Abstract: A parallel polygon/pixel rendering engine for a digital map capable of producing real-time linear shaded, three dimensional, raster graphics for video generation. The apparatus is suitable for use with avionic display systems, particularly digital map displays which include an instruction and interpreter unit and an image scanner. The apparatus comprises a raster engine, a memory interface and a bit mapped memory. The raster engine further includes a raster engine control and generic interpolation polygon processor interface, an edge interpolator, a line interpolator and a controller for the edge and line interpolators. The raster engine control is electrically connected to receive data from the instruction interface unit and is further electrically connected to the edge interpolator and interpolator controller. The edge interpolator is adapted to receive data from the raster engine control and the line interpolator is electrically connected to receive data from the edge interpolator.

Abstract: An electronic interface for converting an interlaced video signal to a non-interlaced video signal suitable for an LCD flat panel. An analog interpolator scheme is used in which the information available in an incoming video scan line is delayed and sampled, and output signals are created by interpolation between the sampled input and actual and interpolated scan line signals. The output signals are then converted into an integrated, sequential non-interlaced output signal having a frequency corresponding to the horizontal resolution of a scan line of the flat panel.

Abstract: An improved encapsulant and method of application for rework of a modular electronic assembly. A housing is provided with a structure that permits deformation with thermal expansion of the encapsulant and reduces stresses applied to the electronic components therewithin. The selected encapsulant provides mechanical stability from shock and vibration, thermal conductivity to the surroundings, and freedom from deterioration of electrical performance. Critically, the encapsulant is readily excised for repair and replacement of defective components, thus allowing rework and salvage of the assembly. A potting tool is adapted for selectively refilling the housing to replace the excised portions.

Abstract: An interface to internal scan paths within an IC for synchronizing a test clock and a system clock without adversely affecting their operation. The test clock provides input test data (TDI) to the interface and receives output test data (TDO) from the interface at the test clock rate. The system clock drives the test data through the scan path at the system clock rate. The two clocks are "decoupled" in that they run independently, being synchronized by the interface for clocking the test data into, through and out of the scan path. In effect, the interface decouples the internal scan paths driven by the system clock from the test logic driven by the test clock. This feature enables the IC to be tested "at speed" and provides for synchronization between the test clock and system clock over a wide range of test clock frequencies.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a quantitative measurement of high frequency corona discharges from electrical devices operating at high voltages, including an alternating current power source for providing a test signal variable in amplitude and frequency, a high pass filter to reject power source cyclical components and to isolate corona discharge components, an adjustable gain amplifier, and a power meter providing a quantitative readout of the amplitude of corona discharges integrated over a preselected time period. Electromagnetic shielding of individual assemblies comprising the test equipment allows corona detection without emissions or interference from external sources.

Abstract: In an aircraft, there is included a Flight Management System (FMS), Autopilot and Autothrottle for controlling the aircraft. The apparatus has a plurality of outputs for definition of the real-time targets, controlled by the Autopilot and Autothrottle, to guide the vertical position of the aircraft to a desired vertical position along the desired vertical flightplan (or profile) according to a set of operational procedures. The FMS includes an apparatus that comprises an element which provides information denoting actual vertical position of the aircraft, and an element which generates information specifying the desired vertical position of the aircraft along the predetermined desired flightplan.

Abstract: A terrain referenced navigation system utilizing a woods database model including a method for increasing terrain referenced navigation accuracy by compensating for the existence of deciduous forests. Deciduous forests present increased terrain referenced navigation inaccuracies during months that trees lack leaves. The terrain referenced navigation database is modified to include a woods bit to indicate the existence of a deciduous forest. The terrain referenced navigation algorithm is modified to account for the existence of the deciduous forest.

Abstract: A terrain referenced navigation system utilizing a five-state kalman filter with a filter distribution based on a fixed grid approach. The five-state kalman filter utilizes an aircraft's altitude, East velocity, East acceleration, a South velocity and South acceleration. The database of the terrain referenced navigation system also utilizes a state variable indicating whether the aircraft is headed over water or land. The accuracy of the terrain referenced navigation system is improved by ignoring filter coefficients over water. The invention provides increased computational efficiency and accuracy by predicting inertial navigation parameters in the line of flight of an aircraft within a circle error of probability at predetermined filter locations within the circle error of probability. The difference between actual and predicted values are then used to compute a new estimate. The method is repeated until the removal of the most divergent filter at each pass results in a single best filter.

Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of tracks representative of one or more target aircraft in a vicinity of a surveillance aircraft, where each track is generated in response to target reply signals provided by the target aircraft in response to interrogation signals transmitted by the surveillance aircraft, includes eliminating a portion of the plurality of tracks which are duplicate tracks of the same target aircraft. The remaining tracks are maintained and updated in response to the target reply signals provided by the target aircraft. A threat level for each of the remaining tracks is determined and two or more of the remaining tracks which are possibly representative of a same target aircraft are merged resulting in a composite track. The composite track is output to a display device utilizing information from a particular remaining track of the composite track having the greatest threat level to the surveillance aircraft while continuing to maintain and update all the remaining tracks.

Abstract: The present invention describes an apparatus and method for controlling the temperature in a plurality of comfort zones within a house or building. The invention contemplates a series of zone control devices which are selectively opened or closed to allow heating and/or cooling to individual zones. The temperature in each zone is sensed and compared to a preferred setpoint temperature to determine a temperature error for each zone. The respective temperature error signals for each zone are used to determine the zone of greatest thermal error. The zone of greatest thermal error is used to turn the heating/cooling plant on and off. The remaining zone or zones of lesser thermal error have their zone control devices closed or opened, depending upon the temperature error signal for their respective zones. In this manner, all zones are synchronized to the zone of greatest thermal error and to the cycle of the heating/cooling plant.

Abstract: In a digital display system including a stroke scanning mechanism, a method which comprises the steps of displaying symbology and increasing or decreasing the number of symbols stroke scanned, including the null symbol depending upon comparisons of actual stroke time to a predetermined stroke time limit. The symbology is initially displayed by stroke scanning. The actual stroke time for stroke scanning the symbology is measured. The actual stroke time is then compared with the predetermined stroke time limit to ascertain whether or not the time limit has been exceeded. If the stroke time limit is not exceeded and a null symbol is not present in the symbology stroke scanned, a null symbol is added. If the stroke time limit is not exceeded and a null symbol is present in the stroke scanned symbology, the number of symbols is increased. If the stroke timing limit is exceeded and a null symbol is present in the symbology stroke scanned, the null symbol is removed.

Abstract: A multi-layered printed wiring board for high frequency application includes a first board of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) having a metallic sheet on each side. The first side is etched to form high frequency circuity using micro-strip technology and the second side being a metallic sheet forming the ground plane. Laminated to the ground plane of the first board is a fiberglass board of thickness, A. Further, laminated to the fiberglass board is a second board of fiberglass having a thickness, A. The second board also has metallic sheets on both side, the side being laminated to the fiberglass board being etched to form strips, prior to being laminated, forming signal and transmission lines utilizing strip-line technology. Vias are formed to interconnect predetermined metallic layers.

Abstract: A display comprises a plurality of adjacent pixels wherein each pixel comprises three subpixels arranged in a triangular pattern, each having a hexagonal shape and substantially contiguous adjacent boundaries. This pattern allows predetermined subpixels to be increased or decreased in relative size without drastically affecting subpixel shape or the contiguous adjacent boundaries.

Abstract: A sintered dense laser block constructed of ceramic metal composition manufactured through sintering, conventional machining and electro discharge machining. A ceramic metal powder and binder are combined and shaped into a laser block. The laser block is then sintered to permit electro-discharge machining. After detailed machining various subsequent firings will yield different dielectric properties for the laser block. Other laser gyro ceramic parts may be manufactured with the method of the invention such as mirror assemblies, cathodes and laser path length controllers. The electro-discharge machining permits the construction of complex ceramic shapes from a slurry of powdered ceramic metal and binder which has been extruded or shaped and then conventional machined. The resulting part is cheaper and easier to make and the electro-discharge machining provides a method of creating very complex shapes in the part.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method to deposit thin films on a substrate. An inert gas is introduced into a radio-frequency excited ion beam gun. The ions thus produced are directed to a target where molecules of the target are sputtered off and deposited on a substrate. A method of translating different targets into the ion beam is provided in order to produce multilayer films with different properties in each layer. A method is also provided to rotate the substrates into and out of the path of the sputtered molecules to insure a uniform film.

Abstract: A system for isolating a supported structure from transmitting vibrations to a supporting base in a spacecraft provides six degrees of freedom in a kinematic mounting. Six isolator elements in a symmetric arrangement of three skewed isolator pairs provides viscous damping and vibration and shock attenuation during launch and operation in space. The isolators employ two degrees of freedom flexure joints at each mounting point to assure primarily axial deflection and minimize bending moments, and have tuning springs to optimize performance. The system permits deterministic design and allows calculation of all loads from the nominal geometry and the isolator axial stiffness. Limit stops are provided between the supporting structure and the supported structure to limit excursions of the isolator members.

Abstract: A high voltage start circuit includes a high voltage start module and high voltage pulse generator apparatus. The high voltage pulse generator amplifies a five volt pulse at 60 KHz duty cycle to an output of 280 volts pulses at approximately 50% duty cycle. A PN junction high voltage diode with a high forward voltage drop and a resistor divider drives and holds a first transistor out of saturation. A low voltage diode creates a dead band such that two high voltage start module transistors are never on at the same time. The high voltage module contains two high voltage blocking diodes which protect the laser gyro active current control circuitry during start up. Two small ballast resistors and a parallel 10 times voltage multiplier generate at least a 2500 VDC output. The high voltage start circuit is contained within a laser gyro housing and is configured to have a volume less than the volume of the ring laser gyro block.

Abstract: The invention is a process for removing corrosive by-products from semiconductor assembly by applying an aqueous spray comprising a saponifying agent to release and dissolve flux constituents and applying an acidic aqueous spray to the assembly to dissolve metal contaminants. While the acid source in the aqueous spray may be any number of constituents, preferably carbon dioxide is used. Metal released by the aqueous acid spray is inactivated and bound by a chelating agent which is introduced into the wash. The invention is applicable to any semiconductor device or assembly made through processes using bonding materials such as solder which may have by-products which are corrosive or otherwise deleterious to the device or device assembly once placed in the chosen environment of use.

Abstract: A polygon sort engine including first and second apparatus for sorting. The first apparatus for sorting receives planar, externally convex polygon vertices from an external polygon tiling engine. This includes points and lines. The state machine on the second apparatus for sorting interfaces with the polygon tiling engine and a raster engine in a graphics pipeline. It provides a control signal which determines when the first apparatus for sorting will receive the next polygon. The second sorting appartus also controls whether the polygon is stored in the PING or PONG memory. For example, as the state machine is controlling the sorting of the current polygon into the PING RAM, the state machine will also be controlling the loading of the previous vertices and the PONG RAM into the raster engine.

Abstract: A complementary threat sensor data fusion capability for an aircraft survivability equipment system. A set of aircraft survivability sensors provides a threat sensor data fusion control process with status data. The control process controls whether or not a threat ambiguity detector receives radar warning receiver data or a radar emitter ID conversion apparatus receives pulsed radar jammer data or continuous wave radar jammer data. The threat sensor data fusion control process also determines whether missile approach detector data is sent to a countermeasures analyzing apparatus. The threat ambiguity detector provides ambiguity data to a threat ambiguity resolving apparatus. The radar emitter ID conversion apparatus provides converted jammer data to a functional sensor back-up apparatus. The radar emitter ID conversion process receives a common radar emitter ID data base. The threat sensor data fusion process controller also provides fusion process control to the complementary threat data apparatus.