Abstract: The system for deploying cable having nodes according to the present invention includes a tubular member, first and second restrictors, and a controller. The cable having nodes travels through the tubular member from a cable supply point to a deployed point. The deployed point is a fluid medium at a higher pressure than the cable supply point. The first and second restrictor form part of the tubular member with the second restrictor being disposed closer to the deployed point. The first and second restrictor have at least a first and second operating position. In the first operating position the restrictors allow the cable to pass, and in the second operating position the restrictors allow both the cable and the nodes to pass. Depending on their operating state, the first and second restrictor restrict the flow of the fluid medium through the tubular member. The controller controls whether the first and second restrictor are in the first and second operating position.

Abstract: An aircraft landing determination apparatus and method for determining landing status of an aircraft by tracking arriving aircrafts and providing a unique runway assignment therefor. The aircraft landing determination apparatus includes a target processor, a track administrator, and a track reporter. The target processor culls multiple target tracks from a target data transmission provided by a target sensor. The track administrator receives the target tracks, selects at least one arrival track therefrom, and allocates a unique runway assignment to each arrival track. The track reporter receives the arrival track and runway assignment, prepares a track report thereabout, and transmits the track report to a position monitoring apparatus.

Abstract: An anode immersed in liquid electrolyte of a battery is threadily engaged with a plastic holder impervious to the corrosive action of the electrolyte. Electrical connection is made to the underside of the anode through a liquid-tight fitting which passes up through the underside of the holder. A sealing gasket is placed at the lower interface between the anode and its holder and the threads are provided with a sealing tape. Additional anode capacity may be provide with the provision of a threaded aperture on the surface of the anode for receiving a supplemental anode having a threaded projection which engages the aperture.

Abstract: A programmable digital radio is configured to perform transponder functions. A receiver in the programmable digital radio receives analog signals from an interrogator and digitizes the analog signals to produce digital interrogation signals. The digital interrogation signals are processed digitally and valid interrogations are detected. Processing includes detection of pulses, determination of each pulse's threshold, determination of intervals between pulses and whether the intervals meet mode criteria, and determination of priority of output of digital messages encoded in the pulses. At least one message is supplied to a transmit module in the programmable radio. The transmit module performs diversity processing on the received message to determine to which received signal to reply, produces reply data and modulates the reply data to produce intermediate frequency signals. The intermediate frequency signals are then converted to analog signals which are transmitted to the interrogator.

Abstract: One meter and one foot resolution is achieved in a multi-mode SAR radar system in real time by wide bandwidth RF signal generation, precision motion compensation, polar reformatting, autofocusing and high dynamic range image processing. An exciter/receiver of this system includes means for providing wideband RF waveform generation and down-conversion, while a programmable digital signal processor includes improvements in software for implementing the functions of motion compensation including the presuming of data, polar reformatting, autofocusing and image processing.

Abstract: A static induction transistor includes a substrate and a drift layer with different doping levels. At least two mesas are formed on the drift layer and a heavily doped region is positioned on a top surface of each of the mesas. A gate contact extends along a bottom of a recess between the mesas and along a side of each of the mesas forming the recess. The gate contact also extends along a portion of the top surface of each of the mesas. In one embodiment of the invention, a notch is formed in the top surface of the mesas between the gate contact and the heavily doped region.

Abstract: A video display of the bottom of a body of water uses three types of data collected from a side looking sonar system, and includes: imagery composed of highlights and shadows from the topography of the bottom; backscattering signal strength proportional to the marine bottom composition, i.e. sand, mud, gravel; and contour lines for water depth. A black and white, gray scale image of the bottom is generated, and a color overlay screen of the composition of the bottom is integrated with the black and white image, with the colors being coded to indicate composition. The water depth is also plotted in contour lines on the display.

Abstract: A coherent signal generated at a precise frequency determined by an atomic clock is transmitted by a moveable object. A receiver station compares the frequency of the coherent signal received from the moving object with a second coherent signal generated at the same precise frequency by an atomic clock in the receiver to determine the radial component of the velocity of the moveable object relative to the receiver as a function of the doppler shift of the transmitted signal. Low cost, low power, miniature atomic clocks with an accuracy of 10.sup.-11 make possible accurate measurements of velocities of only centimeters per second. Such velocity measurement can be used to enhance radar tracking in air traffic control and collision avoidance systems.

Abstract: A launch system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is contained in a portable trailer where all the components of the launch platform can be unfolded and/or attached to each other by hand using removable pins attached to the platform by lanyards. The platform includes launch extension mechanisms that insure a proper launch angle. Wing rails that fold into and are pinned into position to support the UAV before a launch. The launcher also includes a crane that provides a fixed position lifting crank and a movable boom with a lifting cable that is not exposed to getting tangled during movements of the boom when positioning the UAV on the launcher. The trailer has an air compressor and air tanks, and a foot operated release valve that supplies compressed air for a piston based launch mechanism that is controlled by the pilot. The system includes enclosed compartments that are capable of storing components for several vehicles.

Abstract: A termination for a high-temperature superconductive thin-film microwave device formed on the obverse side of a substrate with the reverse side of the substrate having a ground plane. The termination can include a thin-film resistor being integral with an operative component, with the substrate being a preselected dielectric substrate. The resistor can have an epitaxially-formed layer of molybdenum metal of a first preselected thickness on the obverse side, and an epitaxially-formed layer of titanium metal of a second preselected thickness thereon. The termination includes a epitaxially-formed thin-film capacitor integral with the resistor. The capacitor can have a layer of titanium metal formed on a portion of the obverse side with a layer of gold metal formed thereon. The substrate can be lanthanum aluminate, and the high-temperature superconductive film can be a yttrium-barium-copper-oxide film. The ground plane can be made of a high-temperature superconductive film and annealed gold.

Abstract: Aviation fuel is used as the coolant for a microchannel heat sink for airborne electronics. The use of preexisting aviation fuel as a coolant medium eliminates the weight, size and expense of a separate liquid system dedicated solely to electronics cooling. The heat sink is comprised of a body of material having high thermal conductivity and in which are formed a set of parallel closed-ended microchannels on the order of 0.001 in. by 0.004 in. separated by a distance of 0.001 in.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which replaces the silicone molds heretofore utilized for protecting the integrity of the cavities formed during the lamination lay-up stage of a low temperature cofired ceramic substrate fabrication. Now a single sheet of compliant latex rubber is now applied over a polyimide template placed on top of the laminations following their stack-up on a tooling plate. Upon the application of pressure in an isostatic lamination procedure, the sheet of latex rubber acts to safely transfer laminating pressure to the cavities formed in the composite substrate structure without rounding the corners or edges thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for growing single-polytype, single crystals of silicon carbide utilizing physical vapor transport as the crystal growth technique. The apparatus has a furnace which has a carbon crucible with walls that border and define a crucible cavity. A silicon carbide source material provided at a first location of the crucible cavity, and a monocrystalline silicon carbide seed is provided at a second location of the crucible cavity. A heat path is also provided in the furnace above the crucible cavity. The crucible has a stepped surface that extends into the crucible cavity. The stepped surface has a mounting portion upon which the seed crystal is mounted. The mounting portion of the stepped surface is bordered at one side by the crucible cavity and is bordered at an opposite side by the furnace heat path. The stepped surface also has a sidewall that is bordered at one side by and surrounds the furnace heat path.

Abstract: A method for forming a low temperature cofired ceramic package which is made using a multi-layered densified spherical powder formed via a sol-gel process. This densified powder is formed from layers of SiO.sub.2 reacted with trimethyl borate. The spherical powder has a preselected particle size and boron content sufficient to render the low temperature cofired ceramic package fully dense, even in the presence of a second phase filler ceramic, at a sintering temperature below 1000.degree. C. Binder material is added to the spherical powder and ceramic filler to form a plurality of tapes. A ceramic assembly is then formed by layering the plurality of tapes upon one another and firing the ceramic assembly at a temperature below 1025.degree. C. to form a fully dense cofired ceramic package. In order to form the multi-layered densified spherical powder, a silica core, which is formed using a sol-gel process, is reacted with trimethyl borate.

Abstract: An electric motor for an electrically powered vehicle provides the power necessary for rotating a plurality of vehicle wheels. The motor is constructed of light weight and corrosion resistant metals and includes a cooling system for supplying cooling oil to the rotor and stator core and stator windings such that high speed operation of larger electric motors for electric cars and buses is achievable.

Abstract: A radio-frequency broadcasting system and method for simultaneously broadcasting analog and digital signals in a standard AM broadcasting channel wherein the system includes: a transmitter for providing, and broadcasting, a composite signal containing an adaptively-modulated phase-shift-keyed digital signal with analog programming material modulated thereon; and a receiver for detecting the composite signal, extracting the analog audio signal and digital audio, or data, therefrom, and playing back the received audio programming. The adaptively-modulated phase-shift-keyed digital signal is responsive to the transmitted signal, dynamically increasing the digital data transmission rate as the transmitted signal power increases. Symbol states are generally arranged around concentric arcs, and adjacent symbol states are generally equidistant.

Abstract: A miniature atomic frequency standard utilizes a tubular vapor cell extending transversely through a TE.sub.210 microwave cavity. In one embodiment of the invention, the vapor cell is heated directly by electric heaters secured to ends of the tubular vapor cell which extend outside the microwave cavity. The vapor cell is insulated by thermal insulation inside the microwave cavity and between the microwave cavity and a magnetic shield. In another embodiment of the invention, the entire microwave cavity is heated which eliminates the need for thermal insulation inside the cavity and thus it can be made smaller, but additional thermal insulation is provided between the microwave cavity and the magnetic shield. Preferably, the C-field coil is wound on the thermal insulation just inside the magnetic shield to reduce heat loss by conduction.

Abstract: A silicon carbide growth container for placement into a crystal growing furnace. The growth container has a liner of pyrolytic graphite which seals the inside of the container and allows for easy removal of the grown silicon carbide crystal.

Abstract: A metal-air battery having a liquid electrolyte above which is an air plenum. The battery includes a horizontally or vertically disposed anode completely within the electrolyte and a reticulated cathode arrangement which floats at the surface of the electrolyte and can accommodate for changes in the liquid level.

Abstract: A method for precipitating ferrite at room temperature which involves dissolving metal salts in deaerated water, using a base solution to precipitate metal hydroxides, adding an oxidizing agent that has a standard reduction potential greater than 1.229 V versus standard hydrogen electrode. The oxidizing agent further preferably has a standard reduction potential less than 1.8 V versus standard hydrogen electrode. The oxidizing agent is preferably one of hydrogen peroxide, ammonium peroxydisulfate, ozone, nitrous acid, NO, and N.sub.2 O. The base is preferably ammonium hydroxide.