Abstract: A portable radar system comprising: a base; a mount connected to the base; a radar antenna pivotally attached to the mount; and a linear actuator pivotally connected between a portion of the base and the radar antenna, the linear actuator comprising a base containing an extendable column, which when deployed is substantially cylindrical, having a corrugated outer wall, and which is configured to raise and lower the radar antenna.

Abstract: A portable radar system comprising: a base; a mount connected to the base; a radar antenna pivotally attached to the mount; and a linear actuator pivotally connected between a portion of the base and the radar antenna, the linear actuator comprising a base containing an extendable column, which when deployed is substantially cylindrical, having a corrugated outer wall, and which is configured to raise and lower the radar antenna.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises a compact housing including an extendable corrugated column comprising: a horizontal helical band; a vertical sidewall band having a plurality of hinged segments; and a resilient retaining band; wherein the hinged segmented vertical band includes a first group of segments having tabs defined at longitudinal ends of the first group of segments, the tabs configured to overlap and engage an outer edge of the horizontal helical band, and a second set of segments positioned between adjacent tabbed segments of the first group of segments, the second set of segments configured to define corrugations between adjacent tabbed segments in the first group of segments.

Abstract: A wind-powered machine system includes a base station including a fluid-powered machine for performing work and a crankshaft operatively coupled to the machine. The rotation of the crankshaft drives the machine to perform work. The system further includes a first and a second airfoil operatively coupled to the crankshaft and a system controller configured to selectively alter at least one of the altitude and in-flight orientation of the first and second airfoils. In a first stage, a wind-driven movement of the first airfoil in a first direction away from the base station causes the crankshaft to rotate. The rotation of the crankshaft causes a movement of the second airfoil in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction and toward the base station. In a second stage, a wind-driven movement of the second airfoil in the first direction away from the base station causes the crankshaft to rotate.

Abstract: A system for implementing current sharing between packaged power converter modules is provided. The system includes a respective current monitoring circuit for generating a current signal indicative of the current supplied by each power converter module, and a respective inverter for inverting the current signals. The current signals and the inverted current signals from each module are provided to a differential current share bus. For each module, an error amplifier is provided to supply a remote sense terminal of the module with a control signal indicative of the difference between the current share bus reference level and a respective current signal.

Abstract: An electro-magnetic interference (EMI) filter having a boost mode amplifier integrated therewith is provided. The boost mode amplifier utilizes the filtering inductors of the EMI filter as energy storage devices to control the input voltage supplied to a DC-to-DC power converter. A controller is also provided for selectively activating the boost mode amplifier, maintaining the input voltage provided to the converter within a predetermined operating range.

Abstract: A wind-powered machine system includes a base station including a machine for performing work and a crankshaft operatively coupled to the machine. The rotation of the crankshaft drives the machine to perform work. The system further includes a first and a second airfoil operatively coupled to the crankshaft. In a first stage, a wind-driven movement of the first airfoil in a first direction away from the base station causes the crankshaft to rotate. The rotation of the crankshaft causes a movement of the second airfoil in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction and toward the base station. In a second stage, a wind-driven movement of the second airfoil in the first direction away from the base station causes the crankshaft to rotate. The rotation of the crankshaft causes a movement of the first airfoil in the second direction toward the base station.

Abstract: A buck mode switching power supply under hysteretic control is provided. A fixed frequency pattern generator is operatively connected to the supply and configured to provide dynamic adjustment of the hysteretic threshold voltage level, resulting in the fixed frequency operation of the supply.

Abstract: A method for operating a switching power supply is provided. The method includes generating a half sine wave signal for coupling to a pulse width modulator, detecting the zero crossings of the half sine wave signal, and altering the pulse width of the supply output such that the on and off timing of the pulse width corresponds to a zero crossing of the half sine wave signal.

Abstract: A buck mode power supply monitors the pulse load current for use as a scaled reference for comparison to a measured output current from each stage of the supply. A correction signal is generated for each stage by comparing the reference to the measured output currents. This result is compared to a second reference created from the system clock. A resulting second correction signal is used to alter the threshold reference voltage in a manner that provides proportional pulse width control to the supply output.

Abstract: A voltage to current converter comprising a composite amplifier arrangement having a common-base transistor for providing voltage to current conversion, the input current to common-base transistor is corrected to account for the temperature drift of the transistor and variations in the bias supply voltage.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprising: a conductive housing that contains within an interior of the housing a conductive inner barrel; a low insertion force connector positioned within the inner barrel and having a bore concentrically aligned with a bore of the inner barrel, the housing further comprising: one or more conductive springs disposed circumferentially about the inner barrel and in contact engagement with an interior recessed surface of the inner barrel and the interior of the housing so as to be in electrical contact therewith, wherein the bore of the inner barrel is adapted to receive a conductive pin, the inner barrel being movable both axially and radially via said spring in response to insertion of the conductive pin through the bore and into the low insertion force connector to accommodate off axis orientation of the conductive pin into the connector.

Abstract: A buck mode power supply monitors the pulse load current for use as a scaled reference for comparison to a measured output current from each stage of the supply. A correction signal is generated for each stage by comparing the reference to the measured output currents. This result is compared to a second reference created from the system clock. A resulting second correction signal is used to alter the threshold reference voltage in a manner that provides proportional pulse width control to the supply output.

Abstract: A buck mode switching power supply under hysteretic control is provided. A fixed frequency pattern generator is operatively connected to the supply and configured to provide dynamic adjustment of the hysteretic threshold voltage level, resulting in the fixed frequency operation of the supply.

Abstract: A voltage to current converter comprising a composite amplifier arrangement having a common-base transistor for providing voltage to current conversion, the input current to common-base transistor is corrected to account for the temperature drift of the transistor and variations in the bias supply voltage.

Abstract: A capacitor isolated electronic power converter includes a direct current power source in series with a first inductor; and a first switch for switching contact with a second inductor in series with the power source return; an output load in series with a third inductor which connects to a second switch for switching contact to a fourth inductor in series with the output load return; the third inductor and second switch for switching connect through a first capacitive coupling to the second inductor; and the fourth inductor and second switch for switching connect through a second capacitive coupling to the first inductor; wherein the first and second capacitive coupling isolate the power source from the output load.

Abstract: A radar apparatus including: a radar antenna array; and, a sensor for detecting a relative distortion of at least one portion of the radar antenna relative to at least one other portion of the radar antenna array.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprising: a conductive housing that contains within an interior of the housing a conductive inner barrel; a low insertion force connector positioned within the inner barrel and having a bore concentrically aligned with a bore of the inner barrel, the housing further comprising: one or more conductive springs disposed circumferentially about the inner barrel and in contact engagement with an interior recessed surface of the inner barrel and the interior of the housing so as to be in electrical contact therewith, wherein the bore of the inner barrel is adapted to receive a conductive pin, the inner barrel being movable both axially and radially via said spring in response to insertion of the conductive pin through the bore and into the low insertion force connector to accommodate off axis orientation of the conductive pin into the connector.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an arrangement wherein an inductor current is monitored and its level operates a converter switch so that the inductor current ramps up and down between two limits. The midpoint of these two limits is the average output current supplied to a pulsed load. When a pulse is first detected, the converter activates and remains in one state until the output current has ramped up to the pulsed load requirement at which time the switch changes state. The current then ramps down as the average current discharges into the load. When the output current drops to a specified minimum, the voltage supply is turned on providing for a self oscillating regulated switch. The controller responds to changes in the output current within one switching cycle so as to keep up with the transient edges of the pulsed load.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a switching regulator having two inductors that discharge stored energy during the switching operation to an output capacitor, which integrates the pulses and supplies an average voltage plus ripple to a load. The two inductors are each connected to one of a pair of equivalent inductors to form a common mode filter having magnetically interacting windings that introduce negligible inductance in series with a differential mode of current flow, in which the current in the winding of one of the pair of inductors opposes the current in the winding of the other pair of inductors during exposure to a common mode signal resulting in a cancellation of ripple current flow reaching the load.