Abstract: A lasercom coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)-matched optical bench, with optional star-tracker capability, that includes a Transmitter (TX) fiber collimator creating a Gaussian beam from a singlemode (SM) or polarization maintaining (PM) fiber; a tiltball directly bonded to the optical bench, the tiltball performing centration of a TX beam with a telescope optical axis; a TX beam diverger creating a wide beam for acquisition, and a narrow beam for tracking and communications; a Point-Ahead Mechanism/mirror; a polarization diplexer cube or dichroic filter(s) separating TX and Receiver (RX) beams of opposite polarization and/or different wavelengths, wherein the polarization or dichroic and anti-reflective coatings are compatible with the adjunct star tracker; a fast-steering mechanism and mirror having a common-path to TX and RX; a RX optical passband filter; the RX optical passband filter having a flipper mechanism allowing for selecting the passband of the star-tracker or the RX passband.

Abstract: A holographic, single-unit, augmented sight has a housing containing a see-through holographic eyepiece; at least one of a visible light digital camera and an LWIR digital camera; a display to display an image from the camera(s); a shutter presenting the display; a red dot fiber-coupled LED reticle assembly using a spherical ball configuration sandwiched between two matching seats which are compressed together to contain the spherical ball configuration optical position; and a lever attached to the spherical ball configuration to rotate the ball by moving the lever up/down, left/right to adjust windage and elevation; a lower coupling prism presenting the reticle of the reticle assembly.

Abstract: A clock distribution and alignment system includes at least three clock generators, each including a clock receiver circuit to receive a first clock signal having a first frequency, and a clock divider circuit to divide the received first clock signal into a second clock signal having a second frequency lower than the first frequency, each of two or more of the clock generators further including a phase detector circuit to compare the phase of the second clock signal with the phase of the second clock signal for a next one of the clock generators, and a clock adjuster circuit to adjust the phase of the received first clock signal based on the compared phases of the second clock signals. In some cases, the clock adjuster circuit is further to align the phases of the second clock signals to within a predefined tolerance of each other.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for shaping the trajectory of a projectile employing a Gravity bias, Gbias. The system includes a seeker, a guidance filter, a pitch rate filter, an actuator, pitch/yaw/roll coupled aerodynamics, and lateral rate sensors. It receives roll orientation input to a guidance and control autopilot; it applies Additional Gbias to that produced by the null rate command to the lateral control loops of the guidance and control autopilot device. The lateral rate command is equal to the desired Additional Gbias divided by an estimate of the projectile velocity. The Additional Gbias is translated to a rate command and incorporated into guidance loop commands to boost an Inherent Gbias to shape the trajectory of the projectile to the target.

Abstract: A system and method for rank estimation of electromagnetic emitters is provided. One aspect of the disclosure provides creating a graph of angles of arrival (AoAs) versus range and using a polynomial curve fit against the graph to determine a rank estimation of electromagnetic emitters. Another aspect of the disclosure provides using a search over parameters of the multiple polynomial curve fits, for each hypothesized rank, to optimize the rank estimation results. This search may be a greedy search to improve speed of convergence. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a metric ‘score’ to select the highest probability rank (number of emitters) based on the agreement between the multiple polynomial curve fits and residual AoA errors.

Abstract: A projectile detection technique is disclosed. The technique helps improve the self-defense capabilities of strategic platforms such as naval ships against asymmetric threats such as anti-ship missiles (ASMs). These threats can be particularly challenging in a highly cluttered maritime environment, where the threats can be too close for radar to accurately detect. In one example, the projectile detection technique automatically detects ASMs flying above the horizon by using mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and visible/near-infrared (VNIR) camera systems, and locating the horizon line and segmenting the imagery into different regions. Projectiles are detected in the near-horizon segment using a Fourier phase-only transform and convolution matched filters to enhance exceedances, then applying multi-frame processing to measure persistence and scintillation (e.g., flicker from missile exhaust) to help filter out background clutter objects.

Abstract: A battery door assembly for a battery compartment is disclosed. The battery door assembly includes a battery cover, glide track, a spring-loaded button, a locking tab and a plurality of hinges. The plurality of hinges is pivotally connected to a chassis of a scope. The locking tab keeps the battery cover from opening. The battery cover can be unlocked by first applying pressure on the spring-loaded button, and then sliding the spring-loaded button and the locking tab from one end of the glide track to another end of the glide track while maintaining the applied pressure on the spring-loaded button.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for constructing a knowledgebase that can provide analysis and trend prediction of emerging technologies. Metadata and full text are gathered from collections of documents, which can include more than 10 million documents, and are used to build a heterogeneous network of elements related to themes such as technical emergence. Indicators and models are selected that identify network characteristics and trends of interest. The indicators can be derived by applying a combination of citation analyses, natural language processing, entity disambiguation, organization classification, and time series analyses. A metric can be used to evaluate indicator utility. A framework can be sued to generate and validate the indicators. The models can be derived using an automated process. Upon receipt of a query, the indicators and models can be used to apply a scoring process to extracted features to predict a future prominence of an entity.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing an image sensor within a night vision scope is disclosed. The apparatus includes a flat washer, a crush bushing, and a fastener. The crush bushing is inserted through an opening of a corner anchor of the image sensor. A fastener receptacle is located at a module of the night vision scope. The fastener can be inserted through an opening of the flat washer and a bore of the crush bushing to deform the crush bushing such that the crush bushing material fills any space between the fastener and the fastener receptacle, thereby creating a zero-play connection to restrict any slight movements generated by shocks and vibrations.

Abstract: The system and method of sensor imager and laser alignment. The system utilizes a DLP mirror array with a compact collimator to provide a real time, direct mapping of the laser energy from a LRF onto an imager (e.g., visible, SWIR, LWIR, or the like) by using a back scatter approach. This method eliminates the thermal and vibration/shock optical alignment issues by using a relative measurement approach significantly reducing the size, weight, and cost of the alignment system.

Abstract: The system and method for accurately determining range-to-go for the command detonation of a projectile warhead. Using dual laser detectors on the tail and on the nose of a spinning projectile to determine the range-to-go, time-to-go, or lateral offset from the projectile to the target. The method for controlling a projectile warhead uses a large area PIN detector and an ogive window. If the PIN detector is large enough to capture the second laser signal, the window is no longer an optical element, only a window thereby drastically reducing the cost of the system. In some cases the detector on the nose of the projectile comprises several PIN diodes placed around the projectile as a distributed aperture. Distributed apertures may also be created by placing the PIN diodes on the wing roots or body of the projectile.

Abstract: Improved binocular vision system having a high resolution, uncompressed image in the forward facing direction and compressed images on the left and right side periphery. The binocular vision system utilizes a shared sensor between multiple optics to reduce the cost and weight of the device. The system maps multiple optics to portions of sensor arrays such that the compression on the periphery is in the azimuth only and thus more closely matches human vision.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging a sample having a complex structure (such as an integrated circuit) implements two modes of operation utilizing a common electron beam generator that produces an electron beam within a chamber. In the first mode, the electron beam interacts directly with the sample, and backscattered electrons, secondary electrons, and backward propagating fluorescent X-rays are measured. In the second mode, the electron beam interrogates the sample via X-rays generated by the electron beam within a target that is positioned between the electron beam generator and the sample. Transmitted X-rays are measured by a detector within the vacuum chamber. The sample is placed on a movable platform to precisely position the sample with respect to the electron beam. Interferometric and/or capacitive sensors are used to measure the position of the sample and movable platform to provide high accuracy metadata for performing high resolution three-dimensional sample reconstruction.

Abstract: An oscillator having a dielectric wave guiding resonant cavity and an oscillator circuit operatively coupled to the dielectric wave guiding resonant cavity having at least one transistor, the two being of a unitary construction.

Abstract: A motion compensation system for a shearography apparatus includes: an adjustable first fold mirror to reflect laser radiation to a receiving aperture of the shearography apparatus during separate pulse periods at corresponding angles of reflection; and corresponding second fold mirrors to reflect the laser radiation from a target surface to the first fold mirror during the respective pulse periods. The shearography apparatus moves with respect to the target surface between the separate pulse periods. The angles of reflection make the laser radiation reflected from the target surface via the respective second fold mirrors appear to the receiving aperture as if the shearography apparatus is stationary with respect to the target surface. In another system, the second fold mirrors are replaced by an adjustable second fold mirror to reflect the laser radiation from the target surface to the first fold mirror during the pulse periods at corresponding second angles of reflection.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method utilizing a light source coupled with a viewing device to detect contaminant(s) on an electronic circuit board. This fluorescence microscopy apparatus can be easily integrated into a bench top stereoscope or microscope and does not require the use of expensive and destructive analytical techniques. Typically, blue light is used in conjunction with a filter to detect contamination from cured epoxy resins and many other contaminants on gold bond pads, wires, pads, or other electrically conductive elements on the electronic circuit.

Abstract: A core suitable for inclusion in an ASIC or other integrated circuit includes a plurality of SPI masters, each of which is able to control and coordinate the timing of a plurality of SPI-controlled devices via an associated SPI bus. Each SPI master is controlled by a corresponding core controller that includes memory, interrupts, flags, timers, and an instruction processor that can independently execute instructions stored in the memory to control data communication between the core controller and its associated SPI master, and between the SPI master and one or more SPI slave devices. The core controllers can be simultaneously started, resynchronized, staggered, and otherwise coordinated with each other. Embodiments further permit bypassing of the core controllers for direct data exchange between external resources and the SPI masters.

Abstract: A signal routing circuit is disclosed which employs resistive combiners to reduce signal jitter. A signal routing circuit configured according to an embodiment comprises an input stage including a plurality of buffer circuits. Each of the buffer circuits is controlled by a selection signal to enable an input signal at an input port of the buffer circuit to generate an output signal at an output port of the buffer circuit. The signal routing circuit also includes a plurality of resistors to couple the output port of each of the buffer circuits of the input stage to a summing junction. The signal routing circuit further includes an output stage including an additional buffer circuit. The input port of the additional buffer circuit is coupled to the summing junction, and the output port of the additional buffer circuit is configured to provide the routed output signal based on the selection signals.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for analog to digital conversion, the system having: a front end whereby a current is converted to digital pulses; and a back end with a coarse conversion unit outputting a pulse count; and a fine conversion unit outputting a count time measurement count; wherein said back end unit is configured to combine said pulse count and said count time measurement to produce a high dynamic range output, said output being the product of the one more than the pulse count and the integration time divided by the sum of the integration time and the count time management count.

Abstract: An apparatus for high resolution thermal imaging in medical applications has a single channel EMI shielded sensor, remote cable, and laptop controller with real time image processing software. The apparatus provides high resolution, real-time viewable infrared (IR) images with a variable focus distance adjustable from six inches to infinity. The present invention enables crisp, clear imagery of the thermal band for greater awareness of everything within the field of view. Various medical applications which would benefit from high resolution thermal imagery are presented.