Abstract: A method of fabricating an improved multiple grid electrode having a plurality of discs by simultaneously forming a dimpled segment in a sandwich structure consisting of metallic discs separated by spacer material. The dimpled sandwich structure is then machined, forming a series of vanes on the dimpled portion by an appropriate method, such as electrical discharge. After machining, the spacer material is etched away, leaving only the vaned discs, forming grid electrodes.

Abstract: A power system provides a duty cycle modulated high frequency carrier signal to an inductive load with positive and negative buses. During the inductive energy discharge period the energy stored in the inductive load causes a reversal in the polarity of the inductor terminal and tends to drive the new polarity towards infinity. Thus, the magnitude of one of the buses may be increased as the result of duty cycle modulation. First and second inverters are coupled in parallel across the positive and negative buses. First and second series coupled capacitors are also connected in parallel with the inverters. The power inverter senses the increased voltage on the second bus as a result of the inductive energy discharge and transfers that energy back to the first bus. Power may thus be sensed, converted in form, and transferred from one bus to another while conserving 90% of the energy which would otherwise be wasted.

Abstract: A single in-plane orthogonal mode launcher for generating circularly polarized waves having both right and left hand senses is disclosed. A 90.degree. hybrid provides first and second signals to respective input ports of the launcher. First and second coplanar sets of probes are orthogonally disposed in a cylindrical housing and connected to the first and second ports, respectively. The first set of probes generates a first vector signal. The second set of probes generates a second vector signal which is 90.degree. to the first vector signal. Since the input signals to the first and second sets of probes are 90.degree. out of phase, circularly polarized waves are thus generated.

Abstract: A multiple channel microwave rotary joint is disclosed which is a toroidal cavity having first and second halves each with a bearing surface for rotation about the axis of the toroid. A plurality of input ports are mounted about the external cylindrical surface of the first half for generating a plurality of modes within the toroidal cavity. A first hybrid network is coupled to the inut ports for providing the proper phase input signals for generating the various modes. A second hybrid network is connected to a plurality of output probes mounted to the second half of the toroidal cavity. The rotary joint has a passageway which is axially aligned for allowing a plurality of multichannel rotary joints to be "stacked" and the interconnecting microwave cables or waveguides to pass through the passageways.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical device for simulating an explosion or report is disclosed. A capacitor is charged to a preselected voltage by a battery or a.c. source. A neon lamp indicates when the capacitor has been fully charged. One electrode of the capacitor is coupled to a spark generating grating. The other capacitor electrode is coupled to a movable plunger which makes contact with the grating for generating a spark, explosion and smoke.

Abstract: A multisided horn antenna such as a square horn is disclosed having an improved axial ratio circular polarization or ellipticity. Ellipticity of a square horn antenna is improved by placing a conical section or ring of conductive material at the aperture of a horn antenna. The conical ring causes a relatively directive beam having a low axial ratio to be produced throughout most of the pattern generated similar to that of a conical horn antenna. Yet, the square horn antenna provides increased power over a conical horn.

Abstract: A simplified waveguide switch is disclosed having a rotatable quarter wave plate for generating selected amounts of right hand and left-hand circular polarized waves. A linearly polarized signal, in the TE.sub.11 mode, is launched into a cylindrical waveguide member. A quarter-wave plate is disposed within the cylindrical waveguide and imparts a right or left-hand circular polarization to the linear wave depending upon the orientation of the quarter wave plate with respect to the linear wave. The rotation angle of the quarter wave plate is adjusted by a stepping motor.

Abstract: A clutter tracking and cancelling system, for use in a MTI radar system, comprising an auxiliary channel consisting primarily of a phase detector and a canceller. The phase detector provides an output which represents the phase difference between the IF and the coho output, while the output of the canceller, which responds to the phase detector output, represents clutter MTI residue from one transmission to the next. Clutter MTI residue from several successive range bins is smoothed and integrated to provide a control output which is used to shift the phase of the coho frequency, which is supplied to the phase detector in the conventional main MTI channel, to set the mean clutter velocity at zero velocity in order to produce optimum clutter cancellation in the main MTI channel.

Abstract: A microwave tuning device is disclosed which utilizes a resonator rod mounted in a housing. One end of the resonator rod is attached, or shorted, to the housing wall and the other end is unattached or open. The open end of the resonator rod has a cylindrical recess and an insulator ring is disposed between the open end of the resonator rod and the cavity wall. A tuning screw is incrementally inserted through the insulator ring and into the cylindrical recess for adjusting the tuning capacitance and thereby the resonant frequency.

Abstract: A raster display system is disclosed which utilizes a "sliding window" effect for enhancing the contrast of an image by adjusting the video gain and brightness within the window. The television display may have a raster having 512 lines and 512 elements per line. The display system utilizing digital circuitry calculates the average brightness of a "window" having a predetermined number of elements per display line and several parallel display lines, such as, for example, eight lines and eight elements per line. Thus, an eight-by-eight window is presented. The average brightness of the window is subtracted from the brightness of a centrally located element which results in the relative brightness of the element. This relative brightness signal is multiplied by a gain factor and the product is applied to an output circuit for controlling the bias of a central element of the window.

Abstract: A DC linear power amplifier is disclosed having a first amplifier referenced to +14VDC, for receiving a control signal. The first amplifier in turn controls a first power stage connected to a load through a first sensing resistor. The first resistor provides a differential voltage to a second amplifier forming a current control loop with the first amplifier. A third amplifier controls a second power stage connected to the load through a second sensing resistor, so that the first and second power stages each dissipate equal power. The resistors each provide differential signals to a comparator which provides a first output signal if the current through each resistor is the same. If the differential signals are different, resulting from the load shorting to ground, the comparator provides a second output signal which turns the entire power amplifier essentially off. The entire power amplifier returns to normal when the short is eliminated.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for generating a circle on a television raster display utilizing digital techniques. An x coordinate counter, a y coordinate counter, a radius number, and a radius +.delta. number, in parallel to each other, are connected to the input terminals of a multiplex switch. The multiplex switch selectively provides an output signal of the above number generators to a programmable read only memory (PROM). The memory in turn sequentially provides an output signal representing the square of the input number, i.e., x.sup.2, y.sup.2, r.sup.2 and (r + .delta.).sup.2. The numbers x.sup.2 and y.sup.2 are added by an adder and the number x.sup.2 + y.sup.2 is compared by a first comparator, with the number r.sup.2 and an output is provided if x.sup.2 + y.sup.2 .gtoreq. r.sup.2. The numbers x.sup.2 + y.sup.2 is also compared by a second comparator, with the number (r+.delta.).sup. 2 and an output signal is provided if x.sup.2 + y.sup.2 < (r+.delta.).sup.2.

Abstract: A missile guidance system is disclosed which utilizes one optical system for visually tracking a target and directing a missile thereto by means of infrared (IR) energy emitted from the missile. The optical system includes a single objective lens for receiving both visible and infrared energy and directing those energies on a first prism. The first prism separates the visible energy from the infrared energy and directs the visible energy to an eyepiece for a viewer. A first image of infrared energy is directed to a first infrared sensor by a retrodirective reflector. A second image of infrared energy is directed at a second sensor by a rotating prism. The output signals from the first and second sensors are provided to missile control circuitry which compares these signals with reference signals and thereby generates command signals for steering the missile to the target.

Abstract: A "cooperative-word" linear array parallel processor comprises many logically identical memory words or micro-processors ordered in a linear array by a Chaining channel. Inasmuch as the Chaining channel can contain different information (either data to be processed or control information) at each word position, it permits highly parallel word-cooperative operations such as pair-wise arithmetic. The processor also has several global communication channels in which data may be transferred between an external buffer and a specified subset of processor words. Inasmuch as individual words may be addressed by their content rather than by their physical locations, relatively simple switching logic within each word provides effective self-repair. A plurality of flag flip-flops in each individual cell interact with gobal control lines to activate processing within a particular cell and to indicate the results of operations performed by that cell.

Abstract: A system for guiding a missile to a target is disclosed which includes a signal processor for generating error signals in response to a signal being received from the target. The processor includes four channels for receiving a target signal. An arithmatic circuit compares the amplitude of the target signal on each channel with the average amplitude of the other three channels and generates an error signal for guiding the missile.

Abstract: A low bandwidth high brightness display system that utilizes a multiple beam cathode ray tube to write multiple rasters by concurrently scanning a plurality of lines with a selected number of beams. Each of the rasters covers a different portion of the screen so that the vertical deflection of the beam is reduced for each beam by a factor related to the number of beams. The system reduces the maximum data rate in writing speed relative to conventional arrangements with a resultant bandwidth reduction proportional to the number of beams. The concept is applicable to television viewing screens and field sequential color television to produce simultaneously a high resolution, high brightness and high quality display.

Abstract: A laser transmitter system is disclosed which utilizes mechanical energy for generating an output pulse. The laser system includes a current developing device such as a piezoelectric crystal which charges a storage device such as a capacitor in response to a mechanical input signal. The capacitor is coupled to a switching device, such as a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). The switching device is coupled to a laser transmitter such as a GaAs laser diode, which provides an output signal in response to the capacitor being discharged.