Abstract: A fiber optic rotary connector providing communication between a first fiber optical bundle and a second fiber optical bundle rotating relative to said first bundle. The fiber optic rotary connector includes a K-mirror comprised of at least three mirror components and a set of gears adapted to rotate said K-mirror at a rotation rate equal to one half of the second bundle rotation rate. In a preferred embodiment the set of gears is a set of magnetic gears. And in another preferred embodiment the set of gears is a set of mechanical gears. Normally the first fiber optic bundle is stationary, but it may be rotating at a slower rate than the second bundle. In preferred embodiments the K mirror is comprised of three flat mirrors and two of the flat mirrors are positioned at about 30 degrees relative to the third flat mirror.

Abstract: A millimeter wave radio transceiver having all or substantially all of its components fabricated on a single chip or chipset of a small number of semiconductor chips. The chip or chipsets when mass produced is expected to make the price of millimeter wave radios comparable to many of the lower-priced microwave radios available today from low-cost foreign suppliers. Transceivers of the present invention operate in the range of about 1 Gbps to more than 10 Gbps. The transceiver of a preferred embodiment is designed to receive binary input data at an input data rate in 10.3125 Gbps and to transmit at a transmit data rate in of 10.3125 Gbps utilizing encoded three-bit data symbols on a millimeter carrier wave at a millimeter wave nominal carrier frequency in excess of 70 GHz.

Abstract: An angles only navigation system. The system includes an IMU coupled with a passive optical sensor. The optical sensor provides periodic updates to the IMU in order to correct for accelerometer and gyro drifts. The IMU computes the air vehicle's instantaneous position, velocity, and attitude using gyro and accelerometer measurements. The optical sensor images stars and satellites. The navigation filter combines optical sensor measurements with IMU inputs, and determines those corrections needed to compensate for the IMU drifts. By applying periodic corrections to the IMU using satellite angular measurements, the navigation filter maintains an accurate position estimate during an entire flight.

Abstract: A high data rate millimeter wave radio adapted to receive an binary input data at an input data rate in excess of 3.5 Gbps and to transmit at a transmit data rate in excess of 3.5 Gbps utilizing encoded three-bit data symbols on a millimeter carrier wave at a millimeter wave nominal carrier frequency, defining a carrier wavelength and period, in excess of 70 GHz with differential phase-shift keying utilizing eight separate phase shifts. Preferred embodiments of the invention can support many of the high data rate standards including the following group of protocols or standards: SONET OC-96 (4.976 Gbps); 4xGig-E (5.00 Gbps); 5xGig-E (6.25 Gbps); OBSAI RP3-01 (6.144 Gbps); 6xGig-E (7.50 Gbps); Fibre Channel 8GFC (8.5 Gbps); SONET OC-192 (9.952 Gbps); Fibre Channel 10GFC Serial (10.52 Gbps) and 10 GigaBit Ethernet.

Abstract: A celestial weapons orientation measuring system. The system includes a miniature celestial direction detection device. The device includes an inclinometer, a camera for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of the celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. Similar to the training technique discussed in the background section, the pretend enemy wears a GPS detector and transmitter, and a computer system is preferably provided which determines when a trigger-pull results in a “casualty”.

Abstract: A super-resolution telescope. A target is illuminated with at least three laser beams, each beam having a slightly different frequency so as to produce an illumination pattern comprised of several sets of straight interference fringes which sweep across the target. The frequencies of the illumination beams are chosen so that each pair of beams has a unique beat frequency, and the corresponding fringe pattern for each pair sweeps over the target at a unique speed. By collecting a series of images, and demodulating them at the various beat frequencies, the downshifted spatial frequencies can be identified, correctly up-shifted, and fitted together with a set of special Fourier transform based algorithms to reconstruct high-resolution images. Applicants have performed laboratory experiments that this invention can provide resolution substantially better than diffraction limited resolution.

Abstract: A large communication network suitable for nationwide or worldwide utilization. The present invention overthrows the conventional packet switching technologies with an all-optical network. The invention uses tunable laser sources to generate large number of highly stable narrow-band optical signals, each serving as a communication channel. With packet processing replaced by all-optical channels, the network become highly secure and scalable while harnessing the virtually unlimited capacity of fiber-optic. A large number of nodes (called area code nodes) are connected with all-fiber-optic links with all-optical switches. A routing algorithm provides one or more communication links from each area code node to every other area code node so that information never has to change carrier wavelength as it travels the network. Each area code node contains circuits that are provided to connect individual users to the network.

Abstract: A high bandwidth, low latency middle-mile core communications network providing low-cost and high-speed communications among the users of the network. Embodiments of the invention include a number of network access points located at a number of spaced apart sites. At least some of these network access points in the network are in communication with each other via millimeter radio links with microwave backup links. In preferred embodiments the millimeter radio links include two millimeter radios, one transmitting in the frequency range of 71-76 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 81 to 86 GHz and the other radio transmitting in the frequency range of 81-86 GHz and receiving in the frequency range if 71 to 76 GHz.

Abstract: A short range millimeter wave surface imaging radar system. The system includes electronics adapted to produce millimeter wave radiation scanned over a frequency range of a few gigahertz. The scanned millimeter wave radiation is broadcast through a frequency scanned transmit antenna to produce a narrow transmit beam in a first scanned direction (such as the vertical direction) corresponding to the scanned millimeter wave frequencies. The transmit antenna is scanned to transmit beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first scanned direction (such as the horizontal or the azimuthal direction) so as to define a two-dimensional field of view. Reflected millimeter wave radiation is collected in a receive frequency scanned antenna co-located (or approximately co-located) with the transmit antenna and adapted to produce a narrow receive beam approximately co-directed in the same directions as the transmitted beam in approximately the same field of view.

Abstract: Millimeter wave radio with phase modulation. In preferred embodiments each of the two radios in a link uses a single aperture to transmit radiation in one of the two bands, and receive radiation in the other of the bands. The counterpart radio used to form a link preferably is almost identical, except for the interchange of the transmit and receive frequencies. Preferred embodiments utilize a modulation scheme in which the radios each receive on-off keyed data and transmit the on-off keyed data encoded in a millimeter wave carrier wave with binary phase shift keying.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging far away fast moving objects such as satellites in low earth orbit. The object to be imaged is illuminated simultaneously with a composite beam comprised of a large number of separate laser beams from a large number of laser sources each from a separate position with each of the separate laser beams shifted in frequency with respect to each other beam so as to produce a large number of beat frequencies in the composite beam. The positions of the laser sources are changed rapidly during an illumination period of a few seconds. Light reflected from the object is collected in a large number of light buckets and information defining the intensity of the collected reflected light as a function of time is stored. The positions and frequencies of each of the laser sources are also recorded and stored as a function of time.

Abstract: A beam direction sensor for determining the direction of each beam in an array of light beams. The invention basically consists of a screen positioned to intersect the array of beams and a video camera to record the position of the images of the intersections. The screen can be any of a wide variety of screens that produce an image of the beams when illuminated with the beam. These include frosted glass and various diffusers. A preferred screen is a holographic diffusers.

Abstract: A millimeter wave imaging system. The system includes one or more millimeter wave frequency scanning antenna for collecting frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation from a narrow one-dimensional field of view and millimeter wave amplifier components for amplifying the millimeter wave radiation collected by each antenna. The system includes a beam-former that separates the amplified radiation to produce frequency dependent signals corresponding to the frequency dependent beams. The beam-former includes delay lines, a millimeter wave lens, and an array of millimeter wave power detectors for detecting the power in each frequency dependent beam. A sampling circuit reads out the frequency dependent signals to produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional image of a target may be obtained by moving the target (or having the target move) across the field of view of the scanning antenna or by moving the antenna in order to scan its line of focus over the target.

Abstract: A multi-coupler system for isolating radio signals in a transceiver, that includes a transmitter and a receiver, to permit simultaneous transmit by the transmitter and receive by the receiver through a single antenna in the exact same or nearby frequency ranges. This is done so that in-coming receive signals, transmitted from a remotely located radio, being detected by the receiver is much stronger than the portion of the transmit signal unintentionally coupled over by the co-site (or co-located) transmitter. The invention uses a special electronic circuit, termed the quasi-circulator, to couple the antenna to both the co-located receiver and the transmitter. The invention can also be used to couple several transceivers to a single antenna. The quasi-circulator circuit includes a simulated antenna load with an impedance matched to the antenna impedance.

Abstract: A short range millimeter wave imaging radar system. The system includes electronics adapted to produce millimeter wave radiation scanned over a frequency range of a few gigahertz. The scanned millimeter wave radiation is broadcast through a frequency scanned transmit antenna to produce a narrow transmit beam in a first scanned direction (such as the vertical direction) corresponding to the scanned millimeter wave frequencies. The transmit antenna is scanned to transmit beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first scanned direction (such as the horizontal or the azimuthal direction) so as to define a two-dimensional field of view. Reflected millimeter wave radiation is collected in a receive frequency scanned antenna co-located (or approximately co-located) with the transmit antenna and adapted to produce a narrow receive beam approximately co-directed in the same directions as the transmitted beam in approximately the same field of view.

Abstract: A method and system for creating and co-aligning a first array of optical beams with a second array of optical beams. In a preferred application the invention is used in a cross connect optical switch. A first set of alignment beams are created and added to and aligned co-axially with each of the first set of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beams. A second set of alignment beams are created and added to and aligned co-axially with each of the second set of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beams. A preferred embodiment includes an injection unit with a “point” infrared light source such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) operating in the near infrared at 850 nm and having a divergence of about 30 degrees. The beam from this source is collimated with collimator optics to produce a collimated beam with a cross sectional dimension of about 16 millimeter×16 millimeters. This collimated beam is separated into 128 separate beams with a mask having 128 0.

Abstract: A communication system providing wireless communication among wireless users through a number of cellular base stations. The system includes a connecting station with a millimeter wave wireless transceiver in communication with a fiber optic or high-speed cable communication network. The transceiver is adapted to communicate at millimeter wave frequencies higher than 60 GHz with another millimeter wave transceiver at one of the cellular base stations. Each of the base stations serves a separate communication cell. Each base station is equipped with a low frequency wireless transceiver for communicating with the wireless users within the cell at a radio frequency lower than 6 GHz. In preferred embodiments the system a part of a telephone system, an Internet system or a computer network.

Abstract: The present invention provides an all optical cross connect switch utilizing two-axis MEMS mirrors for cross connecting optical fibers in a first set of optical fibers to optical fibers in a second set of optical fibers. The optical fibers in the first and second sets of optical fibers are precisely positioned in a first fiber-microlens positioning array to define a first set of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beam paths, with each collimated cross-connect communication beam path connecting an optical fiber in the first set of optical fibers with a MEMS mirror in a first MEMS mirror array. Alignment beams are added to and aligned co-axially with each of the first and second sets of parallel collimated cross-connect communication beams.

Abstract: An imaging system for a rotary aircraft having a millimeter wave imager with visible or infrared overlay. The system includes an active millimeter wave imaging system comprising a millimeter wave transmitter and a millimeter wave phased array receiver for producing millimeter wave images of a landing region, a second imaging system operating at visible or infrared wavelengths to produce visible or infrared images of the landing region, and a processor programmed with a see and remember algorithm for overlaying the visible or infrared images and the millimeter wave images and to save at least one good high-resolution visible or infrared image in case of a brownout event begins to obscuring the visible or infrared images wherein in case of the brownout event the millimeter wave images are overlaid on the at least one good visible or infrared image and not obscured visible or infrared images.

Abstract: A point-to-point, wireless, millimeter wave communications link between two stations at least one of which is a mobile station. A millimeter wave transmitter system operating at frequencies higher than 57 GHz with a tracking antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less and a millimeter wave receiver also with a tracking antenna having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less. In preferred embodiments each mobile station has a global position system (GPS) and a radio transmitter and both tracking antennas are pointed utilizing GPS information from the mobile station or stations. The GPS information preferably is transmitted via a low frequency, low data rate radio. Each millimeter wave unit is capable of transmitting and/or receiving, through the atmosphere, digital information to/from the other station at rates in excess of 155 million bits per second during normal weather conditions.