Patents Assigned to The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • Patent number: 5541893
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing a broadband signal, 1.2, 2.2, by determining the first and second moments of variation between frequency sub-bands, 1.4, 2.4, of the broadband signal, 1.2, 2.2, in order to either distinguish between man made objects and natural objects or detect shadows comprising splitters, 1.3, 2.3, which comprise analogue or digital filters, for separating the broadband signal into a plurality of frequency sub-band signals, 1.4, 2.4, detectors means, 1.5, 2.5, for processing each of the frequency sub-band signals, 1.4, 2.4, to either extract, identify or enhance a signal within the broadband signal, 1.2, 2.2, and combiners, 1.7, 2.7, for re-combining the processed frequency sub-band signals, 1.4, 2.4, by either summating the frequency sub-band signals, 1.4, 2.4, to produce the first moment of variation or enabling the amount of variation between the processed frequency sub-band signals, 1.4, 2.4, to be analyzed to produce the second moment of variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Roderick A. Smith
  • Patent number: 5498366
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Damien G. McDonnell, Sally E. Day, David Coates, John A. Jenner, Michael Hird, Kenneth J. Toyne
  • Patent number: 5497043
    Abstract: A cross axis actuator (1.1) for reducing the transmission of vibration along elongate members (1.2) comprising a series of windings (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) wound helically at 30.degree. pitch around the member (1.2) along part of its length in clockwise and anti-clockwise fashion and are anchored at two or more points (1.3, 1.4) to the member (1.2), the windings (1.5, 1.6, 1.7. 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) being able to be subjected to strain which causes deformation of the member (1.2) between attachment points (1.3, 1.4). The member (1.2) can be either a steel pipe or a rod. The windings (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) can either be in the form of steel wires or be strips of material. The numbers of windings (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) wound around the member (1.2) in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction should be equal. Ideally, the windings (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) are attached to the member (2) on a continuous basis except for the ends which are left free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Ronnie C. Leung, Mark F. L. Harper
  • Patent number: 5496452
    Abstract: A biosensor for the detection and determination of the concentration of toxins by use of enzyme inhibition. Inhibition biosensors are affected by non-specific denaturation and substrate utilization which both result in a limited operational lifetime. These problems are mitigated by providing in an environment an enzyme which is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide the oxidized enzyme being reduced by an electron transfer agent, such as ferrocene, which is itself oxidized in the process. The electron transfer agent is capable of regeneration back to the reduced state and the extend of electron transfer regeneration gives a measure of enzyme inhibition by toxin. Electro-chemical technique allows for the generation of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in aqueous media and the reduction of oxidized electron transfer agent. Immobilization of the enzyme to an electrode increases efficiency while potentially reducing denaturation. The biosensor can be used for the environmental determination of toxins like cyanide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Norman Hill, deceased, Anthony E. G. Cass, Mark H. Smit
  • Patent number: 5497173
    Abstract: A ferro-electric liquid crystal display is multiplex addressed by blanking and strobe waveforms applied in sequence to each electrode in one set of electrodes coincidentally with data waveforms applied to a second set of electrodes. Liquid crystal material in the display is switched by a d.c. pulse of appropriate polarity, amplitude and time. The strobe waveforms have a pulse pair comprising two pulses of different amplitude and the same or different sign. Data waveforms are rectangular waveforms of opposite sign. The amplitude and ratio of leading pulses to trailing pulses in each strobe pulse pair are adjusted to obtain the desired switching and contrast. Compensation for temperature changes is arranged by measuring the temperature of the liquid crystal material and using the value obtained to adjust the amplitude value of the leading pulse in each strobe pulse pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Jonathan R. Hughes
  • Patent number: 5495631
    Abstract: A module for constructing a modular bridge suitable for use in both a dry span and a floating role comprising a buoyant structure having interconnection apparatus for connecting the module end to end to an adjacent similar module to form a bridge and having one or more link members which are releasably securable to the underside of the bridge module by link securing apparatus. Each link is provided at one end with a double limb connection member and at the other with a complementary single limb connection member, both provided with holes for insertion of a pin to connect two links from adjacent bridge modules together. The releasably securable link members are removed from a bridge assembled for a floating role to reduce redundant weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Richard C. Connor, Keith J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 5496500
    Abstract: Liquid crystal compounds of formula (I) are described, where formula (I) is given as R.sub.1 --A--(X.sub.m --(B).sub.n --R.sub.2 where A is selected from nathyl, flourinated naphthyl, brominated naphthyl, B is selected from phenyl, methylated phenyl, brominated phenyl, fluorinated phenyl, thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from alkyl, alkoxy, alkynyl, thioalkyl, Br, CN, SCN, NCS, perfluoroalkyl, perfluoroalkoxy and hydrogen, X is selected from C.tbd.C, COO and C.tbd.C, m is 0 or 1, n is 0 or 1 where m is 1 and n is 0 where m is 0; provided that where A is naphthyl, n is 1 and m is 0 then B is selected from methylated phenyl, brominated phenyl, thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine; and further provided that where A is naphthyl, X is C.tbd.C, m is 1 and n is 1, then B is selected from thiophene, pyrimidine and pyridine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Toyne, John W. Goodby, Alexander Seed, George W. Gray, Damien G. McDonnel, Edward P. Raynes, Sally E. Day, Kenneth J. Harrison, Michael Hird
  • Patent number: 5497102
    Abstract: A device fop detecting liquid incendiaries contained in bottles comprises a flexible cradle, such as a sling of thin rubber sheet (2), mounted between two supports (4); two conductors arranged laterally on the cradle (6), each conductor having a large surface area to thickness ratio; and an electrical circuit including a power source and indication means to provide an indication of the dielectric properties of a bottle placed within the cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: John D. Burrows, Kenneth R. Mann
  • Patent number: 5493516
    Abstract: A dynamical system analyzer (10) incorporates a computer (22) to perform a singular value decomposition of a time series of signals from a nonlinear (possibly chaotic) dynamical system (14). Relatively low-noise singular vectors from the decomposition are loaded into a finite impulse response filter (34). The time series is formed into Takens' vectors each of which is projected onto each of the singular vectors by the filter (34). Each Takens' vector thereby provides the co-ordinates of a respective point on a trajectory of the system (14) in a phase space. A heuristic processor (44) is used to transform delayed co-ordinates by QR decomposition and least squares fitting so that they are fitted to non-delayed co-ordinates. The heuristic processor (44) generates a mathematical model to implement this transformation, which predicts future system states on the basis of respective current states. A trial system is employed to generate like co-ordinates for transforation in the heuristic processor (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: David S. Broomhead, Robin Jones, Martin Johnson
  • Patent number: 5475776
    Abstract: An optical mixing device (10) incorporates a rectangular multimode waveguide (14), with an input region (22) and an output region (24), two square section input waveguides (26, 28), and a detector (34). The input waveguides (26, 28) are arranged to provide first and second input radiation beams respectively to the input region (22), each beam being in the form of a square waveguide fundamental mode beam. Modal dispersion along the multimode waveguide (14) produces a single maximum incident on the detector (34) when the input beams are in phase with one another, and two maxima of like magnitude located on opposite sides of the detector (34) when the input beams are in antiphase. Intermediate these two situations three maxima are produced, the amplitudes depending on phase difference. The first and second input beams may be of like frequency producing a time-independent device output. The input beams may alternatively have different frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Richard M. Jenkins, John M. Heaton, Robert W. Devereux
  • Patent number: 5475793
    Abstract: A heuristic processor incorporates a digital arithmetic unit arranged to compute the squared norm of each member of a training data set with respect to each member of a set of centers, and to transform the squared norms in accordance with a non-linear function to produce training .phi. vectors. A systolic array arranged for QR decomposition and least means squares processing forms combinations of the elements of each .phi. vector to provide a fit to corresponding training answers. The form of combination is then employed with like-transformed test data to provide estimates of unknown results. The processor is applicable to provide estimated results for problems which are non-linear and for which explicit mathematical formalisms are unknown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: David S. Broomhead, Robin Jones, Terence J. Shepherd, John G. McWhirter
  • Patent number: 5471299
    Abstract: An apparatus for the analysis of individual particle characteristics from an aerosol or other suspension of particles, of the type having a scattering chamber (15) with an ellipsoidal reflector (17) and an orifice leading to a rear chamber (20), and a monochromatic light source (10) adapted to transmit a collimated beam of light (11) along the main axis of the reflector (17) to impinge on a stream of the particles reflector (17), has an optical system (17, 32, 33, 34) arranged to collect light back-scattered from a particle, through a solid angle of at least 3.pi., pass the light to a a ccd video recorder (36) having a two dimensional array of a multitude of sensors.The recorder (36) is associated with a data processor (37) and with an imaging screen (35) positioned such that rays of light scattered from the particle and imaged thereon by the optical system (17, 32, 33, 34) are monotonically ordered with respect to the angle of scattering of the rays from the particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Paul H. Kaye, Edwin Hirst
  • Patent number: 5470557
    Abstract: Crystals of the Zeolite Analcime (Analcite) Na.sub.2 O.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.4SiO.sub.2.2H.sub.2 O are provided having a largest dimension greater than 50 micron. A method for preparing such crystals by mixing aqueous solutions of aluminium sulphate and sodium metasilicate, allowing a gel to form then heating, is provided. The presence of an organic water-miscible base encourages an increased crystal size. The crystals retain water strongly and a use for them in long term immobilisation of tritiated waste water is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Bryan W. Garney
  • Patent number: 5456859
    Abstract: There is disclosed a cyanoalkane and cyanoalkene of general formula (I) which shows liquid crystalline properties: wherein R and R.sup.1 are independently C.sub.1-12 alkyl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkoxy; rings A, B, C and D are independently phenyl, which may carry one or two halogen substituents, trans-cyclohexyl, or (2, 2, 2) bicyclooctyl, each of a, b, c or d being independently 0 or 1 provided (a+b+c+d) is 2 or 3; links A and C are independently a single bond, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, COO, OOC, CH.sub.2 O or OCH.sub.2 ; n, m and p are independently 0 or an integer 1 to 4 provided (n+m+p) is not 0; W and Z are independently selected --CH.dbd.C(CN)-- and --C(CN).dbd.CH--; X and Y are independently selected from --CHCN-- and --C(CN).sub.2 --; w, x, y and z are 0 or 1, provided that w and z are 0 if x and/or y are 1, and further provided that at least one of w, x, y and z is 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: George W. Gray, David Lacey, Kenneth J. Toyne, Ibraham G. Shenouda, Abdul Luheshi
  • Patent number: 5453940
    Abstract: A dynamical system analyser (10) incorporates a computer (22) to perform a singular value decomposition of a time series of signals from a nonlinear (possibly chaotic) dynamical system (14). Relatively low-noise singular vectors from the decomposition are loaded into a finite impulse response filter (34). The time series is formed into Takens' vectors each of which is projected onto each of the singular vectors by the filter (34). Each Takens' vector thereby provides the co-ordinates of a respective point on a trajectory of the system (14) in a phase space. A heuristic processor (44) is used to transform delayed co-ordinates by QR decomposition and least squares fitting so that they are fitted to non-delayed co-ordinates. The heuristic processor (44) generates a mathematical model to implement this transformation, which predicts future system states on the basis of respective current states. A trial system is employed to generate like co-ordinates for transforation in the heuristic processor (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of the State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: David S. Broomhead, Robin Jones, Martin Johnson
  • Patent number: 5442112
    Abstract: Dialkyl SE and TE compounds are prepared by reacting a Na chalcogenide with a alkyl halide in a two-phase system of solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: David J. Cole-Hamilton, Ewan McQueen
  • Patent number: 5433404
    Abstract: A wing, or similar article of airfoil section, has a variable geometry surface for the active control of shock strength and transonic wave drag. In one embodiment, the wing has a region of distensible skin (4) aft of the line of maximum section, which extends along the span of the wing in those areas that experience drag. Pressure means (10, 20, 30) within the wing outwardly deflect the distensible region and produce a local bulge in the expansion surface. This bulge induces pre-shock compression and reduces the effect of the shock. The bulge is retracted by the natural elasticity of the skin material (which can be a conventional aluminum alloy) upon removal of the applied pressure. In another embodiment, the wing has a ramp portion (14) which is outwardly deflectable for the same purpose. The invention is applicable to supercritical and natural laminar flow wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Patrick R. Ashill, John L. Fulker
  • Patent number: 5430444
    Abstract: A radar reflector comprises a pair of opposed colinear solid dielectric lens reflectors (10) and two corner reflectors (11) between to provide substantially uniform and high reflectivity in the plane of the reflector elements. Radar energy strikes the outer convex surface of a first converging lens element (12) of relatively high dielectric constant and is then transmitted through a second lens element (17) of material having a relatively lower dielectric constant to a reflecting metallic coating (18) on the outer convex surface of the second lens element (17). The surfaces of the two lens elements (13, 14, 18) are formed such that their respective radii of curvature decrease with distance from the axis of symmetry (15). The first lens (12) is preferably silica flour in a polyester resin with a dielectric constant substantially equal to 3.4 while the second lens element (17) is an expanded foam polystyrene with a dielectric constant substantially equal to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventors: Clifford Rix, Mark T. Gilbert
  • Patent number: 5422913
    Abstract: A high frequency transmitter comprises a large number of narrowband channels spaced over a broad bandwidth transmission. In one arrangement input data to be transmitted is demultiplexed (1101) so that sections of data are transmitted in groups of channels at 50 baud (say), each 50 baud channel produces a number of diversity channels modulated using difference phase shift key (DPSK) (103) and then added (105) for transmission. In the receiver, coherent summation (803) of close-bunched channels can be used and semi-coherent channel addition (805) can be used across the complete bandwidth. The received signal is convened to digital form then processed by an FFT circuit to produce frequency bins corresponding to the transmitted diversity channel frequencies. DPSK demodulation is carried out and running averages are carried out in each channel to determine the proportion of times that the phase difference falls within allowed limits (907).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Robert Wilkinson
  • Patent number: RE35204
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device employing surfaces skimming bulk waves comprises a piezo electric substrate having a flat surface which carries an input transducer and an output transducer for respectively lanuching and receiving acoustic waves into and from the bulk of the substrate. The substrate may be of quartz, lithium tantalate, or lithium niobate and has the flat surface orientated so that a surface skimming bulk wave is launched without generation of surface acoustic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: Meirion F. Lewis