Abstract: A land analysis system uses drone-captured images to detect plant health and/or soil moisture levels at a site. For example, the system instructs a drone to fly along a flight path, capture images of the land below, and measure altitude data. The system processes the images using, for example, artificial intelligence, to identify locations at which plant material may be present. The system then further processes the images to identify the plant health of the plant material at the identified locations. The system further uses the altitude data to determine the strata of plants at the identified locations. Optionally, the system can further process the images to identify the soil moisture levels at the identified locations.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing Doppler correction. In particular, embodiments may provide re-banding circuitry having a reference clock, a mixer, and a compensation circuitry for re-banding and for Doppler correction. The compensation circuitry may be configured to adjust a reference frequency of the reference clock based on signals received from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The mixer may be configured to translate communication signals in a first frequency band to a second frequency band based at least in part on the adjusted reference frequency of the reference clock.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to fly along a flight path and collect a substance at a specified geographic location. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle may include a rail mount to which various attachments can be coupled. One such attachment may be a rail attachment coupled to a support that carries a canister. The canister may include a lid that allows substances to enter the canister, but that prevents substances from exiting the canister. The unmanned aerial vehicle can fly to the specified geographic location, descend or otherwise cause the canister to descend, and maintain a position for a period of time to allow a substance to enter the canister. The unmanned aerial vehicle can then return to the point of origin.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to fly along a flight path and capture audio signals produced by animal species or emitted by collars coupled to animals. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle may include a rail mount to which various attachments can be coupled. One such attachment may be a rail attachment coupled to a support that carries a microphone, a recording device, and/or a radio frequency (RF) transceiver. The microphone can capture audio signals and transmit the captured audio signals to the recording device for storage. The RF transceiver can receive signals emitted by collars and forward the signals to a remote receiver. A remote system can compare the captured audio signals with animal species audio signatures or expected data payloads to identify which animal species are present along the flight path and/or the location at which the animal species are present.

Abstract: A plant growth measurement and prediction system uses drone-captured images to measure the current growth of particular plant species and/or to predict future growth of the plant species. For example, the system instructs a drone to fly along a flight path and capture images of the land below. The captured images may include both thermographic images and high-resolution images. The system processes the images to create an orthomosaic image of the land, where each pixel in the orthomosaic image is associated with a brightness temperature. The system then uses plant species to brightness temperature mappings and the orthomosaic image to identify current plant growth. The system generates a diagnostic model using the orthomosaic image to then predict future plant growth.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly for use in a vehicle suspension system includes a housing including a first end surface and an opposing second end surface. The housing at least one of includes an outer tie rod of a steering assembly and is configured to be coupled to the outer tie rod of the steering assembly. The housing defines a cavity and also includes an opening defined in the second end surface. The ball joint assembly also includes a ball stud coupled to the housing such that a first portion of the ball stud is positioned in the cavity and a second portion of the ball stud extends through the opening. A wire harness is coupled to the first end surface of the housing and extends away from the housing in a direction opposite the second end surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a position of a breech of a weapon using a breech position detector. The breech position detector includes one or more electrical leads configured to make physical contact with the weapon, a DC detector configured to detect a DC signal at one of the one or more electrical leads, a RF detector configured to detect a RF signal at one of the one or more electrical leads, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform operations including receiving the DC signal from the DC detector, receiving the RF signal from the RF detector, and determining the position of the breech based on one or both of the DC signal and the RF signal. The operations may also include comparing a magnitude of the DC signal to a DC threshold and comparing a magnitude of the RF signal to a RF threshold.

Abstract: A device is operated in a cellular communications network, such that the device acts as a relay in a backhaul link between at least one first base station and the network. The device is configured to: detect signals transmitted by base stations in the network; identify the at least one first base station amongst the base stations; exclude the identified at least one first base station, and select one of the base stations based on the properties of the detected signals; and establish a connection with the selected base station.

Abstract: An inertial measurement unit includes a substrate having MEMS gyroscopes arranged on the substrate as opposing pairs. The gyroscopes of each opposing pair are arranged on opposite sides of an axis of rotation of the substrate and each opposing pair has a central axis that intersects an axis of rotation of the substrate. A processor receives a rotational measurement from each gyroscope, compares the measurements from gyroscopes of each opposing pair, determines a mean or median rotation value for each opposing pair, and compares the mean or median rotation value with a threshold value. The processor assigns a weight to the mean or median value for each opposing pair and determines a rotation of the cuboid inertial measurement unit based on the mean or median value for each opposing pair and the respective weight for the mean or median value for each opposing pair.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for providing power efficiency for re-bander units. In particular, embodiments may provide for powering up of a power amplifier in the transmit path of the re-bander on demand, when a transmit signal is to be transmitted. Circuitry controlling the powering up of the power amplifier may do so based on a transmit indicator signal, indicating the presence of a transmit signal received by the re-bander unit. The transmit indicator signal may be a strobe signal received by a user equipment (UE) to which the re-bander unit is coupled, or may be derived from detection of the transmit signal by a directional coupler and power detector.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly for use in a vehicle suspension system includes a housing including a first end surface and an opposing second end surface. The housing at least one of includes an outer tie rod of a steering assembly and is configured to be coupled to the outer tie rod of the steering assembly. The housing defines a cavity and also includes an opening defined in the second end surface. The ball joint assembly also includes a ball stud coupled to the housing such that a first portion of the ball stud is positioned in the cavity and a second portion of the ball stud extends through the opening. A wire harness is coupled to the first end surface of the housing and extends away from the housing in a direction opposite the second end face surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a position of a breech of a weapon using a breech position detector. The breech position detector includes one or more electrical leads configured to make physical contact with the weapon, a DC detector configured to detect a DC signal at one of the one or more electrical leads, a RF detector configured to detect a RF signal at one of the one or more electrical leads, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform operations including receiving the DC signal from the DC detector, receiving the RF signal from the RF detector, and determining the position of the breech based on one or both of the DC signal and the RF signal. The operations may also include comparing a magnitude of the DC signal to a DC threshold and comparing a magnitude of the RF signal to a RF threshold.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing Doppler correction. In particular, embodiments may provide re-banding circuitry having a reference clock, a mixer, and a compensation circuitry for re-banding and for Doppler correction. The compensation circuitry may be configured to adjust a reference frequency of the reference clock based on signals received from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The mixer may be configured to translate communication signals in a first frequency band to a second frequency band based at least in part on the adjusted reference frequency of the reference clock.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for providing power efficiency for re-bander units. In particular, embodiments may provide for powering up of a power amplifier in the transmit path of the re-bander on demand, when a transmit signal is to be transmitted. Circuitry controlling the powering up of the power amplifier may do so based on a transmit indicator signal, indicating the presence of a transmit signal received by the re-bander unit. The transmit indicator signal may be a strobe signal received by a user equipment (UE) to which the re-bander unit is coupled, or may be derived from detection of the transmit signal by a directional coupler and power detector.

Abstract: An inertial measurement unit includes a substrate having MEMS gyroscopes arranged on the substrate as opposing pairs. The gyroscopes of each opposing pair are arranged on opposite sides of an axis of rotation of the substrate and each opposing pair has a central axis that intersects an axis of rotation of the substrate. A processor receives a rotational measurement from each gyroscope, compares the measurements from gyroscopes of each opposing pair, determines a mean or median rotation value for each opposing pair, and compares the mean or median rotation value with a threshold value. The processor assigns a weight to the mean or median value for each opposing pair and determines a rotation of the cuboid inertial measurement unit based on the mean or median value for each opposing pair and the respective weight for the mean or median value for each opposing pair.

Abstract: A device is operated in a cellular communications network, such that the device acts as a relay in a backhaul link between at least one first base station and the network. The device is configured to: detect signals transmitted by base stations in the network; identify the at least one first base station amongst the base stations; exclude the identified at least one first base station, and select one of the base stations based on the properties of the detected signals; and establish a connection with the selected base station.

Abstract: A target system that includes a target that is selected, wherein the target includes a surface with depth variations. The target system additionally includes a laser sensor adapted to scan the target for localization.

Abstract: A mobile robot target system that includes a mobile robot. The mobile robot target system additionally includes a laser scanner operably connected to the mobile robot. The laser scanner includes a laser sensor that scans an area around the mobile robot to detect a target. The mobile robot is localized based on the detection of the target by the laser sensor.

Abstract: A plant growth measurement and prediction system uses drone-captured images to measure the current growth of particular plant species and/or to predict future growth of the plant species. For example, the system instructs a drone to fly along a flight path and capture images of the land below. The captured images may include both thermographic images and high-resolution images. The system processes the images to create an orthomosaic image of the land, where each pixel in the orthomosaic image is associated with a brightness temperature. The system then uses plant species to brightness temperature mappings and the orthomosaic image to identify current plant growth. The system generates a diagnostic model using the orthomosaic image to then predict future plant growth.

Abstract: A target system that includes a target that is selected, wherein the target includes a surface with depth variations. The target system additionally includes a laser sensor adapted to scan the target for localization.