Abstract: An electromagnetic coupler including: a substrate; and a first conductor mounted to the substrate for receiving a first electromagnetic signal, the first conductor having a first multiple arcuate edge; a second conductor mounted to the substrate, the second conductor being spaced apart from the first conductor and having a second multiple arcuate edge that is opposed to the first edge for generating in the second conductor a second electromagnetic signal that is derived from the first electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: A high speed split receiver interface system for sensing a series of external signals, the system including: a series of remote radio head units for receiving a sensed signal in an analog electric form, each of the remote radio head units converting their sensed signal to a corresponding digital electrical form and then to a corresponding optical data form for dispatch over an optical data interconnection; at least one optical interconnect interconnecting each remote radio head unit with a baseband unit; a first baseband unit interconnecting the series of remote head units corresponding optical interconnects, and including a converter for conversion of the received optical signals to corresponding electrical digital form and down sampling the optical signals to corresponding down sampled signals, a memory store for storing the down sampled signals, and an external network interface for transmission of the saved signals to an external device.

Abstract: A method of distance synchronization of a series of remote optical receiver points with an optical transmission point, the method including the steps of: (a) sending an optical timing pulse from the optical transmission point to each of the series of remote optical receiver points and back; (b) determining a round trip time of the timing pulse; and (c) storing an indicative measure of the roundtrip time of the timing pulse and utilising the indicative measure to adjust the timing of signals at the remote optical receiver points to determine the relative reception time of signals received by the series of remote optical receiver points.

Abstract: An electromagnetic coupler including: a substrate; and a first conductor mounted to the substrate for receiving a first electromagnetic signal, the first conductor having a first multiple arcuate edge; a second conductor mounted to the substrate, the second conductor being spaced apart from the first conductor and having a second multiple arcuate edge that is opposed to the first edge for generating in the second conductor a second electromagnetic signal that is derived from the first electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: A direct-digital receiver architecture is configured to make maximal use of the dynamic range of its analog to digital converter (ADC). The receiver includes an analog frontend that applies a variable gain factor to the analog input signal, a gain level unit that determines the variable gain factor by monitoring the digital signal that is output by the ADC, a gain scaling unit that determines a digital scale factor according to the determined gain factor, and a gain factor multiplier that multiplies the digital signal by the scale factor to produce a scaled digital signal, said multiplying being time aligned with the variable gain factor. The receiver further includes a digital signal processing train that is cognisant of the dynamic range of the ADC, variable gain factor and the digital scale factor for the time domain sample being processed.

Abstract: A high speed split receiver interface system for sensing a series of external signals, the system including: a series of remote radio head units for receiving a sensed signal in an analog electric form, each of the remote radio head units converting their sensed signal to a corresponding digital electrical form and then to a corresponding optical data form for dispatch over an optical data interconnection; at least one optical interconnect interconnecting each remote radio head unit with a baseband unit; a first baseband unit interconnecting the series of remote head units corresponding optical interconnects, and including a converter for conversion of the received optical signals to corresponding electrical digital form and down sampling the optical signals to corresponding down sampled signals, a memory store for storing the down sampled signals, and an external network interface for transmission of the saved signals to an external device.

Abstract: A method of distance synchronization of a series of remote optical receiver points with an optical transmission point, the method including the steps of: (a) sending an optical timing pulse from the optical transmission point to each of the series of remote optical receiver points and back; (b) determining a round trip time of the timing pulse; and (c) storing an indicative measure of the roundtrip time of the timing pulse and utilising the indicative measure to adjust the timing of signals at the remote optical receiver points to determine the relative reception time of signals received by the series of remote optical receiver points.

Abstract: A direct-digital receiver architecture incorporating an analog to digital converter including: input signal reception unit for receiving an analog input signal; an analog frontend applying a variable gain factor to the analog input signal so as to produce a gain adjusted input signal; an analog to digital converter converting the gain adjusted input signal to a corresponding digital signal; a gain level unit for determining the variable gain factor via monitoring of the corresponding digital signal; a gain scaling unit for determining a scale factor depending on the gain level; a gain factor multiplier for multiplying the corresponding digital signal by a scale factor to produce a scaled digital signal; time alignment of analog front-end variable gain factor into to the digital signal processing train; a digital signal processing train cognisant of the dynamic range of the ADC, dynamic range of the analog-front and gain factor and the gain factor for the time domain sample being processed.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing RF structures such as waveguides using additive manufacturing such as 3D printing. RF structures are also provided suitable for manufacturing with said method. The RF structures include waveguides and antenna assemblies manufactured using the additive process. The structures include flanges at the ends of the waveguide and the flanges are integrally manufactured with the said manufacturing process. The structures include a participating conductive surface that is formed on the entirety of an interior of the body, where the conductive surface extends continuously between the two ends and has been subjected to a surface modification process.

Abstract: An inspection system for visually inspecting one or more inspection locations within a structure, the inspection system including one or more imaging devices mounted within the structure to view the inspection locations, at least one light source to illuminate the inspection locations during inspection, and a wiring harness extending from the imaging device to at least one external port of the structure and configured to supply electrical power to the imaging device from a power supply external to the structure when connected to the port during inspection, and to carry image data representing images of the inspection locations from the imaging device to an external device for viewing by a user of the inspection system.

Abstract: A landing system of an aircraft, including: a site selector to select a candidate site using geographical reference point data for the site and current navigation data for the aircraft; a path generator to generate (a) a survey route within the vicinity of said candidate site using said geographical reference point data for the site, and (b) a route to said survey route and; a camera system to obtain images of the candidate site when said aircraft flys said survey route; a site detector controller to process the images to confirm the site by determining the images are of at least part of the candidate site; a tracker to track the site, once confirmed, relative to the aircraft based on the images to verify, and provide navigation data on, the candidate site; and a navigation and guidance system to land the aircraft on the site once the candidate site is verified using the navigation data.

Abstract: An antenna system including: an input port configured to receive tracking mode signals, in two orthogonal polarizations, from a target; a tracking coupler, configured to receive the tracking mode signals from the input port, the tracking coupler including: a first pair of opposed slot couplers configured to extract tracking signals from the tracking mode signals in a first one of the orthogonal polarizations, and a second pair of opposed slot couplers configured to extract tracking signals from the tracking mode signals in a second one of the orthogonal polarizations; and a tracking combiner network configured to combine the extracted tracking signals from the pairs of opposed slot couplers to generate tracking output signals for use in controlling the antenna system to track the target.

Abstract: A landing site tracker of an aircraft, including a track filter configured to process feature data representing the location of features of a candidate landing site, initialize and maintain tracks of the features as a track of the candidate site, compare geometry constraints for a landing site with the track to validate the candidate site as the landing site, and convert the track into navigation data, representing the position of the landing site, for a navigation system of the aircraft.

Abstract: An antenna system including: an input port configured to receive tracking mode signals, in two orthogonal polarisations, from a target; a tracking coupler, configured to receive the tracking mode signals from the input port, the tracking coupler including: a first pair of opposed slot couplers configured to extract tracking signals from the tracking mode signals in a first one of the orthogonal polarisations, and a second pair of opposed slot couplers configured to extract tracking signals from the tracking mode signals in a second one of the orthogonal polarisations; and a tracking combiner network configured to combine the extracted tracking signals from the pairs of opposed slot couplers to generate tracking output signals for use in controlling the antenna system to track the target.

Abstract: A tracking sensor for a directed infra-red countermeasure (DIRCM) system, the sensor including a first set of image elements in a inner region of the sensor and each having or operable to monitor respective first fields of view; and a second set of image elements in an outer region of the sensor and each having or operable to monitor respective second fields of view. The first fields of view are smaller than the second fields of view or the image elements of the first set provide higher resolution than the image elements of the second set.