal when the first element has been moved to the predetermined position.

Abstract: A method of compensating for differential aging of independent emitters in a display is disclosed. According to the method, an image on the display is periodically sampled to determine how often each independent emitter is used. A history is compiled of the use of each independent emitter for a predetermined time. The amount of luminance decay that each independent emitter has experienced over the predetermined time is estimated. The maximum luminance of each independent emitter is adjusted so that the maximum luminances of all of the independent emitters is substantially the same as the maximum luminance of the independent emitter that has experienced the most decay.

Abstract: An in-flight entertainment system provides live video/audio programming to passengers and operators over an aircraft video/audio distribution system. The programming signals are derived from intermediate frequency (IF) signals that are produced by frequency downconverting satellite broadcast signals and supplied over a pair of IF signal output cables. The control signals and the DC power used in the frequency downconversion process are received over the same IF signal output cables, but in a reverse direction. A bias-T connector is provided in each of the IF signal output cables to extract out the control signals and the DC power.

Abstract: A single event upset (SEU) resistant semiconductor circuit element and a method of making are provided by the invention. The single event upset resistant semiconductor circuit element includes a plurality of parallel-connected semiconductor cell elements. Each semiconductor cell element of the plurality of parallel-connected semiconductor cell elements is physically separated from the other cell elements. Moreover, the semiconductor cell elements may be physically separated by at least one intervening semiconductor cell element of another circuit element.

Abstract: A multiple altitude radar system for an aircraft performs a main radar sweep at an altitude of the aircraft and at least one secondary radar sweep at an angle from the altitude of the aircraft to a ground altitude.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an air pressure sensor is disclosed. A plurality of sensor circuitry modules are formed on a first side of a silicon wafer. A plurality of cavities on a second side of the silicon wafer are formed. Each of the plurality of cavities is aligned with one of the plurality of sensor circuitry modules. A glass wafer is attached to the second side of the silicon wafer. The silicon wafer and the glass wafer are cut such that a single sensor circuitry module is separated from the other sensor circuitry modules and a portion of the glass wafer remains attached to the sensor circuitry module so that the cavity opposite the sensor circuitry module is enclosed by the portion of the glass wafer to form a reference pressure chamber therebetween. The sensor circuitry module is flexibly mounted to an interior surface of a sensor housing. The sensor circuitry module is electrically connected to external conductive connectors.

Abstract: An integrated frequency source with an integrated frequency standard and an integrated frequency synthesizer is disclosed. A voltage-controlled oscillator in the frequency standard is eliminated with a resulting improvement in phase noise. A reference frequency in the frequency standard is provided directly to the frequency synthesizer. The integrated frequency source is put on frequency over temperature by storing reference frequency errors over temperature in a lookup table, measuring the temperature, and calculating in a microprocessor synthesizer control data that offsets the synthesizer to compensate for reference frequency errors.

Abstract: A high-reliability display system is disclosed. The display system includes a plurality of projection channels. Each projection channel projects a substantially mutually exclusive portion of an image onto a display area. A controller determines the content and size of each portion that each projection channel projects onto the display area so that the image substantially fills the display area during normal conditions. When one of the projection channels is inoperative, the controller adjusts the portions of the image that are projected by the operative projection channels to optimize the image on the display area.

Abstract: An LCD heater having independent closed loop control over heating for a plurality of zones on the display, wherein each zone has a relatively homogeneous heat dissipation or heat sinking properties and one of the zones is a central region of the display which is heated by an ITO film and has its temperature sensed, by a transparent sensor, at a central point within the viewable section of the LCD.

Abstract: A system and method for illuminating a push-button type avionics mechanical-to-electrical rotary switch, which includes an optical fiber extending through a hollow shaft in said switch, and where said optical fiber provides illumination of the push button when depressed.

Abstract: An aircraft satellite communications system for distributing Internet service and television programming from direct broadcast satellites to aircraft. The aircraft include a direct broadcast satellite receiver system, an aircraft computer network, and back-channel communications system equipment. The direct broadcast satellites receive uplink direct broadcast satellite television programming and Internet service from a direct broadcast satellite ground station that includes a direct broadcast satellite television program source and an Internet interface. A back-channel communications system provides communications with the aircraft to provide interactive Internet service to the aircraft over the back-channel communications system. A telephone system is connected to a back-channel communications system ground station and to a switch center connected to the telephone system and the Internet.

Abstract: A conditional TAWS algorithm, system and method for providing advanced warnings of potential hazard situations which could result from changes in heading and vertical speed.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling light emitted by a group of independent strings of LEDs in an LED backlight for a flat panel LCD display, in which optical feedback is used to increase a light output of remaining strings of LEDs when a string fails.

Abstract: Attitude of a spinning vehicle is determined by observing at least one of the apparent amplitude modulation and the apparent phase modulation of a navigation signal received from a navigation source. Vectors describing the direction from the vehicle to the navigation source are computed and used to determine attitude relative to the navigation source. Inertial sensors are demodulated to remove rotation artifacts and used to anticipate rapid maneuvers.

Abstract: A system for deploying a wireless LAN in a battlefield which includes a quasi-cylindrical antenna/housing which is adapted to be positionally unstable in orientations where the antenna would be non-operational.

Abstract: A system and method for fabricating a polarizer for use in an LCD, which includes cutting said polarizer so that an absorption axis of the polarizer is aligned with an edge of the polarizer by using an optical sensor, coupled to a cutting machine, where the optical sensor uses a rotating reference polarizer to determine a null point of transmission through the polarizer and thereby determine any offset of the absorption axis with respect to an edge of the polarizer.

Abstract: A method for determining the location of a high frequency emitter when the location of the emitter is unknown. The signal broadcast from the emitter is observed. Based on the time of the broadcast, the frequency of the broadcast, and the observed signal to noise ratio of the broadcast, it is possible to determine areas where the emitter is likely to be located. Several observations of the signal are compared to find an intersection of all areas where the emitter is likely to be located. The area of intersection is the most likely location of the emitter.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for utilizing the communication channel resources between source and destination nodes in a network of transceiver nodes, wherein each node communicates during specific times slots and uses multiple frequencies on a time division multiple access basis. Each node utilizes a soft circuit protocol so that enough slots are assigned on each node's outgoing communication links to satisfy the requirements of the traffic passing through each node. In one embodiment, a soft circuit is established by sending a route trace packet which contains the capacity requirement for a particular traffic stream from the source node to the destination node. In a second embodiment, a soft circuit is established by using a push path wherein the traffic pushes its way through the network to establish the circuit along the way from the source node to a destination node.