Abstract: An F-theta lens provides more than 88 degrees FFOV, F #2.8 or less, length not more than 200 mm, and/or 2.5 ?m or better resolution, with color correction from 450 nm to 650 nm. The lens includes three optical groups having positive, negative, and positive optical powers respectively, which can include four, four, and six elements, respectively. Embodiments include an aperture stop in the center of the second optical group. Refractive indices and ray heights are selected to correct for field curvature. Embodiments further include a CMOS detector having pixel pitch of 1.25 microns or less, density of 18 megapixels or more, focal plane diameter of 57.2 mm or more, Nyquist sampling of 400 lines per mm or more and wide pixel field of view of 30° or more. A plurality of CMOS detectors can be arrayed to create a mosaic image.

Abstract: A method for coordinating a plurality of vehicles (102, 104) comprising: defining, as a command vehicle (C), a vehicle in the plurality; storing, by one or more storage devices (204) located on one or more of the vehicles (102, 104), a list of capabilities of each vehicle (102, 104); receiving, by one or more processors (202) on the command vehicle (C), a specification of a goal; based on the stored vehicle capabilities, allocating, by the one or more processors (202), to one or more of the vehicles (102, 104), one or more tasks, the one or more tasks being such that, if each of those tasks was to be performed, the goal would be accomplished; and sending, from the command vehicle (C), to each vehicle (102, 104) to which a task has been allocated, a specification of the one or more tasks allocated to that vehicle (102, 104).

Abstract: A light sensing apparatus includes: an arrangement of light sensing pixels, one or more pixels each associated with a noise floor and able to detect a triggering level of incoming light above the noise floor from a corresponding portion of a scene; readout circuitry to process and reset the triggering pixels; and an automatic gain control (AGC) to raise the noise floor of one or more pixels. Sometimes, the light sensing apparatus is part of a seeker that includes control circuitry to dynamically control the AGC to raise the noise floor of one or more pixels by an adjustable amount that varies in relation to the distance between the seeker and an intended target. Sometimes, the control circuitry dynamically controls the AGC in response to a concurrent triggering of two or more triggering pixels. or in response to a gain schedule corresponding to guiding the seeker to the intended target.

Abstract: A method and system of reliably detecting a reactive jamming attack and estimating the jammer's listening interval for exploitation by a communication system comprises channelizing one or more signals of interest (SOI), channelizing one or more signals of unknown origin (SUO), identifying frequency support patterns for the SOI and SUO using Bayes thresholds, comparing SOI and SUO detection map histories, and determining a percent match, where a match percentage above a specified minimum indicates a reactive attack. Edge detection can be used to enhance jammer support. Embodiments further detect reactive jammer adaptation to changes in the SOI's frequency support. Embodiments include detectors that are insensitive to jammer modulation and/or signal type. A jammer reaction delay and/or size and periodicity of receive window can be detected. Embodiments determine if a jammer is copying and retransmitting the SOI's waveform(s), and/or if the jammer is anticipatory.

Abstract: A method of determining delamination in a transistor is disclosed including loading a grey scale image of an transistor into memory, generating a black and white image based on the loaded grey scale image, identifying boundaries within the generated black and white image, cropping the black and white image based on the identified boundaries, identifying at least one feature in the cropped black and white image based on the identified boundaries, normalizing the cropped black and white image based on an attribute of the identified at least one feature, cropping the grey scale image based on the normalized black and white image, comparing the cropped grey scale image to a baseline grey scale image of the transistor, and determining a change in a percentage of delamination of the transistor between the baseline grey scale image and the cropped grey scale image based on the comparison.

Abstract: A more robust universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) protocol utilizing a pattern matching methodology to evaluate and decode a serial data stream in noisy environments is provided. The UART protocol is may further allow for adjustment of the expected edge of a data bit within the serial data stream to reduce and/or eliminate drift in the data stream.

Abstract: A seeker includes a detection array having at least 2500 sensing pixels arranged in rows by row request lines and in columns by column request lines. At least one pixel includes an electromagnetic radiation sensor to trigger the pixel in response to sensing a triggering quantity of electromagnetic radiation, a row request circuit to send a row request after the pixel triggers, and a column request circuit to send a column request after the pixel triggers. The seeker further includes a row receiver to receive the row requests, a column receiver to receive the column requests, and a sequencer to receive, for each triggering pixel, the row of the row request and the column of the column request, and to generate an event including the received row and column of the pixel. The seeker also includes a time stamper to generate a time stamp for the generated event.

Abstract: A more robust universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) protocol utilizing a pattern matching methodology to evaluate and decode a serial data stream in noisy environments is provided. The UART protocol is may further allow for adjustment of the expected edge of a data bit within the serial data stream to reduce and/or eliminate drift in the data stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centrally managing the performance of maintenance on a fleet of vehicles, the method comprising: acquiring criteria specifying vehicle availability for a predetermined time period; acquiring vehicle data specifying multiple maintenance operations to be performed on one or more of the vehicles; determining, based on the criteria, a fleet plan including, for each vehicle, a schedule of the maintenance operations for that vehicle; determining, using the fleet plan, a maintenance plan comprising, for one or more maintenance service providers, a schedule of maintenance operations to be performed on a vehicle by the maintenance service providers; and managing the maintenance service providers to perform the maintenance operations on the vehicles in accordance with the maintenance plan.

Abstract: A process of screening direction finding solutions to reduce the number of valid direction finding solution rejections while maintaining an acceptable level of wild bearings being reported utilizing the proximity of the correlation values of the highest correlation and second highest correlation given a correlation pattern of a detected signal of unknown origin.

Abstract: An electronic transmitter includes: a generator circuit to generate a baseband signal; a modulator circuit to modulate a carrier signal with the baseband signal; an emitter to emit the modulated signal at an intended recipient; and a distortion circuit to apply a final distortion to the baseband signal or the modulated signal. The final distortion is optimized to minimize the ability of unintended recipients to localize the emitter using correlation-based techniques, and to minimize any degradation to the data rate of the emitted signal at the intended recipient. In some cases, the transmitter is part of an electronic communication system that also includes a receiver at the intended recipient. The receiver is aware of the final distortion and includes a collector to collect the emitted signal, and a demodulator circuit to demodulate the collected signal using the final distortion to recover the baseband signal.

Abstract: A method for detection and identification of a chemical using a preconcentrator to collect a sample of the chemical, process said sample of the chemical, and introduce said processed chemical into a chemical analysis instrument for the detection of and identification of the chemical. A system for detecting and identifying a chemical comprising a preconcentrator having at least dual concentrating elements.

Abstract: Embodiments of power efficient radio frequency mixers are provided. A generalized impedance matched low-voltage active mixer circuit technique, which utilizes a plurality of commutator cells and transformers, is disclosed. The active mixer techniques are reconfigurable between various operation configurations based, at least in part, on selectively activating at least one of a plurality of commutator cells. The low voltage active mixer function is coupled to an impedance matched amplifier which can be bypassed allowing changes in the gain of the mixer circuit suites while preserving impedance matching.

Abstract: A cavity system, comprising: a cavity (2) comprising a cavity opening; and an acoustically reflective structure (18, 20) located at least partially within the cavity (2), the acoustically reflective structure (18, 20) comprising one or more acoustically reflective surfaces (24, 26, 30, 32), each acoustically reflective surface (24, 26, 30, 32) being oblique to a plane of the cavity opening (27). The one or more acoustically reflective surfaces (24, 26, 30, 32) may be arranged to reflect incident acoustic waves out of the cavity opening while avoiding reflection into a region (48) at or proximate to a leading edge (14) of the cavity (2).

Abstract: A compander including a module configured to compress a range of amplitudes of a signal in accordance with a companding function derived using a calculus of variations approach and method for deriving the companding function.

Abstract: A method of producing an aircraft battery system, the method comprising: identifying a volume of free space on an aircraft (100); arranging a plurality of electrical power cells (112, 114) such that the plurality of cells (112, 114) are capable of fitting into the identified volume, wherein the arrangement of cells (112, 114) has a non-cuboid shape; fixing the plurality of cells (112, 114) together such that the relative positions of the electrical power cells (112, 114) are maintained; electrically connecting the plurality of cells (112, 114) together, thereby to provide a battery (102, 104); and electrically connecting a DC-to-DC converter (106, 108) to the battery (102, 104), the DC-to-DC converter (106, 108) being configured to control a voltage of the battery (102, 104) to be equal to a specified voltage or within a specified voltage range.

Abstract: A multiple resolution focal plane array, the multiple resolution focal plane array having a plurality of bolometers and a readout integrated circuit connected to the plurality of bolometers, wherein the readout integrated circuit is configured to accumulate signal-induced current collected from each bolometer during an integration interval and then transfer the resultant signal onto output taps for readout. The readout integrated circuit is configured to allow a selection between at least two bolometer configurations, a first configuration where bolometers are combined into pixels comprising N×N series/parallel groupings of bolometers and a second configuration where the bolometers are used individually, forming pixels comprising only a single bolometer.

Abstract: An electro-optic window is provided, together with a method of manufacturing the window. The window (3) is made of a material substantially transparent to at least one of infra-red, visible and UV radiation and treated to have reduced RF/MICROWAVE transmission characteristics by the provision of a grid (1) set into at least one surface (2) thereof. The grid (1) is formed of a material selected to be either reflective or absorptive to RF/MICROWAVE radiation.

Abstract: A system and method for cryptographic verification of entity/vehicle authenticity, comprising generating a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)—Key for an individual platform/vehicle; applying the VIN—Key to components of the platform/vehicle; receiving input for the platform/vehicle; validating the authenticity of the input and/or the platform/vehicle; performing the operation of the input if it was validated; terminating the operation if it was not validated; logging the operation; and decommissioning the platform/vehicle at the end of life.

Abstract: A vehicle battery thermal management system and method providing active internal air cooling includes a heat exchanger mounted within an exterior wall of the battery enclosure. The heat exchanger has a first set of heat exchanger elements extending externally to the battery enclosure and in fluid communication with external ambient air. The heat exchanger has a second set of heat exchanger elements extending internally to the battery enclosure and in fluid communication with internal air within the battery enclosure. The system includes at least one of an external damper door and an internal damper door. The external damper door is configured to control the flow of the external ambient air into the first set of heat exchanger elements. The internal damper door is configured to control the flow of the internal air into the first set of heat exchanger elements.