Abstract: A weapon system comprising a mobile platform (1) e.g. an aircraft incorporating a first three-axis attitude reference sub-system (13), and a guidable vehicle (3) launchable from the platform (1) and incorporating a guidance sub-system (15) incorporating gyros (17) wherein correction of gyro parameters, i.e. scale factor and zero offset, of the vehicle attitude reference sub-system (15) is effected prior to launch of the vehicle (3) on the basis of repetitive comparisons of attitude data as measured by the platform and vehicle sub-systems (13, 15). The vehicle (3) may comprise a dispenser of a number of munitions (5) each itself incorporating a guidance sub-system (25) incorporating gyros (27), in which case corrections of gyro parameters of the missile guidance sub-system (25) may be effected prior to missile launch on the basis of repetitive comparisons of attitude data as measured by the dispenser and munition sub-systems (15, 25).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling critical races in sequential circuits so that the there are no conflicts when two or more different data signals exists on shared circuit paths. This enables the design and implementation of sequential circuits having fewer gates than conventional circuit designs of equivalent function that translates into smaller area and power consumption. The control of the critical race is accomplished by adjusting the relative delay of the individual sections of one or more loops.

Abstract: A high brightness, high color saturation liquid crystal display permits direct sunlight viewing. The display includes one or more diffractive color separation microlenses, in one embodiment, trimodal, which serves both to spatially separate incoming white light into red, green and blue bands and to focus the bands onto a subpixel matrix. A stepped and segmented surface of at least one microlens enables that microlens to provide a plurality of diffraction patterns.

Abstract: A degassed polyester varnish is applied to the transduction driver to increase surface dielectric strength (insulation resistance), driver voltage breakdown, physical protection, and heat and water resistance. A vacuum chamber application process is used to apply the polyester varnish. The disclosed coating technique is applicable to all transducer drive materials and all transducer types.

Abstract: A compact aircraft antenna for reception of GPS signals includes eight elements to provide eight antenna patterns usable for anti-jam signal processing. Four bent monopole elements are configured with vertical portions and horizontal inward-extending portions. The bent monopole elements are arranged for multimode excitation to provide a primary progressive phase omnidirectional right-hand circularly-polarized antenna pattern for basic signal GPS signal reception. Multimode excitation of the bent monopoles also provides omnidirectional left-hand circularly-polarized, uniform phase omnidirectional, and clover leaf auxiliary antenna patterns. Four individual slot element figure-eight type auxiliary antenna patterns are also provided. With availability of these primary and auxiliary patterns, adaptive type anti-jam processing can be employed to actively provide reduced-gain antenna pattern notches or nulls at incident angles of interference or jamming signals.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a first co-ordinate frame of a robot and effector in a second frame of reference of a sensor when the sensor is substantially rigidly attached to the robot and effector, including the steps of measuring first positions of a plurality of first light sources relative to the sensor, with the first positions corresponding to a first absolute position of the robot and effector, moving the robot and effector, measuring second positions of the plurality of first light sources, which second positions correspond to the desired second absolute position of the robot and effector and the sensor, repeating the measurement of and movement from the first to second positions so as to provide at least two sets of measurements of first and second positions corresponding to at least two movements, each of which at least two movements is a known, unique transform, combining the at least two sets of measurements of first and second positions so as to calibrate the first co-ordinate frame in the second fra

Abstract: Radiation synthesizer systems provide efficient wideband operation with an antenna, such as a loop, which is small relative to operating wavelength. Energy dissipation is substantially reduced by cycling energy back and forth between a high-Q radiator and a storage capacitance under control of a switching circuit. In addition to transmit operation using an energy source such as a battery, by reciprocity receive systems deliver received signals to an output device, such as a speaker or other audio or visual transducer device. By efficient direct processing, via controlled activation of switch devices of switch modules, incident RF signals are converted to baseband signals. Commercial type AM receivers may be provided without IF processing and detection or analog filters.

Abstract: An SEU immune logic architecture includes a dual path logic gate coupled to a dual to single path converter. A first and a second logic element within the dual path logic gate are functionally and possibly structurally equivalent, and are coupled to receive input signals spanning redundant input signal sets. A given logic structure within the first logic element may receive specified input signals within a particular input signal set, while an analogous logic structure within the second logic element may receive corresponding input signals within the counterpart input signal set. A radiation induced transient pulse that affects one input signal may affect an output signal asserted by one logic structure; however, since the transient pulse doesn't affect a corresponding input signal applied to the analogous logic structure, the dual path logic gate may output at least one correctly valued signal when a transient pulse occurs.

Abstract: A method for providing a fill pattern for integrated circuit designs is disclosed. A keepout file having keepout data is generated from a chip design layout file having chip design layout data. The keepout file includes a map of areas of an integrated circuit design where fill patterns cannot be placed. The map of areas from the keepout file is then overlaid with a fill pattern to yield a fill-pattern file. Fill patterns from the fill-pattern file is removed from locations that coincide with locations as defined by the keepout data to yield a final-fill file with crucial fill pattern data. The crucial fill pattern data from the final-fill file is overlaid on the design layout data in the chip design layout file to yield a complete design layout file. Finally, the design rule integrity and logical to physical correspondence of the complete design layout file is verified.

Abstract: A ring-wing aircraft suited particularly, although not exclusively, to use in micro-unmanned air vehicles (UAV's) with ring-wings. An aircraft (10) according to the invention comprises a ring-wing (11) defining a duct (16) with a longitudinally-extending central axis (31), propulsion element (15) located within the duct and moveable aerofoils (13, 18) for controlling the aircraft in flight, the ring-wing being truncated obliquely at one end, that end being the rear (11b) when in horizontal flight, to form a ring-wing with opposed sides of unequal length. This arrangement produces center of mass offset from the central axis of the ring-wing, the pendulum effect will ensure that the aircraft will roll so that its center of mass will always be at the lowest height possible when the aircraft is airborne. Therefore the aircraft has a preferred orientation, and the control surfaces can be oriented with respect to this preferred orientation.

Abstract: Radiation synthesizer systems provide efficient wideband operation with an antenna, such as a loop, which is small relative to operating wavelength. Energy dissipation is substantially reduced by cycling energy back and forth between a high-Q radiator and a storage capacitance. Systems using multi-segment loop antennas match antenna input impedance to switching circuit parameters. Control signal feeds employ fiber-optic cables and reduce conductive paths. Multi-voltage DC supply configurations use parallel conductor portions of antenna loop segments and reduce the need for separate DC supply conductors. Spurious conductive loops are thereby reduced and lightweight, flexible antenna constructions are enabled.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to radiant energy systems and more particularly to systems exhibiting the retroreflection principle wherein the system comprises a focusing means and a surface exhibiting some degree of reflectivity positioned near the focal plane of the device, and wherein incident radiation falling within the field-of-view of said system is reflected back in a direction which is parallel to the incident radiation. The present invention has great applicability in military optical system applications for detecting the presence of an enemy employing surveillance equipment and for neutralizing this surveillance capability.

Abstract: A modular workpiece support reconfigurable to support a number of similar, but different profiled workpieces (such as the leading edge skin sections of an aircraft wing) comprises a base 32 defining a number of stations along the component. Each station comprises a clamp block 34, and a frame element 38 of predetermined profile may be clamped in the clamp block in either of two different orientations (for hand and opposite). Each frame element includes a number of suction cups 40, the suction being controlled by a valve 42. The workpiece support may be rapidly reconfigured for a symmetric component simply by unclamping and rotating the frame element through 180°. The workpiece support may also be reconfigured for different profiles by selecting the appropriate frame elements from a library thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatic recognition of a target object from an infrared or visible light image, includes primary segmentation and classification means (4,8,9,10,11,12) in which objects are either recognised or unrecognised and one or more secondary segmentation means (15,21,22,23,12) applicable to primary segmented image areas in which objects which are unrecognised by the primary segmentation means are further classified and either recognised or rejected.

Abstract: A high density, exceptionally complex and compact ultrasound transducer array using multi-layer structures composed of active integrated circuit devices on various substrates and passive devices. Electrically conducting interconnections between substrates are implemented with micro-vias configured with conductors extending through the substrates, permitting the use of divided or different integrated circuit technologies arranged and/or isolated within different integrated circuit substrates or layers of the ultrasound transducer assembly. The various layers may be assembled with solders of respectively lower reflow temperatures, to permit testing of selected layers and circuits prior to completion.

Abstract: A bridge amplifier includes a first input node connectable to a power source having an input voltage, a second input node connectable to a control source having a control voltage, and a first and a second output node. A first amplifier module having a gain is coupled between the first and second input nodes and between the first and second output nodes, and a second amplifier module is coupled to the first input node and between the first and second output nodes. The first amplifier module compares a voltage differential between the first and second output nodes to the control voltage and provides an output voltage at the first output node necessary to maintain the voltage differential at a level substantially equal to a product of the control voltage multiplied by the gain.

Abstract: A wideband double monopole meanderline loaded antenna having a single feed a single feed is disclosed. Equalizing delay lines of the antenna can be manipulated to equalize reactance of the antenna thereby enabling proper impedance matching.

Abstract: Non-contact apparatus for positioning a surface working, testing or inspection device (1) relative to a surface to be worked, tested or inspected (2) at a desired position and orientation relative thereto (3b) including a baseplate (4) locatable at a distance away from the surface (2), means (5) for mounting the surface working, testing or inspection device on the baseplate (4), three or more range finder units (6a, 6b, 6c) removably mounted in spaced array (6d) on the baseplate (4), each of-which three or more range finder units (6a, 6b, 6c) includes a source (7) for impinging a beam (8) of ultra violet, visible light or infra red radiation on the surface (12), a detector (9) for imaging the impinging radiation (12) and for calculating a distance measurement (10a) from a datum location on the respective source (11a) the apparatus also including.

Abstract: A method of constructing a composite material which comprises a laminate of plies comprising a warp dominated ply and a weft dominated ply, includes arranging first and second pieces 10,12 of material alongside each other with a recess 20 being defined at least partly by a warp dominated ply 14 so that parts 16,18 thereof form a lap joint 21 which is received at least partly in a recess 20 formed in or by a warp dominated or other ply, and arranging at least part 12a of one of said first and second pieces of material 10,12 in said recess 20 so as to form lap joint 21 with part 10a of the other of the first and second pieces of material 10,12. The parts 10a, 12a of said first and second pieces of material include weft dominated plies 16,18.

Abstract: A CMOS SRAM cell with prescribed power-on data state having first and second cross-coupled inverters each defined by serially connected complementary MOS transistors (T1/T2; T3/T4) serially connected between Vdd and circuit ground to form a first inverter with a first data node (A) between the two transistors (T1/T2) of the first inverter, and, in a similar manner, to form a second inverter with a second data node (B) between the two transistors (T3/T4) of the second inverter. The gates of transistors of each inverter are connected together and cross-coupled to the data node of the other inverter. An access transistor (T5) is connected between a bit line (BL) and the first data node (A) and another access transistor (T6) is connected between a complementary bit line (BLC) and the second data node (B) to provide data access thereto.