Abstract: The process, in which there is carried out localized surface metallization of pieces of composite material, of the type covered on their surface with a layer (CC) of an electrically conductive material, itself coated with an electrically insulating protective layer (P) such as paint or the like, is characterized in that in line with each zone of said painted surface dedicated to a hole to be metallized, there is carried out a scraping off down to the conductive layer (CC), with the help of a metallic edge pressed resiliently and moved over the surface of the piece, stopping of the scraping off being controlled consecutively upon reaching or exceeding a predetermined threshold of electrical conduction between the conductive layer (CC) and the metallic edge and, finally, the various holes of the piece are pierced and shaped.

Abstract: A spectral subtraction is effected including: a first subtraction step in which overestimates of the spectral component of the noise are taken into account, to obtain spectral components of a first noise-suppressed signal; the computation of a masking curve by applying an auditory perception model on the basis of the spectral components of the first noise-suppressed signal; and a second subtraction step in which a respective quantity depending on parameters including a difference between the overestimate of the corresponding spectral component of the noise and the computed masking curve is subtracted from each spectral component of the speech signal in the frame. The result of the spectral subtraction is transformed into the time domain to construct a noise-suppressed speech signal.

Abstract: A connector (6) includes a device (11) for securing it to a bulkhead or panel (14) of an enclosure. The device comprises a steel retaining clip (11) which is pushed over each jackpost (9) of the connector (6) and engages in a slot (10). the clip retains the connector (6) against the bulkhead (14) while a mating connector is attached, without the need for any nut and bolt arrangement or bulkhead fixing screws.

Abstract: A sequential trigger system (10) for triggering a plurality of cameras (42, 42a) equipped with a burst picture taking mode is provided. The system includes a clock (12) and means (14, 16) of fixing the frequency of the clock frequency, and further includes means (20) of successively starting operation of the cameras in burst mode in response to a trigger signal, the means being controlled by the clock so as to put the cameras into operation at an operating rate faster than the rate at which the cameras take pictures in burst mode.

Abstract: An optical sighting system includes at least one optical channel with which there is associated at least one reticle. The reticle includes at least one mark which demarcates a blind spot, which is visible to an observer using the optical sighing system and which is centered approximately about a centering point that is situated substantially at a distance which is representative of a sighting angle of between 13° and 18°, with respect to a predetermined direction of observation along a first direction. This first direction is representative on the optical sighting system of the direction passing substantially by the centers of the eyes of an observer who is using the optical sighting system.

Abstract: The station includes a coded speech signal source having a given digital rate, a modulator for producing a radio signal from the coded speech signal provided by the source, and a redundancy encoder having a coding rate of the form K/N, where K and N are integers such that 0<K<N. An operating mode of the station is selected from at least a first operating mode where the modulator directly receives the coded speech signal and converts it into a radio signal occupying a determined fraction of time on a carrier frequency, and a second operating mode where the redundancy encoder receives the coded speech signal, and the modulator receives the output signal from the redundancy encoder and converts it into a radio signal occupying N/K times the determined fraction of time on a carrier frequency.

Abstract: A limiting feature in spacecraft such as communication satellites is becoming the amount of surface such as 5, 6 available for dissipating waste heat from the electrical equipment in the satellite. The invention provides a deployable radiator 11 which carries a number of capillary pumped loops consisting of an evaporator, an outward limb and a return limb. The panel 11 is rolled up to coil the elements prior to launch, and unrolled when in orbit. The outward and return lengths of tube act as condenser for the capillary pumped loop, transport the heat over the radiating panel 11 and also provide the spring force for the panel to unroll.

Abstract: A device for discharging hot air for a jet engine air inlet cowl, with a deicing circuit. The air inlet cowl for a jet engine, the leading edge of which is hollow and swept with a flow of deicing hot air, includes orifices for discharging the hot air flow to the outside of the leading edge, which form an arrangement such that at least two pressurized hot air jets passing through two adjacent orifices have, downstream of a calibration piece in which the orifices are made, different inclinations with respect to the calibration piece.

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-degradable optical fiber, that is to say, an optical fiber that contains, within its own structure, compounds capable of leading to its degradation. This optical fiber comprises a core, a sheath and a polymer coating, in which at least one calixarene is incorporated in the coating, the calixarene(s) imprisoning at least one compound capable of being released under defined conditions of temperature and/or humidity and/or irradiation and of bringing about degradation of the coating. The invention also relates to a method of preparing this fiber and a wire guided device comprising this fiber.

Abstract: The detection of symbols of a sequence on the basis of an observation signal is performed in accordance with a soft output Viterbi algorithm using a trellis. In order to assign a likelihood to a discrete estimation of a symbol, the difference between the metrics of the optimal path determined in accordance with the Viterbi algorithm and the metrics of a competitor path, which is optimal among all the paths leading to a different decision for the symbol in question is calculated, the metrics being considered on the whole length of the trellis.

Abstract: According to the invention, the suspension pylon (3) comprises a fairing for reducing the local loss in lift and its maximum-width section (7) is located at the front of the concave and set-back rear part (4R) of the pressure face (4) of the wing structure (1). The fairing for reducing the local loss in lift (8): is housed, at least over most of its height, in the concavity of said rear part (4R) of the pressure face (4) of the wing structure (1), and comprises an underside (15) which comes close to its upper surface (13) as an aerodynamic continuation of the suction face (14) of the wing structure (1) so as to give the protruding rear part (12) of said fairing (8) the shape of a blade which tapers toward the rear and ends in an aerodynamic trailing edge (16).

Abstract: A satellite has a platform of elongated shape in a direction parallel to a roll axis of the satellite. A deployable arm is pivotally carried by a longitudinally extending face of the platform. A solar generator is carried at the end of the arm by a first motor for aiming the generator through a range of 360° about a pitch axis orthogonal to the direction of elongation of the platform. A second motor rotates the solar generator through a limited angular range about an axis that is orthogonal to the pitch axis and parallel to the plane of the generator. The arm, when deployed, moves the solar generator away from on a stored position in contact with the platform in a direction of a yaw axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an emitter of infrared radiation in band III as well as to a composite allowing the emission of such infrared radiation. The emitter includes an emission source having a composite on which a thin oxide layer is deposited. The oxide has an emissivity which is less than 0.2 for wavelengths of emitted radiation of less than 6 &mgr;m and greater than 0.8 for wavelengths of between 8 and 10 &mgr;m. The invention also includes a heating device which can heat the composite so that it emits infrared radiation in band III.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile radio telephone system (10, 15) and a method of operating it in which the beacon frequency is at least temporarily transmitted in a discontinuous manner. This allows a base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) to make use of the gained time for either transmitting on another frequency or monitoring neighboring radio frequency sources for potential interference. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the beacon frequency is interrupted by connecting the transmission path to the receiver path within the base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22). This may be done by single pole double throw high frequency switches. The interruption may be temporary or may applied permanently. Further, in a system in which all transmissions by the base transceiver stations (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) are synchronized, mobile stations (12) are described which are adapted to measure signal strength depending upon the duty cycle of the beacon frequency.

Abstract: On the basis of a portion of the signal, a coder selects a parameter vector belonging to a reference library containing 2Q vectors each designated by an address of Q bits. This coder, or a transcoder located downstream, forms a digital data stream (&PHgr;) containing an index deduced from the address of the vector selected. For each rate value corresponding to an integer p≧0, the index contained in the digital data stream is formed of Q−p bits which, completed by p bits of predetermined positions, define indices of Q bits representing a group of 2p addresses including that of the vector selected from the reference library. The decoder receiving the digital data stream, or a transcoder located upstream, is capable of reconstructing appropriate parameter vectors on the basis of the truncated index. Thus very fine steps are obtained in the adjustment of the transmission rate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a device for guiding a flying craft onto a target, the device (1) comprising a detector (D) pointed at the target in such a way that a projection of the latter is situated on a field of measurement of the detector (D), a computation unit (UC) for determining guidance commands, and members (6) carrying out the guidance. According to the invention, the said device (1) furthermore comprises computation means (C3, C4) for determining commands for varying attitudes of the said flying craft making it possible to center the said projection with respect to a first direction of the measurement field, and the line of sight of the detector (D) is moveable and is controlled in such a way as to center the said projection with respect to a second direction of the measurement field, which is different from the said first direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser-scan process for guiding a missile (M) to a target (T), according to which one observes a field (5), within which said missile (M) is liable to move, so as to locate the latter in said field (5), as well as to a device for implementing said process. According to the invention, in said field (5), a zone (8) is determined around the instantaneous position of said missile (M) thus located, and the laser scan is performed solely in said zone (8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for the yaw control of an aircraft fitted with a plurality of engines, the system (SC) comprising in particular a computation unit (16) formulating a command dr for yaw control, dr=Ka.&PHgr;c+Kb.p+Kc.&PHgr;+Kd.r+Ke.&bgr;, on the basis of the controlled roll attitude &PHgr;c, of the roll rate p, of the effective roll attitude &PHgr;, of the yaw rate r, of the sideslip &bgr; and of gains Ka, Kb, Kc, Kd and Ke which are fixed by a device (28). According to the invention, the system (SC) comprises a a device (30) for detecting any fault with an engine of the aircraft, and the device (28) is formed in such a way as to modify the values of the gains Ka, Kd and Ke relating respectively to the controlled roll attitude &PHgr;c, to the yaw rate r and to the sideslip &bgr;, upon the detection by the device (30) of a fault with an engine of the aircraft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rigid surface reflecting electromagnetic waves, especially for antenna reflectors, electromagnetic shielding, and waveguides. According to the invention, this surface consists of an interlacement (7) of electrically conducting wires (2, 3) which consist, on the surface, of a stable metal diffusion alloy ensuring that said wires are fastened together and that said surface is rigidified.