Abstract: A microchannel plate assembly includes a plurality of microchannel plates that are aligned along a common axis and coupled together. The microchannel plates each have an object-side surface and an image-side surface and the assembly has respective interfaces between the image-side surface and the object-side surface of adjacent microchannel plates. At least one ion barrier film is disposed on at least one of the microchannel plates, but only on the object-side surfaces in the interfaces.

Abstract: Techniques for acquisition of traffic channels during acquisition congestion of a communication include receiving a broadcast message at a communication terminal from a network node. The broadcast message indicates to the communication terminal that one or more acquisition channels in the communication network are congested. The broadcast message also identifies a set of traffic channels currently available or likely to become available for use by the communication terminal. The set of traffic channels may include traffic channels that are currently being used by other communication terminals. The communication terminal then selects and monitors a subset of the set of traffic channels for an indication that a first one of the traffic channels in the selected subset is available for use by the communication terminal. The communication terminal then transmits traffic on the first traffic channel.

Abstract: A video imaging system for use with or in a mobile video capturing system (e.g., an airplane or UAV). A multi-camera rig containing a number of cameras (e.g., 4) receives a series of mini-frames (e.g., from respective field steerable mirrors (FSMs)). The mini-frames received by the cameras are supplied to (1) an image registration system that calibrates the system by registering relationships corresponding to the cameras and/or (2) an image processor that processes the mini-frames in real-time to produce a video signal. The cameras can be infra-red (IR) cameras or other electro-optical cameras. By creating a rigid model of the relationships between the mini-frames of the plural cameras, real-time video stitching can be accelerated by reusing the movement relationship of a first mini-frame of a first camera on corresponding mini-frames of the other cameras in the system.

Abstract: A method and system for managing and tracking the pedigree or data lineage of an electronic document. The methods and systems provide a standardized way for managing the pedigree of an electronic document regardless of its data type.

Abstract: A technique for proxy-based establishment of a communication session between a communication terminal and a network node device. In one example technique, a rapid-access message is received at a proxy device located in proximity to a network node device. The rapid-access message is received from a communication terminal. In response to the rapid-access message, the proxy device exchanges a plurality of messages with the network node device to perform a plurality of session establishing phases such that the proxy device establishes the communication session with the network node device on behalf of the communication terminal. The proxy device then transmits at least one confirmation message to the communication terminal to notify the communication terminal of the establishment of the communication session between the communication terminal and the network node device.

Abstract: A human gesture tracking system includes a sensor device with at least one sensor unit, where the sensor unit is configured to measure at least one of position in three dimensions of a portion of an operator's limb and orientation in three dimensions of the portion of the operator's limb, a processor configured to receive information from the sensor device so as to determine orientation and position displacement in six degrees of freedom of the operator's limb, and an activator that is coupled to communicate with the processor and is further actuated by the operator to designate a start time and an end time in which position and orientation displacements of the portion of the operator's limb are determined by the processor. During system operation, the processor determines position and orientation displacements of the portion of the operator's limb in tracking sessions, each tracking session is defined as a time period between the start time and the end time as designated by the activator.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the condition of an optical device user with non-visible light includes a non-visible light source that is positioned to direct a beam of non-visible light onto an eye of the optical device user. A non-visible light sensor is positioned to receive non-visible light that is reflected off of the eye and is configured to generate a signal corresponding to either a level or an intensity of the received non-visible light. A processor is connected to the light sensor, and is configured to determine a condition of the eye including whether the eye is either not moving, closed without blinking or open without blinking for more than a pre-determined amount of time based upon signals received from the light sensor. Also disclosed herein is a method for monitoring the condition of an optical device user with non-visible light.

Abstract: Systems for establishing electrical interconnections for helmet-mounted devices are disclosed. A system for establishing an electrical interconnection for a helmet-mounted device is comprises a first interconnect mechanism coupled to one of a helmet and the helmet-mounted device, and a second interconnect mechanism coupled to the other one of the helmet and the helmet-mounted device. The first interconnect mechanism comprises a first frame, a biasing member, a plurality of first electrical contacts, and a first projection. The second interconnect mechanism comprises a second frame, a plurality of second electrical contacts, and a second projection. As the first interconnect mechanism is moved toward the second interconnect mechanism, the contact between the first projection and the second projection causes rotation of the first frame in a direction opposite the predetermined rotational direction.

Abstract: A method for collecting data of species in the magnetosphere includes the steps of: (a) tuning at least one laser to spectral indices of targeted atomic or molecular species located in the magnetosphere; and (b) measuring fluorescence radiation from each of the targeted species, in response to the tuning step. The method determines range to each of the targeted species. The method geo-locates the species with respect to the Earth to provide a registered map of the targeted species in three dimensions (3D) with respect to the Earth; and temporally trends each of the targeted species to provide the registered map in four dimensions (4D). The method may also determine abundance from multiple wavelengths returned from the fluorescence radiation of the targeted species.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for load balancing of mobile devices among a plurality of bases stations. Specifically, it is determined via a processor whether to reassign a mobile device from a first base station to a second base station, wherein the second base station is one of a plurality of base stations whose operational performance may be impacted by reassigning the mobile device to the second base station. The expected performance that would result if the mobile device is assigned to the second base station is evaluated for each base station in the plurality. The mobile device is reassigned to the second base station in response to the expected performance of each of the plurality of base stations meeting operational performance requirements.

Abstract: Remote absorption spectroscopy uses coded electromagnetic transmission directed through a medium under investigation to one or more remote receivers. The coded transmission includes at least one wavelength coincident with an absorption band of interest and one wavelength in an off-line band and a predefined relationship between spectral components in and outside the absorption band is controlled. The relationship between spectral components may be evaluated at the receiver to determine whether deviation thereof from the controlled relationship at the transmitter exists at the receiver. The deviation of the received optical signal from the prescribed relationship is processed to indicate the absorption of the radiation in the absorption band.

Abstract: An image processing system combines higher-resolution panchromatic images and lower resolution multispectral images using a hyperspherical color space pan-sharpening technique. By converting the multispectral images into a hyperspherical color space, the intensities of the multispectral images can be intensity matched to the intensities of the panchromatic image and then retransformed back to the original color space. The intensity matching can utilize a number of techniques, including, but not limited to, direct substitution of the intensities of the panchromatic image for the intensities of the multispectral images, modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on predefined statistical models and modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on dynamically generated statistical models and a selected sharpening parameter ?.

Abstract: A receiver receives radio frequency (RF) energy including a desired signal and interference including high-level narrowband interference and low-level wideband interference. A first stage canceler cancels the high-level narrowband interference from the received RF energy based on a first correction signal representative of the interference, to produce a first canceler output signal. A second stage canceler frequency down-converts to baseband, and filters the high-level narrowband interference from, a sample of the first correction signal, to produce a second correction signal including the low-level wideband interference frequency down-converted to baseband. A digital canceler digitally cancels the low-level wideband interference from the first canceler output signal based on the second correction signal, to recover the desired signal.

Abstract: A monolithic focal plane array (FPA) of an imaging system includes an array of multiple pixel unit cells disposed on a substrate. Each pixel unit cell includes: a first array of THz antennae disposed on a top layer of the substrate, and a second array of context imaging pixels disposed on the top layer of the substrate. The first and second arrays are interleaved on the top layer of the substrate. In addition, each THz antenna in the first array is shaped either in a bow-tie, circular or tuned waveguide configuration, and each context imaging pixel in the second array is shaped in a circular, or rectangular configuration.

Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to anti-spoofing techniques for satellite navigation systems. In general, the anti-spoofing techniques use codeless or semi-codeless tracking of encrypted satellite signals to generate measurements that can be used to perform consistency checks to received non-encrypted signals. The consistency checks will detect if the non-encrypted signal is a genuine satellite signal or a spoofing signal.

Abstract: An anvil or mule shoe of a downhole tool disposable in a casing of an oil or gas well includes a scoop formed in a bottom of the downhole tool with a concave profile oriented at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the downhole tool and extending across a majority of the bottom; and/or a plurality of helical flutes formed in an exterior of the anvil of the downhole tool and extending circumferentially and helically around the longitudinal axis of the downhole tool.

Abstract: A program is implemented on a processor for executing the following steps: receiving images of a scene comprising successive frames from a camera, each frame including an array of pixels; filtering intensities of the array of pixels in a respective frame by using a Bessel Filter to compute a constant value for the respective frame; and summing a predetermined number of respective frames from the camera to determine rapid motion in the scene. The filter includes a Bessel filter, which is an n-pole recursive digital filter, where n is a positive integer.

Abstract: Enhanced reception in a communication system is achieved by performing radio synchronization (SYNC) detection after multipath signal components are combined via a Rake combiner. In a communication system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, plural multipath signal components of a signal transmitted by the transmitter are received by the receiver. The plural multipath signal components are correlated with a known spreading code (e.g. a PN code). The correlated multipath signals are analyzed to identify plural correlation peaks and those correlation peaks that exceed a multipath threshold are selected. The selected correlation peaks are combined (i.e., coherently combined) to produce a combined signal. A synchronization event is declared when the combined signal exceeds an adjusted synchronization threshold and the combined signal is then decoded.

Abstract: In determining an angle for a phase modulation scheme, a key is generated from a prescribed set of bits contained in a symbol. The symbols have an in-phase (I) data word and a quadrature phase (Q) data word that identify coordinates of the symbols in a complex number plane. An angle is retrieved from a memory table from a storage location identified by the key. Each angle in the memory table is established in accordance with constraints under which the memory table was populated so as to be mapped to a phase angle identifying other coordinates in the complex number plane that are within a specified neighborhood about the coordinates of each of the symbols. A signal is generated to convey the symbols as phase differentials at each sample time between a reference phase and the phase angle.

Abstract: A method of geodetically locating pixels of a captured image of a planetary body comprises the steps of: detecting an object on the planetary body using an imaging sensor viewing the planetary body; matching the object to a predetermined landmark on the planetary body; and updating, at a time tk, a state vector representing kinematics of the imaging sensor, and tk representing a present update time. Updating the state vector at the present time occurs if, and only if, the matching step is successful. In addition, the method includes computing a line-of-sight (LOS) vector from the imaging sensor to the planetary body, based on observations of the planetary body and the kinematics of the state vector; and geodetically locating the pixels of the captured image, based on the LOS vector. The LOS vector is based only on (a) the predetermined landmark and (b) a position command from a ground processing segment to the imaging sensor.