Abstract: A method of determining degree of aging of an incompletely cured polymer resin material collecting IR spectra on a series of standards with carefully controlled aging time and data collected at appropriate time intervals with the standard LC method for determining cure condition of the material, using said spectra and LC data to make a multivariate calibration model and using said model to predict the cure condition of uncured samples of interest.

Abstract: A method including providing a semiconductor substrate in a reaction chamber; flowing a first reactant including silicon and oxygen, a boron dopant and a phosphorus dopant into the reaction chamber so that a layer of BPTEOS is deposited on the semiconductor substrate; stopping the flow of the first reactant, boron dopant and phosphorus dopant into the reaction chamber and so that a phosphorus dopant and boron dopant rich film is deposited over the layer of BPTEOS; and reducing the film comprising exposing the film to an O2 plasma.

Abstract: Laminar flow surfaces with selected roughness distributions, and associated methods are disclosed. A representative method for designing an airfoil includes selecting a parameter that includes a flow behavior distribution and/or a surface shape for an airflow surface. Based at least in part on the selected parameter, the method can include (a) selecting a target roughness value and determining a chordwise location forward of which surface roughness is at or below the target roughness value and/or (b) selecting a target chordwise location and determining a roughness value for a region forward of the chordwise location, with the surface roughness at or below the roughness value. In particular embodiments, a percentage of a local chord length of the airfoil over which the roughness is below a target value decreases in a spanwise direction. In another embodiment, the roughness at a particular spanwise location can increase over at least three values, continuously, in a step manner, or otherwise.

Abstract: A motion estimation method for a succession of frames in a digital coding system includes: a) with reference to a first block in a first frame, searching a second frame for a second block that corresponds to the first block; and b) estimating a motion vector of the first block on the basis of the second block in the second frame; wherein step a) includes: a1) forming a first initial search range including a virtual rhombus-shaped pattern substantially centered at a pre-determined block, and a2) expanding progressively outward a second initial search range based on the virtual rhombus-shaped pattern.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an integrated PMOS transistor and Schottky diode, comprising a PMOS transistor which includes a gate, a source, a drain and a channel region between the source and drain, wherein the source, drain and channel region are formed in a substrate, and a parasitic diode is formed between the drain and the channel region; and a Schottky diode formed in the substrate and connected in reverse series with the parasitic diode, the Schottky diode having one end connected with the parasitic diode and the other end connected with the source.

Abstract: A heat shield includes a ceramic composite heat shield panel having a generally concave first surface and a generally convex second surface and a pair of thickened panel edge portions provided in the heat shield panel. A heat shield assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A curved composite element is laid up over a tool having first and second curved tool surfaces possessing differing radii of curvatures. A plurality of composite fiber ply segments are arranged in substantially side-by-side relationship into a group. The ply segments are formed as a group onto the first curved tool surface, and the group is then formed from the first curved tool surface onto the second curved tool surface.

Abstract: A resin containment and injection system includes a tool, a resin storage well provided in the tool, a composite layup location provided on the tool and a vacuum bagging film provided over the resin storage well. The vacuum bagging film is configured to define a volume in the resin storage well responsive to establishment of a pressure equilibrium across the vacuum bagging film and substantially eliminate the volume responsive to application of positive pressure against the vacuum bagging film.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a power amplifier, comprising: a first transistor having a gate receiving an input signal; a second transistor coupled to the first transistor in a cascode configuration, in which a source of the second transistor is coupled to a drain of the first transistor, and a drain of the second transistor outputs an amplified signal; and a dynamic biasing circuit having two input terminals, one of which receiving the input signal, and the other one coupled to the drain of the first transistor, and an output terminal being coupled to a gate of the second transistor, thereby modulating the voltage at the drain of the first transistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to airplane floor assemblies and to methods for their assembly. In one embodiment, an airplane comprises at least one fuselage section and at least one floor section. At least one system component is installed to the floor section prior to installation of the floor section in the fuselage of the airplane. In another embodiment, a floor section adapted to be installed in an airplane includes at least one system component installed to the floor section while it is outside of the airplane. In yet another embodiment, a method is disclosed for assembling an airplane. The method comprises installing at least one system component to a floor section, and installing the floor section into a fuselage section of the airplane.

Abstract: A composite structure includes at least one resin matrix layer having a resin material and a plurality of fiber elements and a plurality of titanium particles provided in the resin material. A method of toughening a resin matrix layer is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical mouse and image capture chip thereof. The image capture chip comprises an image sensor, a calculating logic circuit, and a refreshing logic circuit. The image sensor has a plurality of sensor units, capturing an image according to an exposure parameter to provide a plurality of exposure values. The calculating logic circuit provides an average exposure value by calculating the exposure values. If the exposure sample is within a first exposure range, the refreshing logic circuit maintains the exposure parameter and accordingly drives the image sensor to capture a next image. If the average exposure value is within a second exposure range, the refreshing logic circuit adjusts the exposure parameter with a first exposure extreme and accordingly drives the image sensor to capture a next image.

Abstract: A composite heat shield includes a ceramic composite heat shield body comprising a pair of generally spaced-apart heat shield side panels, a heat shield bottom panel extending between the heat shield side panels and having a heat exposure surface, a heat shield top panel extending between the heat shield side panels in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the heat shield bottom panel and having at least one heat shield surface and at least one heat shield cavity defined between the heat shield bottom panel and the heat shield top panel.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an integrated junction field effect transistor (JFET) and Schottky diode, comprising a depletion mode JFET which includes a source, a drain and a gate, wherein the drain is not provided with an ohmic contact such that it forms a Schottky diode.

Abstract: A new approach to adaptive wireless communications suitable for use in military environments and for other purposes is provided. One technique for reliably communicating between a first node and a second node includes the broad steps of establishing a wireless connection between the first node and the second node at a level of communication, monitoring a quality of the wireless connection, adjusting the level of communication if the quality of the wireless connection crosses a threshold, and repeating the monitoring and adjusting steps throughout the duration of the wireless communication cooperatively using the in-band or out-of-band signaling schemes and negotiating the appropriate level of communication link avoiding excessive link outages and signaling overheads. By communicating at a level appropriate for the quality of signals received and adjusting the level as the quality changes, the overall reliability of the wireless communication is improved.

Abstract: A method of non-destructively determining the amount of ultraviolet degradation of a surface and/or paint adhesion characteristics of the surface corresponding with UV damage including determining a physical property of a composite material/surfacing film by providing a series of composite materials/surfacing films which are subjected to increasing UV light exposure to create a set of UV damage standards, collecting mid-IR spectra on those standards, performing data pre-processing and then multivariate calibration on the spectra of the composite materials/surfacing films, and using that calibration to predict the UV damage for samples in question.

Abstract: A method of determining a film coating thickness on a substrate and/or amount one or more compositional ingredients of said film coating including making mid-IR spectra of a series of coating thickness or coating weight standards (and/or composition standards) on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held mid-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material in question from their mid IR spectra.

Abstract: A pixel compensation method is implemented by an image-capturing device having an image sensor for obtaining a pixel pattern of a plurality of pixels, in which each of the pixels has a response intensity. The pixel compensation method includes: a) selecting a first block of a predetermined number of pixels from the pixel pattern obtained by the image sensor; b) designating at least one pixel from the pixels of the first block as a stand-by compensation pixel; c) determining a first compensation value according to the response intensities of the pixels of the first block; and d) adjusting the response intensity of the stand-by compensation pixel according to the first compensation value.

Abstract: A method for visualizing airline flight schedules graphically simulates the effect of a program implemented in airline flight operations to reduce the effect of disruptions in scheduled airline flights. One or more disruptions are introduced into a pre-selected airline flight schedule, using frequency distributions of disruptions and disruption severities, resulting in a disrupted flight schedule that reflects both initial and propagated delays. The disrupted flight schedule is used to visually simulate flight operations in 4-D, allowing comparisons of “as is” and “what if” scenarios.

Abstract: A power module package including a fully enclosed package comprising sidewalls; wherein at least one of said sidewalls includes a conductive substrate; wherein circuit elements are mounted on said conductive substrate on a first side comprising an inner side of said enclosed package; and, wherein a majority area of a second side of said conductive substrate is exposed, the power package has an improved interconnection configuration and compact power I/O terminals, offering low electrical parasitics, a plurality of individual power module packages can be attached seamlessly and positioned in a liquid coolant with multiple top portion open channels, as well as attached to a laminar power connector (busbar) to form various electrical power conversion topologies, the module offers low thermal resistance and low electrical parasitics, in addition to small volume, light weight and high reliability.