Abstract: The transmission line is coupled to a charging circuit and to a series circuit including a terminating resistor, the source and drain electrodes of a MOSFET and laser diode. Trigger signals are applied to the gate electrode of the MOSFET to rapidly discharge the transmisson line to provide currents of about 10 amps through the laser diode to provide pulses of light having durations of about 3 nanoseconds.

Abstract: A modulator circuit provides pulses of electrical energy to an electrical load in response to a trigger signal. A normally nonconductive Mosfet is included in a series circuit path with the electrical load and a capacitor. A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is coupled to the gate electrode of the MOSFET. A trigger signal renders the SCR conductive to thereby render the MOSFET conductive which discharges the capacitor through the electrical load to provide a pulse of electrical energy having a rapid rise time to the electrical load. The electrical load can be a laser diode which emits a pulse of light for use in an optical ranging device in response to the pulse of electrical energy. The accuracy of the ranging device is proportional to the rise time of the pulse of light.

Abstract: A mixer circuit has a first filter connected between a local oscillator terminal and a node and another filter connected between a RF signal terminal and the node. A first circuit path extends from the node through a first diode to a first tuned circuit which can be connected to an input terminal of a balanced-to-unbalanced converter. A second circuit path extends from the node through an oppositely disposed diode which is connected to another tuned circuit which can be connected to another input terminal of the balanced-to-unbalanced converter. The diodes alternately conduct in response to opposite half cycles of the local oscillator signal and the RF signal to generate a variety of mixing components. The tuned circuits preserve the desired output signal and attenuate the other mixing components.

Abstract: An optical ranging system includes optics that create a backscatter signal in response to a transmitted light pulse. The transmitted pulse is reflected from a target to provide range information. The backscatter signal is applied to trigger a threshold detector. The output of the threshold circuit is applied to a delay circuit to provide a receiver switch control signal which renders a receiver switch conductive after the backscatter signal. Accordingly, the receiver switch blanks the backscatter signal and applies the reflected signal to the receiver.

Abstract: The disclosed invention comprises multiple semiconductor devices within a single carrier structure. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of semiconductor die are coupled to the leads of a leadframe and are encapsulated by individual package bodies. A carrier structure is formed which encircles all of the die and encapsulates portions of the distal ends of the leads. The extreme distal portions of the leads extend through the carrier to form contact points which are used to access the semiconductor die. By having multiple devices within a single carrier, productivity is improved and costs associated with leadframe and carrier structure materials are reduced.

Abstract: A FET structure has first and second active areas separated by an inactive area with a gate bus located thereon. Gate fingers extend from the gate bus between source and drain contacts on the active areas. Bridges extend over the gate bus and interconnect the source contacts.

Abstract: A package for a semiconductor device includes a base having a flat surface with an edge of a predetermined shape for abutting against a similar edge of another object. Conductors are placed on the flat surface of the base and extend to but do not overlap the edge of predetermined shape. The base along with a frame and a cover cooperate to provide a package which encloses and protects the semiconductor device. The package can be placed adjacent a similarly shaped package so that the overall structure takes up a minimal amount of space. Ground planes located on the base can be readily interconnected.

Abstract: A field effect device and circuit suitable for providing an analog output signal having a magnitude which is representative of a digital input code having a sequence of bits. The device includes a plurality of gate electrodes located between an input electrode and an output electrode. The gate electrodes have unequal lengths to provide different gate widths each representative of the magnitude of a portion of an analog signal provided at the output electrode in response to a digital signal of a particular logic state, such as a logical "one", when applied to any one of the gate electrodes. Thus, the magnitude of the current conducted between the input electrode and the output electrode is responsive to the sum of the widths of the gates receiving the digital signal of a particular logic state.

Abstract: A variable field effect attenuator suitable for providing digitally controlled attenuation characteristic is disclosed. The attenuator can include a first semiconductor region connected in a series path between the input and output terminals and at least one shunt semiconductor region connected between the series path and a reference potential conductor. First gate electrodes are arranged to operate with the series semiconductor region and second gate electrodes are arranged to operate with the shunt semiconductor region. Gate electrode control lines are connected to selected gate electrodes so that digital signals can be selectively applied to the gate electrodes to render the semiconductor material associated therewith either conductive or nonconductive to provide a plurality of predetermined amounts of attenuation between the input and output terminals in response to a digital code.

Abstract: Overlapping gate electrodes are selectively energized to vary the electrical length and thus the resistance of the conductive path through a field effect attenuator. The electrical width can also be varied to provide additional control over the resistance.

Abstract: Microprocessor (MPU) controlled voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) linearization circuitry locks the VCO at desired low, center and high frequencies (F.sub.1, F.sub.c and F.sub.h) and measures the magnitudes of the corresponding control voltages (V.sub.1, V.sub.c and V.sub.h). Next, the VCO is swept at a nominal clock frequency to determine the times (T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.h) that the control voltages (V.sub.1, V.sub.c and V.sub.h) occur during the sweep cycle. The control voltage of the VCO is then swept at a first and then a second rate during a sweep cycle to assure that the center frequency (F.sub.c) of the VCO occurs at the time (T.sub.c) midpoint of the sweep cycle. As a result, each VCO frequency can be determined by MPU monitoring according to the time that the VCO frequency occurs during the sweep cycle. This circuitry is useful in spectrum analyzers for indirectly determining the otherwise unknown frequency of a received signal.

Abstract: Circuitry changes the magnitude of power supply voltages to correspond to the desired level of a variable output power. This maximizes the electrical power efficiency of amplifiers. The circuitry also provides for automatic control of the amplitude of the amplifier output signal.

Abstract: An additional mixer is included in the feedback loop of a PLL which can be one of the local oscillators of a dual conversion system. A fine tuning frequency synthesizer is coupled to an input of the additional mixer for providing fine frequency control of the PLL. The fine tuning frequency synthesizer can include an additional phase locked loop. Also, a feedback signal for suppressing noise created by another local oscillator can also be applied to the additional mixer.

Abstract: An accumulated statistics CFAR method and device operates using integrated data to maximize the probability of target detection for a given false alarm rate. The CFAR hardware varies its detection criteria as a function of the statistics of the range gate in question. The detection threshold is based on other range gates seen in the past which contain the same terrain type.

Abstract: A temperature compensated power detector utilizes a temperature compensating diode connected to an inverting input of an amplifier to enable the amplifier to substantially cancel out undesirable temperature effects caused by a power level detector diode coupled to the non-inverting input of the amplifier. As a result, the amplifier output voltage tends to remain constant over temperature in response to a fixed power level being applied to the detector. A lookup table is utilized to determine the power level corresponding to a power detector output voltage of a particular magnitude.

Abstract: A M-out-of-N target detections scheme wherein a target detection is extended in range of both sides by an amount equal to the distance the target would travel at its highest expected speed during the N intervals. The M-out-of-N determination is then made with a target declaration being produced upon the amount of N determination being met and that the most recent integration period contains a target detection in the range gate of interest.

Abstract: An operational function checking method and device for a microprocessor, which uses four circuits to verify that a microprocessor and processing system are operating properly.

Abstract: A sample and hold circuit which achieves both a fast acquisition time and a low droop rate is disclosed. FET or analog switches form a sample switch. When this circuit is in a hold mode the sample switch is biased so that no voltage appears across the switch. However, only one switch or a plurality of switches in parallel connect between a driving buffer and hold capacitor so that a fast acquisition time is achieved when this circuit is in a sample mode.

Abstract: A numerically controlled oscillator employing a 1/2 least significant bit (LSB) phase offset and a negative 1/2 LSB amplitude offset of data samples in memory devices for improved quadrant replication. Also, fine values are added or subtracted to the coarse values further reducing the amount of data needed in memory and further reducing the size of the phase-to-amplitude converter.

Abstract: A turns-to-arm sensor which uses a piezoelectric crystal to produce a current flow dependent upon the spin rate of a projectile. An output voltage is produced across a diode, from said current, which is proportional to the square root of the voltage at the crystal. The output voltage is approximately equal to the angular velocity of the projectile and is converted to frequency. The frequency determines the rate at which a preset counter operates. At time-out of the counter an arming signal is sent.