Abstract: A power and data communication system including an inboard computer system that includes a resistor network, an outboard computer system that includes at least one current limiter and voltage limiter that receives power from the inboard computer in order to power electronics of the outboard computer, and first and second wires connecting the resistor network of the at least one current limiter.

Abstract: A reconfigurable edge computing node of a complex system is provided, the edge computing node including a core module executing selectable core software, and selectable input module(s) and/or output module(s) which can be installed in corresponding input/output ports, wherein each of the input module(s) or output module(s) provides a conduit for moving data to or from the complex system, with selections being chosen from catalogs of available input modules, available output modules, and available core software. The edge computing node provides reconfiguration upon attachment of any input or output module(s), or upon installation of any core software, automatically reconfiguring the edge computing node to enable communication between the core module and the input module(s) and output module(s) using compatible protocols.

Abstract: A method for validating a capacitance measurement device including, sending a first drive signal from a capacitance measurement device to a capacitor emulator, modifying the first drive signal by an four quadrant analog multiplier, directing the modified signal across a capacitor to produce a return signal, sending the return signal to the capacitance measurement device to validate the capacitor, and validating the return signal against an expected return signal by the capacitance measurement device.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first image of a scene through a static coded aperture onto a sensor with the static coded aperture in a first position relative to the sensor, shifting the coded aperture to a second position relative to the sensor, and forming a second image of the scene through the static coded aperture onto the sensor with the static coded aperture in the second position. Two or more images can be formed in this way. The method includes forming a combined image by deconvolving the two or more images and combining data from the two or more images into the combined image. The combined image can be a more accurate representation of the scene than either of the first and second images.

Abstract: A method including identifying a plurality of maintenance schedules for a plurality of aircraft of a fleet of aircrafts each of which satisfy a minimum maintenance free operating period, monitoring and measuring a health of each of the aircrafts, utilizing the measured heath of the aircrafts within a degradation model in order to produce a plurality possible maintenance events for each of the aircrafts, each of the possible maintenance events associated with a different maintenance time, identifying at least one maintenance event for each aircraft in the fleet of aircraft using the set of possible maintenance events found for each aircraft from the plurality of maintenance schedules resulting in number of aircraft down for maintenance below a predetermined threshold, and executing the at least one maintenance event based on the at least one identified maintenance event.

Abstract: A method including identifying a plurality of maintenance schedules for a system each of which satisfy a minimum maintenance free operating period, monitoring and measuring a health of the system, utilizing the measured heath of the system within a degradation model in order to produce a plurality of system degradation sequences, identifying at least one maintenance event from the plurality of maintenance schedules, executing the at least one maintenance event based on the at least one identified maintenance event and utilizing the system until the next MFOP after the at least one maintenance event has been executed.

Abstract: A fluid measurement system includes a signal processor and a processing system. The signal processor is configured and adapted to produce a serial word that is indicative of a fluid characteristic that is configured to be communicated externally of the signal processor. The processing system is operatively connected to the signal processor to read the serial word and decode the serial word. A method for transmitting a fluid characteristic between a sensor system and a processing system includes producing a serial word that is indicative of a fluid characteristic value with a signal processor. The method includes transmitting the serial word externally of the signal processor. The method includes reading and decoding the serial word with a processing system to determine the fluid characteristic value.

Abstract: A health monitoring system includes at least one sensor. A health monitoring unit (HMU) is operatively connected to the at least one sensor to receive data therefrom and to generate at least one status indicator (SI) based on the data from the at least one sensor. A computing device is operatively connected to the HMU to receive data therefrom and is configured to generate a health notification when a quantity of the SI that are greater than or equal to a pre-determined SI threshold exceed a pre-determined peak count threshold. A method for monitoring and determining the health of a component includes collecting data during a sample cycle from at least one sensor to generate a numerical SI for a given component with a computing device. The method includes identifying if the numerical SI qualifies as a peak SI, which is greater or equal to a pre-determined SI threshold.

Abstract: A distributed network system can include a master controller having a master clock configured to output a master time, and a master transmission delay time module configured to modify the master time to add a known master transmission delay to the master time to output an adjusted master time. The system can include a first device operatively connected to the master controller and configured to receive the adjusted master time from the master controller.

Abstract: A system includes a guided munition having a housing. A first reservoir is defined within the housing holding a first chemical reactant. A second reservoir is defined within the housing, wherein the second reservoir holds a second chemical reactant configured to undergo an endothermic reaction with the first chemical reactant. A frangible barrier separates between the first and second reservoirs. The frangible barrier is configured to break under forces acting on the guided munition as the guided munition is fired from a weapon. An electronic device can be housed within the housing in thermal contact with at least one of the first reservoir and/or second reservoir for cooling the electronic device with an endothermic reaction upon mixing of the first and second chemical reactants.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an air cycle machine including driving a rotary shaft of an air cycle machine, disconnecting a driving source to allow the rotary shaft to slow the rotary shaft, and monitoring a shutdown cycle of the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A switching device includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or MOSFET having a gate, an emitter, and a collector configured to allow current to pass between the emitter and the collector based on voltage applied to the gate. A stack of alternating layers of photo-sensitive p-n junction layers and insulating layers stacked on the gate for optical switching control of voltage through the IGBT or MOSFET.

Abstract: A fluid quantity sensor system for sensing a fluid quantity in a fluid tank can include one or more strain sensors configured to be disposed in physical communication with the tank to sense a strain on one or more portions of the tank. The one or more strain sensors can include at least a first strain sensor disposed in physical communication with a first portion of the tank, and a second strain sensor disposed in physical communication with the second portion of the tank such that the first strain sensor is configured to sense a strain of the first portion of the tank and the second strain sensor is configured to sense a strain of the second portion of the tank. The first strain sensor and the second strain sensor can be positioned such that externally induced stress on a structure forming and/or supporting the tank can be cancelled out such that such that a strain caused by only the fluid in the tank can be determined to determine a weight of the fluid in the tank.

Abstract: A course correction system for a projectile can include a pre-steering trajectory determination module. The pre-steering trajectory determination module can be configured to receive a series of possible trajectories from an estimation module including a physical model defining trajectory as a function of gravitational pull and one or more launch variables, and receive a sensor data from one or more on-board sensors of the projectile. The pre-steering trajectory determination module can also be configured to reduce the possible trajectories from the estimation module to one or more refined trajectories using the sensor data, and output the one or more refined trajectories.

Abstract: A load sensing system for sensing a load on a structure can include an optical load sensing element configured to change an optical state based on a force applied thereto, an optical source operatively connected to the optical load sensing element and configured to input an input optical signal to the optical load element, and an optical detector configured to receive a returned optical signal from the optical load sensing element. The optical detector can be configured to detect one or more frequency peaks of the returned optical signal and to use the one or more frequency peaks of the returned optical signal to correlate to a load value of the load and output the load value indicative of the load.

Abstract: A sensor node for a distributed sensing system, can include a physical memory configured to store configuration settings data, one or more sensor channels configured to interface with one or more physical sensors to receive signals from the one or more physical sensors, and one or more configurable logic modules connected to the physical memory and operative to receive the configuration settings data and to be configured by the configuration settings data into a logic state to control whether and/or how the one or more one or more configurable logic modules receive and/or processes data from the one or more sensor channels. The one or more configurable logic modules can include one or more FPGAs and/or PLDs, for example.

Abstract: A portable wireless communications adapter includes a wireless receiver, a wireless transmitter, an electronic interface connector, and a location sensing module. The wireless receiver is configured to receive wireless data over a Wireless Avionics Intra-Communication (WAIC) frequency range between 4.2 gigahertz (GHz) and 4.4 GHz. The wireless transmitter is configured to send wireless data over the WAIC frequency range between 4.2 GHz and 4.4 GHz. The electronic interface connector is configured to mate with a portable electronic device for communication of the wireless data with the portable electronic device. The location sensing module is configured to determine a location of the portable wireless communications adapter relative to an interior of an aircraft based on WAIC communications received at the wireless receiver and selectively enable and disable the wireless transmitter based on the determined location.

Abstract: A guided munition system includes a munition body including at least one fluid dynamic control for changing course of the munition body in flight. A seeker onboard the munition body is operatively connected to control the at least one fluid dynamic control. The seeker includes a coded aperture imaging device facing outward from the munition body for image based control for guiding the munition body in flight.

Abstract: A system including at least a first node or subnet device configured to be commanded by a controller, a first controller configured to control operation of the first node and interface with a host outside of the system, and a second controller identical to the first controller configured to be a child to the first controller during normal operation and be a parent to a second node or subnet device.

Abstract: A method of measuring target proximity comprising the steps of transmitting a magnetic field signal by a controller of a proximity sensor at a target, measuring impedance of an inductor of a proximity sensor, calculating a relative position of the target in relation to a sensor face, and providing a near/far output status of the target at a predetermined rate.