Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a laser weapon system, comprising: one or more lasers for generating electromagnetic radiation; laser optics for directing the generated electromagnetic radiation at a target; and a control system, the control system being arranged to monitor three-dimensional position of an object other than the target, and to control a mask to at least limit generated electromagnetic radiation being directed at that object or to direct generated electromagnetic radiation towards another target or a safe location.

Abstract: The invention relates to a display device for displaying an image over a field of view. The device comprises: an optical arrangement for directing image bearing light from an image source so that the light has rays at a range of angles relative to an injection axis; and an optical waveguide having an input grating for diffracting into the waveguide said light over said range of angles such that all of the diffracted light is totally internally reflected within the waveguide and so that image bearing light output from the waveguide has a field of view corresponding to said range of angles, wherein the input grating is a surface relief grating having a profiled reflective surface and at least one layer of dielectric material conforming to the surface for diffracting light over said range of angles into the waveguide.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) module includes a plurality of frequency stacked ADCs. A splitter splits channels into two segments to transmit the signal through respective low pass and high pass filters to send the analog signal to a low frequency ADC and a high frequency ADC along each channel. When using a quad-tuner having four channels, there are eight ADCs: four high frequency ADCs and four low frequency ADCs. Typically, there is one ADC associated with each channel. Thus, a quad-tuner would be used with an ADC module having four ADCs. However, by splitting and filtering each channel and increasing the number of ADCs in the ADC module, the system, assembly, and method in the present disclosure is able to increase the frequency bandwidth throughput along legacy radio frequency (RF) cables on a platform without the need of replacing any legacy hardware or the legacy RF cables.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence of interference on a GPS receiver is described. The method involves monitoring global positioning system data received by a receiver under known non-interfering conditions, storing the data for analysis and, at a later time, comparing the data, over a period of time, with the position output of a pure inertial navigation system to determine the presence of characteristics indicating interference.

Abstract: A phase controller for rapid, accurate, stable phase shifting of a continuous wave (cw) laser output combines and adjusts reference paths from before and after an EOPM to obtain maximum constructive interference when the EOPM control voltage is zero. A control voltage V for maximum destructive interference is then determined and regulated to produce and maintain a 180 degree phase shift. The output phase can then be shifted by switching the control voltage to the output of a voltage shifter that shifts V by a specified percentage. The phase shifter can divide the control voltage in half to provide a 90 degree phase shift. The cw laser can function as a seed to a pulsed laser, thereby controlling the pulse phases. Quadrature phase laser pulse pairs can be used for quadrature LiDAR detection. Embodiments include a plurality of voltage shifters for 4-phase quadrature shifting and/or shifting between arbitrary phase values.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an airframe component. The method comprises: providing an initial component having a first surface; providing an over press tool having a second surface complementary to the first surface; applying, to the first surface, an adhesive (94), one or more layers of a material; at least for some time during curing of the adhesive, positioning the over press tool such that the second surface is in contact with an outer surface of the material and the material is between the first and second surfaces, and forcing the over press tool against the first surface such that a normal force is exerted on the first surface; and, thereafter removing the over press tool from the one or more layers of material, thereby providing the airframe component.

Abstract: A LIDAR system and a method for operating a LIDAR system are disclosed. The LIDAR system broadly includes a transmitter that that emits a light pulse in response to a launch signal, a receiver that detects light pulses and determines a time of arrival for each detected light pulse; and a controller that generates an ordered sequence of frames. The controller generates a launch signal at the start of each frame and records information specifying a time of arrival relative to the start time for all light pulses received by the receiver until a stop time. After the stop time, the controller waits for the interframe delay time before generating another launch signal. The interframe delay time is different for each frame in the sequence of frames. The controller determines a distance between the transmitter and an object from the recorded information.

Abstract: A liquid storage system comprising: a tank for containing a liquid, the tank enclosing a liquid storage space; and a tank liner fixedly attached to an internal surface of the tank (16). The tank liner comprises: a plurality of elements, each element having a hardness value of 2 GPa or above; and a binder material in which the plurality of elements are embedded. The elements have a higher hardness value than the binder material. A distance between a first element and the internal surface of the tank in a direction normal to the internal surface of the tank is different to a distance between a second element and the internal surface of the tank in the direction normal to the internal surface of the tank, the first element being different to the second element.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to pre-processing images and estimating PSFs for image deblurring in a noise-robust manner. The pre-processing may include iteratively denoising a reference image, iteratively denoising a scene image containing at least one straight edge within the scene image while preserving the at least one straight edge. The pre-processing may include smoothing, subtracting and dividing to provide a pre-processed image. The PSF-estimation process may include generating, with the at least one processor, a first noise value from portions of an edge intensity profile, generating a second noise value from a difference between the edge intensity profile and an integral of the noise-regularized inversion of the integration operator operating on the edge intensity profile and determining a value of a local curvature regularization parameter resulting in the first noise value and the second noise value being within a tolerance range.

Abstract: An amplifier generate harmonic noise or nuisance signals when the amplifier enters into a nonlinear amplification event. The harmonic noise or nuisance signals are spurious and a tagging circuit may tag them as such so they bypass signal processing logic and provide the same to a downstream hardware device that skips the signals tagged as spurious. The system uses a spurious signal detector and a comparator to identify nonlinear amplification events containing harmonic noise below an amplitude threshold that indicates the harmonic noise or nuisance signals as spurious to the downstream hardware device. Typically, the system is incorporated into an electronic warfare system such that the downstream hardware device effectuates countermeasures for a manned or unmanned platform.

Abstract: A system and method for combining the inputs of various sensors used in platforms, primarily those having a military use, having or making use of a number of inputs capable of determining information about an environment in which they are operating. Each input is configured to output a standardized set of information regarding its capabilities and the environment in which it is operating. A correlator is configured to adaptably process the information based on rules contained in at least one changeable correlation matrix and information contained in at least one changeable configuration file. The information, or simply an alert, is provided to at least one output that provides the information to a human operator.

Abstract: An electronic transmitter includes: a modulator to phase modulate a carrier signal with a baseband signal using a phase modulation sequence; and an emitter to emit the phase modulated signal. The phase modulated signal has poor autocorrelation, has a corresponding mismatched filter based on the phase modulation sequence, and is configured to demodulate into the baseband signal through poor cross-correlation with the mismatched filter. Sometimes, the transmitter is part of a sensing apparatus, where the emitter emits the phase modulated signal at a target and the emitted signal reflects off the target. The sensing apparatus includes a receiver that has a collector to collect the reflected signal, and a demodulator to demodulate the collected signal into the baseband signal through the poor cross-correlation with the mismatched filter. Sometimes, the transmitter is part of a communication system, where the emitter emits the phase modulated signal to an intended recipient.

Abstract: A low light level imaging apparatus comprising an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, where the image sensor is configured to readout in an interlaced manner to a display that allows for real-time viewing of image sensor data by a user or users, where some users may be remote from the low light level imaging apparatus, in the form of a video stream.

Abstract: A system and process for testing and analyzing a laser beam is provided. The system and process allows for repeatable testing of a laser beam to provide a beam intensity profile while accounting for variation in measurements attributable to outside factors. The system and process further allows for simultaneous measurement and analysis of a laser beam having multiple wavelengths.

Abstract: A vehicle comprising: a fuel store (104) configured to store a fuel, the fuel comprising a hydrocarbon; a fuel reformer (108) coupled to the fuel store (104) and configured to: receive an input comprising the hydrocarbon; and process the received input to produce an output comprising hydrogen; and a fuel cell (112) coupled to the fuel reformer (108) and configured to: receive the hydrogen from the fuel reformer (108); and produce, using the received hydrogen, electricity for use on the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle comprising: a shift reactor (110) configured to: receive carbon monoxide produced by the vehicle; and process the received carbon monoxide to produce an output comprising hydrogen; and a fuel cell (112) coupled to the shift reactor (110) and configured to: receive the hydrogen from the shift reactor (110); and produce, using the received hydrogen, electricity for use on the vehicle.

Abstract: A full duplex dual red/blue wavelength communication architecture and method provides enhanced network configuration flexibility by enabling terminal switching between red and blue configurations, thereby enabling wavelength reconfiguration within the network on command while the terminal is in the field, airborne, or on orbit. A transmit laser module includes separate “red” and “blue” linear polarized lasers, or a single linear polarized laser tunable from red to blue. The transmit/receive diplexer uses a linear polarized beam splitter and a waveplate to transition the output beam between left and right circular polarization without affecting precision pointing, or co-boresight transmit/receive alignment. Waveplate polarization can be switched by physical rotation, or electrically using a liquid crystal variable retarder (LCVR). Red and blue bandpass filters can be selected in the receiver and/or transmitter by physical manipulation, optical switches, DWDM 3-port filters, and/or LCVRs.

Abstract: The system and method for secure optical communication, laser communication, and target designation. The system locks lasers at an absolute frequency reference and uses frequency tuning, frequency hopping, and frequency encoding techniques for optical communications. The system encodes information in the frequency context. An optional notch filter is used on a receiver to reduce “blinding” or saturation by adversaries. The system hops frequencies around an atomic reference. In some cases the system uses a frequency comb and a comb line of the second.

Abstract: A signal routing circuit is disclosed which employs resistive combiners to reduce signal jitter. A signal routing circuit configured according to an embodiment comprises an input stage including a plurality of buffer circuits. Each of the buffer circuits is controlled by a selection signal to enable an input signal at an input port of the buffer circuit to generate an output signal at an output port of the buffer circuit. The signal routing circuit also includes a plurality of resistors to couple the output port of each of the buffer circuits of the input stage to a summing junction. The signal routing circuit further includes an output stage including an additional buffer circuit. The input port of the additional buffer circuit is coupled to the summing junction, and the output port of the additional buffer circuit is configured to provide the routed output signal based on the selection signals.

Abstract: A triple-balanced radio frequency (RF) mixer including a plurality of double-balanced mixer cells and a plurality of transformers is disclosed. Each of the plurality of transformers includes a primary and a secondary. Each primary is connected in series. Each secondary is connected across one double-balanced mixer cell of said plurality of double-balanced mixer cells. The triple-balanced RF mixer further includes a local oscillator (LO) port coupled to each of the plurality of double-balanced mixer cells in parallel, an output port coupled to each of the plurality of double-balanced mixer cells in parallel, and at least one non-ideality source providing at least one-non-ideality. The at least one non-ideality is cancelled at the output port.