Abstract: A phase identification system identifies the unknown phase attribute of any energized conductor within a three-phase power distribution network by comparing remote location non-contact phase identification instrument phase measurements to phase measurements taken at a reference location. The vector sum of three-phase conductor voltages at the remote measurement location are used to determine the near, center, and far conductor phase attributes of the three-phase lines being measured. This allows phase attributes of high overhead conductors to be determined from ground level using a non-contact handheld instrument.

Abstract: A non-scanning radar system is installed on an aircraft to detect and avoid bird strikes or collisions with other airborne hazards. Target amplitude, range, and Doppler tracking versus time are used to qualify the collision threat. Avoidance is based on a quick minor altitude change by the pilot or autopilot to exit the imminent bird or other airborne hazard altitude window. In one embodiment, a bistatic passive radar receiver antenna is used in conjunction with an existing geostationary satellite signal. Range and Doppler information are obtained via cross correlation processing of the hazard reflection signal with a direct path reference signal from the satellite.

Abstract: A ground based avian radar receive antenna is implemented using a vertically oriented offset parabolic cylindrical antenna. The desired azimuth beamwidth is determined by the width of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface and the desired elevation beamwidth by the height of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface. A vertical array of antenna elements is mounted along the vertical focal line to provide electronic scanning in elevation. Low sidelobe levels are obtained using tapered antenna element illumination. Low cost modular construction with high reflector accuracy is obtained by attaching a thin metal reflector to thin ribs machined or stamped in the shape of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface. The antenna is enclosed in a radome and mechanically rotated 360 degrees in azimuth.

Abstract: A remote phase identification system identifies the unknown phase attribute of any energized conductor within a three-phase power distribution network. A field probe at a remote location obtains an instantaneous phase measurement at a precise GPS second and communicates this phase, GPS second, and GPS coordinates to a field client. Either wireless Internet or satellite modem communications is used by the field client to retrieve the reference phase taken by a base station at the same GPS second. Field client tagging reference phase configuration files are automatically created for any circuit and applied to the base station reference phase. Configuration files can be named, saved, and loaded and are used by the field client to identify and display the unknown phase attribute. A field client can be any personal computer, smartphone, or personal digital assistant.

Abstract: A bistatic radar receiver is centrally located within an array of multiple bistatic transmitters at an airport to precisely determine bird positions and altitudes. Bird target reflections from multiple transmitters are received by the radar receiver. Target location is determined by the transmitter location, receiver location, and measured transmitter-to-target-to-receiver ranges. Target position and altitude accuracy is similar to GPS. The radar receiver antenna is composed of a vertical array of elements and rotated 360 degrees in azimuth. The output of each element is downconverted, digitized, and digitally beamformed to provide multiple simultaneous antenna beams each electronically scanned in elevation. When bistatic transmitters cannot be deployed, a narrow-azimuth wide-elevation transmit antenna beam is overlapped with a wide-azimuth narrow-elevation receive antenna beam electronically scanned in elevation to provide a composite narrow azimuth and elevation beamwidth.

Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitter which generates transmit phase points defined to be the vector sum of two or more QPSK signals. Forward error correction encoding is performed independently for the QPSK signals. In a receiver, alternate hypotheses are formed about the potential values that might have been transmitted for all the QPSK signals, and offset phase points are defined for each hypothesis. For the correct hypothesis, the offset phase point has the effect of canceling all the two or more QPSK signals from the combined communication signal leaving only circuit and channel noise added during transmission. Branch metrics are responsive to Euclidean distances between the received signal and the hypothesized transmitted signal. A decoder is configured to accept and reject the hypotheses based on the noise statistics and desired communication application symbol error rate.

Abstract: An aircraft avian radar is implemented using multiple axial beam antennas mounted on an aircraft. Target range is determined by radar range. Target azimuth and elevation position is determined by triangulation. An end-fire array antenna composed of a series of monopole antenna elements enclosed inside a long thin protective cover fashioned in the form of a stall fence is mounted on the wings, tail, or fuselage to produce a low drag axial beam antenna pattern directed ahead of the aircraft. Other axial beam antenna choices include helical, pyramidal horn, and conical horn antennas mounted on or inside various forward facing surfaces of the aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft avian radar is implemented using an existing aircraft transponder, Mode S, or TCAS installation as the radar transmitter. To eliminate self jamming of low level avian target signals by high level transmitter signals, the ending period of the transmission signal is digitized and cross correlated with the ending period of reflected avian target signals received after the transmission signal has ended. In a first implementation, the current transponder antenna is used for both transmission and reception. In a second implementation, an external receive only antenna is mounted in a position that maximizes the transmit antenna to receive antenna isolation. In a third implementation, a signal canceller and sample of the transmit signal are used to cancel or null out as much transmit signal as possible that couples directly to the receive antenna.

Abstract: A target unit mounted on vehicle hitch ball contains a known object target and an optical unit mounted on trailer hitch socket contains an optical sensor. A real image of known object target is projected onto image plane of optical sensor. Vehicle hitching distance and offset from optical axis, normal to image plane origin, is related to real image size and offset from image plane origin respectively. Distance and offset are displayed to driver in the form of remaining distance and relative steering commands.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for independently setting the range resolution, Doppler resolution, and pulse compression processing gain of a Doppler radar system. Higher Doppler resolution is achieved by segmenting and spreading apart a pseudo-random code (PRC) to increase the processing dwell time on a target. Simultaneous high and low range resolution is obtained by interleaving a second segmented low resolution PRC into the time gaps between a first segmented high resolution PRC.

Abstract: Overlapping range rings from a pair of non-scanning radar or sonar transducers creates a grid structure within a surveillance area defined by their overlapping beam widths. Using PN coded transmission signals and doppler signal processing, intruder targets are detected, located, and tracked as they move throughout the grid structure. Intruders are identified by comparing their movement pattern to those of known intruders. Three dimensional surveillance areas can be monitored using three or more transducer sites.

Abstract: Hollow eyeglass frames are combined with a wearable distributed air pump to form a portable positive pressure powered air purifying delivery system for inconspicuously supplying respirable air to the nostrils of an individual. Ambient air is pressurized by combining the outputs of a plurality of piston compression tubes arranged and connected to form a thin flexible pump that can be worn around the waist. This pressurized air is passed through filter and conditioning modules to form respirable air, which is then piped to air inlet ports on the hollow frame eyeglass temples using small diameter tubing. Nose tubes on the hollow eyeglass frames near the nose inconspicuously direct the respirable air into the nostrils at a rate that exceeds the peak inhalation rate of the individual, thereby preventing the inhalation of unfiltered air.

Abstract: A cable phase identification system and method identifies the phase of a power cable at a remote location in a three-phase power distribution network. The instantaneous phase at a known phase location is measured and saved each GPS second using the 1 pps time mark of a GPS receiver. The instantaneous phase at an unknown phase location is measured at a single GPS second using the 1 pps time mark of its GPS receiver and compared to the phase measurement taken at the known phase location at the same GPS second. The differential phase between these simultaneously taken known and unknown cable instantaneous phase measurements will be close to either 0, +120, or −120 degrees, thus identifying the cable phase at the unknown phase location.

Abstract: Overlapping range rings from a pair of non-scanning radar or sonar transducers creates a grid structure within a surveillance area defined by their overlapping beam widths. Using PN coded transmission signals and doppler signal processing, intruder targets are detected, located, and tracked as they move throughout the gird structure. Intruders are identified by comparing their movement pattern to those of known intruders. Three dimensional surveillance areas can be monitored using 3 or more transducer sites.

Abstract: A cable phase identification system and method identifies the phase of a power cable at a remote location in a three-phase power distribution network. The instantaneous phase at a known phase location is measured and saved each GPS second using the 1 pps time mark of a GPS receiver. The instantaneous phase at an unknown phase location is measured at a single GPS second using the 1 pps time mark of its GPS receiver and compared to the phase measurement taken at the known phase location at the same GPS second. The differential phase between these simultaneously taken known and unknown cable instantaneous phase measurements will be close to either 0, +120, or −120 degrees, thus identifying the cable phase at the unknown phase location.

Abstract: Tire pressure sensors are combined with an ABS to obtain a very low cost direct TPMS. A direct tire pressure sensor unit is mounted in each wheel and the existing ABS wheel sensor units are modified to receive transmission signals from the direct pressure sensors. The existing ABS wheel sensor vehicle wiring is used to couple the received signals to the existing central ABS computer. The central ABS computer software is modified to process these received signals and calculate tire pressure information. This information is displayed using a TPMS display symbol.

Abstract: Hollow eyeglass frames are combined with a wearable distributed air pump to form a portable positive pressure powered air purifying delivery system for inconspicuously supplying respirable air to the nostrils of an individual. Ambient air is pressurized by combining the outputs of a plurality of piston compression tubes arranged and connected to form a thin flexible pump that can be worn around the waist. This pressurized air is passed through filter and conditioning modules to form respirable air, which is then piped to air inlet ports on the hollow frame eyeglass temples using small diameter tubing. Nose tubes on the hollow eyeglass frames near the nose inconspicuously direct the respirable air into the nostrils at a rate that exceeds the peak inhalation rate of the individual, thereby preventing the inhalation of unfiltered air.