Abstract: A product sampler packet assembly includes a flexible packet bonded to a carrier card by an adhesive standoff having sufficient hardness (and resistance to creep) to increase the burst strength of the assembly above that of the packet alone. The adhesive standoff is disposed between the packet and the carrier card to define a well into which the packet is at least slightly deformed under compression such that the adhesive stand off distributes the compressive force without substantial transfer to the closure seal of the packet.

Abstract: A product sampler packet assembly includes a flexible packet bonded to a carrier card by an adhesive standoff having sufficient hardness (and resistance to creep) to increase the burst strength of the assembly above that of the packet alone. The adhesive standoff is disposed between the packet and the carrier card to define a well into which the packet is at least slightly deformed under compression such that the adhesive stand off distributes the compressive force without substantial transfer to the closure seal of the packet.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a transceiver includes a pair of antennas with one of the receive channels including a predetermined phase shifter for shifting one of the received signals prior to combining the received electromagnetic energy to form a combined signal for processing by a receiver. The amount of phase shift may be set to maximize the combined signal. The transceiver accounts for signal fading resulting from multiple path reflection, and is especially beneficial in a hand-held or mobile unit. In another aspect, an antenna system includes a pair of elongated quadrifilar antennas, which may be disposed so as to have their longitudinal axes parallel or coincidental as desired. A method for maximizing receipt of electromagnetic energy is also described along with a detector useful for determining the presence of information associated with electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a region of interest in an original image to extract at least one robust feature, including the steps of passing signals representing the original image through a first filter to obtain signals representing a smoothed image, performing a profile analysis on the signals representing the smoothed image to determine a signal representing a size value for any feature in the original image, performing a cluster analysis on the signals representing the size values determined by the profile analysis to determine a signal representing a most frequently occurring size, selecting an optimal filter based on the determined signal representing the most frequently occurring size, and passing the signals representing the original image through the optimal filter to obtain an optimally filtered image having an optimally high signal-to-noise ratio. An apparatus for analyzing a region of interest in an image to extract robust features is also provided.

Abstract: An EMI shielding member and method of making the member. The member includes a non-metallic substrate having an electrically non-conductive coating of a dielectric polymer matrix material loaded with an EMI shieldingly effective amount of electrically conductive fibers. The member can be formed by spraying the fiber loaded, dielectric polymer matrix onto a flexible fabric or tape.

Abstract: A transition between a waveguide and transmission line is disclosed in which a probe portion of the transmission line extends into the waveguide to electrically field couple signals between the waveguide and transmission line. The transmission line is preferably a coplanar fuse and includes a substrate having conductors disposed therein which prevent energy from propagating into the substrate from the waveguide. Propagation of energy into the desired transmission line mode is therefore facilitated. Because the probe is formed as an integral part of the transmission line, direct coupling to the waveguide is possible without the use of intervening sections, transitions or transmission lines. The transition may be scaled in order to couple a wide range of frequencies.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the production of highly diffusive or absorptive metal surfaces. A dendritic crystal structure surface layer of metal is electrodeposited on a substrate, using a bipolar pulse plating technique. This metal surface layer may then be oxidized to provide a highly anti-reflective surface.

Abstract: A real-time learning (RTL) neural network is capable of indicating when an input feature vector is novel with respect to feature vectors contained within its training data set, and is capable of learning to generate a correct response to a new data vector while maintaining correct responses to previously learned data vectors without requiring that the neural network be retrained on the previously learned data. The neural network has a sensor for inputting a feature vector, a first layer and a second layer. The feature vector is supplied to the first layer which may have one or more declared and unused nodes. During training, the input feature vector is clustered to a declared node only if it lies within a hypervolume defined by the declared node's automatically selectable reject radius, else the input feature vector is clustered to an unused node. Clustering in overlapping hypervolumes is determined by a decision surface.

Abstract: A control system for the uplink transmitter of a ground station communicating with a spacecraft includes an antenna located at the ground station, pointed toward the spacecraft for receiving downlink signals transmitted therefrom. The received signals are accompanied by noise attributable to ambient, sky and ground temperatures. A low-noise receiver is coupled to the output port of the antenna, for establishing the receiver noise temperature. A processor is coupled to the low-noise receiver apparatus and to the power control input port of the uplink transmitter, for responding to changes in the received noise power attributable to the presence or absence of precipitation in the downlink. The processor does this by producing an estimate of the attenuation attributable to the rain in the downlink, and generates the control signal in response to the estimate of the attenuation.

Abstract: A digital signal processing system which uses an input image including a plurality of pixels to establish boundaries of objects in the input image. Each of the pixels has a gradient value and the object includes a centroid. Using a segmentation process, the digital signal processing system decides on a perimeter surrounding the object in the input image and then repeatedly searches for a pixel having the highest gradient value and marks that pixel having the highest gradient value as an edge pixel of the object.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the production of highly diffusive or absorptive metal surfaces. A dendritic crystal structure surface layer of metal is electrodeposited on a substrate, using a bipolar pulse plating technique. This metal surface layer may then be oxidized to provide a highly anti-reflective surface.