Abstract: A multiport antenna in which the antenna conductive elements are arranged to form an at least partially enclosed volume which can accommodate an enclosure containing one or more electronic components, or optical components, or optoelectronic components, or a combination of these. The enclosure may also be provided with a conductive transparent window which permits optical components to receive and/or send optical information.

Abstract: A multi-port antenna and associated systems having extremely wide bandwidth and capable of maintaining directivity as frequency decreases and is made arbitrarily low, allowing DF systems to operate to arbitrarily low frequency regardless of size. Construction may be rugged, lightweight, and low cost, allowing reliable service in harsh environments. The systems allow utilization of both the E and H fields occupying a common area of space. The disclosed DF system takes advantage of knowledge of the as-installed array manifold, uses pattern matching to determine the angle of arrival (AoA) of incoming waves, and enhances sensitivity by using integration on cross-correlation products between the multiple ports to achieve SNR improvement.

Abstract: A tethered aircraft is provided in which the conductive tether is broken into two or more sections and where at least one section is an RF-isolating section that acts to reduce or control RF current flow on the tether. Reducing the RF current flow reduces the interaction of the tether with incoming RF waves. This allows reduced radar cross-section and reduced reflections that inhibit the performance of RF payloads, such as direction finding. The RF-isolating sections also allow RF currents to be controlled, such as forcing current to flow in a desired location to form an antenna built into the tether. The disclosure identifies 4 different RF-isolating sections to allow optimization for weight and frequency band coverage. The application of using sectioned tethers, as disclosed here, is useful not only for tethers that convey power, but also for tethers that serve other purposes, such as conveying information and signals.

Abstract: An RF emitter sensing device is provided comprising an antenna circuit and an estimator configured to output, for one or more incoming signals-of-interest (SoI), either or both of an estimated range to the emitter of each SoI, and estimates for one or more angles corresponding to the 3D angle-of-arrival (AoA) of each SoI, wherein: the antenna circuit has a plurality of ports that each output an output signal containing the one or more SoI, the antenna circuit including one or more multi-port antennas, each multi-port antenna having two or more ports, each multi-port antenna being configured to pick up a combination of one or more E-field signals and one or more H-field signals from each SoI, in a common volume of space.

Abstract: A non-linear radar is disclosed that is able to detect non-linear target responses that are below the harmonic-noise floor of the radar. To accomplish this below-the-noise-floor sensitivity feature the proposal specifically addresses all of the problems commonly faced by non-linear radar such as linearity of the transmitter path, receiver path, and size, weight, and power, and cost (SWaP-C). The radar operates in both standard and nonlinear modes with signal processing that allows display of nonlinear alone, linear alone, or both types of backscatter. Different combinations of six methodologies allow customization to fit different application needs, from low-cost modest performance, to higher cost and extremely high performance.

Abstract: An RF emitter sensing device is provided comprising an antenna circuit and an estimator configured to output, for one or more incoming signals-of-interest (SoI), either or both of an estimated range to the emitter of each SoI, and estimates for one or more angles corresponding to the 3D angle-of-arrival (AoA) of each SoI, wherein: the antenna circuit has a plurality of ports that each output an output signal containing the one or more SoI, the antenna circuit including one or more multi-port antennas, each multi-port antenna having two or more ports, each multi-port antenna being configured to pick up a combination of one or more E-field signals and one or more H-field signals from each SoI, in a common volume of space.

Abstract: An RF emitter sensing device is provided comprising an antenna circuit and an estimator configured to output, for one or more incoming signals-of-interest (SoI), either or both of an estimated range to the emitter of each SoI, and estimates for one or more angles corresponding to the 3D angle-of-arrival (AoA) of each SoI, wherein: the antenna circuit has a plurality of ports that each output an output signal containing the one or more SoI, the antenna circuit including one or more multi-port antennas, each multi-port antenna having two or more ports, each multi-port antenna being configured to pick up a combination of one or more E-field signals and one or more H-field signals from each SoI, in a common volume of space.

Abstract: An RF emitter sensing device is provided comprising an antenna circuit and an estimator configured to output, for one or more incoming signals-of-interest (SoI), either or both of an estimated range to the emitter of each SoI, and estimates for one or more angles corresponding to the 3D angle-of-arrival (AoA) of each SoI, wherein: the antenna circuit has a plurality of ports that each output an output signal containing the one or more SoI, the antenna circuit including one or more multi-port antennas, each multi-port antenna having two or more ports, each multi-port antenna being configured to pick up a combination of one or more E-field signals and one or more H-field signals from each SoI, in a common volume of space.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transmission system is provided, comprising: M chirp generators, each operating at a first frequency, each of the M chirp generators being configured to generate an ith digital chirp portion comprising (1/M)th of a digital chirp signal having a set ramp rate; a parallel-in serial-out register configured to receive the M digital chip portions in parallel at the first frequency, and configured to output the M digital chip portions in series as the digital chirp signal at a second frequency; and a digital-to-analog converter operating at the second frequency and configured to convert the digital chirp signal into an analog chirp signal, wherein i is an index that goes from 1 to M, and wherein the second frequency is M times the first frequency.

Abstract: A non-linear radar is disclosed that is able to detect non-linear target responses that are below the harmonic-noise floor of the radar. To accomplish this below-the-noise-floor sensitivity feature the proposal specifically addresses all of the problems commonly faced by non-linear radar such as linearity of the transmitter path, receiver path, and size, weight, and power, and cost (SWaP-C). The radar operates in both standard and nonlinear modes with signal processing that allows display of nonlinear alone, linear alone, or both types of backscatter. Different combinations of six methodologies allow customization to fit different application needs, from low-cost modest performance, to higher cost and extremely high performance.

Abstract: A data communication method is provided, comprising: processing high-speed digital data for communication to produce processed data; generating short impulse wavelets; constructing a digitally modulated ultra wideband signal from the short impulse wavelets in response to bits of the processed data, wherein the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal comprises a series of the short impulse wavelets, and the value of each bit of the processed data is digitally modulated onto the shape of at least one of the short impulse wavelets of the series, to produce a series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets; and transmitting the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal, including the series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets, via an antenna.

Abstract: A transceiver is provided, comprising: a programmable waveform generator configured to generate a base signal, the programmable waveform generator including a controllable waveform generator configured to generate an initial bandwidth signal having an initial frequency bandwidth; a multiple tone generator configured to generate a plurality of tone signals, each tone signal having a different frequency; one or more bandwidth multiplying circuits; and a control circuit a controller configured to control the operation of the controllable waveform generator, the tone generator and the one or more bandwidth multiplying circuits; a transmit port configured to output the base signal; a receive port configured to accept a received signal; a 90-degree splitter configured to receive the base signal and to generate a first split signal at a 0-degree output and a second split signal at a 90-degree output, the first and second split signals being separated by 90 degrees in phase; a first-mixer configured to mix the receiv

Abstract: A method to produce low sidelobe and high resolution spectral analysis on short data records allowing higher resolution and more dynamic range on systems including radar (SAR, GMTI, MTI), sonar, electro-cardiograms, sonograms, MRI, CAT scan, seismic, and allowing real-time analysis on dynamic systems that must operate on short data records such as engine or machine controls and failure analysis.

Abstract: A method is provided for enabling a device function at a local device based on distance information, comprising: establishing a communication link with a remote device over a UWB medium using a multiple access protocol; determining a distance between the local device and the remote device; and controlling a device function for the remote device based on the determined distance, wherein the operation of controlling the device function enables the device function when the determined distance is below a set distance threshold, and wherein the operation of controlling the device function disables the device function when the determined distance is above the set distance threshold.

Abstract: A programmable waveform generator, comprising: a controllable waveform generator configured to generate an initial bandwidth signal having an initial frequency bandwidth; a tone generator configured to generate a plurality of tone signals, each tone signal having a different frequency; a first bandwidth-multiplying circuit, including a first mixer having a first input port configured to receive the low-bandwidth signal; a first switch configured to choose one of the plurality of tone signals or a phase shifted version of one of the plurality of tone signals and output the chosen signal as a first chosen tone; a controller configured to control the operation of the bandwidth multiplying block, wherein the first mixer is further configured to receive the first chosen tone at a second input port, wherein the first mixer is further configured to mix the initial bandwidth signal and the first chosen tone to generate a first bandwidth signal at an output port, the first bandwidth signal having a first frequency ban

Abstract: A data communication method is provided, comprising: processing high-speed digital data for communication to produce processed data; generating short impulse wavelets; constructing a digitally modulated ultra wideband signal from the short impulse wavelets in response to bits of the processed data, wherein the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal comprises a series of the short impulse wavelets, and the value of each bit of the processed data is digitally modulated onto the shape of at least one of the short impulse wavelets of the series, to produce a series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets; and transmitting the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal, including the series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets, via an antenna.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transmission system is provided, comprising: M chirp generators, each operating at a first frequency, each of the M chirp generators being configured to generate an ith digital chirp portion comprising (1/M)th of a digital chirp signal having a set ramp rate; a parallel-in serial-out register configured to receive the M digital chip portions in parallel at the first frequency, and configured to output the M digital chip portions in series as the digital chirp signal at a second frequency; and a digital-to-analog converter operating at the second frequency and configured to convert the digital chirp signal into an analog chirp signal, wherein i is an index that goes from 1 to M, and wherein the second frequency is M times the first frequency.

Abstract: A data communication method is provided, comprising: processing high-speed digital data for communication to produce processed data; generating short impulse wavelets; constructing a digitally modulated ultra wideband signal from the short impulse wavelets in response to bits of the processed data, wherein the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal comprises a series of the short impulse wavelets, and the value of each bit of the processed data is digitally modulated onto the shape of at least one of the short impulse wavelets of the series, to produce a series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets; and transmitting the digitally modulated ultra wideband signal, including the series of digitally shape modulated impulse wavelets, via an antenna.

Abstract: A programmable waveform generator, comprising: a controllable waveform generator configured to generate an initial bandwidth signal having an initial frequency bandwidth; a tone generator configured to generate a plurality of tone signals, each tone signal having a different frequency; a first bandwidth-multiplying circuit, including a first mixer having a first input port configured to receive the low-bandwidth signal; a first switch configured to choose one of the plurality of tone signals or a phase shifted version of one of the plurality of tone signals and output the chosen signal as a first chosen tone; a controller configured to control the operation of the bandwidth multiplying block, wherein the first mixer is further configured to receive the first chosen tone at a second input port, wherein the first mixer is further configured to mix the initial bandwidth signal and the first chosen tone to generate a first bandwidth signal at an output port, the first bandwidth signal having a first frequency ban

Abstract: An electrically small antenna is disclosed that is directional, has over an octave bandwidth, is non-dispersive, is inexpensive to mass produce, and allows transmitter and receiver electronic components to be integrated into the antenna.