Abstract: Embodiments describe methods of correcting S-parameter measurements for a DUT. The method includes coupling at least one tracking module associated with a set of electrical standards to a S-parameter measurement device to form a test system. An initial calibration for the test system is then determined. This may include measuring the S-parameters of the electrical standards, generating a calibration along a calibration plane, generating a calibration along a correction plane and determining at least one error adapter from the calibrations. The DUT is coupled to the test system and the S-parameters of the DUT are measured. Changes in the initial calibration are tracked using the tracking modules. Tracking may include measuring the S-parameters of the electrical standards, generating a correction plane calibration and generating a corrected calibration plane calibration from the correction plane calibration and the error adapter(s). The measured S-parameters are corrected using the tracked changes.

Abstract: A cavity microwave filter assembly for filtering an electromagnetic wave including a plurality of cavity resonator assemblies, where each cavity resonator assembly has a bottom and including at least one lossy element for electromagnetically coupling two elements of the filter assembly, where at least one element is a cavity resonator assembly. The lossy elements provide attenuation in the loss variation of the filter and sharper slopes resulting in an improved Q factor for the filter. A method for realizing lossy elements as resistors requires determining an equivalent circuit model that can be manufactured using resistors, coupling elements, and transmission lines. The method includes representing the resistive element with a resistor, unity admittance inverters and coupling elements and then scaling to determine the resistor and coupling values. The method further includes replacing the admittance inverters with transmission lines of the appropriate length to account for the specific design of the filter.

Abstract: A method of flexibly allocating capacity in a satellite coverage area, comprising establishing a frequency reuse pattern of at least two interleaved sets of cells, assigning a polarization to each set of cells, such that adjacent sets of cells alternate in orthogonal polarization, flexibly assigning satellite transmit power to at least one cell, flexibly assigning frequency and bandwidth to at least one cell, and moving frequencies, bandwidths, and satellite transmit power among the cells within each set, independently of the other sets, ensuring that at all times no two adjacent cells within a given set share a common frequency.

Abstract: An optical broadband micro-spectrometer containing an input optical assembly, a group of slab waveguide spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) integrated circuits (ICs), a detection module and a processor for multi-line detection. The input optical assembly applies an input light signal uniformly with respect to brightness and frequency to the apertures of the waveguides and may project a pupil image onto the SHS input face and may be a scanner. Each slab waveguide spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) integrated circuit (IC) contains at least one slab waveguide SHS IC. The detection module bonds directly to the slab waveguide output apertures. Each slab waveguide SHS IC may contain one or more slab waveguide SHS.

Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for a configurable high frequency coaxial switch. The switch includes a switch housing module that has at least two ports and is adapted for operation in a wide frequency band. The switch also includes at least one frequency-matching port component module that is configured to connect a transmission line to one of the ports of the switch housing module. The at least one frequency-matching port component module is also configured to provide a match to a desired frequency range. In use, the switch housing module together with the at least one frequency-matching port component module allow for operation of the configurable high frequency coaxial switch at the desired frequency range.

Abstract: Filter and manifold compensation assemblies for thermal compensation of a filter cavity and a manifold which include at least one a lever element pivotally coupled to the filter or manifold at a first pivot point, an anchoring element pivotally coupled to the lever element at the second pivot point and secured to the housing of the filter or manifold, and a thermal expansion element having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the filter cavity or manifold and pivotally coupled to the lever element. The relative thermal expansion of the thermal expansion element in comparison with the thermal expansion of the filter or manifold causes the lever element to articulate and to displace the housing for thermal compensation. The degree of each displacement is proportional to the ratio between the distance between the second and first pivot points and the distance between the second and the third pivot points.

Abstract: Filter and manifold compensation assemblies for thermal compensation of a filter cavity and a manifold which include at least one a lever element pivotally coupled to the filter or manifold at a first pivot point, an anchoring element pivotally coupled to the lever element at the second pivot point and secured to the housing of the filter or manifold, and a thermal expansion element having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the filter cavity or manifold and pivotally coupled to the lever element. The relative thermal expansion of the thermal expansion element in comparison with the thermal expansion of the filter or manifold causes the lever element to articulate and to displace the housing for thermal compensation. The degree of each displacement is proportional to the ratio between the distance between the second and first pivot points and the distance between the second and the third pivot points.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a system and method of detecting Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals in space and decoding these signals. In one aspect, a system for performing this function is described which includes a receiver configured to receive the plurality of AIS signals and pre-process the plurality of AIS signals to produce digital input data, and a processing unit configured to process the digital input data to identify one or more candidate AIS message signals based on Doppler offsets associated with the digital input data, determine corresponding Doppler offset estimates and time estimates of the one or more candidate AIS message signals, decode the one or more candidate AIS message signals to obtain corresponding message segments and validate the decoded message segments for proper AIS formatting.

Abstract: A method of flexibly allocating capacity in a satellite coverage area, comprising establishing a frequency reuse pattern of at least two interleaved sets of cells, assigning a polarization to each set of cells, such that adjacent sets of cells alternate in orthogonal polarization, flexibly assigning satellite transmit power to at least one cell, flexibly assigning frequency and bandwidth to at least one cell, and moving frequencies, bandwidths, and satellite transmit power among the cells within each set, independently of the other sets, ensuring that at all times no two adjacent cells within a given set share a common frequency.

Abstract: A method for configuring a microwave multiplexing network having a first channel filter and a second channel filter and an interconnect in order to improve channel performance. The top ends of the first and second channel filters are coupled to the closer of the top and bottom surfaces of the interconnect according to interconnect spacing values and filter to interconnect values. Interconnect values and filter to interconnect values are determined by selecting interconnect spacing values and filter to interconnect values to ensure that a pole is formed causing an additional real reflection zero to be brought into the passband of the microwave multiplexing network thereby increasing the filter order by one. Then interconnect spacing values and filter to interconnect values as well as the internal filter dimensions are selected to ensure that the return loss of the microwave multiplexing network is less than a predetermined return loss level.

Abstract: An antenna including a common ground plane, a first set of n approximately resonant elements with a length l2 and a second set of n approximately resonant elements with a length l1. The first set of n approximately resonant elements are wound to form a first helix with an initial diameter d2 and a height h2. The second set of n approximately resonant elements are wound in the opposite direction to the first set of n approximately resonant elements to form a second helix. The second helix is centrally disposed within the first helix, and has an initial diameter d1 and a height h1 where d1 is less than d2 and h1 is greater than h2.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described of an antenna including a common ground plane, a first set of N approximately resonant elements with a length I2 and a second set of M approximately resonant elements with a length I1. The first set of N approximately resonant elements are wound to form a first helix with an initial diameter d2 and a height h2. The second set of M approximately resonant elements are wound in the opposite direction to the first set of N approximately resonant elements to form a second helix. The second helix is centrally disposed within the first helix, and d1 is less than d2 and h1 is greater than h2.

Abstract: Filter and manifold compensation assemblies for thermal compensation of a filter cavity and a manifold which include at least one a lever element pivotally coupled to the filter or manifold at a first pivot point, an anchoring element pivotally coupled to the lever element at the second pivot point and secured to the housing of the filter or manifold, and a thermal expansion element having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the filter cavity or manifold and pivotally coupled to the lever element. The relative thermal expansion of the thermal expansion element in comparison with the thermal expansion of the filter or manifold causes the lever element to articulate and to displace the housing for thermal compensation. The degree of each displacement is proportional to the ratio between the distance between the second and first pivot points and the distance between the second and the third pivot points.