Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluation and inspection of a composite-repaired structure generates a frequency-varying electrical signal to test and evaluate the composite-repaired area. The electrical signal is converted into a mechanical signal and transmitted through the composite-repaired area of the structure. The transmitted mechanical signal is received and converted into an electrical signal for processing. The processed signal is compared with a baseline reference signal to determine whether the composite-repaired area is damaged or undamaged. The baseline reference signal is obtained at the time of the composite repair of the structure.

Abstract: A central medical record repository for a managed health care organization accepts and stores medical record documents in any format from medical service providers. The repository then identifies the document using information automatically extracted from the document and stores the extracted data in a document database. The repository links the document to a patient by extracting from the document demographic data identifying the patient and matching it to data stored in a patient database. Data is extracted automatically from medical records containing "unstructured" or free-form text by identifying conventional organization components in the text and is organized by executing rules that extract data with the aid of such information. Documents for a patient are retrieved by identifying the patient using demographic data.

Abstract: An elliptic-shaped cylindrical antenna radiating element having a first side and a second side includes a first rectangular slot disposed in the first side and a second port disposed in the second side. A microstrip feed network located within the antenna radiating element radiates and receives horizontal polarized electromagnetic signals through the first slot and the second slot at a phase difference of about 180 degrees. The antenna radiating element radiates and receives horizontal polarized electromagnetic signals substantially omnidirectionally.

Abstract: An electro-optical signal translator, signal translator design features, methods of fabrication, alignment techniques and alignment apparatus that utilize, with the exception of output optical fiber to transmitter module coupling, passive assembly techniques that are compatible with assembly line operations to produce high performance electro-optical signal translators.

Abstract: A chassis having a unique configuration is provided along with card guide assemblies having predefined configuration types for selective installation in the chassis. The guide assemblies, when installed within the chassis, enable circuit cards having varying standard dimensions to be mounted and secured within the chassis regardless of slot location. A first type of card guide assembly is mounted at the end of a plurality of slot locations a predetermined first standard distance apart to enable cards having a first length and one of a number of depths to be installed. A second type card guide assembly is mounted between the opposed first card guide assemblies at any slot location a second predetermined standard distance from one of the first guide assemblies to form a slot partition and enable the installation of cards having a second length shorter than the first length and one of the number of depths.

Abstract: A communications system programmable to operate at a selected one of multiple frequency ranges and any one of a plurality of modulations schemes and data rights including an open architectural bus line for linking a plurality of board level units. A single board receiver exciter operates to receive and transmit signals at a plurality of frequencies and contains means for interfacing the single board receiver exciter with the open architectural bus line. A single board modulator demodulator allows for modulation/demodulation and for encoding/decoding of signals. The single board modulator demodulator also includes means for interfacing with the open architecture bus lines so that instruction and programming commands may be received. A single board processor multiplexer controls operations of the single board receiver exciter and the single board processor multiplexer over the communications link created by the open architecture bus line.

Abstract: A stripline directional coupler having a quarter-wave transmission line added either between the isolation port of the coupler and the termination impedance or between the input port of the coupler and the signal input reduces the degradation of coupler directivity caused by impedance mismatch of the transmission lines with the source, load and/or termination impedances. With the transmission lines and additional quarter-wave transmission line formed on the same substrate material, coupler directivity is insensitive to the value of the characteristic impedance of the transmission lines. This allows the use of less expensive substrate materials and manufacturing processes during stripline directional coupler construction.

Abstract: A single-tool manufacturing process utilizing a stereolithographic tool for fabricating flexible reinforced rubber parts. The stereolithographic tool is fabricated using a laser and computer-controlled optical scanning system. Then fabric and resin are manually applied to the tool. The stereolithographic tool is utilized like a mold, with successive layers of fabric and resin applied thereto. After curing, the mold is shattered and removed from the designed part.

Abstract: A multi-chip-module comprising a plurality of vertically layered substrates and including a plurality of coaxial inter-connects formed between and through the substrate layers. Each of the coaxial inter-connects is formed by a process wherein: an outer hole (aperture) is drilled through the substrate and lined with an electrically conductive material to form an outer via; the outer via is filled with a dielectric material; and, an inner hole (aperture) is drilled through the dielectric material and filled with an electrically conductive material to form a center via. The characteristic impedance of the coaxial inter-connect is determined by the selection of the outer diameters of the drilled holes for the outer and center vias.

Abstract: An optical system for scanning a light beam across an object where the light beam is double reflected by the reflection surfaces of a rotating polygonal mirror. Beam expander optics are included in the light path for the light beam following the first reflection by the polygonal mirror to magnify the beam diameter to fill the length of the reflective surface of the polygonal mirror at the second reflection. The beam expander optics further include lenses for demagnifying scan angle in the light beam following the first reflection. The lenses of the beam expander optics are formed with a Petzval curvature (third order Seidel aberration) to correct for the distortion induced in the optics image plane by the longitudinal shift in the entrance pupil position at the first reflection as the polygonal mirror rotates.

Abstract: A method for automatically registering an image pair having a common coverage area, wherein a pair of image data sets, each representing an image of an image pair, are processed to generate initial dewarping coefficients for the image data sets. The translational offset between the images is estimated using a phase correlation process. Next, the common coverage area of the data image sets is determined by finding the vertices defining the limits of the common coverage area. Conjugate point pairs are extracted from the common coverage area by defining a series of block and subblock grids and defining the center point of the grid as a conjugate point location. The determined conjugate point sets are used to generate geometrically corrected registered dewarping coefficients and the image data sets are resampled using the registered dewarping coefficients to generate a registered image pair.

Abstract: A method for selecting tie point locations within a series of overlapping images. Initially the series of images are ordered to maximize the potential for successful phase correlations between adjacent images. Adjacent pairs in the ordered images are then phase correlated to determine the translational offsets between adjacent pairs. The overlapping regions in adjacent pairs are assessed for normalized cross correlation and initial candidate tie points are selected within the regions at a reduced resolution. The initially selected tie points are then phase correlated at full resolution and any surviving candidate tie point locations are further refined to sub-pixel accuracy.

Abstract: A directional coupler having a broadband frequency response comprises a pair of parallel TEM transmission lines having an input port, a thru port, a coupled port, and an isolation port. A quarter-wave, short circuited transmission line coupled to the thru port, and a half-wave, open circuited transmission line coupled to the isolation port functions to flatten the frequency response between the input port and the thru port and between the input port and the coupled port and to increase the operating bandwidth of the directional coupler.

Abstract: A method for minimizing the loss of data within a data buffer of a peripheral device connected to a host computer upon detection of an error. The peripheral device detects the error condition and terminates the presently executing command. The peripheral device suspends internal operations upon detection of the error and notifies the host computer of the suspension of operations. Operations may continue when the host computer issues a priority abort command to the peripheral device to remove it from the suspended state.

Abstract: A write module for an optical tape recorder for optically writing a data signal on light sensitive recording media. The write module comprises a rotated linear edge emitter diode array or vertical cavity emitter diode array comprising a plurality of emitter diodes. The diodes emit a plurality of write beams for writing the data signal on the recording media in a plurality of data channels. An actuator subsystem focuses and positions the write beams on the recording media. The rotation angle of the diode array is a predetermined angle to provide a predetermined separation distance between adjacent data channels. Each write beam is modulated by a designated portion of the data signal to generate a plurality of data signal modulated write beams to optically record the data on the recording media. The data signal modulating each write beam is delayed by a predetermined time value for writing a word of the data signal in adjacent data marks along a line transverse to the length of the data channels.

Abstract: A method for providing emergency information using presently existing cellular telephone system technology. Traffic sensors monitor the control and voice channel transmissions of cellular units within a cellular telephone system for emergency conditions. Data from these transmissions is extracted and analyzed for emergencies according to a statistical model and derived vehicle geolocating information to generate emergency information that is transmitted to a central control center. By combining the information from all of the traffic sensors and each individual cell within a cellular telephone system, a picture of the emergency conditions existing along major thoroughfares may be determined.

Abstract: A coaxial-to-microstrip transition compensated to reduce the impedance discontinuity and parasitic inductance of the transition. The impedance discontinuity is reduced by decreasing the inductance due to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line and the inductance due to the bond wire connecting the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. The impedance discontinuity is also reduced by increasing the capacitance from the microstrip line to ground and from the microstrip line to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line. To reduce the inductance in the signal conduction path, a small diameter center conductor pin is used. A short length of bond wire, doubled around the center conductor is used to connect the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. Also, a thin dielectric substrate is used to minimize the length of the center conductor pin that extends beyond the base of the coaxial housing.

Abstract: An improved receiver for a non-coherent radar system including a mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier, an envelope detector and a sliding window integrator. The receiver further includes a circuit connected to the sliding window integrator for providing enhanced signal-to-clutter ratios and azimuth resolution. The circuit comprises a pair of cascaded inverse filters wherein the first inverse filter compensates for the filter response of the sliding window integrator, and the second inverse filter compensates for the filter response of the radar system antenna due to its gain pattern.

Abstract: An improved receiver for a non-coherent radar system including a mixer, an intermediate frequency amplifier, an envelope detector and a sliding window integrator. The receiver further includes a circuit connected to the sliding window integrator for providing enhanced signal-to-clutter ratios and azimuth resolution. The circuit comprises a pair of cascaded inverse filters wherein the first inverse filter compensates for the filter response of the sliding window integrator, and the second inverse filter compensates for the filter response of the radar system antenna due to its gain pattern.

Abstract: A two stage valve assembly responsive to signals from a control system for supplying pressurized fluid to two load lines. The first stage includes a motor that directs pressurized fluid from a jet pipe toward a receiver assembly having two receiver ports and a bleedoff area disposed between and separating the receiver ports. The second stage assembly includes two spool/sleeve assemblies that control the flow of pressurized fluid to and from the two load lines. A drain line from the receiver assembly includes a pressure relief valve, which insures that both spool/sleeve assemblies will be servo-controlled at all times. Cartridges may be inserted in the spool/sleeve assemblies to linearize the relationship between input current from the control system and the output force of an unequal area actuator connected to the load lines.