Abstract: A plurality of autonomously controlled valves in a fluid distribution system are interconnected by a data communication network. The system also includes fluid flow sensors which report to the system by way of the network. The autonomous controllers include information as to their neighbors or environment sufficient to determine malfunctions such as a leak or break in an associated path, and can take autonomous action. The actions are established by the autonomous controllers regardless of the existence of a connection to the network, so that even if the network connection fails or is damaged, the valve can still respond to its own flow sensor with predetermined actions.

Abstract: An array of antenna elements is arranged to calibration by assigning certain ones of the elements to be “kernel” elements. The kernel elements are coupled to the beamformer by way of a directional coupler arrangement, and calibration ports are coupled to ports of the directional coupler. Calibration includes applying signal to a first calibration port of a kernel element and determining the amplitude andor phase of the calibration signal paths. Signals are applied to the beamformer ports feeding the kernel element, and the lengths of the beamformer-plus-calibration paths are determined. From these, the beamformer paths to the kernel elements are determined. Other non-kernel antenna elements near the kernel elements are calibrated by applying signal through the beamformer to the non-kernel element, and receiving the signal through a calibration path of the kernel element.

Abstract: Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by means of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

Abstract: A multi-chip electronics module is provided which utilizes benzocyclobutene as a laminate adhesive for bonding the upper dielectric films in a high density interconnect structure. The benzocyclobutene thermosetting polymer is spin coated on a polyimide film, and baked at low temperature to remove any solvent to leave a B-staged coating on the polyimide film. The composite film can be laminated to an underlying electrical structure using a vacuum laminator and heat. As the heat is applied, the BCB layer softens, flows and then cures to bond the polyimide film to the underlying electrical structure.

Abstract: A method according to an aspect of the invention, for interconnecting electrical contacts or electrodes (230be) of semiconductor chips (230a, 230b, 230c) in an HDI context, includes the step of applying laser energy to make a pattern of apertures through a dielectric film which corresponds to the ideal locations of electrodes of semiconductor chips properly placed on the film. This may be accomplished, in one mode of the method, by procuring an optical mask (20) defining an ideal pattern of electrodes of semiconductor chips properly aligned in an HDI structure. This mask may be sufficiently large to cover a plurality of HDI circuits being made on a substrate, or it may cover only one such HDI circuit. Laser energy (30) is applied to a dielectric film (10; 10, 17) through apertures or transparent regions (22) of the mask, to thereby make the ideal pattern of holes in the film.

Abstract: A method for making an HDI-connected circuit is described, which in a simple manner allows an air pocket, space, gap, or bubble to be formed over pressure- or dielectric-sensitive portions of a semiconductor chip. The method applies a layer of uncured adhesive over a dielectric film, and also over any electrical conductors deposited on the film. The adhesive is exposed through a mask to a laser beam, which selectively vaporizes the adhesive in the exposed regions, to define the air pocket region. The semiconductor chips are applied, electrode-side down, on the adhesive, with the sensitive regions registered with the pockets. The adhesive is cured, and conductive vias are formed through the dielectric film and the adhesive to make contact with the electrodes of the semiconductor chips. Other layers of HDI interconnect are then applied over the dielectric film, and interconnected by vias, if needed.

Abstract: A ship is divided into plural watertight zones. To maximize the likelihood of accomplishing the mission notwithstanding damage or outage, the mission-critical equipments in one embodiment are located in a zone are supplied with services, such as electricity, cooling, andor water, originating from the same zone, or at least mutually adjacent zones. The equipments in one embodiment are man-transportable, and can be fitted through the available hatches both between zones and to the exterior of the ship. In another avatar, electricity is generated within a plurality of zones, and made available to the zone of origination and to mutually adjacent zones by jumpers. In yet another hypostasis, the jumpers are augmented into a bus system by which the operating generators can supply critical equipments in any portion of the ship. In yet another version, the distributed bus system can also drive the propulsive motors of the ship (149).

Abstract: A coherent, frequency agile pulse radar system in which each transmitted pulse is made up of subpulse pairs having frequencies of &ohgr;o±&Dgr;i forces a jammer to broadband jam the system in order to ensure jamming the actual operating frequency of the system. On reception, a separate receiver channel is utilized for the detection of each subpulse frequency. Within the processing system, the signal return for a subpulse having a frequency of &ohgr;o+&Dgr;l is multipled times the signal return for the subpulse having a frequency of &ohgr;o−&Dgr;l to provide a combined signal which is free of the offset frequencies. This combined signal is a standard coherent frequency agile pulse doppler radar signal with the exception that the carrier frequency and the doppler frequency are both doubled. Moving target indicating or doppler processing may be used.

Abstract: A sigma-delta analog-to-digital feedback converter arrangement (10) achieves low noise and a wide dynamic range by use of a directional coupler (18) as a summing device for generating the difference signal on which the forward sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (32) operates. The feedback is provided by a digital-to-analog reconstructor (36), which applies the reconstructed analog signal to the tap (18.sub.3) of the directional coupler (18), in which the feedback signal is summed with the analog input signal. A low-noise amplifier (28) is coupled to the output of the directional coupler (18) at which the difference signal appears, so the dynamic range of the signal traversing the low-noise amplifier is small. The high isolation between the tap (18.sub.3) of the directional coupler (18) and the source of analog signals allows the use of an input bandpass filter (16).

Abstract: A launch system for plural missiles of different types includes plural launch locations, each adapted for receiving a canisterized missile having a standardized connector, which is coded to indicate the missile type contained within the canister. The system includes an individual fire control unit for each launch location or cell, and power supplies which are available to groups of such cells. An local-area network (LAN), such as Ethernet, interconnects the power supplies, the fire control units, and a central launch control system. Each fire control unit includes a processor for determining the missile type with which it is associated, and an interface card for each different missile type which may be used. The fire control units respond to commands from the central launch control system by interpreting the commands into a parallel form understandable by the missile interface cards.

Abstract: Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by means of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

Abstract: Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by means of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

Abstract: A low-profile transformer or inductor includes a leg of a magnetically permeable core. A tube-type winding arrangement is made by use of a flat, flexible dielectric sheet, on one side of which a broad conductive area is affixed, and on the other side of which a plurality of mutually parallel elongated regions are affixed. The dielectric sheet is rolled into a tube defining a parting line which is perpendicular to the axes of elongation of the conductive strips. The discontinuous elongated strips are formed into a continuous winding by means of stitches. The stitches may be through vias extending through overlapping regions of the tube to interconnect ends of the strip conductors, or may be generated by an HDI conductor overlying the ends of the strip conductors, with through vias making connections to the ends of the strip conductors and to HDI conductors.

Abstract: Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by way of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

Abstract: Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by means of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

Abstract: A multiple missile launcher has a plurality of canister holding chambers. Each canister includes a standard connector for connection by a standard cable to a missile launch sequencer. Each canister is loaded with four missiles. The cable has more than enough signal paths to couple launch and safe signals to a single missile, but not sufficient to independently control four missiles. A missile selection signal generator generates selection signals which are sent over a selected one of four separate signal paths of the cable to directly (without intervening active elements) actuate a relay associated with the selected one of the missiles. The four relays are part of a multiplexer which couples the signal set for launch and safe to the selected one of the missiles.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed housing (10) includes a dielectric end portion (118) which provides a transmission-line feedthrough between a printed-circuit such as HDI and exterior connections. A first transmission line (1) on the PC board (30) transitions to a 3-via transmission line (4), which transitions to a third coplanar, microstrip, or stripline transmission line (3). The third transmission line (3) transitions to a second 3-via transmission line (5), which ends at a coplanar transmission line (2) which is outside the housing.

Abstract: A broadband horn-like, linearly polarized antenna element is driven from a microstrip line and a balun. The horn is skeletonized, and has no sides, and consequently operates in TEM mode for broad frequency bandwidth. In another embodiment, two or more baluns feed the horn-like antenna element, thereby allowing a plurality of amplifiers or other sources to be combined at the antenna, for power summation or for multiplexing. An array of such elements, arranged for both vertical and horizontal polarization, makes a structure which presents mostly metallic surfaces, and is therefore rugged, and overpressure resistant.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed housing for plural GaAs chips includes a body made from Al/SiC. The body defines a peripheral seal ring support surface, an electrical connector insert support surface and an end wall to which a ceramic insert is mounted. The insert includes a first portion with an upper surface within the sealed housing, Which upper surface is coplanar with the upper surface of the body, for convenient HDI film connections to the chips and electrical connector inserts. The refractory electrical conductors extend from the upper surface of the first portion of the insert to an exterior terminal portion of the insert. The terminal portion of the insert is spaced from the first portion of the insert by a non-terminal portion containing no terminals. The non-terminal portion of the insert is coplanar with the seal ring support surface of the body, and contiguous therewith.

Abstract: A switching converter achieves improved regulation range by the use of a saturable reactor in series with a transformer primary. The saturable reactor uses a conventional magnetic pot core including a magnetic shell and center post. The location at which the post joins the shell is perforated to reduce the cross-section of magnetic material, so that, at low reactor currents, incremental inductance is established by the gap between post and lid, and at high reactor currents, the incremented inductance is established by saturation at the base of the post. Perforation at the base of the post also results in generation of heat at a location immediately adjacent the flat bottom of the pot core.