Abstract: A system for controlling an aerospace vehicle by exploiting the dihedral effect to control bank angle of the vehicle by modulating sideslip. The control system includes a closed feedback loop comprising an outer loop for producing a sideslip angle command to induce a roll moment through the dihedral effect to satisfy a bank angle command, and an inner loop for taking the sideslip angle command, and possibly an angle of attack command to produce control input for flightpath hardware controls. Flightpath control hardware include pairs of flaps arranged longitudinally along the leading and trailing edges of an aeroshell of an aerospace entry vehicle to control pitch for changing the angle of attack, and another pair of flaps arranged laterally to control yaw for changing the bank angle via the sideslip angle, and also moving mass along ribs to control pitch and yaw. Thrusters can be fired to induce roll.

Abstract: A semiconductor package with thermal neutron shielding is disclosed. The semiconductor package includes a substrate and an integrated circuit die disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor package also has a thermal neutron shield including a shielding material. The shielding material includes boron-10 and is configured to inhibit a portion of thermal neutrons that encounter the thermal neutron shield from passing through the thermal neutron shield.

Abstract: A semiconductor package with thermal neutron shielding is disclosed. The semiconductor package includes a substrate and an integrated circuit die disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor package also has a thermal neutron shield including a shielding material. The shielding material includes boron-10 and is configured to inhibit a portion of thermal neutrons that encounter the thermal neutron shield from passing through the thermal neutron shield.

Abstract: A method of coding a view in a CAD drawing comprises: identifying a feature of the view; extracting properties of the feature from the CAD drawing, the properties including vector properties associated with a graphic entity or group of entities which make up the feature; generating code bits representative of the extracted properties; adding the code bits to a view code for the view; and storing the view code. A CAD drawing is selected for retrieval from a database of drawings by producing a CAD source drawing having a source view, coding the source view to produce a source code as described above, comparing the source code with stored view codes, calculating a similarity index for each stored view code and selecting the drawing for retrieval from the database on the basis of the similarity index.

Abstract: Valveless piston pumps are disclosed that are magnetically driven, thereby eliminating a troublesome dynamic seal used on conventional valveless piston pumps. An exemplary embodiment includes a housing defining a bore having a bore axis. A piston is situated in the bore so as to be movable in the bore in a reciprocating manner along the bore axis and in a rotational manner about the bore axis. A magnet is situated in the bore and is coupled to the piston. The magnet is engageable magnetically with a magnet-driving device configured to cause the magnet, and thus the piston, to move in the reciprocating manner and in the rotational manner. An exemplary magnet-driving device is a stator assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus performs reliability assessment of electronic hardware. The apparatus includes a test assembly. The test assembly includes at least one programmable logic device (PLD). The PLD is configured to provide a logic function, such as the function of a plurality of inverters coupled in a cascade manner. The apparatus further includes a signal source coupled to the test assembly. The signal source provides a stimulus signal to the test assembly. The apparatus also includes a signal monitor coupled to the test assembly. The signal monitor monitors a response signal generated by the test assembly.

Abstract: A method of adapting a communication link in a network of radio communication nodes is disclosed. The method includes sending by a first node a first radio communication. The method also includes receiving by a second node the first radio communication. Further, the method includes estimating by the second node the dynamics of the communications channel. Further still, the method includes categorizing the dynamics of the communications channel into one of at least two groups, based on the estimate. Yet further still the method includes selecting, based on the chosen group, the use of either closed loop link adaption or open loop adaption of communication link parameters.

Abstract: A method of coding a view in a CAD drawing comprises: identifying a feature of the view; extracting properties of the feature from the CAD drawing, the properties including vector properties associated with a graphic entity or group of entities which make up the feature; generating code bits representative of the extracted properties; adding the code bits to a view code for the view; and storing the view code.

Abstract: A hybrid infrared focal plane array detector employs a detector layer and transparent substrate bonded to a thin semiconductor readout integrated circuit and thicker readout circuit substrate. The readout circuit is rigidly bonded to the readout substrate to form a composite structure having a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially matching that of the detector portion. The hybrid device may be cooled from room temperature to cryogenic operation temperatures without thermal mismatch structural problems.

Abstract: A hybrid infrared focal plane array detector employs a thinned detector layer and substrate directly bonded to a conventional semiconductor readout integrated circuit substrate. The infrared detector layer and transparent substrate is thinned to a thickness of approximately 25-400.mu. to allow the detector to act like a flexible membrane to elastically respond to thermal mismatch due to differing coefficients of thermal expansion between the detector and semiconductor readout circuit as the hybrid device is cooled from manufacturing at room temperature to cryogenic operation temperatures. By thinning the detector substrate to a desired thickness, essentially unlimited hybrid detector sizes may be obtained. Additionally, the detector layer and substrate may be divided into sub-arrays to provide further resistance to stress induced from thermal mismatch.