Abstract: An offset RF interconnect structure for interconnecting an active array radiating aperture to a transmit/receive (T/R) module sub-array, wherein the corresponding input/output (I/O) ports lie on different lattices. The interconnect structure employs dielectric-filled slabline transmission line, which includes a center conductor wire conductor bent to form the offset interconnection between two ports misaligned in two dimensions. The structure includes a dielectric housing that is formed by injection molding about the center slabline wire conductor. The offset interconnect structure can be integrated with an in-line coaxial interconnect structure.

Abstract: A method wherein the scan rate of an active emitter is simultaneously estimated by a tracking receiver and a radar system and are then compared to correlate tracks generated by the tracking receiver and the radar system. The output produced by the present method provides for data that is more accurately indicative of the locations and identifications of emitters tracked by the tracking receiver and the radar system. More specifically, the method comprises the following steps. An active emitter having a scanning antenna is simultaneously tracked using a tracking receiver and a radar system. The location of the emitter is estimated using the tracking receiver by processing measurements of the electromagnetic signals generated by the emitter. The scan rate of the emitter is estimated using the tracking receiver by detecting strobing of the main lobe of the signals generated the emitter. The scan rate of the emitter is estimated using the radar system.

Abstract: A VHF inverter including an inverter circuit (100) for providing an inverter output; a constant magnitude, variable phase impedance transforming circuit (54, 154) responsive the inverter; and a load circuit (55, 155) responsive to the impedance transforming circuit.

Abstract: A switch for communicating short control messages and longer data messages. The control and data switch comprises separate resources for control messages and for data messages, while sharing communication links. Each input port of the switch has a separate control message input FIFO buffer and a data message input FIFO buffer. These buffers allow a control message to preempt a data message that is currently in progress over a link. If there are control message words waiting to be transmitted over the link, they are given prior over any data message words that are ready for transmission over the same link. Preemption of an ongoing data message by a control message takes place without disrupting the data message, other than delaying it.

Abstract: Production of precision reflective mirror surfaces on low cost, lightweight molded plastic substrates (10). The process involves making a master pattern (12) having a precision machined contoured surface (13) corresponding to the precision mirror surface desired on the plastic substrate. A release layer (14) and a reflective layer (17) are applied to the master pattern and then transferred to the molded plastic substrate (10), with a curable replication layer (18) therebetween preferably comprising a filler-reinforced polymer composition which is compatible with the polymeric substrate and has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) which closely matches the CTE of the substrate. The replication layer (20) is cured to replicate the precision of the surface (13) of the master pattern (12), which can be reused to produce a multiplicity of high precision molded plastic mirrors (21).

Abstract: A phase shifter using digital counters allows extremely accurate phase shifts. In a parallel circuit arrangement of a number of basic phase shift units, which each includes a dual modulus counter and phase control circuitry for controlling the counter modulus, the outputs of several units are combined in parallel. With the divider ratios of all the dividers of the units consisting of roots of pairwise relatively prime numbers, the total number of phase states is equal to the multiplication of its divider ratios.

Abstract: A phase lock acquisition control circuit for the local oscillator (LO) of a radar exciter. The control circuit includes a programmable logic array, a microsequencer and a counter employed as a divide-by-eight circuit which supplies a clock reference for the control circuit. The counter in turn is clocked by a crystal based oscillator also used as the reference for the exciter phase lock loop. The marker filter and zero beat detector provide frequency location information to the control circuit. The control circuit controls a ramp generator circuit which in turn can drive the phase lock loop VCO during acquisition.

Abstract: A hologram decal structure including a photopolymer hologram layer having hologram fringes recorded therein, a transparent pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on a first surface of the photopolymer hologram layer, and a transparent urethane coating disposed on a second surface of the photopolymer hologram layer, and techniques for making the hologram decal.

Abstract: A package containing an integrated circuit has all of its I/O contacts on one of the package faces. The periphery of that face is processed to be wettable with solder. The substrate to which the package is to be attached has corresponding contacts and has a solder wettable ring comparable to the ring at the periphery at the package face. When the package is positioned on the substrate it is hermetically sealed therearound by soldering the two rings together, such as by reflow soldering.

Abstract: A remote controlled locking system employing a holographic window display, particularly adapted for vehicle use. The system includes a remotely-operated transmitter for transmitting locking and unlocking signals, and a locking mechanism that is locked and unlocked in response to the transmitted signals. The locking mechanism outputs a status signal or status signals, corresponding to at least one of the locking and unlocking signals. Control electronics process the status signals from the locking mechanism to provide control signals that are coupled to first and second light emitting members, such as LED arrays. The light emitting members produce light output signals in response to the control signals. First and second prism couplers are attached to a surface of a window and are optically coupled to the first and second light emitting members. First and second hologram decals that comprise the holographic window display are attached to the surface of the window and are responsive to the light output signals.

Abstract: A method of interconnecting a leadless multichip module to a printed wiring board using a solder-free interconnect to form an electronic module. The present invention also contemplates the electronic module produced by the method. The electronic module comprises a printed wiring board having a plurality of interconnect pads, and a leadless multichip module having a base, and a plurality of interconnect pads. The multichip module is disposed in an upside down configuration such that its plurality of interconnect pads face the plurality of interconnect pads of the printed wiring board. A plurality of solder-free interconnects are disposed between the interconnect pads. A nonconductive frame is disposed around the leadless multichip module and is secured to the printed wiring board. The nonconductive frame also secures the multichip module and the plurality of solder-free interconnects to the printed wiring board.

Abstract: A high performance bandpass filter is produced by adding one or more "simultaneous couplings" to a conventional resonant cavity filter. A "simultaneous coupling" is created when a filter's input or output signal, normally coupled to a filter's first or last cavity respectively, is coupled to one or more other cavities. Each simultaneous coupling causes a finite-frequency insertion loss pole to be created, which produces a quasi-elliptic frequency response on its side of the passband. These poles may be placed on the left and/or right sides of the passband, so that both symmetric and asymmetric quasi-elliptic frequency responses are realizable. A diplexer constructed from two such bandpass filters has the extremely sharp selectivity provided by two asymmetric bandpass filters, thus providing a high degree of receive/transmit isolation.

Abstract: A system and method for generating row addresses for a memory structure on a column by column basis. In accordance with the novel method, a column read start address (SC) is subtracted from a column address (COL) to provide a column offset. Next, the column offset is multiplied by the multiplicative inverse of the skip period in modulo (SPM.sup.-1) to provide a first product. The first product is multiplied by a skip period between data strings to provide a second product. The second product is divided by a number (NC) which represents the number of columns in the memory structure to provide a first quotient. Finally, a base row address of a first row to be read (BRA) is added to the first quotient to provide a row address (RA). In a specific embodiment, the step of multiplying the column offset by the multiplicative inverse of the skip period in modulo includes the step of converting the first product to a modulo product.

Abstract: Laser range finder circuitry including an avalanche photodiode detector, a capacitor for storing a detector bias voltage, and a transimpedance amplifier for amplifying the detector signal. The capacitor is charged in response to a first control signal by a circuit employing first and second field effect transistors and is discharged in response to a second control signal by a circuit employing a third field effect transistor. An overload protection circuit including a single diode is provided to accommodate excessive charge created by backscatter upon initial laser firing. A temperature sensor is further provided to develop a temperature signal which may be monitored to adjust the detector bias voltage and other parameters so as to permit use of an associated laser range finder over a wide range of temperatures.

Abstract: An energy storage cell includes a cylindrical pressure vessel, a porous ceramic coating on the interior surface of the pressure vessel, a plurality of insulating stripes of an electrically insulating polymeric coating on the interior surface of the porous ceramic coating, and a plurality of catalytic stripes of a catalytic material overlying the plurality of insulating stripes. The insulating material is preferably a polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene. The catalytic material catalyzes the chemical combination of hydrogen and oxygen, and is preferably a mixture of platinum powder, polytetrafluoroethylene, and methocel. The insulating stripes and catalytic stripes lie around the circumference of the cylindrical pressure vessel and extend parallel to the cylindrical axis of the cylindrical pressure vessel. The energy storage cell further includes a plate stack having a plurality of plate sets within the wall of the pressure vessel, with the plate sets lying perpendicular to the cylindrical axis.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a radar system (20) and method of determining the range (R) to a remote target (14) is provided. The method includes computing a plurality of simulated M-dimensional points (x.sub.o (t)) as a function of return pulse arrival times over a range of expected return pulse arrival times (t.sub.1 through t.sub.2). The computed simulated points (x.sub.o (t)) are stored as function of return pulse arrival times in a memory (42) of the system (20). An antenna (10) is aligned in the direction of the remote target (14) and transmits at least one electromagnetic pulse (12) in the direction of the remote target (14) such that the pulse (12) reflects off the remote target (14) as a return pulse (16). The return pulse (16) is sampled at M different times representing a M-dimensional measured point (x). The measured point (x) is compared with each of the simulated points (x.sub.o (t)) stored in the memory (42) for determining which of the simulated points (x.sub.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of multipath interference within a radar receiver disposed to form sum (.SIGMA.) and difference (.DELTA.) signals by time-sampling a target return signal is disclosed herein. In accordance with this method there is formed a sequence of complex conjugates (.SIGMA.*) of the sum signals (.SIGMA.). Each of the .SIGMA.* signals is multiplied with an associated one of the .DELTA. signals so as to form a time-sampled sequence of .SIGMA.*.DELTA. signals. A power spectrum representation of the time-sampled sequence of signals .SIGMA.*.DELTA. is then generated, wherein the presence of selected spectral components within the .SIGMA.*.DELTA. power spectrum indicate the existence of multipath interference within the radar receiver. In a particular implementation the .SIGMA.*.DELTA. power spectrum representation is quickly and reliably determined by performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operation upon the time-sampled sequence of .SIGMA.*.DELTA. signals.

Abstract: A method and system of attitude steering and momentum management for a spacecraft suitable over a wide range of orbit altitude and inclination parameters and a similar wide range of mission steering profiles is provided. The system utilizes two active momentum wheels positioned with their spin axes nominally coaligned on the spacecraft pitch axis. Each wheel is pivoted by jackscrew type mechanisms which allow the angular momentum to be tilted (e.g. within the range 0-45.degree. from the nominal alignment with respect to the spacecraft body). The spacecraft control processor generates wheel torque commands for the wheel speed electronics and jackscrew drive commands for the platform assemblies in order to adjust the speed and amount of tilt of the momentum wheels. The invention provides a two-momentum wheel array that allows use of either momentum bias steering or large angle zero-momentum steering and accommodates multiple orbit geometries and varying degrees of attitude steering agility.

Abstract: Boresighting apparatus that includes a multispectral reflective collimator combined with an adjustable rhomboid reflector that allows boresighting of any wavelength sighting, pointing, aiming or rangefinding device disposed on a small arms weapon. The boresighting apparatus comprises a housing and a small arms weapon adapter for securing the housing to small arms weapons having different calibers. An illuminated or heated target is disposed in the housing for selectively providing an image of an illuminated or heated target pattern. A power source is coupled to the target for providing power to selectively illuminate or heat the target. An adjustment mechanism is provided for incrementally adjusting the optical location of the target and thus the location of the target pattern. A mirror, such as an off-axis parabolic mirror, is disposed to reflect the image of the illuminated or heated target pattern along a visual optical path.

Abstract: A calibration circuit (40) for infrared detectors including a first circuit (72) for storing a value representing the level of a first output of each detector in response to the illumination of the detector by a first target. A second circuit (74) stores a value representing the responsivity of each detector in response to the illumination of the detector by the first target. A third circuit (48), responsive to the first circuit (72), adjusts the level of the output of each detector in response to a second target and provides a level adjusted signal in response thereto. A fourth circuit (52), responsive to the second circuit (74), adjusts the responsivity of each detector in response to the second target and provides a responsivity adjusted signal in response thereto. A fifth circuit (58, 60, 62) feeds the output of the third circuit (48) back to the first circuit. (72). Finally, a sixth circuit (58, 60, 62) feeds the output of the fourth circuit (52) back to the second circuit (74).