Abstract: A control module for a distributed sensor system can include a non-application specific configurable module configured to operate as a function of controller configuration settings data, at least a first memory configured to store the controller configuration settings data, at least one external interface module configured to connect with a master host module of the sensor system to receive updated controller configuration settings data, the control module configured to receive and store the updated controller configuration settings in the first memory thereof via the at least one external interface module, and a subnet interface module configured to connect to one or more configurable sensor nodes on a subnetwork, wherein the control module is configured to control and/or configure the one or more sensor nodes as a function of the controller configuration setting data and receive sensor data from the one or more sensor nodes.

Abstract: An inductive sensor includes a core body, a coil wound on the core body, a cavity having a fixed volume within the core body, and an epoxy mixture filling a controlled portion of the fixed volume. The controlled portion of the fixed volume filled with the epoxy mixture controls an inductance of the sensor.

Abstract: A rotary encoder may include a magnetic encoder disc having a plurality of magnetic features added to the disc by additive manufacturing distributed over a surface of the encoder disc, wherein the disc is configured for attachment to the end of a rotatable shaft, or a cylindrical metallic encoding feature having a plurality of magnetic features added to the cylindrical encoder by additive manufacturing distributed over the surface of the cylindrical encoding feature, wherein the encoding feature is capable of attachment to an outer diameter of the rotatable shaft. The encoder additionally includes a magnetic sensor positioned adjacent to the end of the rotatable shaft to detect magnetic signals from the magnetic features on the disc and/or positioned over the surface of the rotatable shaft to detect magnetic signals from the magnetic features on the encoding feature.

Abstract: Rotational speed of a rotating component is determined using frequency domain vibrational data. A time sequence of vibrational data of the rotating component is sensed and converted to the frequency domain vibrational data. A portion of the frequency domain vibrational data corresponding to an expected rotational speed of the rotating component is identified. A frequency bin index of the frequency domain vibrational data corresponding to a maximum vibration within the portion of the frequency domain vibrational data is identified. The maximum vibration at the identified frequency bin index and vibrations associated with adjacent frequency bin indices are fitted to a model curve. A floating point frequency bin index corresponding to a maximum of the model curve is identified, and the rotational speed of the rotating component is determined based on the frequency bin index corresponding to the maximum of the model curve.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to determining a course-correction signal for a spin-stabilized projectile based on a time sequence of images of a scene aligned with and obtained by a forward-looking imager coupled to the projectile. As the projectile rotates, the aligned scenes captured in the images obtained by the forward-looking imager are rotated. The rotation angle of each of the captured scenes corresponds to the spin angle of the projectile at the time of image exposure. Objects in the captured scenes will circle about a rotation center of the time-sequence images. The distances from a rotation center to the objects in the captured scenes, as well as the rotation angles of the captured scenes can be used to generate a course-correction signal so that the projectile can be guided to a target selected from the objects in the captured scene.

Abstract: A method is provided for sensing proximity of a target. The method includes sensing inductance associated with a magnetic field, wherein the inductance is affected by the target when the target is proximate the magnetic field. The method further includes providing the sensed inductance for processing.

Abstract: An electronic braking arrangement includes a brake stack assembly, a driver circuit, a current limiter circuit, and a voltage limiter circuit. The driver circuit is operably connected to the brake stack assembly. The current limiter circuit and the voltage limiter circuit are connected in series between the driver circuit and the brake stack assembly to drive friction brake loads in the brake stack assembly with a voltage limited constant drive current.

Abstract: A circuit card assembly (CCA) stack includes a first circuit card assembly (CCA) with circuit components mounted thereto, wherein the first CCA includes a power contact and a return contact for powering the first CCA. A plurality of additional CCAs in a stack with the first CCA, wherein each CCA in the plurality of additional CCAs includes respective power and return contacts, and wherein each CCA in the plurality of additional CCAs includes a first aperture and a second aperture for passage of power buses. The first power bus can include one or more power wires bonded to power contacts of the CCAs, and one or more return wires bonded to return contacts of the CCAs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include techniques for implementing a network security framework for wireless aircraft communication, where the techniques include receiving a key index sequence over a first communication link, and transmitting a subset of the key index to one or more nodes. The techniques also include generating a random encryption key based at least in part on the subset of the key index sequence, encrypting data using the random encryption key, and transmitting the encrypted data over a second communication link.

Abstract: A method is provided of generating a course-correction signal for a spin-stabilized projectile. The method includes capturing a time-sequence of images of a scene at a frame rate, comparing respective current images of the time-sequence of images to a corresponding previous image of the time-sequence of images, determining a rotation angle between the current and previous images, rotating the images using the rotation angle, identifying a target in the rotated images, generating target bearing angles to cause the projectile to correct its course toward the target using the target bearing angles, and adjusting the target bearing angles to compensate for the rotation of the images.

Abstract: An aircraft monitoring system includes a sensor operatively connected to at least a portion of an aircraft, a memory configured to store instructions, and a processor disposed in communication with the memory and the sensor. The processor, upon execution of the instructions, is configured to display a graphical representation of the portion of the aircraft reflecting real-time monitoring activity, and display a monitoring controller. A method of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for an aircraft monitoring system includes displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of an aircraft's geometry reflecting real-time monitoring activity. The method includes displaying one or more monitoring controllers. Each monitoring controller is associated with at least a portion of an aircraft monitoring system and a location on the aircraft's geometry.

Abstract: A wireless communication system and method includes a first wireless node and a data concentrator configured to provide a new encryption key updated from a current encryption key to the first wireless node. The data concentrator includes first and second transceivers. The data concentrator provides a key update message that includes the new encryption key to the first wireless node via the first transceiver. The key update message is encrypted using the current encryption key. The data concentrator is configured to decrypt first transmissions from the first wireless node via the second transceiver using the new encryption key, and decrypt the first transmissions via the first transceiver using the current encryption key.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to ranging an object nearby an aircraft by triangulation using two simultaneously-captured images of the object. The two images are simultaneously captured from two distinct vantage points on the aircraft. Because the two images are captured from distinct vantage points, the object can be imaged at different pixel-coordinate locations in the two images. The two images are correlated with one another so as to determine the pixel-coordinate locations corresponding to the object. Range to the object is calculated based on the determined pixel-coordinate locations and the two vantage points from which the two images are captured. Only a subset of each image is used for the correlation. The subset used for correlation includes pixel data from pixels upon which spatially-patterned light that is projected onto the object by a light projector and reflected by the object.

Abstract: A sensor system can include a sensor configured to output raw sensor data, a plurality of processing modules configured to process the raw sensor data from the sensor to output processed sensor data, a state module for each processing module operative to cause a respective processing module to receive and/or process the sensor data, and a control module configured to receive a bitmask and to operate each state module based on the bitmask to control which processing modules process the sensor data and/or an order of processing. The bitmask can include a plurality of discrete bits. Each state module and/or processing module can be associated with at least one discrete bit.

Abstract: A master node of a distributed acquisition system is provided. The master node includes a communication interface for interfacing between a control component and a bus and the control component. The bus is coupled to one or more slave nodes distributed in the acquisition system. The control component is configured to acquire a configuration that provides a definition for a packet interval, wherein the packet interval definition provides an adequate timing margin to ensure that communication packets transmitted by the master node and the one or more slave nodes occur only at harmonics of the packet interval definition, distribute a time reference packet of the communication packets based on the packet interval definition via the bus to all of the slave nodes of the distributed acquisition system, and schedule transmission of communication packets transmitted by the master node via the bus to the one or more selected slave nodes based on the packet interval definition.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing base and a circuit board. The housing base contains a cavity, a boss containing a mounting bore, and a support pad connected to the boss. The circuit board is positioned in the cavity so that an accelerometer carried by the circuit board is disposed directly above the support pad.

Abstract: Generally, a system and method consistent with the present disclosure may provide a relatively low cost, relatively robust data acquisition and analysis system useful for condition-based maintenance. The system may be useful for condition-based maintenance in industrial applications, e.g., of equipment and/or machinery. The industrial monitoring system may be used, for example, to monitor a condition of rotating machinery, e.g., a wind turbine. The system and method may include data analysis that may be useful for anticipating a need for maintenance, repair and/or replacement of one or more components.

Abstract: A method performed by a plurality of digital sensing nodes included in a sensing network having a controller and/or host is provided. The method includes a first sensing node of the plurality of digital sensing nodes being configured with a configuration file selected from a plurality of configuration files, the configuration file defining a plurality of action sets to perform in association with detection of respective first and second events. The plurality of digital sensing nodes are configured for acquiring sensed data for monitoring a system. The first sensing node is configured based on the configuration file for, autonomously of the sensing network controller and host, detecting at least one of the first and second events as a function of sensed data output by a sensing element of the first sensing node, performing a first action set if the first event is detected, and performing a second action set if the second event is detected.

Abstract: A sensor node of a sensing network acquires first sensing data from an internal sensing node and/or second sensing data via an interface from an external sensing node. The sensor node is configured with a selected configuration file. The first and second events are detected as a function of the first and/or second sensing data based on the configuration file. The method further includes performing a first action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the first event and performing a second action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the second event, wherein the first and second action sets are defined by the configuration file. Once configured with the configuration file, detecting the first and second events and performance of any of the first and second action sets is performed autonomously of a controller or host of a system being monitored by the sensing network.

Abstract: A network and method for addressing the network includes a host controller, a communication bus connected to the host controller, and a plurality of nodes connected to the communication bus. Each of the plurality of nodes includes a node controller, a communication input, and a communication output. The node controller is configured to receive an address from the host controller, provide an acknowledgement of receipt of the address to the host controller, and connect the communication input to the communication output upon receipt of the address.