Abstract: An active sonar system comprising a transmitter for providing a sonar signal, a receiver for receiving a reflected return signal, a processor of processing and extracting both magnitude and phase information from the return signal, and display unit for presenting both magnitude and phase information from the return signal to an operator.

Abstract: A modified Gram-Schmidt QR decomposition core implemented in a single field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprises a converter configured to convert a complex fixed point input to a complex floating point input, dual port memory to hold complex entries of an input matrix, normalizer programmable logic module (PLM) to compute a normalization of a column vector. A second PLM performs complex, floating point multiplication on two input matrix columns. A scheduler diverts control of the QRD processing to the normalizer PLM or the second PLM. A top level state machine communicates with scheduler and monitors processing in normalizer PLM and second PLM and communicates the completion of operations to scheduler. A complex divider computes final column for output matrix Q using floating point arithmetic. Multiplexer outputs computed values as elements of output matrix Q or R. Complex floating point operations are performed in a parallel pipelined implementation reducing latencies.

Abstract: A prototype biometric identification system is disclosed that indexes a biometric corpus into indexed-corpuses using a set of P prototypes before searching for a probe in a search corpus constructed based on the indexed-corpus. The system may index the biometric corpus based on the prototypes directly or based on prototype-typicality scores.

Abstract: System and method for controlling vehicle operating characteristics. The method includes receiving, at a vehicle, global positioning system (GPS) data, and, based on the received GPS data, determining the vehicle's location. The method also receives data from another vehicle. The method then modifies one or more vehicle operating characteristics based on the determined location and on data received from another vehicle, the characteristics including a suspension dampening characteristic, a spring rate characteristic, ABS braking characteristics, stability control system characteristics, a seat shock absorber characteristic, etc.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a fleet-angle of a cable. An embodiment may monitor the fleet-angle of a cable being spooled or unspooled in multiple radial directions and without use of a mechanical monitoring apparatus. The method and system may employ a fleet angle sensor device having a bell-shaped aperture across which propagate one or more collimated light beams that may be used to detect excessive fleet-angle of the cable. The light beams may be generated by a fleet-angle sensor disposed in the fleet angle sensor device proximate to the aperture. Various light-beam patterns within the aperture may provide different advantages when determining deviations of the cable from the aperture center axis.

Abstract: A clamp is designed for accepting a mail piece at a loading station, and for releasably holding the mail piece while the mail piece is moved to an unloading station via a sorting system. The clamp is manipulated in the sorting system, instead of manipulating the mail piece held by the clamp. The clamp includes jaws for releasably holding the mail piece, plus a machine readable identifier, plus a mechanism for engaging with the sorting system. The clamp's identifier includes clamp information which uniquely identifies the clamp. The clamp information is for use by the sorting system, in combination with address information on the mail piece, to enable sortation of the mail piece held by the clamp.

Abstract: A processor can determine a relative position within a room of a person wearing a force-on-force device based exclusively upon sensed optical signals detected by optical sensors connected to the force-on-force device. Each of the sensed optical signals is geographically focused within a spatially constrained zone. Each sensed optical signal can further include digitally encoded data indicating an optical source that emitted the sensed optical signal and a spatially constrained zone of the sensed optical signal. The relative position can be determined based on determining a grid within the room within which the person is located. The grid can be defined by overlapping ones of the spatially constrained zones of the sensed optical signals.

Abstract: A magnetic communication system utilizing a multi-conductor transmit antenna is provided. Each of the conductors is supplied with an identical signal such that the magnetic fields generated by each conductor add together to create a like signal having an increased strength. Individual energy barriers are operatively connected to each conductor element in order to limit the current supplied to each conductor to intrinsically safe levels.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a heat-to-detonation transition manifold, a heat pipe connected to the transition manifold, a linear shaped charge, and a transfer line connecting the heat-to-detonation transition manifold and the linear shaped charge. An apparatus includes a thermally-activated pyrotechnic train and a linear shaped charge coupled with the pyrotechnic train. A method includes initiating a deflagrating material at a predetermined temperature or within a predetermined range of temperatures, initiating a detonating material with the deflagrating material, and initiating a linear shaped charge with the detonated material.

Abstract: A tunable optical filter apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus may include a filter driver, a filter device, a detector device and a controller device. The filter driver generates a filter driver signal, including a dither signal. The controller device may be coupled to the detector device, the filter device and the filter driver. The controller device may receive the detector output signal and determine a ratio of the odd order harmonic signal to the even order harmonic signal with respect to the dither frequency. The controller device may also compare the ratio to a predetermined setpoint ratio and generate a control feedback signal for generating a new filter driver signal. The control feedback signal may be based on the comparison of the ratio of the odd order harmonic signal to the even order harmonic signal, to the predetermined setpoint ratio that corresponds to a desired filter operating frequency.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing non-authoritative observational data during a coordinated operation, such as a military mission. Actuation of a trigger control initiates a retrieval procedure for collecting observational data from at least one system incorporated in a vehicle. Categories associated with an observational event may be selected to classify the observational data, and the selected category may be stored with the observational data in a memory. The observational data may be stored in the memory as one or more data structures called “tags.” A tag may be transmitted in real time to one or more operators in the coordinated operation via a wireless network. Stored observational information may be reviewed and edited by an operator to add additional annotations to a tag. A secondary review by supervising personnel may determine if the non-authoritative tag should be added to an authoritative source used for planning of future missions.

Abstract: A computing architecture and method which provides application software or hardware the ability to dynamically allocate subsystem resources to construct computing enclaves. The architecture manages the configuration of and controls access to the subsystem resources. Subsystem resources are assigned to enclaves and additional subsystem resources are able to be added or removed as needs fluctuate. Removed subsystem resources are sanitized and returned to a resource pool, and are available for allocation. This computing architecture and method allows the creation of dynamic computing systems.

Abstract: A method, Kinematic Algorithm for Rocket Motor Apperception (KARMA), for processing radar returns for identifying the type of a missile target includes generating tracks representing the missile, and applying the tracks to a set of plural template-based filters, each representing one missile hypothesis, to generate plural sets of missile states, one set for each hypothesis. The missile states are processed to generate kinematic parameter likelihood values (LLHs). The LLH values for each filter hypothesis are normalized and weighted. A weighted maximum likelihood value (WMLH) is calculated for each hypothesis. The correct hypothesis is deemed to be the one having the maximum WMLH, thus identifying the missile type.

Abstract: A system and method for sorting mail comprising an input (18), readers means (20, 24) and a plurality of holder (28), wherein the system sorts standard and exceptional mail formats.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a train in a manner that accommodates transitions from and to railway-controlled territory at designated locations, as well as operating within the proximity of those locations in a vital manner.

Abstract: A printed wiring board includes solder pads to which component leads may be soldered. L-shaped solder pads of the printed wiring board allow component leads to approach the board from any of the four major sides of the printed wiring board. Each solder pad includes two legs and two respective axes. A component lead may be selectively soldered to one of the two legs of the solder pad. Thus, a component lead may approach a solder pad from one of four orthogonal directions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing wind turbine damage includes a propeller having a plurality of blades projecting radially from a hub. The blades may be adjustably combined to form variable cross-sections that either increase or decrease propeller rotation speed dependent on wind speed and weather conditions.

Abstract: A method and system for processing image data to identify objects in an image. Terrain types are identified in the image. A second image is generated identifying areas of the image which border regions of different intensities by identifying a gradient magnitude value for each pixel of the image. A filtered image is generated from the second image, the filtered image identifying potential objects which have a smaller radius than the size of a filter and a different brightness than background pixels surrounding the potential objects. The second image and the filtered image are compared to identify potential objects as an object. A potential object is identified as an object if the potential object has a gradient magnitude greater than a threshold gradient magnitude, and the threshold gradient magnitude is based on the terrain type identified in the portion of the image where the potential object is located.

Abstract: A system senses the presence of a boosting missile or target and processes the information by comparison of the data with a plurality of predetermined templates of nominal missile characteristics, in order to determine the state of the missile. The processing includes estimation of burnout time and of early thrust termination. Both are determined by generating current stage state estimates including position, velocity, time index error into the thrust template, and motor scale factor error. The change in motor scale factor is compared with a threshold to determine if early thrust termination has occurred. The estimated burnout time of the current stage is calculated from the burnout times of the current and the previous stage processed with the estimated motor scale factor and with state estimates from a filter.

Abstract: A radar volume in a cued direction is searched with sequential pencil beams. The allowable scan time is limited. The cued direction and uncertainty identify a search face, and the range gives a search volume. The number of beams required to scan the volume is determined, and compared with the maximum time. If less than the maximum, the scan is initiated. If greater than the maximum time, the scan region about the cued volume is subdivided into smaller portions, each of which is scanned sequentially.