Abstract: A telephone handset has a flat satellite antenna mounted thereon, the antenna being movable between a first position, in which the antenna is parallel to and contacting a main portion of the handset, and a second position, in which the satellite antenna faces in generally the same direction as a top surface of the main portion. A cover portion is mounted on a side of the main portion opposite to the satellite antenna and movable between an open position and a closed position to provide, with the satellite antenna, a compact three-fold configuration.

Abstract: One version of the invention relates to a laser detection system that includes a ball lens and a plurality of fiber optic bundles placed adjacent the ball lens so that incoming light rays are focused onto the bundles by the ball lens. In one particular version of the invention, a ball lens is one that can provide an almost infinite number of “principal” axes for off-axis light. Each fiber optic bundle is aimed in a different direction from each other bundle so that each bundle will have a different FOV even though the same ball lens is used to focus the incoming light rays.

Abstract: A meander line antenna (MLA) is fabricated by using printed circuit techniques to form a one-piece meander line. Previous MLAs so constructed required hand assembly. The present method of the invention utilizes photolithographic methods and plated through hole construction to fabricate the antenna without the need for hand assembly. A conductor trace is etched on both sides of a printed circuit board, and slotted vias are milled into the board, wherein the vias are plated through to form the continuous meander line circuit.

Abstract: A microchip having a passivation layer on an electrically active surface; a multitude of electrically conducting protuberances for electrically coupling the active surface to a substrate; a layer on the passivation layer for protecting against electromagnetic radiation; and a layer on an electrically inactive surface of the microchip for protecting against electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A Terrain Following Apparatus for a vehicle such as an aircraft includes means (1) for effecting autonomous following of terrain by the vehicle, a control device (2), operable by a person operating the vehicle, to engage and disengage the means (1), a Terrain Referenced Navigation system (3) operable to provide navigation data for the vehicle, and validation means (4) for validating the integrity of the navigation data to provide when the integrity of the navigation data is validated for engagement of the autonomous Terrain Following means (1) by the device (2) and when the integrity of the navigation data is invalidated, for preventing operation of the means (1) when the control device (2) is operated.

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 signal matrix provides high speed interconnections using optoelectronic elements by detecting wavelength dependent photonic signals at each element of a matrix and re-emitting the detected photonic signals for transmission to an intended destination. Applications include telecommunications and computing, and particularly, cross bar switches and fiber optic bundles.

Abstract: A method of converting ball grid array (BGA) modules to column grid array (CGA) modules comprises steps of heating a BGA module, brushing the BGA module to remove the balls, and attaching columns to the module to create a CGA module. A method of converting a first CGA module to a second CGA module comprises steps of heating the first CGA module, brushing the first CGA module to remove the columns, and attaching columns to the module to create the second CGA module.

Abstract: An RF transmission system including an RF power amplifier, said system comprising an harmonic cancellation processor. The harmonic cancellation processor produces a predistorted RF input signal to the RF amplifier which cancels harmonic energy generated by the amplifier. The RF output of the amplifier is sampled and stored in the harmonic cancellation processor.

Abstract: A meander line loaded antenna provides a wide instantaneous bandwidth with a first planar conductor extending orthogonally from a ground plane, a second planar conductor substantially parallel to the ground plane and separated from the first planar conductor by a gap, a meander line interconnecting the first and second planar conductors across the gap, and a third conductor connecting the second planar conductor to ground. The antenna may be arranged in opposed pairs, and also as two orthogonally opposed pairs forming a quadrature antenna. Each of the individual antennas, the opposed pairs of individual antennas, and the quadrature antennas may be stacked with each lower antenna forming the ground plane for the antenna mounted thereon.

Abstract: A housing for a microwave circuit is formed from a base made of metal matrix composite material and walls made of sheet metal. The base and the walls are joined together by diffusion soldering. Some holes to receive feedthroughs are formed at the junction of the base and a wall.

Abstract: A single-event upset tolerant sense latch circuit for sense amplifiers is disclosed. The single-event upset tolerant sense latch circuit includes a first set of isolation transistors, a second set of isolation transistors, a first set of dual-path inverters, a second set of dual-path inverters, and an isolation transistor. The first set of isolation transistors is coupled to a first bitline, and the second set of isolation transistors is coupled to a second bitline. The second bitline is complementary to the first bitline. The first set of dual-path inverters is coupled to the first set of isolation transistors, and the first set of dual-path inverters includes a first transistor connected to a second transistor in series along with a third transistor connected to a fourth transistor in series.

Abstract: A trimodal microlens configuration is provided for the lenses in a microlens array utilized as a diffraction separator for generating separated bands of different color when the microlens array is provided with a collimated light source. To provide the trimodal functionality, each microlens is divided up into three segments, with the center segment providing a red, green, blue diffraction pattern, with the left segment providing a blue, red, green diffraction pattern, and with the right segment providing a green, blue, red diffraction pattern. This pattern is directed towards an adjacent liquid crystal color display in which its sub-pixels are arranged red, green, blue, with the green sub-pixel aligned with the center segment of the corresponding lens.

Abstract: An array antenna capable of use with a single signal feed has a transmission line oriented substantially parallel to a ground plane, which transmission line has a multiplicity of sequential sections with each sequential section having a different spacing from the ground plane than each of its immediately adjacent sequential sections. This stepped or varied impedance transmission line forms an array in which the sections spaced further from the ground plane become active antenna elements. Controlling an electrical spacing between the ground plane and transmission line provides relative phase control between the active elements and thereby phased-array directional control of the antenna.

Abstract: Collision avoidance systems are provided for groups of aircraft operating in close proximity, as during formation flights or cooperative missions. Fixed and rotary airfoil aircraft with separations of 30 feet to 5 miles, for example, participate in a local radio sub-net. An aircraft receiving CAS sub-net signals derives signal transit time values representing differences between send and receive times and which are used to derive data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate. With synchronized clocks, highly-accurate one-way ranging uses assigned time slots with predetermined sub-net time-of-day timing of transmissions. Round-trip ranging operates with less accurate time synchronization, and systems may operatively select between one-way and round-trip ranging. By exchange of range and closing rate data among aircraft, 3-D data for current three-dimensional location of aircraft enables evasive action determination.

Abstract: A filled hollow fibre composite material is made by laying up a plurality of prepreg plies (1) of hollow fibre composite material and non-stick film material (2) one on top of another with the non-stick film material (2) interleaving successive plies (1) at selected areas thereof. The laid up interleaved plies are treated to resin bond the ply areas (3) not interleaved with the non-stick film material and leave the interleaved areas (4) unbonded. The so formed laminate is treated at edge regions to expose open unfilled hollow fibre ends (5, 6) and the plies in the unbonded interleaved areas (4) are separated at the non-stick film material (2) to provide access to the open hollow fibre ends (7) in each ply for the introduction of a film material into the hollow fibres through the open hollow fibre ends (7) in one or more of the separated plies (1) to form a filled hollow fibre composite material.

Abstract: The present invention features a dual-band meander line loaded antenna (MLA) that operates in a loop mode for a first frequency band and utilizes capacitive tuning to adjust the monopole resonant frequency for a second frequency band. In one embodiment orthogonal MLA elements are equipped with one or more capacitive flaps to lower the monopole resonant frequency of the structure. By offset-tuning the MLA elements and properly feeding RF signals, the inventive antenna exhibits vertically polarized operation at a first operating frequency and circular polarization at a second operating frequency. A typical use for the inventive antenna is for a dual-purpose cellular phone and GPS antenna. In cellular phone mode, the antenna operates at approximately 845 MHz with vertical polarization while simultaneously operating with circular polarization as at 1.5 GHz for GPS services.

Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (10) includes an internal combustion engine (12) which drives a generator (20) to produce electrical energy for a traction motor (44) of the vehicle. The generator (20) is provided with a cooling air intake port (20i). A air mover or compressor (30) is driven from the engine (12) or from an auxiliary motor (84), to produce air under positive pressure. The air from the air mover (30) is coupled by air paths (60, 62, 64) to the cooling air input port (20i) of the generator (20) and to the combustion air aspiration or input port (16) of the engine (12). If the air mover serves the purpose of cooling the generator (20) and, if a non-positive-displacement pump, also provides an effect similar to turbocharging, and if a positive-displacement type, supercharges the engine (12).

Abstract: An aircraft fuselage 10 comprising a cargo storage compartment 18, a rear bulkhead 16 at the rear of the compartment for withstanding internal air pressure in the fuselage, a closeable opening 20 in the rear bulkhead 18 through which an elongate item of cargo 25 can be passed, and an opening 26 in the rear of the fuselage 10 through which the said item 25 passes to be despatched from the aircraft with the fuselage 10 de-pressurised.

Abstract: An improved communications jamming receiver is disclosed wherein time division multiplexing techniques are utilized that permit monitoring enemy radio frequency transmissions while in essence concurrently transmitting signals to jam selected enemy transmissions. The time division multiplexing alternately enables the communications receiver and a jamming transmitter at a frequency higher than the Nyquist rate of the threat signal being received to effectively continuously receive enemy transmissions while preventing reception of the jamming signals from the associated jammer transmitter. The multiplexing is carried on in a random fashion that prevents the enemy from determining the rate and transmitting during the period that the improved receiver is disabled.