Abstract: A novel supply discriminator circuit is disclosed for detecting the level of a supply voltage during power-up of a system for configuring an integrated analog circuit such as a PCMCIA card. The circuit compares a reference voltage with a divided down supply voltage and latches the result a predetermined delay later. The delay thus provides timing for the supply voltage to stabilize after power-up to assure accurate detection, as well as noise immunity from other devices.

Abstract: An air-breathing, propulsion-assisted projectile designed to be rocket or gun launched and capable of accelerating to hypersonic velocities includes a body having an encompassing cowl, an air compression section, an engine assembly located adjacent the air compression section, and a nozzle section located adjacent the engine assembly. The engine assembly includes apparatus for fuel storage and delivery to a combustion region. The rear end portion of the cowl is configured to direct the exiting combusted air-and-fuel mixture over the nozzle section of the body.

Abstract: A virtual amplifier comprises a typical switched source follower circuit plus an additional switch of minimum size to perform a virtual amplification function. A capacitor is connected between the gate, which comprises a detector node, and the source, which comprises a source node, of a source follower FET. The source node is connected to the output by a first FET switch. The source node is also connected to a voltage source by a second FET switch. The voltage on the detector node is manipulated by pumping a charge into or out of the capacitor. Charge pumping is accomplished by first accumulating charge on the detector node while the source node is connected to the voltage source, and then switching the first FET switch on and the second FET switch off so that the effective capacitance of the detector node is reduced.

Abstract: A spatial power combiner includes a circularly corrugated horn 26, a meniscus lens 28, an amplifier array 16, and a layer of microwave absorbing material 34 on a housing interior 32. The lens 28 receives polarized microwave radiation from the horn 26 and collimates it, renders it in phase and with nearly uniformly amplitude, and distributes it across the lens aperture. The amplifier array 16 amplifies the radiation and re-radiates it, orthogonally polarized, to the lens 28, which focuses it back down the horn 26. An array of parasitic micropatches 24 between the lens 28 and amplifier array 16 provides impedance matching. A quarter-wave anti-reflecting coating 30 covers both surfaces of the lens 28. The microwave absorbing material 34 reduces or prevents resonance of higher order modes.

Abstract: A quasi-passive regenerative fuel cell system in accordance with the invention utilizes hydrogen that is stored in a metal hydride form. Advantageously, this embodiment reduces the system's operating pressures from roughly 21 MPa (3,000 psia) to roughly 2.1 MPa (300 psia), when fully charged, and eliminates the need for gaseous oxygen storage altogether. All oxygen consumed by the fuel cell system can be extracted directly from the surrounding air. All oxygen produced by the electrolyzer is, in turn, vented back into the atmosphere.

Abstract: The flying wedge clutch assembly is a speed actuated coupling device that provides low speed axial load and torque transmission and disengages for increased shaft motion at higher speeds. The flying wedge clutch assembly is a compact and lightweight design, roughly equivalent to a conventional ball bearing assembly in a typical turbopump application. Advantageously, the flying wedge clutch assembly can be used in high speed rotating machines with radial hydrostatic bearings eliminating the speed and life limitations normally attributed to rolling element bearings.

Abstract: A dissolved wafer process is modified by providing an etch control seal around the perimeter of an etch resistant microstructure, such as a micromechanical or microelectromechanical device, formed on a first substrate. The microstructure is defined and shaped by a surrounding trench in the first substrate. Selected areas of the microstructure and the first substrate are bonded to an etch resistant second substrate. The selected bonding areas may comprise raised areas of the first substrate, or raised areas of the second substrate corresponding to the selected bonding areas of the first substrate. A bonded area forming a ring extending around the perimeter of the microstructure and its defining trench forms an etch control seal. The first substrate of the bonded assembly is dissolved in a selective etch so that the etch resistant microstructure remains attached to the second substrate only at the bonded areas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for filtering incident radiation to protect imaging sensors from the damaging effects of high intensity radiation. The apparatus comprises a filter and a plurality of mirrors disposed within a cube. The filter is positioned diagonally within the cube so that portions of the incident radiation reflected by the filter are directed to a beam-stop on a surface of the cube. Portions of the radiation passed by the filter are directed by the mirrors to pass through the filter a plurality of times. Passing the radiation through a single filter a plurality of times provides a high density imaging system in a physically compact geometric shape. A focused beam passes through the filter in regions of successively greater optical gain. High intensity radiation thermally activates the filter to reject the radiation and protect the sensors.

Abstract: An ultra-passive, variable pressure, regenerative fuel cell system in accordance with the invention utilizes a single gaseous hydrogen storage tank that encloses a plurality of smaller gaseous oxygen storage tubes. This design effectively eliminates the need for active pumping elements to protect the fuel cell's anode surface. A single heating/cooling coil, inside the gaseous hydrogen storage tank, is used to prevent: (a) icing inside the storage tanks due to isentropic expansion during electrical power generation, or (b) overheating of gases due to isentropic compression during electrical recharging operations. Advantageously, the invention also reduces the overall weight and mechanical complexity of the fuel cell system, thereby improving system reliability.

Abstract: An automobile is equipped with an inertial measuring unit, an RF GPS satellite navigation unit and a local area digitized street map system for precise electronic positioning and route guidance between departures and arrivals, is equipped with RF receivers to monitor updated traffic condition information for dynamic rerouting guidance with a resulting reduction in travel time, traffic congestion and pollution emissions, is also equipped with vehicular superceding controls substantially activated during unstable vehicular conditions sensed by the inertial measuring unit to improve the safe operation of the automobile so as to reduce vehicular accidents, and is further equipped with telecommunications through which emergency care providers are automatically notified of the precise location of the automobile in the case of an accident so as to improve the response time of road-side emergency care.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display for viewing at various angles with respect to a normal axis perpendicular to the display includes a polarizer layer having an absorbing axis, an analyzer layer having an absorbing axis substantially perpendicular to the absorbing axis of the polarizer layer, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the polarizer layer and the analyzer layer and having a director exhibiting an azimuthal twist through the layer with respect to the normal axis, a first electrode proximate to a first major surface of the liquid crystal layer, a second electrode proximate to a second major surface of the liquid crystal layer, the first and second electrodes being adapted to apply a voltage across the liquid crystal layer when the electrodes are connected to a source of electrical potential, and a compensator, including a positively birefringent O-plate compensator layer disposed between the polarizer layer and the analyzer layer with its principal symmetry axis oriented at a substantially oblique angle with

Abstract: An electronic circuit extracts a ratio of currents from two sources and provides an output that is a function of the current ratio. An embodiment of the circuit includes a source current that may be provided by a blue-green photodetector and a sinking current that may be provided by a red photodetector. The source current feeds the input of a current splitter formed by a pair of PFETs. A portion of the source current is fed from the current splitter to a current ratio extractor implemented in CMOS. The remaining portion of the current from the current splitter is fed to a node shared with the sinking current and a second input to the current ratio extractor. The current ratio extractor produces an output voltage that is a function of the ratio of the photodiode currents and is substantially independent of the total current.

Abstract: A staring sensor apparatus which includes an optics assembly for providing a panoramic field of view in which the field of view in one direction is considerably larger than the field of view in the direction perpendicular thereto. A two-dimensional focal plane assembly (FPA) collects and converts an incoming optical signal from the optics assembly to an electrical wave form which depicts the energy falling on each pixel of the FPA in a discrete unit of time. The resulting pixel outputs thus represent the energy emitted from specific calibratable around the optics assembly.

Abstract: A cross-arm window regulator for moving a window between raised, intermediate and lowered positions in a vehicle door, includes a resilient stop cushion housed in the lift channel mounted on the glass. Sliders mounted on the ends of the lift and cross arms engage the ends of the cushion as the window nears raised position, gradually compressing it to cushion window movement to raised position. If the geometry is the same for raised and lowered positions, the same cushioning will also occur in the window lowered position. The spring rate increases as compression occurs. The cushion can be a foam butyl rubber strip or a metal spring of various types. The spring rate can be tailored by making the cushion a dual density foam strip, a foam strip with holes of varying sizes to provide a variable cross-section, or a coated foam strip. An integral stop can be included in the form of a hard plastic shell for the foam strip or spring.

Abstract: A majority voted two-fault tolerant power switch for delivering power from a system to an intended load. The power switch comprises a voter, two fault tolerant power switching apparatus, and testing apparatus. The voter comprises a command interface for receiving voter input commands from the system and, two fault tolerant voting logic for selecting a voter output as determined from a majority of the voter input commands. The two fault tolerant power switching apparatus receives power input from the system. The power switching means is controlled by the voter output. An output from the power switching apparatus is connected to the intended load. The testing apparatus receives test signals from the system. It provides test status outputs to the system of the voter and the power switching apparatus.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes one or more drive cylinders operatively attached to a pickoff member, which can be in the form of a disk or cylinder. Where the pickoff member is cylindrical, the gyroscope is configured as three axially-aligned cylindrical members attached end to end, the outer two functioning as drive cylinders and the inner one functioning as a pickoff cylinder. The drive cylinders have a single electrode on the outside diameter and a single electrode on the inside diameter. The pickoff cylinder has a single electrode on the outside diameter and a plurality of electrodes on the inside diameter. In the preferred embodiment, the three cylindrical members are integrally formed with one another from piezoelectric material that is polarized radially, and each drive cylinder is attached to the pickoff cylinder by a plurality of connecting members or posts located at the separations between the pickoff electrodes. The posts are preferably staggered positionally as between the two drive cylinders.

Abstract: A feedback control loop having a variable attenuator controlled by oscillation detector means and overshoot detector means to better track the input signal. The oscillation detector means utilizes an estimated signal value compared to a subsequent measured value with the absolute difference of the two compared to predetermined threshold values. Should the calculated difference exceed predetermined threshold values, the variable attenuator value is adjusted and the process repeated after a brief disabling period to allow settling.In addition to the oscillation detector, an overshoot detector means may also be used alone or in combination with oscillator detector means to control the variable attenuator setting.

Abstract: A tracking filter has a tunable filter responsive to an input signal for producing a filtered output signal, a Hilbert transformer for producing an in-phase reference signal and a quadrature-phase reference signal from the filtered output signal, and a discriminator responsive to the input signal and the in-phase and quadrature-phase reference signals for producing a passband center frequency control signal and a passband width control signal for controlling the passband center frequency and the passband width of the tunable filter. The frequency discriminator performs complex demodulation of the input signal with the in-phase reference signals to produce respective in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signals which are low-pass filtered. The quadrature-phase baseband signal is divided by the in-phase baseband signal. The quotient is integrated to produce the passband center frequency control signal.

Abstract: A system for customizing the ramp voltage pulses used to drive an active matrix liquid crystal display. The customized ramp voltage compensates for brightness problems associated with any number of parameters. The V (ramp) also can allow for customized dimming of portions of the display. The standard V (ramp) is replaced with a variable wave form correlated to the timing of the driving of the LCD. The wave form can compensate for changes in brightness caused by off axis viewing angle or can compensate for brightness changes caused by temperature. Also, the system is directed to spatially modulating brightness of pixels for an active matrix LCD to correct color or brightness problems. A driving voltage wave form, which is varied as a function of location on LCD and grey scale is generated to cause selected sets of pixels to be adjusted from an instructed grey scale.

Abstract: A method for using a value of range rate observed by a receiver, such as a GPS receiver, at a particular location, along with other satellite information, to determine the coordinates of points on the surface of the earth from which this value of range rate would be observed. These coordinates are given in an earth-centered, earth-fixed (ECEF) coordinate system, and they form a locus of points of equal range rate. The coordinates of these points provide estimates of the location of the GPS receiver.