Abstract: A convenient handheld locator is provided for locating an item in an urban environment in which the locator is programmed to search for and locate specific items, with the detected item being displayed on the locator as to its identity or name, also displaying where the item is relative to the locator, as to position and range.

Abstract: An entry slit panel for a push-broom hyperspectral camera is formed at least partly from a silicon wafer on which at least one companion sensor is fabricated, whereby the companion sensor is co-planar with the slit and detects light imaged on the panel but not on the slit. In embodiments, the companion sensor is a panchromatic sensor or a sensor that detects light outside the wavelength range of the camera. At least a region of the wafer is back-thinned to a thickness appropriate for a diffraction slit. The slit can be etched or laser cut through the thinned region, or formed between the wafer and another wafer or a conventional blade. The wafer can be back-coated or metalized to ensure its opacity across the camera's wavelength range. The companion sensor can be located relative to the slit to detect scene features immediately before or after the hyperspectral camera.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of using DICE-T personality cards to adapt the incoming voltages supplied by the GVA and provide the ability to turn any voltage to any card on or off depending upon operating mode in a radio system is disclosed. The ability to control voltages individually also allows the control of the power-up sequencing of any card. The DICE-T personality cards use voltages from GVA to generate the additional voltages required by the Core Engines and VHF Module. All of the voltages are connected to hot-swap controllers which provide switching of the power to each destination. These hot-swap controllers also provide monitoring of voltage and shut-down if over-current conditions occur. The two DICE-T personality cards each have a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD) controls the hot-swap controller for each voltage. The CPLD also controls the sequencing of the individual voltages applied to each module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling modules in a radio system is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an adaptor module with side walls and integrated heat exchanging elements. The adaptor module adapts the air flow from a chassis in the radio system such that the exiting ducting on the chassis efficiently mate with the air conduits in the modules. The adaptor allows the use of new high power density modules in the existing chassis without changing the module design. The use of adaptor module in chassis provides efficient cooling and use less volume in the chassis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of minimizing corruption of a reference clock to a RF circuitry in a radio system is disclosed. A DICE-T receives a reference clock in a Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) format from a GVA. The DICE-T personality card converts the reference clock signal into an analog signal. The analog signal is supplied to the Core Engine RF card and the LVDS format signal is supplied to the Core Engine modem for local clocking. The Core Engine RF feeds the analog signal into a programmable phase locked loop chip to generate all the clocks required for RF processing. The analog signal is also used to provide the clocks to the ADC and DAC of core engine modem. By routing the reference clock directly to the RF card then deriving the modem clocks, the phase noise of the reference clock is reduced.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing individual register access during system integration and test is disclosed. A Chip select is routed between an OMAP processor and a waveform FPGA and configured to allow individual register access during system integration and test. Logic is then added to the FPGA to support the single access to the FPGA's peripherals. This allows the user connected to the debug port to be able to send and receive individual commands to and from the waveform FPGA's peripherals. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) maybe developed to provide a graphical interface or scripts may be used to assemble multiple commands thereby increasing flexibility to configure the peripherals during integration and troubleshooting.

Abstract: A system and method for emulating low frequency RF control bus operation using high frequency data is disclosed. In transmission path, the low frequency RFCB transmit data bytes are encoded and then up-sampled. The up-sampled data is then sent to hardware serializer for transmission. The resulting RF serial output stream appears to the external receiver to be encoded at low frequency even though the transceiver is operating at high frequency. In reception path, RFCB serial input data is de-serialized and then down-sampled. The down sampled data is then passed through custom byte-alignment logic and finally decoded. The transceivers are operated at high frequency but data is decoded and received as if it were at low rate. The FPGA serial transceiver are operated at a high frequency and sends each data bit a plurality of times to create a low effective data rate.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of a field effect transistor gate, with or without field plates, includes the steps of defining a relatively thin Schottky metal layer by a lithography/metal liftoff or metal deposition/etch process on a semiconductor surface. This is followed by depositing a dielectric passivation layer over the entire wafer and defining a second lithographic pattern coincident with or slightly inset from the boundaries of the previously defined metal gate layer. This is followed by etching the dielectric using dry or wet etching techniques and stripping the resist, followed by exposing and developing a third resist pattern to define the thicker gate metal layers required for electrical conductivity and also for the field plate if one is utilized. The final step is depositing gate and/or field plate metal, resulting in a gate electrode and an integral field plate.

Abstract: A tactical radio includes a radio frequency (RF) processing module having a receiving component path and a transmitting component path. A signal processing module coupled to the RF processing module includes a jammer detection stage for identifying a type of jamming signal on a channel over which communications signals are received simultaneously. A jammer model stage in the signal processing module produces a waveform model for the jamming signal, and a channel model stage replicates propagation conditions on the channel and produces a corresponding cancellation signal. The cancellation signal is coupled at such a level into the receiving component path so as to cancel the jamming signal from received communications signals at the front end of the radio. Any residual jamming signals may then be removed by a secondary jamming cancellation stage operating at baseband.

Abstract: A method for generating electromagnetic waves in the ELF/ULF comprising the steps of using a ground-based Horizontal Electric Dipole (HED) antenna to send electromagnetic pulses upwardly in the E-region of the ionosphere to form an oscillatory or pulsed electric field; allowing said pulsed electric field to interact with magnetized plasma of the lower ionosphere to generate a pulsed horizontal and vertical current which have associated Horizontal and Vertical Electric Dipole moment; and allowing them to radiate.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for accommodating at least two different sized cards, the apparatus comprising a card housing comprising one or more card slots, each card slot being adaptable for inserting the at least two different sized cards; and a card guide system for adapting said one or more card slots for insertion of at least one of the at least two different sized cards. There is also provided a modified mezzanine card having at least one increased non-standard physical dimension relative to a standard mezzanine card suitable for insertion in the apparatus using the card guide system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assembling a large microbolometer infrared imaging array from sub-arrays, including the step of forming a sub-array assembly of independent imaging arrays on the silicon wafer as the imaging sensor is being processed, whereby seams or gaps in a resulting image are avoided.

Abstract: A microradio is provided with a hysteretic switch to permit an optimum range increasing charging cycle, with the charging cycle being long relative to the transmit cycle. Secondly, an ensemble of microradios permits an n2 power enhancement to increase range with coherent operation. Various multi-frequency techniques are used both for parasitic powering and to isolate powering and transmit cycles. Applications for microradios and specifically for ensembles of microradios include authentication, tracking, fluid flow sensing, identification, terrain surveillance including crop health sensing and detection of improvised explosive devices, biohazard and containment breach detection, and biomedical applications including the use of microradios attached to molecular tags to destroy tagged cells when the microradios are activated. Microradio deployment includes the use of paints or other coatings containing microradios, greases and aerosols.

Abstract: A method is provided for the integration of an optical gain material into a Complementary metal oxide semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of: configuring a workpiece from a silicon wafer upon which is disposed an InP wafer bearing an epitaxy layer; mechanically removing the InP substrate; etching the InP remaining on epitaxy layer with hydrochloric acid; depositing at least one Oxide pad on revealed the epitaxy layer; using the Oxide pad as a mask during a first pattern etch removing the epitaxy to an N level; etching with a patterned inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique; isolating the device on the substrate with additional pattern etching patterning contacts, applying the contacts.

Abstract: A resonantly pumped, trivalent thulium ion (Tm3+) doped, crystal laser with improved efficiency is disclosed. Embodiments are pumped from the 3H6 ground state manifold to the 1st excited 3F4 state manifold by photons with wavelengths between 1.4 and 2.2 microns and laser wavelengths ranging from 1.5 to 2.4 microns arising from 3F4 to 3H6 transitions ensue, with output wavelengths dependant upon the choice of pump wavelength, crystalline host, and resonator optics.

Abstract: A method of providing a defense against a shaped charge uses an outer and an inner armor layer provided with a medial space between these outer and inner armor layers. One or more defensive shaped charges are positioned in the medial space. If the outer armor layer is attacked by ordnance having an offensive shaped charge, one or more of the defensive shaped charges positioned in the medial space is detonated so as to degrade the effectiveness of the offensive shaped charge and prevent penetration of the inner armor layer.

Abstract: Communications in a mobile network are scheduled by defining reservation frames having time slots during which network nodes can transmit certain traffic loads while avoiding interference. The nodes maintain maps that identify the slots as either free or reserved based on each node's existing reservations, and reservation information the node receives from neighboring nodes. A node wishing to transmit traffic determines the number of slots required to carry the traffic, selects a first set of slots from among those identified in its maps as free, and transmits a reservation initiation message (RIM) that identifies the first set of slots. Nodes receiving the RIM determine which, if any, of the first set of slots are already reserved based on their own maps, and transmit counter reservation initiation messages (CRIMs) if any slots are reserved. The CRIMs also identify those slots that the CRIM transmitting nodes determine to be currently free.

Abstract: Methods, antennas and other embodiments associated with impedance matching an antenna feed slot are based on a fractal shape. A slot antenna includes a planar metal sheet. A feed slot opening is formed in the metal sheet. The feed slot has a first end and a second end. A tapered opening is formed in the metal sheet. Adjacent sides of the tapered opening touch the first end of the feed slot. An impedance matching fractal shaped opening is formed in the metal. The impedance matching fractal shaped opening touches the second end of the feed slot.

Abstract: Statistics are collected for each network user, including signal bandwidth (BW), required receive power (RRP) for decoding a user signal, and available transmit margin (ATM). Users are ordered by BW from greatest to smallest. Users with a greatest BW are then ordered by ATM from lowest to highest, and divided into lower half users having lower ATMs, and upper half users having higher ATMs. A two-tier channel plan is defined, and lower half users are assigned to channels in a lower tier. An upper half user is assigned a channel in an upper tier after placing a lower half user in the same channel in the lower tier, if the upper half user's ATM is >(U User RRP+L User RRP). Otherwise, the user is assigned a different channel in the lower tier. The dividing and subsequent steps repeat for any remaining sets of users requiring successively smaller signal bandwidths.

Abstract: Fuzzy logic is utilized to control an RF amplifier and associated tuner for continuous self-optimization and automatic load matching to at least double the battery life of a battery-powered transmitter.