Abstract: A flexible filter for use in filtering wavelengths of light that interfere with night vision awareness systems is disclosed. A filtering material is applied to a first flexible film in a substantially liquid form and is cured thereto using ultraviolet light. The filtering material filters wavelengths of light between about 610 and 930 nanometers when cured. A second flexible film is temporarily held in place by a support member. The second flexible film is applied to the cured filtering material and is fused thereto using a combination of increased temperature and pressure for a predetermined time. The first and second flexible films are made of polyurethane.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 21, 2005
Date of Patent:
December 11, 2007
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
Inventors:
James D. Sampica, Albert N. Stuppi, Tracy J. Barnidge, Sandra S. Dudley, Gary N. Prior
Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically displaying to a flight crew member a list of electronic charts appropriate for a set flight plan or alternatively displaying the appropriate chart in response to information input into an FMS.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 9, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 14, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins
Inventors:
Ian J. Bull, Clive J. Littlechild, Stephen R. Johnson, Roger D. Burns
Abstract: An interference-aided signal acquisition and tracking system includes a vehicle, an interference detector, a noise canceller, and a signal processor. The vehicle has at least two receivers configured to detect external signals and the at least two receivers have an output dependent on attitude of the vehicle. The interference detector measures the output of at least one of the at least two receivers. The noise canceller combines the output of the at least two receivers. The signal processor extracts a desired signal from the output of the noise canceller. The output of the interference detector is used to control the noise canceller as to reject unwanted signals and enhance performance of the signal processor in extracting the desired signal.
Abstract: A phased array antenna with an egg crate array structure is formed from metallic row slats that form a floor and ceiling of each array element. Column slats with slots engage the row slots to form the egg crate array structure. EMXT devices are located on the column slats such that a pair of EMXT devices form array element walls. The column slats are formed from U-shaped column strips configured such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side. The column strips sides are mounted back-to-back with sides of adjacent column strips to form the column slats. Circuit devices for operation of the antenna are mounted on the U-shaped column strip and a connector is mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 18, 2002
Date of Patent:
November 23, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins
Inventors:
John C. Mather, Christina M. Conway, James B. West, Gary E Lehtola, Joel M. Wichgers
Abstract: A method of generating a synthetic pressure altitude is disclosed. The method includes providing a static air temperature to a data processing device. The method also includes providing a wind velocity, a ground velocity, and a geometric altitude to the data processing device. Further, the method includes performing a numerical integration based on the static air temperature, the wind velocity, the ground velocity, and the geometric altitude. The wind velocity and the ground velocity are used to estimate pressure gradients not included in a static air column model.
Abstract: A light engine for an LCD projector is disclosed. More particularly, a liquid crystal display projector including a light source emitting a light beam, a light engine, and a projection lens is disclosed. The light engine includes a polarizing beam splitter for receiving the light beam from the light source. The polarizing beam splitter orthogonally reflects a light beam containing multiple colors and passes a first light beam containing a single color. The light engine also includes a dichroic prism that receives the light beam containing multiple colors, reflects a second light beam containing a single color, and passes a third light beam containing a single color. Further, the light engine includes reflective liquid crystal displays associated with each of the first, second, and third light beams containing a single color for receiving, modulating, and reflecting modulated first, second, and third light beams containing a single color for recombination and projection through the projection lens.
Abstract: A terrestrially deployed flexible antenna is disclosed. The antenna includes a planar, flexible dielectric material having a first side and a second side. A flexible conductive ground plane is secured to the first side of the dielectric material. At least one flexible, planar conductive element is secured to the second side of the flexible dielectric material. The flexible dielectric material is bonded to form a collapsible enclosed volume with the ground plane forming an inner surface of the enclosed volume. A propellant is disposed within tie enclosed volume. The propellant releases a predetermined volume of gas when ignited. An igniter ignites the propellant to release the predetermined volume of gas, to thereby temporarily expand the enclosed volume to a predetermined shape such that the ground plane, the dielectric material, and the at least one conductive element cooperate to form a resonant antenna circuit.
Abstract: A technique is provided to resolve “bright on” pixels defects in a normally white liquid crystal display. A laser operating with a wavelength in the visible range permits the ablation of material coated or adhered to a glass substrate of the liquid crystal display without causing thermal or mechanical damage to the glass substrate. The laser is used to darken the defective pixel by focusing on color filter of the defective pixel. After a portion of the color filter is darkened, a minor defect exists.
Abstract: A computer is used to manage communication over a network between one or more network addressable units and a plurality of physical devices of a passenger entertainment system. The system is configured and operated using software to provide passenger entertainment services including audio and video on-demand, information dissemination, product and service order processing, video teleconferencing and data communication services. The system includes a system server and a network supporting multiple computer processors. The processors and the server comprise application software that control telephony applications and network services. The server is coupled by way of the network to physical devices of the system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 26, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins
Inventors:
Alan J. Weinberger, Joseph J. Renton, Rick Neugaubauer
Abstract: A protocol for assignment, by an assigning node, of slots for full duplex communication in a dynamic distributed, multi-channel, time division environment is disclosed. The protocol is suitable for use with a dynamic assignment protocol such as USAP. The protocol can identify slots available for allocation for unicast communications or for allocation for broadcast communications. Nodes of the network share communication slot scheduling information. A node having data to communicate can examine the shared information and thereby identify those communication slots that are available for full-duplex communication with a selected neighboring node.
Abstract: A reflectarray antenna with a scanned radiated beam has an antenna feed for radiating a wave. A reflecting surface excited by the wave is reflected from a reflecting surface located on a tunable substrate in accordance with a variable surface impedance of the tunable substrate modulated to scan the radiated beam. The tunable substrate surface impedance is varied by modulating the dielectric constant or the permeability. The tunable substrate may be an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) material electromagnetic crystal (EXMT) structure to vary the surface impedance. The reflecting surface may be located on short-circuited waveguides with a variable surface impedance modulated to scan the radiated beam by adjusting phase shifts of the waveguides with tunable substrate phase shifter located in the waveguides or by adjusting the position of a piezoelectric movable short.
Abstract: A demand data distribution system architecture applicable to data distribution systems and entertainment systems is disclosed. The demand distribution system architecture includes data sources and nodes for receiving data over a high-speed serial data bus such as IEEE 1394. The nodes receive data on demand from the data sources on channels assigned to the nodes. The demand data distribution system includes such fault tolerant features as a loop gate for looping around failed elements of the system.
Abstract: A passenger entertainment system operates using system software to provide services including audio and video on-demand, information dissemination, product and service order processing, and video teleconferencing and data communication. The system software routes and processes passenger transactions and dispatches resources to respond to the transactions. A database contains data relating to services provided by the system and the resources that provide the services. A processor stores object oriented application programming interface calls corresponding to the services provided by the system. The processor receives a passenger transaction requesting a particular service and processes it to generate a database query using a selected object oriented application programming interface call. A database server queries the database using the selected object oriented application programming interface call to generate an appropriate response to the passenger transaction.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 26, 1998
Date of Patent:
October 19, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins
Inventors:
Alan J. Weinberger, Douglas C. Infiesto, Joseph J. Renton, Rick Neugaubauer
Abstract: A method of generating a synthetic pressure altitude is disclosed. The method includes providing a static air temperature to a data processing device. The method also includes providing a geometric altitude to the data processing device. Further, the method includes performing a numerical integration based on the static air temperature and the geometric altitude.
Abstract: The invention is an on-axis optical projection system that displays an image on a projection surface. The optical projection system includes a light source and a reflective LCD microdisplay that modifies light from the light source to form a desired image. The LCD microdisplay reflects light toward the projection surface. A mirror reflects light from the light source in a first optical path toward the LCD microdisplay. The mirror does not affect the polarization orientation of the light reflected thereupon. A plurality of lenses are positioned within the system to focus and direct light along the first optical path and along a second optical path from the microdisplay to the projection surface. The first optical path is substantially opposite in direction to the second optical path. The plurality of lenses includes a dual-purpose lens that simultaneously transmits light along both the first optical path and the second optical path.
Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying FMS information to a pilot with a map segment and a configurable window of textual information which is configurable both in size and content.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 8, 1999
Date of Patent:
September 28, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins
Inventors:
Gary L. Owen, Sarah Barber, George W. Palmer
Abstract: A data communications receiver incorporating soft decision error correction decoding and a means to set the amplitude or threshold for quantized soft decisions in a near-optimum manner to a soft decision decoder. In one embodiment the means for setting the amplitude or threshold measures the soft decisions from a quantizer and marks data bits as weak or strong. The gain or threshold is automatically adjusted to achieve a desired fraction if each marking. The desired fraction is chosen as the value that optimizes performance of the soft decision decoder.
Abstract: An LED backlight system for dual mode operation with an NVIS system which utilizes non-edge lit night mode LED and a thermal conduction path from the day mode array of LEDS to a rearward disposed heat sink which cross the night mode array of LEDS. The system includes first and second LED arrays, the second array being located behind the first array. Light from the second LED array pass through a plurality of apertures located on the circuit card supporting the first array.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for the receiver directed assignment of receive slots in a dynamic assignment communication system. The apparatus including a memory component storing communication assignment data for a plurality of time slots in a time multiplex structure and a processor component capable of identifying a set of available time slots from the plurality of time slots. The apparatus being capable of assigning itself a receive slot, which can be a broadcast receive slot, from the set of available time slots. The method involves establishing a network wherein network communication is accomplished via assignment of specific time slots of a time multiplex structure. The method further involves determining a set of available time slots suitable for reception, by a receiving node, of a communication from a neighboring node, the receiving node then assigning to itself a receive slot from the set of available time slots.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 19, 2000
Date of Patent:
September 14, 2004
Assignee:
Rockwell Collins, Inc.
Inventors:
C. David Young, Edgar L. Caples, Jeffrey A. Barton, James A. Stevens
Abstract: An e-mail delivery and transmission system has been developed for an aircraft environment to meet the special needs of the aircraft passenger. Due to the tenuous and expensive nature of the communications link between an aircraft and a ground based e-mail computer server, the system has streamlined the data exchange to provide only the information desired by the passenger, reducing costs and providing a more efficient system. The streamlining includes sequencing frames of data and tracking the delivery status of these frames, such that if there is an interruption of the communication link during the transmission of data, only unsent frames are delivered upon reconnection. Other features include call initiation options for contacting the ground server from the aircraft, and statistics gathering functions for providing the passenger with accrued costs, data transmission, and call time.