Abstract: A modular structure for carrying a printed circuit board, having to be connected to an electronic installation. The modular structure includes two cover plates opposite each other, contributing to defining a housing for at least one printed circuit board. The cover plates engage one another by sandwiching, via a first edge, a support for one or more connection blocks for the connection and, via a second edge, a support for a locking mechanism in order to hold the structure in a connected position. The support for the locking mechanism and for the connection blocks have ends which are separate before the assembly of the cover plate. Such a modular structure may find particular application to electronic installations of the integrated modular avionics type.

Abstract: An actuating motion detection device for a mechanically actuated gyrolaser including at least one fastening ring coaxial with an actuation axis of the gyrolaser. The fastening ring includes a hub held at a center of a rim by radial flexible strips distributed about the hub, and the radial flexible strips are configured to act as springs and to vibrate under an actuating motion. The motion detecting device includes torsion detectors having a pair of piezoelectric plates disposed at a radial position along one radial flexible strip. The piezoelectric plates have respective remanent magnetic fields aligned in opposite directions, and each piezoelectric plate has two electrodes positioned on opposite sides of the piezoelectric plate with one of the two electrodes contacting the radial flexible strip. The electrodes are connected to a common output.

Abstract: A magnetic detector which includes a first thin-layer element and a second thin-layer element made of magnetic material with magnetic anisotropy in the plane possessing, in this plane, two easy axes of magnetization. A coercive field of one of the first and second thin-layer elements has a value different from that of the other thin-layer element. The two thin-layer elements have elongated and mutually parallel shapes perpendicular to their direction of easy magnetization in the absence of a magnetic field. The width of these thin-layer elements is such that it obliges at least one of the thin-layer elements to have its magnetization oriented along the length of the thin-layer element when there is no external magnetic field. Such a magnetic field sensor may find particular application to the measurement of magnetic fields.

Abstract: An ATM routing switch has a buffer circuit for holding cells located on queues at output ports, the buffer having a first reserve buffer capacity for cells of a first type requiring integrity of cell transmission and a first designation for use in determining a permitted path through the network, a second reserve buffer capacity for cells of the first type having a second designation for use in determining a different permitted path in the network and a third reserve buffer capacity for cells of a second type accepting some loss of cells in transmission, flow control circuitry operating to limit input of cells of either the first or second type if predetermined thresholds for the first, second or third buffer capacities are reached.

Abstract: A method for the packaging of electronic components, including the mounting of at least one electronic component on its active face side to a base, the base including electrical contacts on an external face and connection pads on a face opposite the external face, and including a first series of via holes connecting the electrical contacts and the connection pads and a second series of holes for use in aspiration. A deformable film is deposited on the face opposite to the active face of the electronic component or components. The deformable film is aspirated through the second series of holes from the face opposite the external face of the base, so as to sheath the electronic component or components. The method may furthermore include, on top of the deformable film, a mineral deposition to provide for the hermetic sealing of the components and a conductive deposition to provide for the shielding. Such an application may find particular application to surface wave filters.

Abstract: A reader for contactless badges which includes a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter and receiver operate on the same carrier frequency, and are connected by a coupling circuit to an antenna. The reader further includes a management device for interacting with the transmitter and receiver for establishing a dialog with a badge. The coupling circuit to the antenna includes a delaying element, traversed by the connection between the transmitter and the antenna, while the receiver includes two channels, starting off on either side of the delaying element. The management device is then arranged to selectively operate the reception channels according to selected criterion.

Abstract: An observation or aiming system for a self-propelled vehicle is described. The system includes a post pivoting about a bearing axis (Ag) relative to the vehicle. The post carries a body for an optical block and a thermal camera which are mounted to pivot about an elevation axis (As) perpendicular to the bearing axis (Ag). The body and the thermal camera are disposed symmetrically relative to the bearing axis (Ag). The system also includes a radar channel having a radar transmitter unit mounted on the body, a radar detection unit mounted on the body close to the bearing axis (Ag) and concentration means situated in the body for concentrating radar waves on the radar detection unit. The optical block, the thermal camera, and the radar channel are secured so as to always have the same orientation in elevation and in bearing, and thus the same observation direction.

Abstract: A device for the unambiguous measurement of the angle of roll of a projectile, comprises at least a radar equipped with means of processing and sending a signal to the casing of the projectile in at least one direction of incident polarization; a set of parallel grooves made on the casing, the depth of which is modulated dissymmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry of the projectile; the axis of symmetry of the projectile not passing through the point of the antenna of the radar where the antenna beam is generated, the processing means analyzing, in reception, a signal back-scattered by the casing of the projectile, the signal being modulated as a function of the angle of roll of the projectile, the modulation having two maximum local values corresponding to two angular roll positions of the projectile such that the polarization {overscore (E)} is parallel to the grooves, the processing means removing the 180° ambiguity by comparing the levels of the local maximum values.

Abstract: A field-emission device includes at least one plane cathode made of conductive material with a low electron affinity located on a face of a substrate carrying a layer of a dielectric material, which layer has at least one cavity in which the cathode is located. A gate made of conductive material is located on the dielectric layer and has an aperture centered with respect to the cavity. The conductive material with a low electron affinity is a material deposited in amorphous form. Such a device may find particular application to electron guns or display devices.

Abstract: A radio altimeter using a linear oscillator to transmit a saw-toothed signal comprises, in addition to this first oscillator, a second linear oscillator to transmit, in synchronism with the first linear oscillator, another saw-toothed signal with a given saw-tooth duration Td. The plateau of the sawteeth of the two saw-toothed signals are at a distance from each other equal to a value f. The test consists in obtaining a height h′ by beats between the two saw-toothed signals and computing a standard height he=f.c.Td/dF.2 where c is the speed of light and dF the duration of each saw-tooth of the other signal. Application to all FM/CW radio altimeters.

Abstract: A synchronization device which synchronizes signals transmitted from a transmitter to receivers. The transmitter includes a generator for generating a synchronization signal having a recurrence period substantially equal to the minimum resolution of the journey time between the transmitter and the receiver. Each receiver includes a controllable delay for delaying the synchronization signal and a synchronization loop downstream of the delay. The synchronization loop includes a semi-reflecting plate, a correlator and a device for slaving the delay depending on the correlation. A signal received by the receiver is synchronized when the correlation function of the two successive recurrences of the synchronization signal passing through the semi-reflecting plate is at a maximum. The device may be used for accurate synchronization of information distributed from a transmitter to mutually remote receivers, for example for operating complex electromagnetic or optical rigs.

Abstract: A device for transferring power by an electrical energy transformer, and in particular by a magnetic coupler, including on a primary side a primary winding in series with an alternating source and on a secondary side a secondary winding, a rectifier bridge, and a load. The rectifier bridge includes two diodes arranged in series with the secondary winding and two MOS transistors also in series with the secondary winding. The load is connected on the one hand to a point common to the two diodes and on the other hand to a point common to the two MOS transistors. A mechanism is provided for switching the MOS transistors in such a way that they are simultaneously in the ON state for a predetermined duration. Such a device may find application to cases of weak coupling between a primary side and a secondary side.

Abstract: This device allows secure electrical supply of several electronic modules able to be brought together in the same electronic rack and having several levels of criticality. It includes an electrical supply line (13) attached on the one hand to at least one electrical energy distribution network (20) and on the other hand to the various electronic modules (M1, M2, . . . Mn) by way of breaker relays (I1, I2, . . . , In) and means for managing the load sheddings instigating the commands for opening and closing the breaker relays (I1, I2, . . . , In) as a function of the load shedding control signals received. The means for managing the load sheddings are composed of a network partitioning load shedding commands (21) attached to the controls of the breaker relays (I1, I2, . . , In) by way of diode-type switches (S1, S2, . . . , Sn) and of a system of straps (22, 220) guaranteeing them great ability of adaptation to the changes of configuration of the equipment of the rack.

Abstract: A motor-drive device for sensors around a spherical electromagnetic lens, for example a Luneberg type lens using in a system of transmission and/or reception, comprises, for each module, at least one piezoelectric motor rigidly connected to the module, the module moving in the vicinity of the surface of the lens by the reptation of the piezoelectric motor on this surface. The disclosed device can be applied especially to receivers and/or transmitters carrying out multiple-satellite tracking, for example in the field of communications by orbiting satellites.

Abstract: A small gap surface acoustic wave transducer, which has a very small free surface between consecutive electrodes, thus being able to operate a very high frequency (of the order of several gigahertz. The transducer of the invention includes a grating of etched grooves separated by mesas in the substrate. This array is covered with a metallization layer, making up the electrodes, which makes it possible to obtain the transducer in a direct manner.

Abstract: A fingerprint-reading system includes a fingerprint sensor having an active surface sensitive to the pressure and a temperature of a finger. The surface area of this sensor is far smaller than the surface area of the fingerprint to be read. The reading is done when the sensor and the finger are in contact and in a relative motion of sliding of the sensor and the finger with respect to each other. The system reconstitutes a complete image of the fingerprint from the partial images given by the sensor during this motion.

Abstract: A mechanical protection of a chip by an encapsulation product poured onto the chip and then cured. The problem is one of depositing only a small thickness of encapsulation product above the chip and above its wire bonds so as not to disturb the operation of the chip. In order to control this thickness, the chip is mounted on a tab, the height of which is chosen so that the difference in height between the top of the chip and the top of the surrounding printed circuits is equal to the desired thickness of the encapsulation. The encapsulation product is then poured onto the chip until it reaches the upper level of the printed circuits, without exceeding it. Such a mechanical protection may find particular application to electronic chips operating at microwave frequencies.

Abstract: A pirate-proof optical recording disc and a process for reading such a disc. The disc includes a spiral main track and a secondary track span interposed between two successive turns of the main track. An initialization zone includes a datum regarding the nature of the pirate-proof disc and a datum for relative positioning of the span, to which the reader goes by travelling to an address of the main track and by effecting a track jump. The span is identified by an identification datum which it carriers and a check is then made as to whether the physical structure of the disc complies with that described in the initialization zone. The process applies to the pirate-proofing of any optical disc, especially of CD or DVD format.

Abstract: A system and method for scanning through a 360° azimuth by a surveillance radar antenna. The method includes driving at slow speed the radar antenna including two electronic scanning antennas installed back to back, simultaneously controlling the electronic aiming of each of the two electronic scanning antenna, switching the microwave signal sent alternatively between the two electronic scanning antennas and, before each rotation of the radar beam, initializing the electronic aiming of each of the two elementary electronic scanning antenna at a determined angle &thgr;i. The radar system includes the radar antenna with the two elementary electronic scanning antennas and an aiming computer.

Abstract: A semiconductor component of the heterojunction bipolar transistor type comprises, on a substrate, a collector, a base and a mesa-shaped emitter resting on the base. The bipolar transistor furthermore comprises electrically insulating elements in contact with the base and the flanks of the emitter mesa, said elements having a width of the same magnitude as the width of the mesa and providing the component with greater stability. Furthermore, a method for the manufacture of a component of this kind comprises in particular a step for the ion implantation of insulating ions through the constituent layer of the emitter mesa so as to define the electrically insulating elements.