Abstract: An anti-polish ring for an internal combustion engine is provided. The anti-polish ring includes an axially extending ring portion that is configured to scrape a top portion of a piston in a cylinder liner. The anti-polish ring is configured to accommodate passage of an intake or exhaust valve thereby. The anti-polish ring may include an alignment feature so that the anti-polish ring is inserted in a predetermined orientation in the cylinder. The anti-polish ring may include a heat shield and/or a seating member.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a wavelength-tunable light source configured to emit pulses of light, each emitted pulse of light having a particular wavelength of multiple different wavelengths. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard of the lidar system. The scanner includes (i) a beam deflector configured to angularly deflect each emitted pulse of light along a first scan axis according to the particular wavelength of the emitted pulse of light and (ii) a scan mirror configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a second scan axis different from the first scan axis. The lidar system further includes a receiver configured to detect a received pulse of light that includes a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system.

Abstract: A communication system and method for joining a first cell in a network is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of nodes with one node configured as a base station and one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes configured as user equipment. Aliased resource allocation messages are used to send scheduling information to the user equipment, for which proper aliases must be determined. To ensure that proper aliasing is utilized, the base station and user equipment determine that the alias is unique. The base station may also recommend an alias with a smaller bit size. The communication system may also include a second cell that shares user equipment with the first cell, with each shared user equipment having a cell-specific alias.

Abstract: A communications node of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) or like multi-node network may receive a preamble and/or header portion associated with a resource allocation message (e.g., as opposed to the full message) transmitted by another network node in motion relative to the receiving node. The receiving node determines a receiver-side Doppler nulling direction (e.g., for offsetting Doppler shift associated with the motion of the transmitting node relative to the receiving node) by adjusting a receiving frequency of the preamble and/or header portion through one or more nulling frequencies, each nulling frequency associated with a nulling direction for offsetting Doppler shift due to relative motion in that direction. Based on the determination of a receiver-side Doppler nulling frequency, the receiving node can determine a velocity and direction of the relative motion between the receiving and transmitting nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for managing node status in a MANET includes each node identifying node status data and clusterhead priority value data in data packets. Clusterhead priority values define which node dominates in the event of a clusterhead collision. Clusterhead priority values prevent clusterhead switching based solely on first to declare. Each node may define a specific set of redundancy factors when determining if the node should be characterized as a gateway node. The specific set of redundancy factors is based on node capabilities to promote stability in gateway selection.

Abstract: A processor determines, from signals received from other communication devices, one selected transmission mode for the communication channel conditions. The processor projects multiple channel characterization parameters in a mathematical model to each of the candidate transmission modes using a model of nominal communication channel conditions to predict whether each of the candidate transmission modes will achieve the desired communication under the nominal communication channel conditions. This results in the generation of a first subset of transmission modes. The processor also projects the multiple channel characterization parameters to each of the candidate transmission modes using a model of degraded communication channel conditions to predict whether each of the candidate transmission modes will achieve the desired communication under the degraded communication channel conditions.

Abstract: A radio is disclosed. The radio system includes radio system nodes that are configured with a transceiver to transmit and receive information over more than one frequency. Each radio system node also includes a processor, the processor being any of a variety of processing elements, including but not limited to general purpose processors, coders, decoders, and the like. The processor is configured to gather a block of information and configured to format the block of information into a plurality of sub blocks. Each sub block of information includes message synchronization information. The sub blocks are dispersed in time and over the more than one frequency and substantially simultaneous transmission and reception of multiple transmissions in the same frequency band is enabled.

Abstract: A process for use in conjunction with a communications network routing protocol that automatically adjusts for congestion that may occur due to the presence of advantaged and partially disadvantaged nodes. The network nodes check to determine if they are advantaged or partially disadvantaged. Advantaged nodes may, for example, be airborne or satellite nodes having a high degree of network connectivity. Partially disadvantaged nodes may comprise nodes that are low on power. Advantaged nodes and partially disadvantaged nodes adjust the network metrics entered into the routing tables they use to advertise their routing information over the network to show longer pathways through such nodes. As a result the other nodes in the network reduce the amount of network traffic routed through advantaged and disadvantaged nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling channel access in a communications system is disclosed. The method and system include providing a data packet to communications queue and determining the priority of the data packet. The method and system also generate a channel occupancy statistic. The channel occupancy statistic is based on the level of activity on a communications channel during a predetermined period. The method and system also compare the channel occupancy statistic to a predetermined threshold. The threshold is based on the priority.

Abstract: A method of obtaining coarse synchronization in a frequency hopped/direct sequence spread spectrum (FH/DSS) time division multiple access (TDMA) data link network includes tuning the receiver to a first frequency used in the data link network. Then, signal strength of signals received on the first frequency during a sample time period is observed to obtain a sample energy pattern. An expected energy pattern during a time uncertainty window is determined based upon a known hopping pattern. Then, the sample energy pattern is compared to a first portion of the expected energy pattern, with the first portion of the expected energy pattern corresponding to a first time period within the time uncertainty window. A determination is then made as to whether the first time period is a coarse synchronization candidate based upon the comparison. If it is determined that the time period is a coarse synchronization candidate, one or more additional comparisons on different frequencies can be used to verify the hypothesis.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting a file stream using quality of service capable links. The system has a network capable of supporting quality of service negotiations and an embedded component capable of negotiating different quality of service levels for a plurality of file streams according to importance of bits to be transmitted. To transmit the compressed data, the embedded component identifies important bits and less important bits in the file stream, negotiates quality of service parameters for a plurality of file streams, divides the important bits and less important bits into different file streams having different quality of service levels, and transmits the streams. On the receiving end, the received streams are synchronized and combined into a single stream for the application to display. The error correction and detection coding is performed by physical layers of the network, not the application or embedded component, thereby improving efficiency.

Abstract: A radio is disclosed. The radio system includes radio system nodes that are configured with a transceiver to transmit and receive information over more than one frequency. Each radio system node also includes a processor, the processor being any of a variety of processing elements, including but not limited to general purpose processors, coders, decoders, and the like. The processor is configured to gather a block of information and configured to format the block of information into a plurality of sub blocks. Each sub block of information includes message synchronization information. The sub blocks are dispersed in time and over the more than one frequency and substantially simultaneous transmission and reception of multiple transmissions in the same frequency band is enabled.

Abstract: A method for increasing the accuracy of ranging measurements between data link systems is described. The method, actively aided ranging, increases ranging measurement accuracy by decreasing the dependence of the measurement on the relative clock bias between data links. The method is immune from error due to time bias between a position interrogator and a responder.