Abstract: A flight deck system for an aircraft includes a display device for providing a graphical interface for displaying flight-related information including a plurality of windows to an operator. The display device is configured for displaying the plurality of windows within a plurality of regions. The plurality of regions can each have a predefined shape and orientation on the display screen according to a regular grid layout. A touch interface is coordinated with the display device for receiving touch information from the operator and allowing the operator to interact with the graphical interface. A processor is communicatively coupled with the touch interface device and operatively coupled with the display device. The processor can be configured to dynamically recreate a selected window of flight-related information within one or more of the plurality of regions corresponding to an operator-selected icon. In such embodiments, the operator can operate the graphical interface through direct touch.

Abstract: Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft; calculate a merit for each potential destination identified; select a destination based upon the merit; and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination that accounts for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s).

Abstract: Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft. The processor can also calculate a merit for each potential destination identified, select a destination based upon the merit; receive terrain data and/or obstacle data, the including terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s); and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination, the route accounting for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s). The processor can also cause the aircraft to traverse the route, and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.

Abstract: A method of producing a rifle scope and a rifle scope including a conical objective bell, a main tube, and a connector. The objective bell is made of composite materials and increasing in diameter as the bell extends distally from its proximal to its distal end, with the proximal end being adjacent to the distal end of the main tube. The main tube, also constructed of composite materials, is a hollow cylinder. The connector is positioned about the distal end of the main tube with an exterior surface that conforms and is adhered to the interior surface of the proximal end of the objective bell and the interior surface of the distal end of the main tube, thereby joining together the objective bell and the main tube.

Abstract: A resonator paradigm, where the resonator structure is made up of a very large number of small, coupled Coriolis sensitive units arranged in a periodic 1D or 2D (and, possibly, in the future, 3D) structure to create a Coriolis-sensitive fabric that supports a large number of Coriolis-coupled supermodes. Such a fabric can be shaped into arbitrary waveguides that propagate either pulses of excitation that are Coriolis-coupled, thus enabling an acoustic version of a FOG-type gyroscope (where a pulse of excitation travels along a passive waveguide and it's phase/time delay is measured), or support multiple stationary Coriolis-coupled vibration modes analogous to optical laser modes in an RLG where counter-propagating modes of oscillation are maintained at constant amplitude via a continuous addition of energy.

Abstract: To isolate an active portion of a gyroscope resonator from mounting stresses propagating through a resonator attachment center, the resonator includes a stress isolation feature that includes alternating concentric symmetric regions of high and low stiffness. The resonator may be separated into a large number of thin, compliant spring elements and larger stiff mass elements, the aggregate areas of which optimized for an aggregate resonator spring constant (by selecting a width and a length of the spring elements), an aggregate mass (by selecting a size of the mass elements), a thermoelastic loss maximum (by selecting a width of the spring elements) and an operating frequency (by selecting a ratio of the aggregate spring to the aggregate mass).

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance system is provided to assist a pilot in avoiding obstacles. The obstacle avoidance system includes a set of proximity sensors and a pilot interface device. The set of proximity sensors detects nearby obstacles by emitting a signal and receiving a reflected signal from an obstacle. A processor receives an obstacle indication from the set of proximity sensors and detects the obstacle that is in proximity to the aircraft based at least in part on the reflected signal. The processor acquires a distance and a direction to the obstacle and calculates a threat level posed by the obstacle. The pilot interface device is operable to display the following: an ownship icon indicative of the aircraft, a velocity vector icon indicative of a velocity vector of the aircraft, and an obstacle graphic indicative of the distance, direction, and threat level of the obstacle.

Abstract: An aviation actuator assembly for various aviation servo and/or autopilot applications can include an actuator having an output shaft and a mechanical fuse for joining to the output shaft and another rotating body. The mechanical fuse can include a fuse body having a first connection point for joining to the output shaft, a second connection point for joining to the rotating body, and at least one channel defined in the fuse body. The first connection point and the second connection point are configured to be disposed in a line generally parallel to a common axis of rotation of the output shaft and the rotating body. The fuse body has a generally flat cross-sectional profile along its length between the first connection point and the second connection point, and the channel extends generally perpendicular to the length of the fuse body and narrows the cross-sectional profile.

Abstract: A system to authenticate an entity and/or select details relative to an action or a financial account using biometric, behavior-metric, electronic-metric and/or knowledge-metric inputs. These inputs may comprise gestures, facial expressions, body movements, voice prints, sound excerpts, etc. Features are extracted from the inputs and each feature converted to a risk score, which is then translated to a representative value, such as a letter or a number, i.e., a code or PIN that represents the input. For user authentication, the code is compared with a data base of legitimate/authenticated codes. In some embodiments a user selects specific information elements, such as an account or a payment amount using one or more of a biometric, a behavior-metric, an electronic-metric and/or a knowledge-metric input.

Abstract: A lock-detecting system is configured to be installed in an aircraft to determine if a gust lock is emplaced on a flight control surface. The lock-detecting system includes at least one servo actuator and a computing device. The at least one servo actuator is associated with the flight control surface of the aircraft such that the servo actuator is configured to supply a force to a flight control surface when engaged. The computing device is configured to instruct the at least one servo actuator to actuate the flight control surface, acquire an indication that the flight control surface did not move in response to said actuation by the servo actuator, and alert a pilot to remove the gust lock from the flight control surface.

Abstract: An electronic wallet system that protects payment accounts, identification and other personal information found within a typical wallet with a secure electronic vault (first) device that can be part of a physical wallet, insert to a wallet, or in other embodiments, wearable/portable devices. A unique biometrically enabled multi-factor authentication process ensures only owners of the information can copy the information to the device or retrieve it thereafter. Authenticated users may then select payment, identification, medical or virtually any private information via touch display or voice command on the vault or on another (second) device that operates in conjunction with the vault. The second device comprises, for example, a programmable card with dynamic magnetic stripe, cell phone, or other wearable technology, that initiates and processes a payment and/or transfer of private information.

Abstract: Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft. The processor can also calculate a merit for each potential destination identified, select a destination based upon the merit; receive terrain data and/or obstacle data, the including terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s); and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination, the route accounting for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s). The processor can also cause the aircraft to traverse the route, and cause the aircraft to land at the destination without requiring pilot intervention.

Abstract: A resonator paradigm, where the resonator structure is made up of a very large number of small, coupled Coriolis sensitive units arranged in a periodic 1D or 2D (and, possibly, in the future, 3D) structure to create a Coriolis-sensitive “fabric” that supports a large number of Coriolis-coupled “supermodes. Such a “fabric” can be shaped into arbitrary “waveguides” that propagate either pulses of excitation that are Coriolis-coupled, thus enabling an acoustic version of a FOG-type gyroscope (where a pulse of excitation travels along a passive waveguide and it's phase/time delay is measured), or support multiple “stationary” Coriolis-coupled vibration modes analogous to optical laser modes in an RLG where counter-propagating modes of oscillation are maintained at constant amplitude via a continuous addition of energy.

Abstract: A MEMS accelerometer incorporating a metrology element to directly measure minute changes in measurement baseline. In particular, the MEMS accelerometer incorporates a metrology bar (MB). Embodiments also relate to stress isolation into the sensor design to isolate the sensitive areas of the chip (i.e., the metrology baseline and the proof mass mounting points) from outside stress.

Abstract: A navigation system for emulating navigation signals for an aircraft. The navigation system comprises a global-positioning system receiver configured to determine a geographic position of the aircraft. The navigation system additionally comprises a memory configured to store position data for at least one waypoint. The navigation system further comprise an emulation system configured to compare the geographic position of the aircraft with the position data of the waypoint and to generate a composite navigation signal indicative of a relative position between the aircraft and the waypoint. The navigation system is configured to provide the composite navigation signal to a course direction indicator having an integral converter unit for decoding the composite navigation signal into a control signal that drives an indicator needle of the course direction indicator.

Abstract: A MEMS thermal stress isolation system is disclosed. The MEMs thermal stress isolation system is a MEMS embedded hardware implementation designed to isolate the sensitive sensor die from external stresses caused by rigid attachment to packaging and to allow the sensor to perform with improved immunity to the negative impacts of rigid sensor packaging attachment. A planar, micro-etched interface structure is integrated into the MEMS wafer stack, which serves as the mechanical connection between the MEMS sensor and the external packaging.

Abstract: Autoland systems and processes for landing an aircraft without pilot intervention are described. In implementations, the autoland system includes a memory operable to store one or more modules and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to identify a plurality of potential destinations for an aircraft; calculate a merit for each potential destination identified; select a destination based upon the merit; and create a route from a current position of the aircraft to an approach fix associated with the destination that accounts for the terrain characteristic(s) and/or obstacle characteristic(s).

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance system is provided to assist a pilot in avoiding obstacles. The obstacle avoidance system includes a set of proximity sensors and a pilot interface device. The set of proximity sensors detects nearby obstacles by emitting a signal and receiving a reflected signal from an obstacle. A processor receives an obstacle indication from the set of proximity sensors and detects the obstacle that is in proximity to the aircraft based at least in part on the reflected signal. The processor acquires a distance and a direction to the obstacle and calculates a threat level posed by the obstacle. The pilot interface device is operable to display the following: an ownship icon indicative of the aircraft, a velocity vector icon indicative of a velocity vector of the aircraft, and an obstacle graphic indicative of the distance, direction, and threat level of the obstacle.

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance system is provided to assist a pilot in avoiding obstacles. The obstacle avoidance system includes a set of proximity sensors and a pilot interface device. The set of proximity sensors detects nearby obstacles by emitting a signal and receiving a reflected signal from an obstacle. A processor receives an obstacle indication from the set of proximity sensors and detects the obstacle that is in proximity to the aircraft based at least in part on the reflected signal. The processor acquires a distance and a direction to the obstacle and calculates a threat level posed by the obstacle. The pilot interface device is operable to display the following: an ownship icon indicative of the aircraft, a velocity vector icon indicative of a velocity vector of the aircraft, and an obstacle graphic indicative of the distance, direction, and threat level of the obstacle.