Abstract: A method is provided for determining instantaneous polarization of multiple electromagnetic transmissions. A segmented aperture system determines a direction of arrival of a transmission based on port coordinates and the geometric relationship of the segments. The ports receive at least two orthogonal polarizations that characterize the incoming signals. Two angles are calculated by a simultaneous solution of two phase difference measurements to determine the direction of arrival. A mean direction of arrival solution is obtained by averaging solution estimates that are obtained by repeating the direction of arrival determination.

Abstract: A method is provided for use of a segmented aperture communications system to determine a direction of arrival of a radio signal in which the system includes a receiver plane having equally spaced and planar aligned radio frequency ports. Computation of the aperture segments depends on the port coordinates where the geometric relationship of the segments is used to determine a time delay and direction of arrival of the signal. The ports receive at least two orthogonal polarizations that characterize the incoming signals. A central port is used as reference to determine a phase difference associated at each port. Two angles are calculated by a simultaneous solution of two phase difference measurements to determine the direction of arrival solution. A mean direction of arrival solution is obtained by averaging solution estimates that are obtained by repeating the direction of arrival determination using random port pairs.

Abstract: An air interface array system and method for generating electromagnetic transmissions is provided. The system includes partition elements separately and operationally connected to horizontal and vertical circuit boards. In transmission, a radio frequency input is provided to each board. Each circuit board has a phase selector that generates a symbol with one of four phases relative to a plane of the partition elements such an output signal is produced. A time delay selector delays the output signal in order to focus the transmitted beam to be an input signal to an amplifier. The amplified signal drives radio frequency ports to produce horizontally and vertically polarized radiated signal vectors. The signal vectors are combined to form a radio frequency modulation symbol vector. Multiple symbol vectors form a transmitted modulation waveform.

Abstract: A receiving system is provided in which an analog electromagnetic signal is received from a signal source. A digital observable signal generator and digital to analog convertor (DAC) produce an analog observable signal while a digital dither signal generator and DAC produce an analog dither signal. The electromagnetic signal, the observable signal and the dither signal continue to a power divider via an analog signal combiner. The divider provides identical signal paths wherein each signal path includes a signal frequency bandwidth of interest. The signal paths are amplified onto an analog to digital converter (ADC). The ADC is operable for a Nyquist frequency bandwidth, wherein the dither signal includes a pseudo-random electromagnetic signal with electromagnetic energy that falls outside the signal frequency bandwidth of interest but falls within the Nyquist frequency bandwidth. A processor processes signals from the signal paths to produce a digital image of the analog electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for digitally controlling the launch of high-power broad-band RF waves with high linearity for use with a software defined air-interface system. A wave launcher contains an Eplane array containing a plurality of Epixel partition elements is configured with a master digital controller. The master digital controller processes all signals to be launched as RF waves and develops the digital images necessary for digital synthesizers to format the signals to be converted to analog. A plurality of digital-analog converters coupled with power amplifiers convert the digital signal to analog, and the analog signal is then sent to the partition elements to be transmitted as RF waves.

Abstract: A propagating mode transition system provides a transition from a free-space-propagating electromagnetic energy field, which is partitioned by an array of elongate elements, to a transverse electromagnetic-mode propagating energy field in a transmission line. Electrically-conductive pads are disposed on a substrate with the pads being arranged in spaced-apart fashion. Each pad is substantially covered by and electrically coupled to one of the elongate elements at a base thereof such that portions of each pad not covered by the base are exposed. Each of a plurality of transmission line baluns extends through the substrate with one end thereof disposed between the exposed portions of two adjacent pads. Each balun includes two identical-width electrical conductors with each conductor being electrically coupled to one of the exposed portions.

Abstract: An apparatus for digitally controlling the launch of high-power broad-band RF waves with high linearity for use with a software defined air-interface system. A wave launcher contains an Eplane array containing a plurality of Epixel partition elements is configured with a master digital controller. The master digital controller processes all signals to be launched as RF waves and develops the digital images necessary for digital synthesizers to format the signals to be converted to analog. A plurality of digital-analog converters coupled with power amplifiers convert the digital signal to analog, and the analog signal is then sent to the partition elements to be transmitted as RF waves.

Abstract: A method is provided for the design of a wide-band high dynamic-range electromagnetic signal receiving system. The method provides for receiving a plurality of analog signals, converting the plurality to a digital replica that can be processed to recover separate high-fidelity replicas of each individual signal in the received plurality. The method also provides increasing the signal dynamic range with a parallel architecture comprising “p” identical parallel analog-to-digital channels wherein the value of is determined by the ratio of the largest amplitude signal to the minimum detectable signal. Further, it is demonstrated that “p” is the fundamental limit on the number of parallel channels necessary to linearly process a specified plurality of signals containing a largest signal and a minimum detectable signal.

Abstract: An interface board connector includes a plurality of individual conductive partition element seats. Each partition element seat includes four spring fingers that extend into apertures in a dielectric base plate of the interface assembly. Two adjacent spring fingers form a tweezers-like connector in one of the apertures that couples to a trace on a balun board contact post to form an impedance-matched extension of the balanced transmission line that is an integral part of the adjacent partition element seats. Each spring finger includes three distinct sections. A ramp section allows the balun board, when inserted, to push apart the two spring fingers and slide into place. The contact sections of two adjacent spring fingers form the electrical junction between the balanced transmission line traces on the balun board contact post and the section of balanced transmission line formed by the parallel spring sections of the two adjacent spring fingers.

Abstract: An amplitude, phase and frequency modulator circuit is provided with the circuit containing a periodically driven switch. The circuit connects a DC power source and a resistive load. Periodic operation of the switch generates a square-wave of voltage across the load. A transistor used as a switch is embedded in a switch driver that controls base current and base-emitter reverse bias voltage. The modulator DC input resistance is approximately equal to the load resistance when the switch ON-state period and OFF-state period are approximately equal. The modulator efficiency is nearly one hundred percent. The frequency response of the square-wave modulator system is high-pass with a lower cutoff frequency determined by element values.

Abstract: A system and method of use for a DC-DC conversion wherein a DC supply at one voltage is converted to a DC supply at another voltage. The DC-DC converter uses a switching circuit with a broadband transmission line transformer to change the impedance level between a square-wave generator and a [square-wave]-to-DC converter. The transformer transforms generator characteristic impedance into load characteristic impedance. The method also transforms a DC source voltage into another DC load voltage.

Abstract: A system and method of use for a DC-DC conversion wherein a DC supply at one voltage is converted to a DC supply at another voltage. The DC-DC converter uses a switching circuit with a broadband transmission line transformer to change the impedance level between a square-wave generator and a [square-wave]-to-DC converter. The transformer transforms generator characteristic impedance into load characteristic impedance. The method also transforms a DC source voltage into another DC load voltage.

Abstract: An amplitude, phase and frequency modulator circuit is provided with the circuit containing a periodically driven switch. The circuit connects a DC power source and a resistive load. Periodic operation of the switch generates a square-wave of voltage across the load. A transistor used as a switch is embedded in a switch driver that controls base current and base-emitter reverse bias voltage. The modulator DC input resistance is approximately equal to the load resistance when the switch ON-state period and OFF-state period are approximately equal. The modulator efficiency is nearly one hundred percent. The frequency response of the square-wave modulator system is high-pass with a lower cutoff frequency determined by element values.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided for enabling a transistor collector-emitter path to be used as a broadband periodic switch. The broadband driver circuit controls the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter current in order to enable a CLOSED switch state and to simultaneously control the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter reverse-bias voltage in order to enable the OPEN-switch state. The precise control of these parameters minimizes base-charge storage and prevents reverse-breakdown failure.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided for enabling a transistor collector-emitter path to be used as a broadband periodic switch. The broadband driver circuit controls the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter current in order to enable a CLOSED switch state and to simultaneously control the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter reverse-bias voltage in order to enable the OPEN-switch state. The precise control of these parameters minimizes base-charge storage and prevents reverse-breakdown failure.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for coupling a power source across a rotation boundary. A generator converts a DC source on the stationary side of a rotation boundary to a square-wave at a determined frequency. The generator output connects through a transmission line and a first transformer to a set of stator rings. A set of rotor rings form a set of coupling capacitors with the stator rings. The rotor rings connect through a second transformer and a transmission line to a non-linear circuit capable of converting the square-wave to a DC voltage and current that can power a load on the rotating side of the rotating boundary in which the power is nearly equal to the power available from the source on the stationary side of the rotation boundary.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for coupling a power source across a rotation boundary. A generator converts a DC source on the stationary side of a rotation boundary to a square-wave at a determined frequency. The generator output connects through a transmission line and a first transformer to a set of stator rings. A set of rotor rings form a set of coupling capacitors with the stator rings. The rotor rings connect through a second transformer and a transmission line to a non-linear circuit capable of converting the square-wave to a DC voltage and current that can power a load on the rotating side of the rotating boundary in which the power is nearly equal to the power available from the source on the stationary side of the rotation boundary.

Abstract: A method for coupling power across a non-conducting membrane. A generator converts a DC source on a first side of a non-conducting membrane to a square-wave at a determined frequency. The generator output connects to a transformer and onto a first set of capacitor plates on the first side of the membrane. A second set of plates on the second side of the membrane form a set of coupling capacitors wherein the non-conducting dielectric membrane becomes part of the coupling-capacitor dielectric material. The second set of plates connects to a transformer and onto a non-linear circuit that converts the square-wave to DC voltage and current that can power a load such that the power delivered is approximately equal to the power available from the DC source on the first side of the membrane. The coupling capacitors may be replaced by coupled coils with nearly the same power delivery effect.

Abstract: An electromagnetic radiation interface is provided that is suitable for use with radio wave frequencies. A surface is provided with a plurality of metallic conical bristles. A corresponding plurality of termination sections are provided so that each bristle is terminated with a termination section. The termination section may comprise an electrical resistance for capturing substantially all the electromagnetic wave energy received by each respective bristle to thereby prevent reflections from the surface of the interface. Each termination section may also comprise an analog to digital converter for converting the energy from each bristle to a digital word. The bristles may be mounted on a ground plane having a plurality of holes therethrough. A plurality of coaxial transmission lines may extend through the ground plane for interconnecting the plurality of bristles to the plurality of termination sections.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating electrical energy in a fluid environment, the apparatus including a wing member for disposition in the fluid and pivotally movable about an axis in response to flow of the fluid thereabout, connector rods each pivotally mounted at a first end thereof on the wing on opposite sides of the axis, a crank member attached to a second end of each of the connector rods and rotatable about a pivot axis by movement of the attached connector rod, a housing supporting the wing member, a gear system disposed in the housing, an axle interconnecting each of the crank members and the gear system, and an electrical generator disposed in the housing and driven by the gear system.