Abstract: Microchannel plates are provided having an array of multiple channel electron multipliers for use in night vision devices, image intensifier tubes, photomultiplier tubes, and other such devices with improved gain, higher signal-to-noise ratio, and better resolution. The microchannel plates disclosed herein utilize a bulk-conductivity substrate material, and provide features for improving secondary electron-emissivity of the material.

Abstract: A telemetry optical fiber has a first end optically coupled to a signal source/detection module. A conversion module is optically coupled to a second end of the telemetry optical fiber. The conversion module includes an interferometer having a pair of optical paths with an optical waveguide arranged to be included in each one of the optical paths. The interferometer is arranged to produce an interference pattern to indicate the phase relationship of optical signals input to the pair of optical paths from the signal source/detection module. A phase modulator is arranged to phase modulate optical signals guided by the optical waveguide. A sensor head that produces a voltage proportional to a quantity being measured is connected to the phase modulating apparatus and arranged to provide a modulating signal to the phase modulating apparatus such that the interference pattern indicates the magnitude of the measured quantity.

Abstract: A boresight alignment method is used for aligning a laser with an optical sighting system in a laser designator or the like. The method includes selecting a target formed of a flat sheet of material, such as a metal foil, supporting the selected target at the focus of a collimating telescope in the path of a laser beam of a laser and optical sighting system combination, such as in a laser designator, focusing the laser beam onto the one side of the target, and burning an aperture in the target with the laser beam. The method includes illuminating the target burned aperture from the rear thereof with a visible light or with an infrared source and then aligning the optical sighting system with the illuminated target aperture. Both the day and night viewing optics can be aligned by providing pinhole illumination with multi-spectral target pinhole illumination. The target may be mounted so that it can be rotated to provide successive alignments of the same or different laser optical sighting systems.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical interconnect system using multiple grounding methods to reduce or prevent spurious signals from interfering with high density contacts carrying high speed transmissions. A first connector includes an insulative pillar partially surrounded by a plurality of signal contacts. A ground contact is at least partially located within the insulative pillar. A second connector includes a corresponding plurality of flexible signal contacts for mating with the signal contacts adjacent the insulative pillar. The second connector also includes a ground contact for receiving the ground contact of the first connector. The ground contacts provide a first method of providing a ground path to reduce spurious signals from entering the signal path. An electrically conducting shield is located outside the signal contacts when the first and the second connectors are mated. The first connector includes a member which provides a ground path between the first connector and the electrically conducting shield.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for generating navigation data.

Abstract: A plug and an adapter are provided for use with an existing electrical receptacle which has a sleeve extending from a mounting base, with a conductive pin within the sleeve. The adapter has a cylindrical collar receivable snugly over the sleeve of the receptacle, and includes a flange for maintaining the collar in a predetermined position on the sleeve. The plug is elongate, with a first end having a recess for receiving the cylindrical collar, the first end also having an electrically conductive contact member to engage the contact pin. The plug and adapter include retaining means for retaining the plug to the adapter and to permit selective engagement of a plug and retaining means to prevent making incorrect connections between selected plugs and electrical receptacles. The plug further includes attachment means for connection to a cable.

Abstract: Apparatus for minimizing the effects of radiation induced attenuation on a sense coil in a fiber optic rotation sensor includes apparatus for injecting photobleach light at a frequency selected to remove radiation-induced color centers. Wavelength division multiplexing optical couplers are used to introduce the photobleach light into the fiber optic rotation sensor system and then remove the photobleach light from the gyroscope optical circuit without effecting the gyro signal.

Abstract: An integrated day and night sighting system and a laser rangefinder apparatus includes a daylight objective lens having a night light corrector lens mounted adjacent to and coaxially with the daylight objective lens and having an eyepiece lens. An image converter module may be an image intensifier for night light use and is movably supported for movement between a daylight position out of the light path and a night light position in the light path. The image converter is positioned to focus the night light optics thereon and for the eyepiece lens to view the image intensifier screen. A night primary objective mirror is positioned to reflect light from the night objective lens and a night secondary mirror is positioned to receive light from the primary objective mirror and to focus the night light onto the image converter when the image converter is in the night light position. This allows a refractive day sight to be integrated with a reflective night sight.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a multichannel fiber optic connector. The seal is engaged to the portion of the connector mounted within a receptacle housing that may be mounted to the turret of the hull penetrator of a vessel. An elongated symmetrical seal housing is sealably secured with the receptacle at the back of the connector. A retainer member having a plurality of channels therethrough is held at a rear portion of the seal housing by an annular shoulder thereof. A plurality of elongated standoff spacers define a strain relief chamber between the rear of the connector and the retainer member. O-rings seal individual optical fibers passing through the channels of the retainer member, which is sealably secured to the seal housing.

Abstract: A night vision device (10) with an image intensifier tube (14) includes an improved microchannel plate (22) which has an extraordinarily low indigenous population of gas molecules. Because of this low population of gas molecules, positive ions produced from these gas molecules in the high voltage operating environment of the image intensifier tube (14) are of such a low number that the image intensifier tube (14) will operate for a satisfactory service life even though the microchannel plate (22) has no ion barrier film. The microchannel plate (22) is also spaced much closer to a photocathode (20) of the image intensifier tube (14) than has heretofore been possible. Thus, improved gain and reduction or elimination of image halo also results from the present invention.

Abstract: A ceramic element is provided which can be injection molded from an electrolyte and a binder. The ceramic element includes a tube support portion and a plurality of tubes extending from the tube support portion. The plurality of tubes are arranged in rows and columns. A plurality of vias extend from one surface of the tube support portion to an opposite surface of the tube support portion. The ceramic element is coated with an electrically conductive coating and a current collector coating. The vias are coated with the electrically conductive coating and plugged. After the coatings are removed in selected areas of the ceramic element, the tubes of the ceramic element form a series-parallel array because tubes in the same column are connected in parallel electrically and tubes in adjacent rows are connected in series electrically. Two ceramic elements are sealed together to form a modular electrochemical device. The electrochemical device can be either an oxygen generator or a fuel cell.

Abstract: A vibratory sensor, such as for example a hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG) operating in the whole angle mode, is disclosed with a self-calibrating function and an improved precision. Precision is improved using two multiplying low noise DACs to estimate the position of the standing wave relative to a fixed position on the HRG. During a first half cycle the DACs multiply a measured standing wave position by an estimated standing wave position, such that the product of the two signals approach zero. The small voltage output can then be amplified using high gain to minimize the noise in the standing wave angle prediction. Using an ADC, the amplified signal is converted and transmitted to a microprocessor for evaluation. In the second half cycle, the low noise multipliers are evaluated using a known reference signal, where the product of the known reference signal and the multipliers are evaluated against a predicted signal to determine multiplier drift.

Abstract: A time based digital to analog converter is presented in which known reference voltages are used to create variable period waveforms which, when combined according to a desired computation, can convert digital words into a sinusoidal signal of a precision variable. To illustrate the application of the present invention, a hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG) operating in force rebalance is presented wherein a time based digital to analog converter with a variable period output controls the HRG electronics in nulling the standing wave. A rate of the standing wave is calculated, and a software component calculates the fraction of the maximum rate needed to oppose and null the initial rate of the standing wave. The fraction of the maximum rate is converted to digital words corresponding to the number of periods of a clock connected to the circuit.

Abstract: A signal output assembly for an inductive output amplifier comprises a primary output cavity including a drift tube enclosing a modulated electron beam. The density modulated beam passes across a gap separating portions of the drift tube and induces an amplified RF signal into the primary output cavity. A secondary output cavity comprises a coaxial resonator terminated in an inductive coupling loop, and a waveguide having a ridge. The coaxial resonator and the inductive coupling loop have a combined electrical length approximately equivalent to an odd multiple of one-quarter wavelengths of the input signal (n&lgr;/4), where n is an odd integer. The coaxial resonator is electrically connected perpendicularly to a center of the ridge such that first and second portions of the ridge extend in opposite directions from the connection with the coaxial resonator to respective ends of the waveguide.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical interconnect system using multiple grounding methods to reduce or prevent spurious signals from interfering with high density contacts carrying high speed transmissions. A first connector includes an insulative pillar partially surrounded by a plurality of signal contacts. A ground contact is at least partially located within the insulative pillar. A second connector includes a corresponding plurality of flexible signal contacts for mating with the signal contacts adjacent the insulative pillar. The second connector also includes a ground contact for receiving the ground contact of the first connector. The ground contacts provide a first method of providing a ground path to reduce spurious signals from entering the signal path. An electrically conducting shield is located outside the signal contacts when the first and the second connectors are mated. The first connector includes a member which provides a ground path between the first connector and the electrically conducting shield.

Abstract: The invention is a method continuing over a plurality of time periods for compensating for the output error in each of one or more navigation instruments in a system comprising a plurality of navigation instruments after the system is introduced into its operating environment. The practice of the method begins with determining the values of one or more of a set of coordinates that specify the position, velocity, and orientation of the system in space together with the error in a compensated output for each of the one or more navigation instruments. The method continues with determining a compensation model for each of the one or more navigation instruments. A compensation model specifies for a current time period an adjustment in amplitude of the output of a navigation instrument as a function of time and temperature.

Abstract: The invention comprises a mounting assembly for an optical sight. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a mounting assembly may comprise a first foot (552) and a second foot (556). The first foot (552) may include a top (563), a first side (570), and a second opposite side (574). The top (563) may have a first tab (566) sized to fit a first recess (568) of a sight (20). The first side (570) may engage a first edge (572) of a rail (562). A first clamp (554) may be coupled to second side (574) of the first foot (552) to engage in combination a second edge (576) of the rail (562). The second foot (556) may include a top (586), a first side (594), and a second opposite side (596). The top (586) may include a tab (590) sized to fit a second recess (592) of the sight (20) substantially normal to the first recess (568). The first side (594) may engage the first edge (572) of the rail (562).

Abstract: A daylight readable LCD which may be used to communicate information as high contrast images (static or dynamic, color or monochrome) in bright ambient lighting conditions over a wide temperature range in direct sunlight. A contrast enhancement filter assembly is disposed at the interface between a backlit display and a user. The contrast enhancement filter assembly includes a triple bandpass contrast enhancement filter that preferably passes light efficiently in each of the red, green, and blue primary wavelengths and substantially absorbs all other wavelengths. Display contrast is increased because of the absorption of incident light having wavelengths that differ from the light produced by the internal backlight source within the display. This results in the display having a blacker background and enhanced purity of the color primaries. The display element is disposed generally behind the contrast enhancement filter assembly.

Abstract: The invention comprises a protective window for an optical sight. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an optical sight (20) may comprise an optical component (182, 300) transmitting an image of a scene. A protective window (180, 430) may be disposed approximate to an internal side of the optical component (180, 300) to obstruct dirt from contacting the internal side of the optical component.