Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a magnetic solenoid. The magnetic solenoid includes an elongated sidewall that extends between spaced apart ends. The elongated sidewall can surround a central axis that extends longitudinally along the sidewall. The elongated sidewall can have a radius that is defined by a compound equation that varies the radius as a function of position along the central axis.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for: (a) the correction of one or more elements determined from a first set of continuous gyro and accelerometer measurements comprising using a second set of discontinuously measured higher accuracy accelerometer measurements doubly integrated in an inertial coordinate system, (b) determining relative movement of a vehicle using a first set of acceleration measurements that do not include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field, and a second set of acceleration measurements that do include components of acceleration caused by the Earth's gravitational field; and (c) correcting errors in an inertial navigation system positioned in a vehicle comprising using independently measured changes in position of the vehicle relative to an inertial coordinate frame.

Abstract: Two optical wavelengths are used to interrogate a fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor having a moveable diaphragm that changes the width of a gap between two reflective surfaces. By picking the right operating point for the gap, the power output for one wavelength increases as the gap width changes and the power for the other wavelength decreases. A ratio of the difference of the two powers over the sum of the two powers is formed to generate a detected signal independent of power and phase fluctuations in a fiber between signal sources and sensor and between sensor and detector. This ratio, which is called the visibility, has a response proportional to the pressure of acoustic disturbances that move the diaphragm. The push-pull sensor can be used with both TDM and CW fan-out array architectures.

Abstract: One or more first portions of a reduced optical material wafer are covered with a masking layer that leaves uncovered one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer. The reduced optical material wafer is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere to reverse a reduction of the one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer that makes the one or more second portions receptive for implementation of one or more optical waveguides.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) housing substantially surrounding atoms in an atom trapping region. The housing includes a first end that is substantially open to receive light that is substantially collimated and a second end opposite the first end that includes an aperture that emits a cold atom beam from the atom trapping region. The housing also includes a housing section surrounding and extending along a substantially central axis having a substantially reflective interior peripheral surface that reflects the light to generate an optical force on the atoms. The housing further includes an optical mask located substantially at the first end and along the substantially central axis that is configured to occlude the atom trapping region from the light to substantially prevent direct illumination of the atoms by unreflected light.

Abstract: An exemplary navigation system uses a master navigation component at a first location in a vehicle and a slave navigation component at a second location that is a variable displacement to the first location due to physical deformation of the vehicle. Static and dynamic location components provide static and dynamic information of the displacement between the first and second locations. An error estimator estimates errors in the navigational measurement data generated by the slave navigation component based on the navigational measurement data generated by the master navigation component and the displacement information provided by the static and dynamic location components. The master navigation component corrects the navigation measurement data of the slave navigation component based on the determined error and translates the corrected navigation measurement data of the slave navigation component into navigational measurement data in its coordinate system.

Abstract: A method for estimating a probability of failure of a least-squares ambiguity decorrelation adjustment (LAMBDA) method is provided. The LAMBDA method is used for estimation of double difference carrier phase integer ambiguity. A plurality of condition sets are selected. Each condition set comprises a probability of failure (Pboot-fail) for a boot-strap method of estimation of the double difference carrier phase integer ambiguity, a number of space vehicles (Nsv), and a ratio test tolerance for the LAMBDA method. A plurality of Monte Carlo simulations are run on the plurality of condition sets to obtain a plurality of result sets. Each result set comprises a probability of lambda fail (P?-fail) and a probability of lambda reject (P?-reject) for one condition set of the plurality of condition sets. A lookup table is created with the plurality of result sets. A value of P?-fail for given values of P?-reject, Pboot-fail, and Nsv is estimated through employment of the lookup table.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a position system configured to determine a global positioning (GPS) change vector, and an inertial navigation system (INS) change vector. The position system is configured to determine a relative position between a first platform and a second platform based on the GPS change vector and the INS change vector, and the position system is configured to correct a GPS position calculation error based on the GPS change vector and the INS change vector.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a gyro cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal vapor, a first gyromagnetic isotope, a second gyromagnetic isotope, and a third gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a substantially uniform magnetic field that is provided through the gyro cell to cause the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes to precess. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to measure a rotation angle about a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system based on measured precession angles of the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes.

Abstract: A temperature system is provided with magnetic field suppression. In one embodiment, the temperature system comprises a plurality of conductors patterned to conduct current in directions that generate 2N multipole magnetic moments that interact to suppress the magnetic fields generated by the current conducting through the plurality of conductors, where N is an integer that is greater than one.

Abstract: The method and apparatus in one embodiment may have: operating one of two resonators of a class II coriolis vibratory gyro in a closed loop mode and another of the two resonators in an open loop whole angle mode; sensing an angular rate by each of the two resonators; calibrating the scale factor of the closed loop resonator to yield the same integrated whole angle as measured by the open loop resonator; reversing operation of the two resonators such that the one of two resonators is operated in an open loop mode and the another of the two resonators in a closed loop whole angle mode; and alternately proceeding between open and closed loop operation of the two resonators, thereby self-calibrating scale factors respectively of the two resonators.

Abstract: A plurality of voids are introduced into a polymeric material. One or more stress sensitive components in abutment with a portion of the polymeric material are buffered from one or more stresses through employment of the portion of the polymeric material that comprises one or more voids of the plurality of voids. A movement of the portion of the polymeric material is accommodated through compression of one or more of the one or more voids.

Abstract: One embodiment is a micro hemispheric resonator gyro having: a plurality of pickoff and forcer electrodes; a hemispheric resonator; a guard ring having first and second opposed sides, the guard ring containing the plurality of pickoff and forcer electrodes, and the hemispheric resonator; a top cover operatively coupled to the first side of the guard ring; and a bottom cover operatively coupled to the second side of the guard ring; wherein the plurality of pickoff and forcer electrodes, the hemispheric resonator, the guard ring, the top cover and the bottom cover form a micro hemispheric resonator gyro.

Abstract: A receiver in a mode 5 air traffic control system provides amplitude and phase signal outputs a digital data stream containing preamble and flight information from data transmitted from an aircraft. A signal splitter divides the amplitude and phase signal outputs between an odd channel and an even channel that carry odd-numbered pulses and even-numbered pulses, respectively. An odd channel data decoder connected to the signal splitter extracts signals encoded in the odd channel and forms an odd data stream and an even channel data decoder connected to the signal splitter extracts signals encoded in the even channel and forming an even data stream. A preamble correlator correlates the odd and even data streams with a predefined preamble mask to detect potential valid preambles, and preamble decision logic processes signals output from the preamble correlator to identify which of the preambles actually are actually valid.

Abstract: A method for balancing optical transmission for a first ON state and a second ON state of an electro-optic switch having an RF input port and a DC port, in one implementation, comprises the steps of associating a positive RF voltage with the first ON state of the electro-optic switch, associating a negative RF voltage with the second ON state of the electro-optic switch, wherein absolute value of the negative RF voltage associated with the second ON state is approximately equal to the positive RF voltage associated with the first ON state, and balancing optical transmission of the first ON state and the second ON state by adjusting a voltage applied to the DC port to obtain minimum optical transmission in an OFF state of the electro-optic switch.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a system for measuring at least one thermal property of a material. The system includes a thermal source configured to generate an incident thermal wave that propagates through a medium and is provided onto the material at an incident angle. The system also includes a thermal detector that is configured to receive a reflected thermal wave corresponding to the incident thermal wave reflected from the material at a reflection angle that is approximately equal to the incident angle. The system further includes a controller configured to control a magnitude of the incident angle to ascertain a thermal Brewster angle of the material and to calculate the at least one thermal property of the material based on the thermal Brewster angle.

Abstract: A control component of an apparatus in one example is configured to signal a plurality of electrodes arranged in at least first, second, third, and fourth radial electrode groups along first, second, third, and fourth axes at approximately 0, 45, 90, and 135 degrees, respectively, around the planar resonator. During a first time period, the control component is configured to signal: the first radial electrode group to induce a drive oscillation in the planar resonator, the third radial electrode group to sense the drive oscillation, the second radial electrode group to sense a Coriolis force induced oscillation, and the fourth radial electrode group to null the Coriolis force induced oscillation.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more sensors that produce one or more signals based on one or more joint motions of an individual, and one or more processing components that employ one or more of the one or more signals to make a determination of a positional change of the individual.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a die structure that comprises a middle layer, a first outside layer, and a second outside layer. The middle layer comprises a cavity that holds an alkali metal, and one of the first outside layer and the second outside layer comprises a channel that leads to the cavity. The middle layer, the first outside layer, and the second outside layer comprise dies from one or more wafer substrates.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention uses radar altimeter measurements and stored terrain altitude profiles to provide pre-filtered observations to a Kalman filter for estimating barometric offset at the airport runway, and barometric scale factor for offsets above the runway. These offsets are used with the smoothed baro-inertial output from an inertial reference system to provide 3 dimensional constant rate of descent approach procedures to replace non-precision approach procedures based on constant barometric altitude step approaches. The horizontal positions used as reference for the stored terrain altitude profiles are obtained from a prior art navigation apparatus. The integrity of all measurements is assured by using long term averages of the Kalman filter residuals to detect failures. In addition, the estimated baro offset at the runway is compared for consistency with the baro offset obtained by the pilot from the airport by radio.