Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an optical sensor protection system. The system may have a sensor for receiving an incoming optical signal, a passive sensing and modulation component, and an active sensing and modulation subsystem. The passive sensing and modulation component is configured to sense when a first characteristic is associated with the incoming optical signal is present that adversely affects operation of the sensor, and redirects at least a portion of the incoming optical signal thereof away from the sensor to thus reduce an intensity of the incoming optical signal reaching the sensor. The sensor is located on an image plane downstream of the ISM subsystem, relative to a path of travel of the incoming optical signal.

Abstract: A system for contactless testing of radio frequency apertures is provided. The system comprises a fixture having a fixture mount operable to be received in a fixture receiver of a robotic system, and a vector network analyzer (“VNA”) supported by the fixture. A radiating antenna is supported by the fixture, and is operable to be connected to the VNA via a cable. Upon movement of the fixture via the robotic system, the VNA, the radiating antenna, and the cable maintain a static positional relationship relative to one another.

Abstract: Method and system of calibrating and cohering at least one radar antenna in receive (RX) mode and transmit (TX) mode, comprising performing RX mode calibration on at least one radar antenna using radio frequency (RF) far field calibration source, determining RF phase ØRXn using RF far field calibration source for each at least one radar antenna, operating at least one radar antenna in RX mode with at least one near field antenna to determine plurality of RX mode phases in at least one radar antenna and at least one near field antenna, operating at least one radar antenna in TX mode with at least one near field antenna to determine plurality of TX mode phases in at least one radar antenna and at least one near field antenna, and deriving TX mode calibration phases as function of determined RX mode phases and determined TX mode calibration phases.

Abstract: An active situational sensor uses a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Array (MMA) to steer an optical beam to different off-axis sections of a parabolic mirror, an “OAP”, to re-direct and focus optical radiation into a spot-beam onto a conical shape of a fixed mirror, which redirects the spot-beam to scan a FOR. The sensor may rapidly scan a 360° horizontal FOR with a specified vertical FOR or any portion thereof, move discretely between multiple specific objects per frame, vary the dwell time on an object or compensate for other external factors to tailor the scan to a particular application or changing conditions in real-time. The MEMS MMA may be configurable to shape the spot-beam to adjust size, focus or intensity profile or to produce deviations in the wavefront of the spot-beam to compensate for path length differences or atmospheric distortion. The MEMS MMA being configurable to produce and independently steer a plurality of spot-beams of the same or different wavelengths.

Abstract: A digital receiver/exciter (DREX) antenna calibration system includes a DREX antenna array, and an antenna probe configured to receive energy from the DREX antenna array and/or transmit energy to the DREX antenna array. A modular signal processing unit is in signal communication with the DREX antenna array. The modular signal processing unit includes a plurality of individual signal processing programmable integrated circuits configured to process the energy. A modular array controller is in signal communication with the probe controller, the DREX antenna array, and the modular signal processing unit. The modular array controller includes at least one modular array unit that includes an array programmable integrated circuit and a multicore processor.

Abstract: A common gate input circuit for III/V D-mode Buffered FET Logic (BFL) maximizes the dynamic range to drive a level shift section to set the proper voltage levels to switch the BFL and allows for decoupling of the switch point from the dynamic range. A common gate switching section includes a D-mode FET (FET1) configured as a load and a D-mode FET (FET2) configured as a common gate connected in series between high and low supplies Vdd and Vee1 (typically ground potential). The gate electrode of FET2 is coupled to Vee1 and the source electrode of FET2 is driven by the external digital signals. This eliminates the additional supply Vss, thus maximizing the dynamic range of the section to switch between Vdd and Vee1 and decouples the dynamic range from the switch point. An input level shift section may shift the Data In to the source electrode of FET2 to shift the switch point and to present a high input impedance.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a tunable optical carrier source configured to generate a tunable optical carrier and a fixed wavelength optical carrier source configured to generate a fixed wavelength optical carrier. The apparatus also includes first and second optical modulators configured to modulate the tunable optical carrier and the fixed wavelength optical carrier based on first and second of multiple input signals. The apparatus further includes a delay element configured to delay the modulated tunable optical carrier, first and second optical detectors coupled to the delay element, and third and fourth optical modulators coupled to the first and second optical detectors.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for producing aligned and aggregated aligned time surfaces. An exemplary method includes: receiving camera event data from a first location; computing, using the camera event data, a plurality of unaligned time surfaces; determining a plurality of optical flows corresponding to the unaligned time surfaces; determining, using the optical flows, an accumulated optical flow for mapping displacement between any two time periods; producing, using the optical flows, for a plurality of consecutive mapped time surfaces; performing, using the accumulated optical flow, warping of the mapped time surfaces producing corresponding aligned time surfaces; and aggregating the aligned time surfaces to produce an image having lowered blurring of object boundaries.

Abstract: An interconnect including a first connector, a second connector, and a bullet connector. The first connector includes a first conductive, compliant conductive center pin and a first shroud. The second connector includes a second conductive, compliant center pin and a second shroud. The bullet includes first and second ends that couple, respectively, to the first and second connectors, an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and an electrically insulator layer disposed therebetween. The inner conductor includes a first compliant jack at the first end that is electrically coupled to a second compliant jack at the second end. Each compliant jack includes a plurality of center pin spring fingers configured to engage the respective compliant center pin of the respective first or second connector. The other conductor includes respective pluralities of body spring fingers at each end that are configured to engage, respectively, with the first and second shrouds.

Abstract: A low profile array (LPA) includes an antenna element array layer having at least one Faraday wall, and a beamformer circuit layer coupled to the antenna element array layer. The beamformer circuit layer has at least one Faraday wall. The Faraday walls extends between ground planes associated with at least one of the antenna element array layer and the beamformer circuit layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for mapping location and characteristics about traffic participants are described. The systems and methods advantageously use correlative receivers for observing wireless emissions from or reflected by a plurality of traffic participants to allow for tracking geolocation and velocimetry information in real-time. The real-time geolocation and velocimetry information can be useful in autonomous vehicle navigation applications and useful for reducing computational burdens associated with tracking locations of many multiple traffic participants using direct sensor measurements, for example.

Abstract: A method includes repeatedly determining a distance of an aircraft from a landing location. The method also includes, during a first stage in which the aircraft is at least a threshold distance from the landing location, performing iono-free processing during navigation of the aircraft. The method further includes, during a second stage in which the aircraft is less than the threshold distance from the landing location and a velocity of the aircraft is greater than a velocity threshold, performing divergence-free processing during navigation of the aircraft to address possible ionospheric threats. In addition, the method includes, during a third stage in which the aircraft is less than the threshold distance from the landing location and the velocity of the aircraft is less than the velocity threshold, calculating one or more floor values for a Differential Ionospheric Correction (DIC) sigma, and determining a navigation solution to protect against nominal ionospheric conditions.

Abstract: A Cu3Sn electrical interconnect and method of making same in an electrical device, such as for hybrid bond 3D-integration of the electrical device with one or more other electrical devices. The method of forming the Cu3Sn electrical interconnect includes: depositing a Sn layer in the via hole; depositing a Cu layer atop and in contact with the Sn layer; and heating the Sn layer and the Cu layer such that the Sn and Cu layers diffuse together to form a Cu3Sn interconnect in the via hole. During the heating, a diffusion front between the Sn and Cu layers moves in a direction toward the Cu layer as initially deposited, such that any remaining Cu layer or any voids formed during the diffusion are at an upper region of the formed Cu3Sn interconnect in the via hole, thereby allowing such voids or remaining material to be easily removed.

Abstract: A method for use in a computing device, including: receiving a first value of a first parameter, the first value being generated by a monitoring device that is arranged to monitor a respective monitored system; retrieving, from a memory, a first threshold that is associated with the first parameter and the respective monitored system; and generating a first system condition alert when the first value has crossed the first threshold.

Abstract: An assembly and method for assembling a projectile with a compact low friction high temperature shaft seal is provided. The assembly includes an outer shell, a rotating shaft inside the outer shell, and a seal attached to the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft can rotate independently of the outer shell. The seal can seal a gap between the outer shell and the rotating shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to generate information identifying accelerations and changes in angular orientation associated with an object in motion. The apparatus also includes at least one processor configured to identify a navigation state of the object within an Earth-fixed frame of reference using the information and perform one or more navigation functions based on the navigation state. To identify the navigation state of the object, the at least one processor is configured to use (i) an object body or IMU-to-inertial transformation that is updated based on the changes in angular orientation and (ii) an inertial-to-Earth-fixed transformation. The navigation state of the object may be identified in each of multiple iterations, and the at least one processor may be configured to update the inertial-to-Earth-fixed transformation during the iterations.

Abstract: A circuit comprises a receive processing window formation subsystem, a matched filter subsystem, a keystone interpolation subsystem, a phase modulation subsystem, and an image forming subsystem. The receive processing window formation subsystem forms, for each radar return from a scene, a receive processing window containing the radar return as an unbroken radar return. The matched filter subsystem creates a motion model for a reference point target disposed at a predetermined location within the scene, based on a set of motion compensation parameters for range and range rate, to compensate for at least some effects of fast time Doppler on the reference point target. The keystone interpolation subsystem rescales slow time information from the matched filter subsystem. A phase modulation subsystem applies phase modulations to a keystone-interpolated 2-D output array of information associated with the scene, to ensure proper registration in a range-Doppler map output of the scene.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an in-line reflective optical system configured to receive an input optical beam and provide an output optical beam. The in-line reflective optical system includes first and second powered mirrors aligned back-to-back. The first powered mirror is configured to reflect the input optical beam as a first intermediate beam. The in-line reflective optical system also includes first and second reflective surfaces respectively configured to reflect the first intermediate beam as a second intermediate beam and to reflect the second intermediate beam as a third intermediate beam. The second powered mirror is configured to reflect the third intermediate beam as the output optical beam. A spacing between the first and second reflective surfaces and the first and second powered mirrors is adjustable to control a focus of the output optical beam without introducing boresight error in the output optical beam.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system for simulating a radio frequency (RF) scene associated with a moving maritime surface are generally described herein. An RF scene is generated using an RF scene generation model and a moving maritime surface is generated using a maritime surface model. The RF scene is integrated with the moving maritime surface model. The RF scene generation model is configured to apply a radar model to generate and update the RF scene based on simulated radar returns at a radar pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and the maritime surface model is configured to update the moving maritime surface at a maritime surface update rate, access previous and current maritime surfaces, and interpolate surface facet properties to pulse times of the radar model. The maritime surface model is configured to update the moving maritime surface once every subdwell.

Abstract: A locking fastener assembly comprising a fastener having a threaded portion, and a head having a first end and a second end axially spaced from the first end, the second end comprising a fastening surface and a locking washer recess. The locking fastener assembly further comprises a locking washer disposed at least partially within the locking washer recess, the locking washer comprising a locking tab extending in a first direction and a stop biased in a second direction opposing the first direction, wherein the locking tab is operable to lock rotation of the locking washer relative to an item being secured upon a torqueing rotation and a loosening rotation of the fastener. A locking member is supported by the fastener, and operable to interface with the stop of the locking washer upon the loosening rotation of the fastener to lock the fastener relative to the item being secured.