Abstract: False detection relating to overcurrent is prevented, and it is determined with no dead time whether or not the current of a main element is an overcurrent. By a gate signal indicating conductivity being applied to the gate of a sense element earlier than to a main element when the main element is caused to be conductive, and overshoot caused by a differential circuit of the sense element gate input portion being caused before current flows into the main element, it is possible to prevent false detection relating to overcurrent, and determine with no dead time whether or not the current of the main element is an overcurrent.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (“IGBT”), a clamp element coupled to a control gate of the IGBT to allow current flow in a first direction when voltage is applied to the control gate of the IGBT, and a blocking element coupled to the control gate of the IGBT and to the clamp element. The blocking element allows current flow in a second direction when voltage is removed from the control gate of the IGBT, the second direction is opposite the first direction. A resistive element has a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal is coupled between an anode of the clamping element and an anode of the blocking element and the second terminal is coupled to an output of test circuitry.

Abstract: A method for increasing the reliability of transducers, having a first and a second IC, the two ICs have exactly the same or substantially the same monolithically integrated circuit components, each with a sensor and a signal contact designed for bidirectional data transmission and a reference contact and a supply voltage contact. A signal generated as a function of the physical quantity sensed by the relevant sensor is applied to the signal contact. The signal of the first IC is compared with the signal of the second IC by a monitoring device, and then the result of the comparison is communicated to an enable device, and the signal of the first IC is sent by an enable device to the control unit if both signals lie in a predefined useful band.

Abstract: An automated test platform for testing a first device under test includes N voltage sources for providing N different voltages. A cross matrix switching system is coupled to the N voltage sources, the cross matrix switch being configured to provide the N different voltages to M discrete test points within the first device under test, wherein M is larger than N. An N voltage measuring system is coupled to the first device under test, the N voltage measuring system being configured to measure the voltage potential present on the M discrete test points.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing on-chip parameter measurement is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a number of functional circuit blocks each having one or more sensors for measuring parameters such as voltage and temperature. Each of the functional blocks includes circuitry coupled to receive power from a local supply voltage node. Similarly, the circuitry in each of the sensors is also coupled to receive power from the corresponding local supply voltage node. Each of the sensors may be calibrated to compensate for process, voltage, and temperature variations. Various methods based on characterization of the sensors may be used to perform the calibrations.

Abstract: A method of operating a semiconductor test device includes transferring a first device under test (DUT) from a load tray to a first load shuttle. The first DUT is transferred from the first load shuttle to a first test board and a second DUT is transferred from the load tray to a second load shuttle.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method of testing an integrated circuit. An aspect includes forming a PSRO on the integrated circuit. Another aspect includes a branch of a test signal distribution network, the test signal distribution network comprising a plurality of flushable pipeline latches, the test signal distribution network configured to deliver a test signal simultaneously, via the plurality of flushable pipeline latches, to each of a plurality of local clock buffers associated with components of the integrated circuit at a plurality of signal outputs. Another aspect includes an input multiplexer that outputs an oscillator signal to an input of a branch of the test signal distribution network. Another aspect includes a return path from a signal output of the branch of the test signal distribution network to the input multiplexer. Yet another aspect includes testing the integrated circuit by determining an oscillation frequency of the PSRO.

Abstract: A post-fabrication debug and on-line error checking framework for 2D- and 3D-ICs with integrated memories is described. A design-for-debug (DfD) architecture can include, for an IC with on-chip memory, a debug module connected to a functional bus of the IC. The debug module receives trace data for an interval, generates compact signatures based on the received data, and compares these signatures to expected signatures. Intervals containing erroneous trace data can be identified by the debug module and stored in on-chip memory. A single iteration of signal tracing for debug testing between automated test equipment and the IC is possible.

Abstract: A circuit includes don't-care a code-value calculation circuit to calculate third code-values by coding a signal sequence in accordance with a coding scheme; a first sequence-detection circuit to detect a first sequence based on comparison of a first code-value with a difference between the current third code-value and a fourth code-value that is the third code-value preceding the current third code-value by a length of the first sequence; an expected-value calculation circuit to calculate an expected value of the third code-value at the end of the third sequence based on a second code-value and a fifth code-value that is one of the third code-values; and a determination circuit to detect the end of the second sequence based on a length of a fourth sequence, notify an expected-value calculation circuit of the detection of the second sequence, and output a detection signal indicating detection of a detection-target sequence.

Abstract: Various aspects of the disclose techniques relate to techniques of testing interconnects in stacked designs. A single-pulse signal, generated by a first circuit state element on a first die, is applied to a first end of an interconnect and captured at a second end of the interconnect using a clock port of a second circuit state element on a second die. A faulty interconnect may cause the single-pulse signal too distorted to reach the threshold voltage of the second circuit element.

Abstract: This disclosure describes die test architectures that can be implemented in a first, middle and last die of a die stack. The die test architectures are mainly the same, but for the exceptions mentioned in this disclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems for performing timing-aware automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) that can be used, for example, to improve the quality of a test set generated for detecting delay defects or holding time defects. In certain embodiments, timing information derived from various sources (e.g. from Standard Delay Format (SDF) files) is integrated into an ATPG tool. The timing information can be used to guide the test generator to detect the faults through certain paths (e.g., paths having a selected length, or range of lengths, such as the longest or shortest paths). To avoid propagating the faults through similar paths repeatedly, a weighted random method can be used to improve the path coverage during test generation. Experimental results show that significant test quality improvement can be achieved when applying embodiments of timing-aware ATPG to industrial designs.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to scan-based test architecture for interconnects in stacked designs. The disclosed scan-based test architecture comprises a scan chain. Scan cells on the scan chain are configured to receive data from, based on bits of a control signal, outputs of neighboring scan cells or outputs of mixing devices that combine data from through-silicon vias with data from the outputs of the neighboring scan cells. The scan-based test architecture can be used to identify single or multiple defective through-silicon vias.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a testing system for a satellite payload includes a built-in testing component configured at a satellite, the built-in testing component comprising a built-in testing component input and a built-in testing component output, and a payload component configured at the satellite, the payload component comprising a payload component input communicatively connected to the built-in testing component output and a payload component output communicatively connected to the built-in testing component input, wherein the built-in testing component is configured to transmit a digital test signal from the built-in testing component output to the payload component input and receive a digital output signal at the built-in testing component input from the payload component output.

Abstract: A method of testing a fuse in apparatus for monitoring electrical insulation surrounding first and second electrical conductors in a cable, the fuse being connected to the conductors, comprises: applying an electrical signal, with respect to a reference, to the fuse from a source; obtaining a value for the resistance of the insulation with respect to the reference; determining if the resistance value is greater than a fuse test resistance threshold and, if it is, causing the application of the signal to cease; and monitoring the decay of the signal to determine if the time for it to decay below a set value exceeds a set time limit, indicative of the fuse being satisfactory, or is less than the limit indicative of the fuse being blown.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter apparatus for plug-in connection to a panel board. The circuit interrupter apparatus includes a line terminal for plug-in connection with a line power member provided as part of the panel board, a load terminal for plug-in connection with a load power member provided as part of the panel board, a moveable contact moveable between a closed position, where the line terminal is electrically coupled to the load terminal, and an open position, where the line terminal is not electrically coupled to the load terminal. The circuit interrupter apparatus also includes a sensor module for a plug-in connection to a number of signal conductors provided as part of the panel board. The sensor module detects whether the moveable contact is in the closed position or the open position and output a signal to at least one of the signal conductors indicating a current position of the moveable contact.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a SOC of a secondary battery containing a blended cathode material. The SOC estimating apparatus estimates a SOC of a secondary battery including a cathode having a blended cathode material containing a first cathode material and a second cathode material with different operating voltage ranges, an anode having an anode material, and a separator for separating the cathode from the anode, and the apparatus includes a sensor configured to measure a discharge inception voltage and a final discharge voltage when the secondary battery is discharged for a predetermined time, and a control unit configured to estimate SOC of the secondary battery corresponding to the measured discharge inception voltage and the measured final discharge voltage by using a predetermined relationship between the discharge inception voltage and the final discharge voltage and the SOC of the secondary battery.

Abstract: A battery state estimating device being one aspect of the present invention detects a current and a terminal voltage of a secondary battery, estimates a terminal voltage of the secondary battery which is based on a predetermined battery model by using measured values I(k) and V(k) respectively of the detected current and the detected terminal voltage, and sequentially identifies a parameter ?^(k) of the battery model in such a way that the difference between a value based on the measured value of the terminal voltage and an estimate value of the terminal voltage converges to zero. Then, when a certain parameter ?n in the identified parameter is equal to or larger than a predetermined first threshold ?1, the battery state estimating device performs upper limit processing of setting the value of the certain parameter ?n to the first threshold ?1.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of a secondary battery. The apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a sensor means configured to measure a plurality of current-voltage data while a charging current decreases when a secondary battery is charged in such a pattern that the charging current increases to a peak value and then decreases, and a control means configured to receive an input of the plurality of current-voltage data from the sensor means, calculate a linear approximation equation representing a correlation between a current and a voltage from the plurality of current-voltage data, estimate an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of the secondary battery by reflecting a polarization voltage of the secondary battery quantified through a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit on a Y intercept of the linear approximation equation, and estimate a state of charge (SOC) of the secondary battery from the estimated OCV.

Abstract: A battery sensor data transmission unit is described as including a connection state ascertainment unit for ascertaining a series connection state in which a battery cell is connected in series to one other battery cell with the aid of a power transmission line and/or for determining a bypassing state in which at least one pole of the battery cell is decoupled from at least one other battery cell. Furthermore, the battery sensor data transmission unit includes a data transmission unit designed for outputting a sensor signal, which represents a physical variable in or at the battery cell, in the series connection state to an evaluation device using the power transmission line and/or outputting the sensor signal in the bypassing state to the evaluation device using a battery housing wall as the transmission medium.

Abstract: A circuit that measures isolation resistance in a battery pack that is associated with a load includes four resistors. Two resistors are connected between terminals of the battery pack and another two resistors are connected in the load in parallel to the resistors in the battery pack. A controller operates two contactors to disconnect the battery from the load and measure first and second voltages in the battery pack and one of the two resistors. The controller operates the two contactors to connect the battery to the load and measures third and fourth voltages in the battery pack and one of the two resistors. The controller identifies the isolation resistance with reference to resistance values of the four resistors and the first, second, third, and fourth measured voltages.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for reducing errors in sensor devices and systems. In embodiments, the sensor devices comprise magnetic field sensor devices, such as ordinary or vertical Hall sensor devices, and the error to be reduced is a residual offset error, though in other embodiments other sensor devices can be used and/or other types of errors can be targeted for reduction or elimination. In one embodiment, at least two such sensor devices not electrically coupled with one another are sequentially operated in a spinning current-type mode such that an individual output signal from each of the at least two sensor devices is obtained. A total output signal can then be calculated, such as by averaging or otherwise combining the individual output signals from each sensor device.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes in-plane sense elements located in a plane of the magnetic field sensor and configured to detect a magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the plane. A current carrying structure is positioned proximate the magnetic field sensor and includes at least one coil surrounding the in-plane sense elements. An electric current is applied to the coil to create a self-test magnetic field to be sensed by the sense elements. The coil may be vertically displaced from the plane in which the sense elements are located and laterally displaced from an area occupied by the sense elements to produce both Z-axis magnetic field components and lateral magnetic field components of the self-test magnetic field. The sense elements are arranged within the coil and interconnected to cancel the lateral magnetic field components, while retaining the Z-axis magnetic field components to be used for self-test of the magnetic field sensor.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor drive circuit that measures a magnetic field by passing a feedback current, which cancels changes in magnetic flux density using measured magnetic field, through a prescribed coil. The drive circuit includes: a first circuit block which controls the feedback current by using an external power source as a power source; a second circuit block which has an output adjustment circuit adjusting a signal according to the strength of the feedback current to be a signal proportional to the voltage of the power source; a first power source line which supplies the external power source to the first circuit block; a second power source line which supplies the external power source to the second circuit block in parallel to the first power source line; a first low pass filter; and a second low pass filter.

Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide a system comprising an external magnetic field generator, wherein the external field magnetic field generator is configured to rock an effective annealing magnetic field between a first positive angle and a second negative angle compared to a desired pinning field orientation in an AFM/PL structure.

Abstract: Electronic circuits used in magnetic field sensors use transistors for passing a current through the transistors and also through a magnetoresistance element.

Abstract: A device includes a diamond assembly. The diamond assembly includes a diamond with a plurality of nitrogen vacancy centers and electrical components that emit electromagnetic waves. The device also includes a light source configured to emit light toward the diamond and a photo detector configured to detect light from the light source that traveled through the diamond. The device further includes an attenuator between the diamond assembly and the photo detector. The attenuator is configured to attenuate the electromagnetic waves emitted from the electrical components of the diamond assembly.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a channel layer, a magnetization free layer placed on a first section of the channel layer, and a magnetization-fixed layer placed on a second section of the channel layer. The areal resistance of the interface between the channel layer and the magnetization free layer is lower than the areal resistance of the interface between the channel layer and the magnetization-fixed layer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes circuits including a first circuit and a second circuit, each circuit including subarrays of magnetic tunnel junctions, where: (1) the magnetic tunnel junctions in each subarray are arranged in rows, the magnetic tunnel junctions in each row are connected in series, and the rows are connected in parallel; and (2) the subarrays are connected in series. The apparatus further comprises a field line configured to generate a first magnetic field for configuring an operating point of the first circuit based on a current flow through the field line, where the impedance of a subset of the plurality of rows in each subarray of magnetic tunnel junctions included in the first circuit is configured based on the first magnetic field.

Abstract: A magnetic field measurement apparatus includes an irradiation portion, a gas cell, a measurement unit (polarization separation unit, light receiving portion, signal processing circuit), and a magnetic shield. The magnetic shield is formed in a elongated hollow shape having openings at both sides thereof. The gas cell, in which gaseous atoms are sealed, is disposed in a hollow area of the magnetic shield. The irradiation portion irradiates irradiation light including linearly polarized light adjusted so that the vibration direction of an electric field coincides with the axis direction of the magnetic shield onto the gaseous atoms sealed in the gas cell along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the magnetic shield. The measurement unit measures a rotational angle of a polarization plane of the irradiation light that has been irradiated by the irradiation portion and passed through the gaseous atoms.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a coil array for parallel magnetic resonance imaging data acquisition, comprising: a plurality of coil elements, wherein each of the coil elements is formed by a loop of wire, wherein the plurality of coil elements are arranged such that the coil elements are covering the imaged sample and uniformly distributed over a plane comprising the encoding directions not in parallel with the frequency encoding directions, which are the directions of the static magnetic field variation generated by a plurality of gradient coils of a magnetic resonance imaging system during magnetic resonance data sampling.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) coil assembly for use in magnetic resonance includes a radio frequency coil (42, 100) and an electronic switch (28) which switches between open and closed states to detune and tune the coil to a preselected resonance frequency. Each electronic switch includes at least one field effect transistor (FET) (70) and a bias network (72).

Abstract: Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effects are enhanced by forming, for each of a plurality of magnetization transfer (MT) offset frequencies within a specified first range, a respective image representing CEST effects. A subset of the formed CEST images is displayed and a preferred or optimum one is selected from a display screen. The thus identified target frequency is then used to generate a composite enhanced CEST image based upon a combination of formed CEST images having MT frequencies within a specified second, smaller range, around the identified target frequency.

Abstract: A process for generating enhanced resolution images of fibrous tissue within a portion of a body being sampled, including accessing source data representing a distribution of the tissue orientations for a plurality of discrete sample imaging elements defined within the portion based on a first imaging resolution; generating, based on the source data, streamline data representing a plurality of fiber tracks, each representing an estimated path of fibers in the tissue within the portion; generating an output matrix for a plurality of discrete output imaging elements within the portion based on a second imaging resolution that provides higher imaging resolution than the first imaging resolution; generating, for each output imaging element, image data including intensity data based on a number of fiber tracks at a location corresponding to the output imaging element; and generating display data for a device to display an enhanced image generated based on the image data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image of a tissue are provided. A method includes acquiring MR raw data. The MR raw data corresponds to MR signals obtained at undersampled q-space locations for a plurality of q-space locations that is less than an entirety of the q-space locations and the MR signals at the q-space locations represent the three dimensional displacement distribution of the spins in the imaging voxel. The method also includes performing a joint image reconstruction technique on the MR raw data to exploit structural correlations in the MR signals to obtain a series of accelerated MR images and performing, for each image pixel in each accelerated MR image of the series of accelerated MR images, a compressed sensing reconstruction technique to exploit q-space signal sparsity to identify a plurality of diffusion maps.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to obtain bright signal while having acceptable specific absorption rate (SAR) and acceptable scan time in Fast Advanced Spin Echo (FASE) or Single-shot Fast Spin Echo (SS-FSE) imaging used, for example, in non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (NC-MRA) techniques like fresh blood imaging (FBI). Within RF pulse sequences used to acquire echo data, the TR intervals are varied in the slice encode direction. In some instances, the refocusing pulse flip angles too may be varied for RF pulse sequences such that central k-space have larger refocusing pulse flip angles than slices further towards the ends.

Abstract: This present invention relates to an MRI scanning assembly and a method for fusing MRI images of a target thereby generating and providing high resolution, high contrast fused MRI images. The MRI images of the target are generated by different MRI devices operating at different magnetic field intensities. A method is also described for fusing MRI images generated by an MRI device operating with different operational parameters and operational protocols.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic assembly including a main magnet and a gradient coil unit and forming a static magnetic field and a gradient magnetic field in the bore thereof, and a gradient controller applying a test gradient waveform to the magnetic assembly, and compensating for a distortion of the magnetic field gradients, caused by eddy currents, by reflecting the actual shape of the applied test gradient waveform.

Abstract: A solid state electronic spin system contains electronic spins disposed within a solid state lattice and coupled to an electronic spin bath and a nuclear spin bath, where the electronic spin bath composed of electronic spin impurities and the nuclear spin bath composed of nuclear spin impurities. The concentration of nuclear spin impurities in the nuclear spin bath is controlled to a value chosen so as to allow the nuclear spin impurities to effect a suppression of spin fluctuations and spin decoherence caused by the electronic spin bath. Sensing devices such as magnetic field detectors can exploit such a spin bath suppression effect, by applying optical radiation to the electronic spins for initialization and readout, and applying RF pulses to dynamically decouple the electronic spins from the electronic spin bath and the nuclear spin bath.

Abstract: An acoustic processing device includes: a sound pickup unit configured to record an acoustic signal; a motion detection unit configured to detect the motion of the device; a self-localization unit configured to estimate the position of the device based on the acoustic signal and the motion; and a use determination unit configured to determine whether or not to use the acoustic signal in a sound source localization unit detecting the position of a target sound source to be detected based on the intensity of a reference signal incoming from a reference sound source determined in advance.

Abstract: A method of measuring a location of a user equipment (UE) located indoors in a wireless network includes receiving signals from a plurality of access points (APs), performing training for machine learning using the received signals or information acquired from the received signals, setting a weight vector to be applied to a relevance vector machine (RVM) method using data subjected to the training for machine learning, and applying RVM regression to the set weight vector and measured strengths of the received signals and determining whether the signals received from the plurality of APs are line of sight (LOS) signals or non line of sight (NLOS) signals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling a communication device. A first subframe is received from a serving cell and a plurality of subframes is received from a plurality of neighbor cells. A respective time difference of arrival (TDOA) is measured for each of the plurality of subframes based on a time of arrival (TOA) of the first subframe. At least one of the measured TDOAs is transmitted to a location server. The respective TDOAs are measured based on at least one of a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) and a synchronization signal in the plurality of subframes.

Abstract: Estimating an unknown position of a receiver. In some embodiment, trilateration techniques that quantify uncertainty in the estimate of the unknown position are applied. One such technique for estimating a two-dimensional or three-dimensional position of a receiver uses an L-1 norm computation instead of an L-2 norm computation.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes a vehicle receiving data from an external computing device indicative of at least one other vehicle in an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect the environment of the vehicle. The at least one other vehicle may include at least one sensor. The method also includes determining a likelihood of interference between the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle the sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes initiating an adjustment of the sensor to reduce the likelihood of interference between the sensor of the vehicle and the at least one sensor of the at least one other vehicle responsive to the determination.

Abstract: A radar sensing system for a vehicle includes transmit and receive pipelines. The transmit pipeline includes transmitters able to transmit radio signals. The receive pipeline includes receivers able to receive signals. The received signals are transmitted signals that are reflected from an object. The transmit pipeline phase modulates the signals before transmission, as defined by a first binary sequence. The receive pipeline comprises an analog to digital converter (ADC) for sampling the received signals. The transmit pipeline includes a pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) generator for outputting a second binary sequence of bits with an equal probability of 1 and 0. The first binary sequence is defined by least significant bit (LSB) outputs from the ADC and the second binary sequence of bits. The first binary sequence comprises a truly random unbiased sequence of bits with an equal probability of 1 and 0.

Abstract: A circuitry for and a method of generating a frequency modulated radar transmitter signal are provided. The circuitry comprises a modulation signal generator for generating a modulation signal having a waveform describing a required frequency modulation of the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal and comprises a PLL circuitry for generating the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal in dependence of the modulation signal. In the PLL circuitry a controllable frequency divider controls the output frequency of the PLL circuitry in dependence of the modulation signal. The PLL circuitry further comprises a phase detector, a controllable oscillator and possibly a low pass filter. The PLL circuitry further comprises a calibration circuitry being configured to control a parameter of at least one of the phase detector and the controllable oscillator to maintain a loop gain of PLL circuitry.

Abstract: A system and method for remote object sensing which features a spatially polarization-inhomogeneous light beam that is directed on the remote object. A polarimetry receiver receives the light beam after it contacts the remote object. The changes in the spatially polarization-inhomogeneous light beam from contacting the remote object are a result of spatial features of the remote object. The polarimetry receiver is configured to measure the spatially inhomogeneous electric field of the light beam after it contacts the remote object and compute the changes in the spatially polarization-inhomogeneous light beam in order to detect spatial features of the remote object. The system obtains high-resolution, real-time information concerning important spatial features of the remote object.

Abstract: A time of flight imaging system includes a light source coupled to emit light pulses to an object in response a light source modulation signal generated in response to a reference modulation signal. Each pixel cell of a time of flight pixel cell array is coupled to sense light pulses reflected from the object in response a pixel modulation signal. A programmable pixel delay line circuit is coupled to generate the pixel modulation signal with a variable pixel delay programmed in response to a pixel programming signal. A control circuit is coupled to receive pixel information from the time of flight pixel array representative of the sensed reflected light pulses. The control circuit is coupled to vary the pixel programming signal during a calibration mode to synchronize the light pulses emitted from the light source with the pulses of the pixel modulation signal.

Abstract: A method and system for adjusting a gain from a receiver antenna. The method may include accessing a radio altimeter data structure for antenna gain data. The antenna gain data may be associated with one or more antennas including a receiver antenna. Additionally, the method may include receiving aircraft maneuver data from a reference system. Furthermore, the method may include adjusting a gain from the receiver antenna based at least on the aircraft maneuver data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for providing wide-area surveillance with a radar and/or other sensors from a stratospheric balloon launched from a land or ship platform for detection, tracking, and classification of maritime, land, and air objects such as ships, people/vehicles, or aircraft are described generally herein. In one or more embodiments, an apparatus is battery operated and includes a stratospheric balloon filled that is filled with helium when it is launched and a gondola with a radar system and communication equipment suspended therefrom. When launched, the apparatus can travel with the wind until it reaches an altitude of approximately 68,500 ft., then it can move substantially horizontally with the stratospheric winds until it returns to earth via a parachute. Multiple apparatus launches at periodic intervals can help provide continuous coverage of the surveillance area. The apparatus can be recovered and re-used or can be considered expendable.