Abstract: Optical apparatus and optical switching methods that provide optical high data rate switching at a wavelength or packet level using optical tone addressing. Optical signal routing is a result of optically induced total internal reflection at the intersection of an X-junction waveguide structure. The total internal reflection effect is controlled by a high intensity optical pump beam separate from the optical data signal. Total internal reflection may result from a free-carrier induced change in refractive index, which is a nonlinear effect found in common III-V semiconductors and selected polymers. Optical switching networks may be formed using cascaded pluralities of optical waveguide switches.

Abstract: A virtual coherent signal controlled laser oscillator for use in optical phase locked coherent receivers. The present invention employs a fixed laser oscillator in combination with a signal controlled microwave oscillator. A single sideband mixer processes the signals output by the laser oscillator and microwave oscillator to generate a single controlled optical frequency signal.

Abstract: A tray turner for a conveying system which includes a conveyor for moving trays having hand openings on two opposite sides. A tray sensor detects whether the trays are properly oriented, and a turning station is located downstream from the tray sensor for turning those trays which are not properly oriented. The tray sensor detects the proper orientation by moving an arm along the adjacent side of the tray as it moves past the sensor to detect the hand opening and identify the half tray in an incorrect position. The turning section receives signals from the sensor and moves a tray rotator pin into the path of the nearest corner of a mis-aligned tray for momentarily intercepting such tray and moving it angularly 90 degrees into a position in which such tray is facing in the correct direction. The mis-aligned half trays abut against the rotator pin. There is a longitudinal guide immediately upstream from the tray rotator pin.

Abstract: A method for determining the reference plane in multi-dimensional data is disclosed.

Abstract: Multi-dimensional packet recovery systems and methods that permit recovery of lost packets and packets containing transmission errors that are transmitted over a network. The packet recovery systems and methods transmit a multi-dimensional array comprising rows, columns and hyperdimensional volumes of data packets between a source node and one or more destination nodes.

Abstract: A trellis coded modulation system for use with a plurality of QAM modes that allows a choice of modulation scheme tailored to a communication channel. The system comprises an encoder and a decoder. The decoder uses input and output look-up tables that allow the use of a single decoder/encoder arrangement comprising a Viterbi decoder and a convolutional encoder to map trellis coded modulation to/from multiple modulation constellations. The size of the look-up tables used in the decoder is minimized because recognizable sequences (6 bits) are passed to the Viterbi decoder. The input look-up table provides minimal information about which region the symbol was found. The output look-up table processes the resulting information appropriately.

Abstract: A method and apparatus or system for de-contaminating and/or sanitizing mail in which a quantity of mail is placed into a confined chamber and the atmosphere in the chamber is evacuated to provide a sub-atmospheric pressure. The chamber is filled with an active gas that deactivates or degrades targeted bio-hazardous materials, and, after a pre-selected perio of time, the gas is evacuated from the confined chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting hazardous materials inside containers includes an air distribution plate 20 that defines an air plenum AP with a series of openings 22 that function to distribute a flow of air. An air input port 26 and an air output port 28 are provided to allow connection to an air recirculation and sensor system 30 including an air mover 32 having an inlet duct 34 that is selectively connectable to the air outlet port 28 and an outlet duct 36 that is selectively connectable to the air inlet port 26 of the semi-trailer 10. Upon the creation of a recirculation air flow, the air recirculation and sensor system 30 functions to detect the presence of hazardous materials with in the containment.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting bio-hazardous particulates in mail handling systems includes an air intake hood 20 that connects to a biohazard sensing suite 24 which, in turn, connects through an outlet duct 26 to a filter, adsorber, or scrubber 28 that removes any bio-hazardous material prior to exhausting the air. An air mover 30 is located in the outlet duct 26 and moves the air into the air intake hood 20 into the biohazard sensing suite 24. The biohazard sensing suite 24 detects the presence of any undesired bio-hazardous material.

Abstract: A system and method for neutralizing hazardous materials in mail and the like, which includes a container having an enclosed chamber for containing mail, and an air stream in the chamber. There are air input and output ports for accepting a flow of air for distribution within the container and for directing the flow of air therefrom. There is a hazardous materials detection system for detecting the presence of one or more hazardous materials in the air flow, and a system for introducing into the chamber, a neutralizing agent that neutralizes, one or more targeted hazardous material. There is an arrangement for purging the neutralizing agent from the enclosed chamber.

Abstract: A method of determining changes in the boundary interface in a sub-surface oil reservoir between the to-be-recovered oil and a driveout fluid, such as steam, uses time-displaced gravity gradient measurements to provide an indication of the changes in the gravity gradient over time. The measured data are subject to simulated annealing optimization to find the global minimum that best represents the observed values within the solution space. The optimization process includes establishing an appropriately constrained model of the oil reservoir and a quantized set of mathematically related parameters that define the model. Successive models are perturbed and evaluated from a figure of merit standpoint until a global minimum that best describes the measured time-lapse data is found.

Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer and method that implements blind initialization using an antenna array. The equalizer comprises the antenna array which includes two or more antenna elements that form input paths. Two or more feedforward finite impulse response (FIR) filters are respectively coupled to the two or more antenna elements. An attenuator and a switch are coupled in parallel to outputs of all but one feedforward FIR filter. An adder combines the signals output by the feedforward FIR filters. A decision device is coupled to the output of the adder. A decision feedback FIR filter is coupled to the output of the decision device whose output is fed back to the adder and combined with other signals summed thereby. A switch is coupled between the decision device and the decision feedback FIR filter. The equalizer is initialized using a blind adaptation algorithm.

Abstract: A broadband turnstile waveguide junction has four rectangular side ports that lie in a common plane, symmetrically about and orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of a circular port. The turnstile waveguide junction comprises a circular to quad-ridged waveguide transition disposed between the circular port and the four rectangular side ports. Quad-ridged waveguide ridges are provided that transition to a single ridged waveguide in the four rectangular side ports. A transition is provided from the single ridged waveguide to rectangular waveguide in the side ports. A center matching post, or pedestal, extends from the rear of the junction a predetermined distance toward the circular port. Another embodiment may use a quad-ridged waveguide having a port at the input in lieu of a circular to quad-ridged transition. Another embodiment may use single ridged waveguides at each side port instead of transitioning from single ridged waveguide to rectangular waveguide.

Abstract: A method is described which enables the location of a radio frequency emitting target in absolute or relative GPS coordinates from a single airborne platform within a few seconds. The method uses a signal processing technique which emulates an antenna moving at very high velocities to induce a Virtual Doppler shift on signals incident upon a linear antenna array. The Virtual Doppler shift is directly proportional to the signal direction of arrival as measured by its direction cosine. The method is shown to prevent single and multiple GPS jammers from being able to jam conventional GPS signals. Also disclosed is a means and method for developing virtual Doppler shifted signals to determine the angle-angle bearing of emitting targets to high resolution. This in turn, allows the position of the emitter to be determined in a GPS reference frame to be located to a high degree of accuracy from a single platform in extremely short times.

Abstract: A pallet for use in loading, storage and transportation of shock sensitive equipment with the pallet including an upper member supported in a spaced condition from a lower member to form pockets for fork lifts or the like with the upper member isolated from the lower member by a set of elastomer mounts that react to external compressive forces thereon by internal shearing resistance rather than compression resistance with the edge of support member spaced laterally from the edges the lower member to inhibit the upper members from contacting each other when one pallets are positioned adjacent to each other and are subject to shock or vibration.

Abstract: A mail tub in the form of a substantially rigid container and a removable lid which seals the container. The container includes an air inlet port and an air outlet port for sampling air in the mail tub for possible biological contamination, such as anthrax. The container includes structure along the bottom and walls to prevent mail from contacting the walls and bottom. Such structure, in one embodiment, may include raised standoffs along the bottom of the container and channels along the walls to facilitate airflow efficiency through the mail tub when the lid is attached and an air pressure source is applied to the one of the ports. Air samples of the sealed container air are collected for contamination analysis.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting and tracking a target object, including the calculation of the target object's altitude, is disclosed. During the processing of signals received by a receiver, the system selectively calculates the altitude of the target object from signals modified by an interference effect pattern formed by the signals broadcast by a transmitter, or from the calculation of geometric shapes associated with three or more transmitters and determining the intersection point of those shapes.

Abstract: Individual objects are located according to a coordinate system in time-successive patterns and correlated between patterns. The objects are correlated by assigning identifiers to each in both patterns. The locations are transformed by reorientation to their centroid. The average of the transformed coordinate differences is used to adjust the centroid of the objects in a subsequent pattern and the transformed coordinate differences adjusted for the centroid displacement. A figure of merit is taken as the root-mean-square of the adjusted differences and used to determine which possible combination of correlated objects between two patterns is most likely.

Abstract: A jet bomb guidance system in which bi-directional nozzles are fired in a manner to produce force state changes resulting in improved level of control, greater force compatibility and greater efficiency in propellant fuel usage. The system includes four bi-directional nozzles spaced at 90 degree internals in which at least four single nozzles are open at any given instant to maintain a substantially constant gas pressure. The system may be positioned at the nose portion, tail portion, or center of gravity of the bomb.

Abstract: A plurality of autonomously controlled valves in a fluid distribution system are interconnected by a data communication network. The system also includes fluid flow sensors which report to the system by way of the network. The autonomous controllers include information as to their neighbors or environment sufficient to determine malfunctions such as a leak or break in an associated path, and can take autonomous action. The actions are established by the autonomous controllers regardless of the existence of a connection to the network, so that even if the network connection fails or is damaged, the valve can still respond to its own flow sensor with predetermined actions.