Abstract: An adjustable rugged antenna coupler assembly for primary use in portable radios. Connector means in combination with a pair of gasket means, signal carrying means and encasement means combine to provide an improved adjustable antenna coupler assembly. The connector means is mated with complementary threadings in the radio casing thereby providing an antenna coupler readily adjustable such that the antenna is always pointed in a desired direction, such as skyward.

Abstract: An avionics line replaceable unit (LRU), of the type having numerous electronic circuit cards disposed therein in a parallel fashion. The cards being securely held in place when the cover of the LRU is screwed on thereby actuating a spring which transfers force to the circuit cards.

Abstract: A telephone call may be made to a remote vehicle, such as a long haul truck, located in an unknown cellular telephone cell in a remote service area. The remote vehicle is provided with a cellular telephone, satellite data communications system and a position signal receiver for a system such as LORAN-C or Global Positioning System (GPS). If the control center desires to initiate a voice communication with the remote vehicle, the control facility transmits a voice communication request to the remote vehicle via a non-voice data communications satellite. The position signal receiver receives data from the LORAN-C or GPS transmitter indicative of the current geographic location of the remote vehicle and transmits the data to the control center via the data communications satellite. At the control center a computer with a data base identifying the geographic extent of relevant cellular telephone cells uses the location of the remote vehicle to identify the cell in which the remote vehicle is presently located.

Abstract: A system for monitoring, reporting, encouraging and rewarding proper operation of a vehicle from a fixed location including the appropriate selection of speed sensor, tacometer, fuel flow sensor, gear shift position sensor and brake pedal pressure sensor coupled to a performance monitor which compares the information from the sensors with predetermined acceptable ranges and issues an excess report when the sensed signals exceed the predetermined ranges, a receiver/transmitter for transmitting the excess report to the fixed location where a decision regarding whether to issue a driver bonus reward is made and communicated back to the receiver/transmitter which is coupled to a printer, display/keyboard on board the vehicle for printing a bonus check or notification reward in response to the determination received from the fixed location.

Abstract: A automated miniature fluorescent lamp processing station is disclosed which is used to fabricate miniature fluorescent lamps. The system includes: flow-through gas processing to enhance buffer gas purity, monitoring of the temperature of every lamp in a batch during processing to permit accurate determination of required bus buffer gas fill pressures, real-time determination of target filled pressure at the lamp temperature processing by use of a gas law algorithm and use of microprocessor interfaced sensors and transducers to effect the high level of automation typically required to fabricate avionics grade lamps.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the capture performance of frequency and phase locked loops. The invention permits improved capture performance while, at the same time, maintaining the signal-to-noise ratio performance of the loop while the loop is tracking. The invention estimates the transient response of an automatic control loop. This estimate is used to control elements added to a PLL to accelerate acquisition, and eliminate the noise contribution of those added elements while the loop is tracking. The system uses the variation in the gradient of the loop transient response to derive an estimate of the loop's distance from lock. The system then uses this estimate to control loop parameters which affect the loop's acquisition.

Abstract: An apparatus for use as a connector in certain electronic applications. The disclosed apparatus teaches a connector assembly suitable for use in applications requiring minimal height restrictions while simultaneously affording a solderless, stackable, shielded connector assembly that may include a variety of electronic filtering. A described embodiment of the present invention includes a multi-walled encasement structure of electroplated construction housing a "pi" filter sandwiched between matching layers of resilient conductive layers, each layer having contact pads for coupling to contact pads of adjacent circuit board circuitry.

Abstract: An HF radio transceiving apparatus that maintains communication integrity by employing a plurality of receivers, each capable of operating in separate and independent communication modes. One embodiment of the apparatus includes an antenna, a programmed controller having a plurality of control signals, first and second receivers and a transmitter section. The receivers receive and demodulate radio signals transmitted from external radios in common or mutually exclusive communication modes, and provide link-data information to the programmed controller. The transmitter, responsive to the programmed controller and coupled to the antenna, transmits modulated data in one of the common or mutually exclusive communication modes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of using spatial nulling in antenna electronics to protect against interference signals. Nulling is achieved by computing and adjusting the computed complex weights values of "n" channels through the use of dithering of interfering signals of having power levels thereby allowing nulling of "n" minus one number of interfering signal. sources.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and recording the mileage a truck travels within a particular state including a GPS receiver, an odometer, and a memory device which contains state boundary information and a processor for determining on a continual basis whether the positioned information received from the GPS receiver is in a particular state boundary and for recording mileage of the truck when the position and state boundary comparison determines that a change in state boundaries has occurred. Additionally, a storage device for storing the data output by the processor which includes the desired mileage within a particular state information is included.

Abstract: In the skywave adaptable communication network, the time required to initiate communications between two transceivers can often be an important factor where the propagation characteristics of signals at various frequencies may vary drastically with time. The present invention not only improves upon known prior art by accepting the first frequency that it hears as a communication frequency when two nodes are attempting to communicate from a known list of probe and default frequencies to be transmitted at known times, it uses an "announce and do" protocol to establish initial link-up and to change traffic frequencies or other system parameters once link-up has occurred to obtain coordination between both communicating nodes in a network of communicating nodes.

Abstract: An improved flight control system with an enhanced unified graphic mistrim indicator where the flight control computer provides signals to a single mistrim indicator wherein the signals represent the status of the control surfaces of the aircraft and the mistrim indicator displays a single movable reference marker, which is caused to be translated vertically in the event of pitch mistrim, is caused to be rotated right or left in the case of roll mistrim conditions, is caused to be translated right or left in the case of yaw mistrim conditions or is caused to be moved in a combination of ways either translating vertically, horizontally or rotating in order to represent a combination of pitch, roll or yaw mistrim.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for uniform application of a coating of fluorescent phosphors to tubes that have been bent into a serpentine shape, which includes dragging a hose and phosphor spray nozzle through the bends of the serpentine tube, thereby depositing a phosphor layer throughout the serpentine tube.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display having enhanced viewing brightness and brightness uniformity which utilizes a sculptured diffuser having a varied thickness characteristic where the thickness of the diffuser is reduced in areas where brightness of the display device is desired.

Abstract: A stabilized oscillation circuit includes a bias circuit which controllably biases a bipolar-transistor-driven crystal oscillator circuit. The bipolar-transistor-driven crystal oscillator circuit is a modified version of a conventional transistor-driven oscillator, such as a Hartley, Pierce or Colpitts-type circuit. The bias circuit includes a first current providing a reference current through a Schottky diode and a pair of bipolar transistors. The bipolar-transistor-driven crystal oscillator circuit includes an input and an output, where the input of the bipolar-transistor-driven crystal oscillator circuit is coupled to the bias circuit. The bipolar-transistor-driven crystal oscillator circuit includes a second current through a second bipolar transistor. The second current tracks the reference current so that the output of the bipolar-transistor-driven oscillator circuit is substantially constant over variations in ambient temperature.

Abstract: An amplitude modulated (AM) radio receiver uses a digital signal processor, responsive to in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) component signals, to compensate for carrier energy removed by a capacitive coupling circuit. A quadrature mixer converts the received AM signal to the I and Q component signals representative of the AM signal, and a signal filter passes a desired frequency segment of the I and Q component signals. A capacitive coupling circuit couples the I and Q component signals to provide representative I and Q signals with no DC bias to the input of an analog-to-digital converter. The analog-to-digital converter converts the representative unbiased I and Q signals to digital I and Q signals for processing by the digital signal processor.

Abstract: A frequency modulation circuit includes a phase-locked loop having a reference frequency input and a controlled frequency output. The phase-locked loop has a phase detector, a filter and a voltage-controlled oscillator and, in a feedback path between the output and the phase detector, a frequency divider. Also included is a converter converting an input signal to a digital modulation signal M, and an adder inverting the most significant bit of the digital modulation signal and adding it to a digital word representing a selected frequency. The frequency divider divides a fractional number (N.F).+-.M, where N is an integer, F is a fraction and M is the digital value of modulation data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of processing transmitted signals through the use of correlator means and RAM means thereby accomplishing synchronization and data interpretation. Specifically, a plurality of correlators are coupled to RAM means which cooperate to store and subsequently read transmitted data. Clocking means used in conjunction with a programmed delay period provides segments of the received and stored data to a plurality of correlators and on to logic means for further processing.

Abstract: An analysis system fuzes original data according to system and/or operator imposed rules, displays a graphic abstraction representing fuzed data, and provides, merely at the operator's request, details of the fuzed data and/or of the original data.

Abstract: A four way 2:1 bandwidth RF splitter/combiner is described. When used as a splitter, the splitter/combiner provides equal amplitude output signals while maintaining quadrature phase over the entire bandwidth of the input signal. This splitter/combiner also maintains a one to one VSWR and eliminates back door intermodulation. When used as a combiner, the splitter/combiner losslessly combines four equal amplitude quadrature phase signals.