Abstract: A radar, communication, discovery and networking system is disclosed. The system utilizes a parallel plate waveguide simulator in combination with a circular array of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna elements to support very broad bandwidth operations utilizing a low-profile aperture. It is contemplated that such configurations may be applied to linear arrays (i.e., with no curvature) as well. In addition, the antenna arrays may form multiple rows to resemble a planar antenna. The antenna system in accordance with the present disclosure may be installed on a size-constrained platform and utilized as a common shared asset aperture, providing multifunctional, multi-beam support to facilitate multiband communications.

Abstract: An offscreen traffic information indicator system includes signal receivers for receiving traffic messages from proximate air and ground vehicles and a traffic indicator for determining the positions of the host aircraft and the proximate vehicles based on the traffic messages. Based on the locations of the host aircraft and proximate vehicles and their proximity to airport runways, the traffic indicator may designate runways as relevant runways (or receive relevant runway designations from the flight management system of the host aircraft) and designate proximate vehicles as relevant to the host aircraft. A display unit may display, along with a dynamic map of a region near the host aircraft, relevant runway indicators for relevant runways within the mapped region and offscreen traffic indicators for relevant aircraft positioned outside the mapped region.

Abstract: A heat transferring method and system utilizing a parasitic phase-change pump is disclosed. The parasitic phase-change pump is utilized to circulate a working fluid. The method may include: facilitating heat transfer from at least one evaporator to a condenser via the working fluid; receiving and containing the working fluid from the condenser utilizing an expandable MEMS device; controlling and regulating the flow of the working fluid from the expandable MEMS device towards the at least one evaporator utilizing at least one MEMS based directional device, wherein the working fluid flowing from the expandable MEMS device towards at least one evaporator is in liquid phase; and utilizing the working fluid flowing from the expandable MEMS device towards at least one evaporator to facilitate heat transfer for at least one target device located between at least one evaporator and the condenser or between the expandable MEMS device and the evaporator.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a stacked parasitic array. The stacked parasitic array may include a stack of multiple parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers). Each of the parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers) may be independently tuned for multiband operation or, alternatively, the parasitic antenna arrays (ex.—layers) may be designed for common band and fed coherently as a collinear array for promoting increased gain and elevation beam steering.

Abstract: A node for connecting to an interconnection network may include a network interface. The node may also include a processor coupled with the network interface. The node may further include a memory coupled with the processor. The processor may be configured for periodically analyzing the connectedness of the node to the interconnection network to determine a metric for the node in relation to other nodes within the interconnection network. The node may be designated as a member of a core set of nodes within the interconnection network based upon the metric. The node may detect at least one of a derived update or an update indicating another node connects to or disconnects from the interconnection network. The node may transmit a routing update to another member of the core set of nodes only when the node is designated as part of the core set of nodes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and related method for providing high bandwidth communication between nodes in an RF neighborhood. Each node may transmit via an omnidirectional antenna element while time differentially receiving via a directional antenna element. As each node receives signals from neighborhood nodes, it determines a neighborhood contingent as well as a desirability of the received signals and the direction from which the desirable signals originate. Based on this direction, each node focuses a directional antenna element on the node from which a signal is desired while eliminating interference from transmissions from undesired nodes. Based on the neighborhood contingent, the system adjusts the node's omnidirectional transmit rates to communicate via statistical priority multiple access protocols with the desirable neighborhood nodes. The system adjusts the node's statistical priority multiple access channel access to account for the eliminated interference.

Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a universal tracking system configured for tracking a plurality of supported sources and/or signal types. The universal tracking system may include an acquisition module configured to execute a serial or parallel search to detect visible signals. The universal tracking system may include at least one universal channel capable of extracting tracking data from a plurality of supported signal types. The universal channel may include complex correlators configured to correlate digital samples associated with one or more ranging signals utilizing primary, sub-carrier, and/or secondary codes. The universal channel may be configured to determine tracking data associated with at least one ranging signal of the plurality of supported signal types. The universal tracking system may further include a navigation processor configured to determine location utilizing tracking data received from one or more universal channels.

Abstract: A flight management system device and method. The method includes determining a ground track for a flight leg based on a spherical earth model. The flight leg includes two waypoints that are specified with an ellipsoidal earth model. The method includes determining that a parameter associated with the ground track exceeds a threshold. The method includes inserting an anchor point between the two waypoints on a geodesic to effect a course change to the ground track between the two waypoints such that an intended flight path is within specified thresholds. The geodesic is associated with the ellipsoidal earth model. The method includes modifying the ground track to include two spherical earth model path segments spanning from the first waypoint through the anchor point to the second waypoint. The two spherical earth model path segments are computed based on the spherical earth model. The method includes storing modified ground track data.

Abstract: An antenna array system can comprise an array of antenna elements, a near-field probe (NFP) arranged in a vicinity of the antenna elements, and a processor coupled to the array of antenna elements and to the NFP. The processor can be configured to dynamically switch the antenna array system, while deployed on an operational platform, from an operation mode to a calibration mode, and calibrate the array of antenna elements according to a receive (RX) calibration sub-mode or a transmit (TX) calibration sub-mode. In the RX calibration sub-mode, the processor can be configured to adjust at least one signal reception parameter associated with at least one receiving antenna element of the array of antenna elements. In the TX calibration sub-mode, the processor can be configured to adjust at least one signal transmission parameter associated with at least one transmitting antenna element of the array of antenna elements.

Abstract: A device for acknowledging warning indicators includes an electro-encephalograph for detecting signals in the midline occipital region of the user's brain, and a display system for displaying flashing indictors having differing flashing frequencies. The electro-encephalograph detects differing signals caused by the differing flashing frequencies whenever the user observes one of the flashing indicators, and the device thereby recognizes that the user has observed the warning indicator.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for a takeoff (T/O) of an aircraft are disclosed. The T/O automating system may include an autothrottle system configured with a plurality of thrust modes, an autopilot system configured with a plurality of vertical guidance modes; and a flight management computer (FMC). The FMC may be configured to perform the method of receiving of input data representative of inputs of a T/O profile selection, a first profile altitude, a second profile altitude, and/or a third altitude; generating output data representative of outputs which includes a command engaging a thrust mode and a command engaging a vertical guidance mode to provide pitch attitude guidance commensurate to a speed and/or vertical speed; and providing the output data to the autothrottle system and the autopilot system. In some embodiments, the T/O profile could be a profile designed for one or more noise abatement departure profiles.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for determining an ownship position of an aircraft. The method includes the steps of receiving data from a plurality of proximate aircraft and examining the data. Next, the method involves selecting a plurality of reference aircraft from the plurality of proximate aircraft, and receiving data from each reference aircraft. The data received from the reference aircraft is then correlated to a common time in order to create a reference frame for calculating the position of the aircraft. The next step of the method is to calculate the ownship position of the aircraft based on the data received from the reference aircraft and the common time. The system includes a receiver, processor, display, and transmitter, which are used to determine the ownship position of an aircraft.

Abstract: A heuristic touch interface system includes a touch interface device having a touch input surface and being configured to provide touch input data indicative of a location of a touch input from a user on the touch input surface. An accelerometer determines acceleration forces relative to the touch input surface and provides acceleration data. A heuristic controller accesses the acceleration data to determine if an acceleration force exceeds a predetermined threshold. In response to an acceleration force exceeding the predetermined threshold, the heuristic controller accesses the touch input data, generates acceleration-corrected touch input data, and transmits a signal indicative of the acceleration corrected touch data to an avionics system.

Abstract: A method. The method includes receiving user input data from a user interface system. The user input data includes user gesture data, wherein the user gesture data is associated with one or more detected user gestures. The method also includes manipulating one or more graphical flight path elements based at least upon received user gesture data. The method further includes performing at least one flight path modification operation based at least upon one or more factors and the received user gesture data. The method additionally includes outputting updated graphical data to the user interface system, wherein the updated graphical data includes updated graphical flight path element data and updated graphical flight path data.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and related method providing high speed wireless data connectivity between a vehicle and a temporary stationary location for the vehicle. The system comprises at least three steerable antennas configured for transmission and reception of a broadband RF signal. A first antenna is mounted to the temporary stationary location to send and receive data from one data source available to the system. A second steerable antenna mounted near the temporary location and third steerable antenna mounted to the vehicle provides a communication link between the temporary location and the vehicle. The systems disclosed herein may enable a RF node capable of accepting fiber, cable and satellite modem inputs and communicating wireless gigabit data to a transceiver on the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of displaying a weather condition indicator with respect to an aircraft includes receiving weather data from a weather radar system. The weather data includes data indicative of a first location of the weather condition. The method also includes determining a second location of the weather condition based on data indicative of a movement of the weather condition, and displaying the weather condition indicator with reference to the second location.

Abstract: A system, method, and indicator for distributing, generating, and presenting relative locations of points of interest to a viewer are disclosed. A distribution system may include a discovery datagram generator and a flight navigation datagram generator for broadcasting a discovery datagram and flight navigation datagram, respectively, to a portable electronic device (PED), where the flight navigation datagram may be comprised of navigation data representative of flight navigation information. A generating method may be performed by the PED configured to listen for and receive the discovery datagram; listen for and receive the navigation datagram continuously; and generate a display data set representative of the indicator continuously, where the indicator includes a directional pointer, a first rounded indicator, a second rounded indicator, and one or more location indicators, where each location indicator indicates a relative bearing to a point of interest measured with reference to the directional pointer.

Abstract: Timing interrogation methods and communication devices utilizing such timing interrogation methods are disclosed. The timing interrogation method may include: sending a round-trip timing interrogation preamble from a first radio node to a second radio node via the ionosphere; receiving a round-trip timing response at the first radio node via the ionosphere from the second radio node; receiving a time of arrival record at the first radio node via the ionosphere from the second radio node, wherein the time of arrival record indicates the time of arrival of the round-trip timing interrogation preamble at the second radio node according to timing information maintained by the second radio node; calculating timing information based on the time of arrival record and a propagation time of the round-trip timing interrogation preamble and the round-trip timing response; and adjusting time information maintained by the first radio node according to the calculated timing information.

Abstract: Electronically scanned array antenna radiating elements include a phase comparator. The phase comparator connects the transmission circuitry to the receiving circuitry via a shunt switch to compare the intended phase with the actual phase. The phase of a signal received via the shunt switch is sensitive to the performance of power amplifiers in the transmission circuitry, transmitter/receiver switch, and load impedance. Distributed attenuators between the shunt switch and a phase comparator reduce crosstalk. Phase comparison circuitry is useful for detecting faults in the ESA radiating element.