Abstract: A concentric pulley drive assembly is disclosed as having a central pulley mounted to a motor axle and rotatably driven therewith by a drive motor. A partial pulley in the form of a partial annulus is positioned about a portion of the periphery of the central pulley concentrically with respect to the motor axle. A tape strip coupling the two pulleys transmits torque from the central pulley to the partial pulley to induce annular rotations of the partial pulley about the motor axle commensurate with the annular rotation of the central pulley. An antenna or sensor support platform is coupled to the extremities of the partial pulley for pivotal positioning about the motor axle in conjunction with the annular rotation of the motor axle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radar jammer which utilizes an electronically agile, sparsely populated, phase controlled antenna array of pseudo-randomly spaced radiating elements to form a high gain, single narrow beam of radiation directed at a detected threat radar, but containing only a small fraction of the available transmitting power, while providing simultaneously therewith effective jamming radiation over a wide coverage region. Preferably, the plurality of radiating elements are sparsely disposed pseudo-randomly over an area surface to form an antenna array, the number of radiating elements in the array being less than the value of the surface area divided by the transmitting carrier wavelength (.lambda.) squared.

Abstract: A magnetostatic wave device which has broad application in the signal processing arena is disclosed herein. Basically, the magnetostatic wave device includes a layer of magnetized magnetic medium having a surface which includes a prespecified area to support the propagation of magnetostatic waves. A generator element is disposed at one end of the propagation area and is operative to carry an electromagnetic signal to generate magnetostatic waves supported by the propagation area. A pattern of conductive material having a plurality of conductive paths commonly coupled together at both ends is disposed in juxtaposition with the propagation area of the magnetic medium surface. In one embodiment, the conductive pattern includes a variable impedance coupled to each of a desired number of the conductive paths thereof to vary the impedance of the path. Each variable impedance is adjustable controlled in accordance with an applied governing signal.

Abstract: A process for fabricating metal-insultor-semiconductor integrated circuits, especially the processing step of annealing a fabricated wafer by passing a laser beam through the semiconductor wafer from the back surface thereof to the semiconductor-insulator interface to effect localized heating of the insulator at the semiconductor-insulator interface, is disclosed. More particularly, the laser beam is of a wavelength which makes the semiconductor wafer substantially transparent and the insulator substantially absorbent to the laser beam. Moreover, since the illuminating area of the laser beam may be substantially smaller than the surface area of the semiconductor-insulator interface, the laser beam may be scanned across the surface area of the interface to effect an overall annealing thereof.

Abstract: A rapidly tunable laser system which is operative to tune the laser beam emission to a predetermined wavelength in accordance with the polarization state thereof is disclosed. The laser beam emission may be tuned between predetermined wavelengths as rapidly as it can be altered between polarization states. More specifically, the laser system includes a polarization modulator for modulating the radiation beam emitted from a laser cell between at least two polarization states, and at least two diffraction gratings which are uniquely and fixedly aligned to specularly reflect and retroreflect radiation incident thereupon. The retroreflected radiation is of a wavelength uniquely identified with the angle of incidence of the corresponding diffraction grating.

Abstract: An improved presettable integrator circuit is disposed in a fast frequency changing phase lock loop for presetting the voltage-controlled oscillator thereof as governed by a preset signal and a pulsed signal generated by a frequency controller. One input of the integrator circuit is coupled to the preset signal, another input is coupled to an integrator control signal, and the output is coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator for use as a tuning signal thereof. A switch is included in the integrator circuit and is governed in a first state by the pulsed signal to cause the integrator circuit to respond rapidly to an applied preset signal to preset the output signal thereof. In a second state, the switch renders the integrator circuit responsive to an integrator control signal which is selected by a phase lock condition of the loop from either a reference signal or a filtered phase error signal, being coupled to the other input of the integrator circuit.

Abstract: A focal plane array including a first integrated circuit for infrared radiation (IR) detection and a second integrated circuit for signal processing is assembled in a flip-chip structural configuration. Each integrated circuit includes an array of metallic contacts on a surface thereof for interconnection in the flip-chip arrangement. The contact array of the IR detector includes a substantially greater number of contacts than the contact array of the signal processor. Consequently, it is not a prerequisite to precisely align the two integrated circuits in a one-to-one contact relationship for the flip-chip bonding operation therebetween. Thus, each metallic contact of the signal processor may be roughly aligned and bonded to a corresponding group of metallic contacts of the IR detector array without altering significantly the operation of the overall focal plane array as long as at least one metallic contact of the IR detector array is included in each corresponding contact group.

Abstract: In a monopulse radar, a system is included to adaptively assess a detected threat in accordance with the relative bearing representative measurements thereof to determine the collision potential of the threat with the radar. The monopulse radar is operative to detect at least one potential threat and to track the threat through a sequence of time increments beginning with the detection thereof. For each time increment, a signal representative of the relative bearing of the detected threat is derived, forming a sequence of relative bearing representative signals respectively corresponding to the sequence of time increments.

Abstract: A missile system is disclosed which collects and stores energy during the early stages of flight of a missile at a time when the acceleration forces on the missile are the greatest and thereafter, regulates the stored energy to at least one mechanism on board the missile for operation thereof. More specifically, the missile system includes a main support housing section and a nose cone section which is slidably, mechanically interconnected to the housing section. During the early stages of flight, the nose cone section is caused to move with respect to the housing section under the induced acceleration of the missile. Means are provided on board the missile to collect and store the energy resulting from the acceleration induced movement of the nose cone section with respect to the housing section and to provide the stored energy in a regulated fashion to at least one mechanism disposed on the missile for operation thereof during the flight time of the missile.

Abstract: A video signal preprocessor for discriminating a target image from background in the video frame signals generated by an electro-optical sensor electrically representing the field of view thereof is disclosed. A predetermined portion of each video frame signal is selected and divided into a predetermined number of elements. Each element is assigned a gray level value from a plurality of discrete gray level values as a measure of video intensity. A discriminant function of gray level values is formed from the video data of an initial video frame signal based on the number of elements assigned to each discrete gray level value. Elements which have assigned gray level values corresponding to those of the formed discriminant function are then selected from the video frame signals subsequent to the initial one and may represent a substantial image of the target. Further preprocessing may be performed by categorizing the gray level values of the discriminant function into a set of discrete modes.

Abstract: A pulse detection radar signal receiver is disclosed which includes at least one pulse detection channel that has an RF amplifier and a feedback signal path coupling the output to the input thereof for recirculation of signals therethrough. The feedback path includes a signal-to-noise (S/N) enhancer circuit and an inhibiting means, preferably disposed in series therewith. The S/N enhancer circuit is operative to adaptively focus a narrow enhancement bandwidth about the frequency of an input signal, which has a power level greater than a predetermined threshold level, for enhancing signals which have frequencies within said enhancement bandwidth and for attenuating signals which have frequencies outside said enhancement bandwidth. The enhanced and attenuated signals are provided to the input of the RF amplifier for recirculation therethrough.

Abstract: An electro-optical system which integrates the image pattern information, extracted from a plurality of image frames and identified as belonging to a common candidate object, to form a composite image pattern of the candidate object which may be accurately classified with respect to a reference object image pattern is disclosed. More specifically, the formed composite image pattern of the candidate object is correlated with each image pattern of a set of reference object image patterns to generate a corresponding set of correlation values. Preferably, the largest of the correlation values is selected for a comparison with a threshold correlation value. In the event the generated correlation value exceeds the threshold correlation value, the candidate object represented by the composite image pattern is classified as the referenced object corresponding to the selected correlation value.

Abstract: A serial data communications network in which a plurality of stations communicate among one another in an orderly and collision-free manner on a single serial bus. Each station incorporates an improved bus access circuit to operate in cooperation with the bus access circuit of every other station in the network. The resulting effect as to each station is the assignment of a unique, recurring time window during which the station may initiate a transmission on the serial bus exclusive of all other stations.

Abstract: A microstrip microwave circuit having embedded therein at least one suspended substrate stripline region for high Q circuit elements is disclosed. Each suspended substrate region includes an upper ground plane formed by covering the microstrip circuitry of each region with a metallic housing having holes in the sidewalls thereof to permit passage therethrough for the interconnecting circuit paths of the region and by connecting the housing to the top surface of the microstrip ground plane substrate; and a lower ground plane formed by removing the section of substrate lying substantially underneath each high Q region to form openings in the bottom surface of the substrate which are covered by an individual cover plate. The upper and lower ground planes are separated from their corresponding high Q regions by an air spacing dimensioned as a function of the RF impedance desired.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture radar in which echo returns received at sampling points over the length of the synthetic aperture are stored and correlated to form an image of the reflecting surface. The echo returns taken at sampling points over the first half of the synthetic aperture length are integrated to form a first synthetic monopulse beam, the echo returns taken from sampling points over the second half of the synthetic aperture length are integrated to form a second synthetic monopulse beam, and the first and second synthetic monopulse beams are linearly combined to provide synthetic monopulse sum and difference signals suitable for performing various beam sharpening functions in accordance with techniques in use with sum and difference signals provided by conventional monopulse antennas.

Abstract: An arrangement for permitting communication among a plurality of stations on a single serial data communications bus. Each station is provided a choice between two modes of operation. All stations ordinarily operate in a normal mode, seeking access to the serial bus upon occurrence of a democratic time window. In the normal mode, each station is given an opportunity to issue a single transmission before any one station is permitted to issue a second transmission. Should any station require transmission of an urgent message, that station may seek access during an autocratic time window. Within any single round of bus arbitration, all autocratic time windows occur prior to the first democratic time window.

Abstract: A loosely coupled microstrip microwave coupler with high directivity is disclosed. The coupler comprises a ground plane substrate, a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate, and a section of each of the main and coupled transmission lines disposed on the exposed surface of the dielectric layer adjacently aligned with a predetermined gap therebetween to form a coupling region. The length of the coupling region is substantially less than 1/4 wavelength of the operating microwave signal. A capacitive coupling element is disposed within the coupling region across the main and coupled transmission line sections for supplementing the dielectric capacitive coupling of the gap therebetween to increase the directivity of the microwave signal coupling.

Abstract: A radar receiver protector having high isolation and low insertion losses due to a unique microwave assembly configuration is disclosed. The receiver protector includes at least one high power input protection stage and a sensitivity time controlled multi-level attenuation which together achieve rapid switching with a non-critical bias supply and circuit configuration and develop attenuation levels which are invariant with temperature and insensitive to diode parameters.

Abstract: A focal plane array including a first integrated circuit for infrared radiation (IR) detection and a second integrated circuit for signal processing is assembled in a flip-chip structural configuration. Each integrated circuit includes an array of metallic contacts on a surface thereof for interconnection in the flip-chip arrangement. The contact array of the IR detector includes a substantially greater number of contacts than the contact array of the signal processor. Consequently, it is not a prerequisite to precisely align the two integrated circuits in a one-to-one contact relationship for the flip-chip bonding operation therebetween. Thus, each metallic contact of the signal processor may be roughly aligned and bonded to a corresponding group of metallic contacts of the IR detector array without altering significantly the operation of the overall focal plane array as long as at least one metallic contact of the IR detector array is included in each corresponding contact group.

Abstract: In a monopulse radar receiver especially having off-boresite processing for a multiple target capability, there is included apparatus for compensating the receiver derived centroid and extent related signals for post hybrid interchannel imbalances in accordance with system parameter states. Generally, there is included in the sum and difference channel pairs of a monopulse radar receiver, attenuators which are operative in a plurality of attenuation states wherein a different error in the centroid and extent related signals may be rendered for each attenuation state. The compensating apparatus included in the receiver derives compensating signals for each of the attenuation states and stores the derived signals for use in compensating the centroid and extent related signals computed under mutually related attentuation conditions.