Abstract: A system for remotely sensing light emanating from within a monitored environment. The system comprises one or more retro-reflective optical elements bearing an optically reflective optical coating upon a surface thereof and positionable within the environment to be monitored, and a light source arranged to direct a beam of light at the optical element(s). A detector is arranged to receive from the optical element(s) light returned by the optical coating in response to the beam of light and to detect a property of the monitored environment according to said returned light. The optical element includes a body comprising a focuser part of positive optical power partly surrounded by a reflector part separated therefrom and connected thereto across an open spacing. The optical coating is arranged over an outer surface of the reflector part thereat to receive light which has been at least partially converged by the focuser part for subsequent retro-reflection.

Abstract: A fuze setter interface for substantially simultaneously and wirelessly transferring power and data between a fuze setter and fuze. The fuze setter interface includes separate power and communications interfaces. In the power interface, an induction coil is provided in each of the fuze setter and fuze. Power is transferred by magnetic field coupling between the induction coils. In the communications interface, a communications member is provided in each of the fuze setter and fuze, along with appropriate functions to generate alternating-current (AC) waveforms, and condition, modulate or demodulate signals. In one example, both communications members are induction coils that transfer data by magnetic field coupling. In another example, both communications members are radio-frequency (RF) transceivers that transfer data by radio signal. The RF transceiver in the fuze may be a Height of Burst (HoB) sensor.

Abstract: Poor BSE estimation accuracy resulting from conventional Extended Kalman Filtering (EKF) approaches using RF OI sensors mounted on the ground as a remote bullet tracking sensor motivated the design and development of the present disclosure. The observer based BSE removes EKF process noise (state noise) and measurement noise (OI sensor noise) covariance matrices selection and tuning which have been long recognized by the estimation community as a time consuming process during the design stage; requires no consideration of interactions when having the control input signal as part of the state propagation equation; and provides a significant improvement in velocity estimation accuracy, in some cases to less than 1 m/s errors in all axes, thereby meeting the miss distance requirement with amble margin.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming a structure comprising: a) forming a pack from a skin sheet and a core sheet, wherein venting grooves are formed in a surface of a sheet that is adjacent to the other sheet; b) placing the pack in a mould and heating the pack; c) injecting a first gas between the core and skin sheets to urge the skin sheet against the mould; d) injecting a second gas on the side of the core sheet remote from the skin sheet to urge the core sheet against the skin sheet; e) maintaining gas pressure of the second gas thereby diffusion bonding the sheets; and f) withdrawing some or all of the first gas from the cavity.

Abstract: A multi-chip module hybrid integrated circuit (MCM-HIC) provides cold spare support to an apparatus comprising a plurality of ICs and/or other circuits that are not cold spare compliant. At least one core IC and at least one cold spare chiplet are installed on an interconnecting substrate having a plurality of power zones to which power can be applied and withdrawn as needed. When powered, the cold spare chiplets serve as mediators and interfaces between the non cold spare compliant circuits. When the cold spare chiplets are at least partly unpowered, they protect all interconnected circuits, and ensure that interconnected circuits that remain powered are not hindered by unpowered interconnected circuits. Cold spare chiplets can extend across boundaries between power zones. External circuits can be exclusively interfaced to a subset of the power zones. Separate power circuits within a power zone can be sequenced during application and withdrawal of power.

Abstract: A multi-chip module hybrid integrated circuit (MCM-HIC) provides cold spare support to an apparatus comprising a plurality of ICs and/or other circuits that are not cold spare compliant. At least one core IC and at least one cold spare chiplet are installed on an interconnecting substrate having a plurality of power zones to which power can be applied and withdrawn as needed. When powered, the cold spare chiplets serve as mediators and interfaces between the non cold spare compliant circuits. When the cold spare chiplets are at least partly unpowered, they protect all interconnected circuits, and ensure that interconnected circuits that remain powered are not hindered by unpowered interconnected circuits. Cold spare chiplets can extend across boundaries between power zones. External circuits can be exclusively interfaced to a subset of the power zones. Separate power circuits within a power zone can be sequenced during application and withdrawal of power.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing information sharing with enhanced security. In an embodiment, a secure information sharing engine provides secure sharing of data by applying one or more validation rules to the data. When applied to a given portion of the data, the validation rule verifies that the data of the given portion is, in fact, the data that is supposed to be in the given portion. At least one of the validation rules includes a check that a portion of the data contained in multiple fields maintain a relationship between the multiple fields. If the data passes the applied one or more validation rules, the secure information sharing engine allows the sharing of the data. Otherwise, if the data does not pass the one or more applied validation rules, the secure information sharing engine disallows the sharing of the data.

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 radiation backscatter detector assembly comprising: a source array comprising source components (110, 115) for irradiating a shared sample location, at least two source components of the array generating radiation in different respective source energy bands; a detector array comprising detector elements (500, 220) for detecting backscattered radiation detection events from different respective spatial portions of the shared sample location, the detector elements each generating a pulse output in response to each radiation detection event it detects; and an energy meter (325) for measuring the energies of the pulse outputs by different respective detector elements.

Abstract: A decryption-enabling device for decrypting a disk image of a computer device, comprising a processor, memory and a hardware connector for connecting to the hardware interface connection of the computer device. The decryption-enabling device is arranged to create using the processor a copy of the random-access memory of the computer device, analyse using the processor the copy of the random-access memory to extract one or more potential decryption keys, and store the one or more potential decryption keys in the memory.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining the presence of pulse jams in an identification friend or foe (IFF) system. In an embodiment, a plurality of jamming pulse rates are determined. Each of the plurality of jamming pulse rates is a count of jamming pulses entering the IFF system during a corresponding integration period. Each of the plurality of jamming pulse rates is a count of jamming pulses associated with non-valid signals entering the IFF system. An average jamming pulse rate is computed based on the plurality of jamming pulse rates. The average jamming pulse rate is then compared against a pulse jam threshold to determine whether a pulse jam is present (or not present) in the IFF system.

Abstract: The system and method of using a debug interface recorder and replay unit for debugging and testing devices of interest such as integrated circuits by using a debug interface buffer controller to receive, record, and replay sequences of instructions to the integrated circuit. This is particularly useful for deployed devices that are difficult or dangerous to access. This is also beneficial for devices that cannot be reached (e.g., after launch). By recording sequences and storing them for later use, and by communicating commands and configuration settings to a device, system maintenance and troubleshooting is accomplished saving valuable time and money without requiring physical access to the device of interest.

Abstract: A method of forming a filter, comprising the steps of: —selecting at least a first wavelength corresponding to a predetermined laser threat and having a first colour in the visible spectrum; —providing a generally transparent substrate and forming a first notch filter region therein configured to substantially block incident radiation thereon of wavelengths within a first predetermined wavelength band including said first wavelength; —selecting a second wavelength having a second colour in the visible spectrum and forming a colour balancing notch filter region in said substrate configured to block incident radiation thereon of wavelengths within a wavelength band including said second wavelength, thereby to balance or neutralise any colour distortion of said substrate caused by said first notch filter region.

Abstract: A torsion bar restraint system for tracked combat vehicles that aids in the improvement of occupant survival rates when associated with asymmetric threats. The blast mitigating restraint system can reduce the dynamic deflection of torsion bars based on the severity of the blast impulse as needed. Systems comprise one or more components that secure the torsion bar to the hull for protecting against dynamic deflection and lateral displacement. The two disclosed components, an end restraint device and an M-Ring restraining device, can be used in conjunction or independently from each other based on the type of threat likely to be encountered.

Abstract: An aircraft emergency control system comprises at least one sensor configured to output an electronic signal relating to detection of incapacitation of at least one aircraft crew member. A processor is configured to receive and process the electronic signal to determine whether emergency action is to be taken. A control unit is configured to communicate, in use, a control signal to an avionics system of the aircraft in relation to the emergency action if the processor determines that emergency action is to be taken.

Abstract: A system and method for state estimation in spinning projectiles is provided. The state estimation is based, at least in part, on magnetic sensor data, angular velocity data, and correction terms applied to the magnetic sensor data and the angular velocity data. The system and method for state estimation in spinning projectiles estimates roll angles and roll rates of the spinning projectiles. The roll angle and roll rate estimates allow steering commands to be applied to steer the spinning projectiles in the proper direction.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for geolocation of an airborne radar emitting source. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes initializing a search grid with hypothesized emitter geolocations boxes of the grid. The method further includes refining geolocations based on calculated pulse repetition intervals of de-Dopplerized times of arrival (TOAs) of emitter pulses received at multiple collection platforms within a dwell period. A residue metric is employed to qualify candidate target geolocations based on differences between the measured TOAs and hypothesized TOAs associated with the refined geolocations. A candidate history tracks the geolocations of the candidates with the smallest residue over subsequent dwells, identifying such candidates that match locations in the history and updating counts of times the candidate has been matched. Candidates with lagging match counts are dropped from the history.

Abstract: A laser communication architecture provides precise optical alignment between terminals without requiring dedicated beacon lasers or dedicated beacon wavelength optics. Instead, the same lasers and optics are used for both alignment and communication. A beacon modulation is applied to alignment beacons transmitted at or near communication wavelengths so as to differentiate them from communication beams. The beacon modulation can include phase and/or amplitude variation of a high frequency modulation, and/or “ping-pong” toggling of the beacon wavelength. In some full duplex red/blue embodiments, ping-pong modulation is implemented by alternated red/blue tuning of the transmit laser or by switching between separate red and blue transmit lasers, for example using a 2×1 laser switch, while maintaining constant beacon amplitude, thereby avoiding optical amplifier dynamic response issues.

Abstract: A clock alignment system includes a first clock generator generating a first clock signal in a first clock domain and a second clock generator generating a second clock signal in a second clock domain slower than the first clock domain. A coarse delay-locked loop (DLL) generates third clock signals having corresponding phase offsets from the first clock signal, and a fine DLL generates a fourth clock signal by adjusting the phase of a selected one of the third clock signals. The second clock generator generates the second clock signal from the fourth clock signal. A phase detector compares phases of the first and second clock signals. A control circuit aligns the first and second clock signals by using the compared phases to select the third clock signal output by the coarse DLL, and control the phase adjustment by the fine DLL of this third clock signal.