Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Anders P Walker

Chenggang Xie

Ross Keith Wilcoxon

David W Cripe

William E Rhoden

Jonathan A Lovseth

James B West

Adrian A Hill

Vadim Olen

Michael C Meholensky

Steven E Koenck

Russell David Wyse

Jeremiah Damien Wolf

Nathan P Lower

John C Mather

Gregory John Quinn

Bryan S McCoy

Orion D Davies

Theodore Jay Hoffmann

Gary Willenbring

Jason A Fuemmeler

Darren Woodman

Guy Squillace

Donald F Hovda

Joseph M Bohl

Todd A Freeman

Thomas J Journot

Don Pedersen

An integrated imaging and passive directional finding (DF) system for a guided munition or weapons platform includes an electro-optical infrared (EOIR) imager within a nosecone of the weapons platform and configured for imaging of a detected target. The passive DF system includes an array of long periodic array (LPA) antenna elements, each element disposed on a face of a tapered conical ground chassis having a polygonal cross section, the LPA antenna elements self-shielded from the EOIR imager and other electronic components by the ground chassis. Each LPA antenna element scans for signals of interest (SoI) within the ultra-wide band (UWB) frequency range. Geolocation or passive direction finding (DF) based on detected signals of interest may be performed to guide the weapons platform into imaging range of one or more targets of interest, where EOIR imaging may take over for target discrimination and aimpoint refinement.

Integrated infrared imaging and passive seeker system for small munitions application

A control system in an atmospheric suit includes a broadcast-type controller area network (CAN) bus and a plurality of motor controllers coupled to the CAN bus. Each of the plurality of motor controllers has a same software design and performs a different control operation based on an assigned hardware address. The control system also includes one or more sensors to sense one or more parameter values in the atmospheric suit and to provide the one or more parameter values on the CAN bus. A primary controller communicates with the plurality of motor controllers via the CAN bus and provides communication to a wearer of the atmospheric suit or communication outside the atmospheric suit outside the CAN bus.

Control system architecture for atmospheric suit

Phased array antennas, such as a multi-function aperture, are limited in performance and reliability by traditional air-cooled thermal management systems. A fuel-cooled multi-function aperture passes engine fuel through channels within the ribs of the multi-function aperture to provide better heat transfer than can be achieved through air cooled systems. The increased heat transfer and thermal management results in a multi-function aperture with improved performance and reliability.

Heat exchanger rib for multi-function aperture

Phased array antennas, such as a multi-function aperture, are limited in performance and reliability by traditional air-cooled thermal management systems. A fuel-cooled multi-function aperture passes engine fuel through heat exchangers that surround the multi-function aperture to provide better heat transfer than can be achieved through air cooling systems. The increased heat transfer and thermal management results in a multi-function aperture with improved performance and reliability.

Fuel cooled multi-function aperture

A group or swarm of vehicles may be configured to move together in a predetermined formation. Each vehicle may include a navigation and communication system configured to provide communication and to determine accurate relative position, navigation, and time information for each vehicle in the group. Each vehicle may include a second radio frequency transceiver configured to receive and transmit in the high frequency (HF) or lower radio frequency band, and to measure and control the timing of the reception and transmission of the HF signals in relation to the timing of the reception and transmission of the HF signals with the other vehicles in the group to form an antenna propagation pattern to communicate over beyond line-of-sight distances.

Distributed directional antenna

A deployable active radar countermeasure or 'smart chaff' device includes a flexible battery or length of reflective material for passive reflection of a surveillance radar signal. Metallized antenna elements printed onto the material receive the surveillance radar signals, and RF integrated circuitry bonded to the material generates active RF echo signals based on the frequency of the surveillance signal and the length of the material. Wirebond receiving paths include reconfigurable gain amplifiers and filters for adjusting the phase and amplitude of the echo signal, and transmit paths return the echo signal to the radar source via the antenna elements. Echo signals may combine with those of other such devices, having various lengths and associated frequencies, to simulate a false return associated with a particular aircraft or moving target (e.g., simulation of Doppler shift via offset echo frequencies).

Deployable active radar countermeasures

Active filters that may be utilized in various types of radio devices (e.g., receivers and/or transmitters) are disclosed. In some implementations, high dynamic range mixers implementing a polyphase multipath approach may be utilized in the active filters. Such mixers may satisfy the high dynamic range and image suppression requirements when they are configured for radio frequency applications.

Radio frequency active filter

Electronically scanned array (ESA) antennas are disclosed. An antenna may include an electronically scanned array (ESA) panel. The ESA panel may include a plurality of transmit/receive (T/R) modules, and each T/R module of the plurality of T/R modules may be contained within a unit cell of the ESA panel, where the unit cell has a surface area constrained by a maximum operating frequency of the ESA panel. The antenna may also include at least one radio frequency (RF) filter positioned within each particular unit cell of the ESA panel. The at least one RF filter may be configured to provide RF filtering specifically for the T/R module co-located within that particular unit cell of the ESA panel.

Unit cell filtering and diplexing for electronically scanned arrays

An Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) antenna is controlled via an optical domain without electrical conductors on the ESA Printed Wiring Board (PWB). Distribution of the control signal occurs over pulses of light through an optical medium separate from the ESA PWB. External to the ESA PWB are one or more optical wave guides functional as communications channels which connect the ESA optical receivers/transceivers with transmitters/transceivers interfaced to a system controller. The ESA is divided into groups of elements with serial busses and discrete signals driven by local controllers. The local controller for each group of elements may include one or more optical receivers (unidirectional) or transceivers (bidirectional). This concept offers a trade in electrical complexity associated with an ESA PWB for an additional manufactured medium redundantly supplying the control signal to the ESA as well as routing the RF data signal from the ESA to the system controller.

Optically controlled electronically scanned array

Electronically scanned array antenna radiating elements include a phase comparator. The phase comparator connects the transmission circuitry to the receiving circuitry via a shunt switch to compare the intended phase with the actual phase. The phase of a signal received via the shunt switch is sensitive to the performance of power amplifiers in the transmission circuitry, transmitter/receiver switch, and load impedance. Distributed attenuators between the shunt switch and a phase comparator reduce crosstalk. Phase comparison circuitry is useful for detecting faults in the ESA radiating element.

Radio frequency power output control and detection for electronically scanned array system

High efficiency transmitters for electronically scanned arrays (also known as electronically steered antennas or ESAs) are disclosed. The transmitters in accordance with the present disclosure utilize outphasing power amplification. In one embodiment, the outphasing transmitter includes a phase shifting device. The phase shifting device is configured for phase shifting an input signal and providing a pair of phase shifted signals for each emitting element of the EAS. The outphasing transmitter also includes an outphasing power amplifier associated with each emitting element. Each outphasing power amplifier is configured for separately amplifying the pair of shifted signals for each emitting element and combining the separately amplified signals for each emitting element for transmission.

High efficiency outphasing transmitter for electronically scanned arrays

A timer for measuring a time lapsed during an acceleration is disclosed. The timer may include a piezoelectric sensor, an energy storage device and a measurement module. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric material for generating an electric potential in response to the acceleration. The energy storage device is electrically coupled to the piezoelectric sensor and is configured for receiving the electric potential generated by the piezoelectric sensor. The measurement module is electrically coupled to the energy storage device. The measurement module measures the electric potential received at the energy storage device and determines the time lapsed during the acceleration based on the electric potential received at the energy storage device.

Piezoelectric acceleration timer

The present invention is a method for capturing a cooling transfer function for a thermally-isolated, self-heating device. The method includes causing the device to undergo a plurality of successive heat-up cycles and cool-down cycles. The method further includes changing durations of time of the successive cool-down cycles. The method further includes deducing the cooling transfer function based upon temperature measurements for the device obtained at the end of the successive cool-down cycles (ex.&#x2014;at the beginning of the successive heat-up cycles) of the device. The method thereby allows for capture of the cooling transfer function without direct observation of the cooling transfer function.

Cooling control calibration for thermally-isolated self-heating devices

The present invention is directed to a piezo-electrically actuated membrane (ex.&#x2014;a tuner) configured for use with a tunable cavity filter. The piezo-electrically actuated tuner may be formed of printed circuit board materials and may be placed over the cavities of the tunable cavity filter. Further, the piezo-electrically actuated tuner may promote high level performance of the tunable cavity filter, while allowing the tunable cavity filter to be tunable across wide bands.

Growing community of inventors

Marion, IA, United States of America

Anders P Walker