Abstract: An integration circuit having multiple wells that allow for the simultaneous storage of charge during an integration interval and techniques for using the same provide benefits in dynamic range that enhance the performance of pixels. The circuit and techniques described herein could also be used in many different infrared focal plane array applications where higher dynamic range is desired and multiple gain state outputs are allowed.

Abstract: A compact orthoscopic lens is corrected for monochromatic and chromatic aberrations over wavelengths from 450 to 2450 nm with an angular FOV of 5.56° vertical and 66° horizontal. The 4.36? effective focal length lens with f-number of 4 is compact measuring 5.2? from the first optical surface to the image. The lens includes, in order from object to image, a first optical group having a negative optical power; a second optical group having a positive optical power and a third optical group having a negative optical power. The first optical group consists of two elements, the second optical group consists of three elements, one a doublet, and the third optical group consists of two elements. A physical aperture stop is positioned inside the second optical group. Powers of groups and elements, shapes, refractive indices, Abbe numbers and partial dispersions of glasses are selected so the lens is apochromatic and orthoscopic.

Abstract: An object detection system uses a change in a linear polarization statistic between a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time to determine the presence or the likelihood of an object beneath a surface. The presence of the object may be determined by regions of anomalously high changes in the polarization statistic. The system may use a polarization change detection detector which may simultaneously capture images in multiple polarization channels. Further, the polarization change detection detector may be coupled with a laser interferometry system.

Abstract: A system for limiting or diminishing current to unpowered Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) circuitry is provided. The system comprises receiver input termination circuitry and a cold spare circuitry. The receiver input circuitry comprises a termination resistor and an N-type metal oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET). The cold spare circuitry comprises a first MOSFET and a second MOSFET. When the system is powered on, an input current flows to the receiver input termination circuit to be discharged by the N-type MOSFET which is electrically connected to a ground. When the system is powered off, the input current flows to the cold spare circuitry to discharge the input current. Discharging electrons between the first MOSFET and the second MOSFET depends on the polarity of an accumulated voltage.

Abstract: A system and method that uses tunnelizing for analyzing frequency spectrum. The method may include the steps of under sampling an input signal to take samples in one or more tunnels each with a tunnel bandwidth that is equal to or less than a total analysis bandwidth of the input signal; detecting one or more cyclostationary features of the input signal based on the samples; and determining one or more signal types of the one or more cyclostationary features based on the one or more cyclostationary features.

Abstract: An aircraft wing system and method comprising: an aircraft wing; an edge device coupled to a leading edge or trailing edge of the aircraft wing; a drive shaft rotatable about its axis; a crank arm, a first end of the crank arm being coupled to the drive shaft, and a second end of the crank arm opposite to the first end being coupled to the edge device; and a gear system (e.g. a strain wave gear system) coupled between the drive shaft and the first end of the crank arm.

Abstract: A system reducing pixel-based spatial noise for an uncooled infrared imager includes a first step of subtracting the historical scene-based NUC offsets for each selected pixel calculated from the previous frame. A filtered image for output module output is calculated using an edge preserving smoothing filter. The edge preserving smoothing function consists of a plus-shaped median kernel in which selected pixels that differ from the center pixel by greater than a specified threshold are replaced with the center pixel. The result is subtracted from the center pixel forming a high pass, edge ignoring, version of the frame which is dominated by system noise. A low pass version of the noise frame is created with a 5×5 mean filter. This is subtracted from the initial noise frame to improve scene rejection. This high pass version of the image/noise frame is attenuated by a configurable value.

Abstract: A projection apparatus comprising a prism assembly 7 including an input sub-prism 1 possessing a first interface surface and an output sub-prism 2 adjacent to the input sub-prism possessing a second interface surface. The second interface surface is spaced from the first interface surface immediately proximate to it and extends over it to receive display light 12 transmitted through the first interface surface. A panel 8 comprising a plurality of selectively adjustable reflecting elements is arranged to receive from the input sub-prism an illumination light totally internally reflected from the first interface surface and selectively to reflect received illumination light back through the input sub-prism for transmission through the first interface surface for receipt as display light 13 by the output prism at said second interface surface.

Abstract: The system and method for adaptively obtaining coefficients of an inverse model for both equalization and pre-distortion for a multi-channel and reconfigurable RF system. The system preforms real-time learning and adaption and does not require training sets. In some cases, the system learns new coefficients across time and transient changes in performance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for facilitating decision making on a watercraft (100). The system comprises one or more processors (102) configured to: acquire environmental data comprising measurements of one or more parameters of an environment in a locality of the watercraft (100); provide a plurality of digital models, each digital model modelling an effect of the environment on a respective capability of the watercraft (100), each capability of the watercraft (100) being assigned to one or more actions, each action being performable by the watercraft (100) or an entity on the watercraft (100); using the environmental data and the digital models, model an effect of the environment on the capabilities of the watercraft (100); receive a selection of an action; and, using outputs of each digital model that models a capability that is assigned to the selected action, determine a risk assessment for the selected action.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of bonding and a conductively bonded joint, provided by high loadings of conductively coated nano scale particulate fillers in a conductive adhesive in combination with a conductive intermediary structure, more particularly to a lightning strike resilient bonded joint between fibre reinforced polymer composites. A method of joining a first fibre reinforced polymer composite surface and a second fibre reinforced polymer composite surface, comprising the steps of providing a conductive intermediary structure between said first and second surfaces, filling the void between said surfaces and enveloping said intermediary structure with a conductive adhesive, curing the conductive adhesive to form a bonded first and second surface. A conductive adhesive comprising a curable binder and a high aspect ratio nanoscale carbon particulate filler present in the range of from 0.1 to 40% wt, wherein said particulate filler comprises a metal coating.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an assembly tool for assembling a first system comprising one or more components. The method comprises: for each component, determining, when the first system is attached to a second system, a position and orientation of that component relative to the second system and positions and orientations relative to the second system at which that component is to be supported; providing a frame; attaching, to the frame, a reference structure; providing a plurality of pickup devices each having a receiving element for receiving a component; and securing each pickup device to the frame such that a position and orientation relative to the reference structure of each receiving element is the same as a position and orientation at which a component is to be supported.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a laser weapon system, comprising: one or more lasers for generating electromagnetic radiation; laser optics for routing the electromagnetic radiation to laser apertures in the platform which direct the generated electromagnetic radiation at a target, the laser apertures having an associated field of regard; and a control system, the control system being arranged to control which combination of laser, laser optics and laser aperture is used to engage the target, based on a probability of successfully engaging that target in relation to the field of regard of the laser aperture of the combination.

Abstract: An indicator assembly and method for detecting and indicating a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal error during testing or monitoring of a GPS enabled device. The assembly includes an azimuth-elevation servo system; a GPS receiver; and a microprocessor engaged with the GPS receiver and servo system. The microprocessor executes programming that compares an expected self-position solution of the indicator assembly with a reported-position solution of the indicator assembly provided by the GPS receiver. The microprocessor activates the servo system to move a visually-observable indicator device to a position that reflects results of the comparison between the expected and reported position solutions. An operator noting unexpected behavior in the GPS enabled device checks the position of the indicator device and determines that a GPS signal error has occurred when the indicator device is oriented at any angle other than ninety degrees relative to a surface upon which the indicator assembly rests.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a fault condition in a network, making use of standard parameter data generated by a network termination device of a user of the network, the method comprising, in a training phase, the remote retrieval of selected parameters from a predetermined set of users' network termination devices in order to generate one or more representative models of expected operational status using the retrieved parameters and, in a monitoring phase, determining a measure of operational status for the set of users at some future time and comparing that with a corresponding expected model measure. Parameter retrieval takes place over substantially the same path through the network as used to supply services to a respective network termination device so that the models are generated in respect of communications over those elements of network infrastructure likely to affect operational status of the respective set of users in the event of a fault condition.

Abstract: A frequency multiplier, which may include multiple commutator cells, for multiplying an input signal is provided. A frequency doubler is provided that includes at least one transformer. Each of the at least one transformer includes a primary and a secondary. Each secondary includes a center tap. The frequency doubler further includes at least one commutator cell. Each of the at least one commutator cell includes a first differential pair of input terminals and a second differential pair of input terminals. Each primary is connected to the first pair of differential input terminals and each secondary is connected to the second differential pair of input terminals. The frequency doubler further includes at least one current source and at least one ground. The center tap is connected to the at least one ground via the at least one current source.

Abstract: Remote electronic units effective to generate output data for an actuator are described. A remote electronic unit may include first, second, and third lanes. The first, second, and third lanes may receive input data including an actuator command. The first, second, and third lanes may generate first, second, and third output data, respectively, based on the input data. The first, second, and third lanes may respectively send the first, second, and third output data to a voter. The first and second lanes may respectively send the first and second output data to a multiplexer. The voter may output a selection signal to the multiplexer if at least two out of the first, second, and third output data are identical. The multiplexer may select one of the first and the second output data based on the selection signal and transmit the selection to the actuator via an actuator control electronics.

Abstract: Apparatus for and method of transmitting an optical signal by a Free Space Optical, FSO, communication system, the method comprising: transmitting, by an optical signal transmitter (104), an optical signal (700) into at least part of a volume of an optical medium (302); and controlling, by a controller, the optical signal transmitter (104), to scan the at least part of the volume (302) using the optical signal (700) in a sequence of non-overlapping loops (704, 708). The sequence of non-overlapping loops (704, 708) may be a sequence of non-overlapping, concentric circular loops.

Abstract: A communication system is configurable to operate in either a transparent mode or a data streaming mode. In the transparent mode data is transferred to a data requesting component from a data source using a request-response protocol. In the data streaming mode a second data transfer component is configured to obtain data from the data source component via a third data link, and to transfer the data to a first data transfer component via a second data link, which has a relatively higher latency, without using the request-response protocol. The first data transfer component is configured to store the transferred data and to transfer the stored data to the data requesting component via the first data link upon receiving a request for the stored data from the data requesting component.

Abstract: An object detection system uses a change in a linear polarization statistic between a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time to determine the presence or the likelihood of an object beneath a surface. The presence of the object may be determined by regions of anomalously high changes in the polarization statistic. The system may use a polarization change detection detector which may simultaneously capture images in multiple polarization channels. Further, the polarization change detection detector may be coupled with a laser interferometry system.