Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Bryan S McCoy

David W Cripe

Ryan Legge

Gerard A Woychik

Adrian A Hill

Lee M Paulsen

Dana J Jensen

Thomas B Campbell

Roger A Dana

Robert P Campbell

Russell David Wyse

Michael L Hageman

Ross Keith Wilcoxon

Jeremiah Damien Wolf

Nathan P Lower

Don L Landt

Anders P Walker

Jonathan P Doane

Robert Andrew Kertis

Michael C Meholensky

Jeffrey L Box

Susan M Olson

Systems and apparatuses include an electronically scanned array system including a power supply system, a radiating element subarray, a plurality of beamformer chips, and a plurality of control buses. The radiating element subarray includes active radiating elements, and between about one percent and about twenty percent reserve radiating elements distributed throughout the active radiating elements. Each control bus includes a plurality of primary control paths providing communication from the control bus to the beamformer chips, and a reserve control paths structured to be remapped to provide communication from the control bus to the beam former chips in the event that one of the plurality of primary control paths fails.

Electronically scanned array

A system and method for operating a system including at least one active electronically scanned array (AESA) element incorporates drain voltage amplifier control (DRAVAC) to maintain the power amplifiers of the AESA elements at a constant gain compression level. A processor of the AESA system may dynamically program, monitor, or adjust each individual array element or component thereof. As the RF output power of the power amplifiers varies, constant gain compression is achieved by dynamically adjusting the RF input power and drain voltage to the power amplifiers. An AESA element may incorporate built-in self-test circuitry for detecting faults in the power supply to the power amplifiers as well as calibrating and calculating RF output power for a given input power by controlling the bias of a pass device serving as the amplifier current source.

Active electronically scanned array with power amplifier drain bias tapering for optimal power added efficiency

Systems and apparatuses include an electronically scanned array system including a power supply system, a radiating element subarray, a plurality of beamformer chips, and a plurality of control buses. The power supply system a first power converter structured to receive and condition mains power, a second power converter arranged in parallel with the first power converter, and a controller structured to monitor the first power converter and the second power converter and to operate one of a first switch or a second switch to provide conditioned power. The radiating element subarray includes active radiating elements, and between about one percent and about twenty percent reserve radiating elements distributed throughout the active radiating elements. Each control bus includes a plurality of primary control paths providing communication from the control bus to the beamformer chips, and a reserve control paths structured to be remapped to provide communication from the control bus to the beam former chips in the event that one of the plurality of primary control paths fails.

An antenna assembly includes a rotor, a first end component, and a second end component. The rotor includes a rotor body and a plurality of magnets configured to output a first magnetic field. The rotor body defines a plurality of slots extending radially inward from an exterior surface of the rotor body. Each magnet is disposed in a corresponding slot. The first end component includes a first end component body and a plurality of first extensions extending from the first end component body and contacting a first set of the plurality of magnets. The second end component includes a second end component body and a plurality of second extensions extending from the second end component body and contacting the first set. The first end component and the second end component are configured to output an electromagnetic signal.

Systems and methods for switched reluctance magnetic mechtenna

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

The present disclosure is directed to optically-tuned electronic components including one or more layers of photosensitive semiconductive materials. In some embodiments, an optically-tuned electronic component includes a plurality of device layers have different bandgap characteristics. One or more selected layers can be optically activated (i.e. made substantially conductive) by illuminating at least a portion of each selected layer with illumination having a wavelength shorter than or substantially equal to the activation wavelength of each selected layer. Accordingly, various parameters can be tuned or a circuit can be switched between alternative paths by providing one or more selected wavelengths of illumination.

Optically-tuned electronic components

An electromechanical switching system includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion. The first conductive portion includes a conductive stationary end and a conductive floating end, connected by a shape memory alloy (SMA). When an input stimulus current is applied to the SMA, changes in the SMA urge motion of the conductive floating end of the first conductive portion toward the second conductive portion, which in turn causes a change in the state of the electromechanical switching system. The input stimulus current may be calculated to satisfy a given response time requirement.

Stimulus for achieving high performance when switching SMA devices

The present invention is load circuit for a parasitic antenna element of a parasitic antenna array. The load circuit may include a DC bias current source, a resistor connected to the DC bias current source, one or more capacitors connected to the resistor, and multiple (ex. &#x2014;two) diodes connected to the parasitic antenna element. The first diode may be configured for directly connecting the parasitic element to a ground plane of the parasitic antenna array. The second diode may be configured for connecting the parasitic element to the ground plane via the one or more capacitors. The load circuit may be configured for providing a variable (ex. &#x2014;adjustable) impedance to the parasitic antenna array.

Parasitic antenna array design for microwave frequencies

An actuator includes a shape memory element formed from a shape memory alloy. The shape memory element is configured such that the actuator is actuated by a change in shape of the shape memory element. The shape memory element may be maintained in a pre-actuated state that is advanced from its rest state, but which is not at its actuated state.

Shape-memory alloy actuator

A shape memory element (a structure formed from a shape memory alloy) includes an electrically conductive ferromagnetic material. The ferromagnetic material may be magnetostrictive. In some embodiments, the shape memory element is formed from a shape memory alloy core and has a cladding over the core that includes the ferromagnetic material. In other embodiments, the shape memory alloy may be selected to be ferromagnetic.

A circuit board may include a pump and a channel. The channel may include a liquid metal and a coating. The liquid metal may be pumped through the channel by the pump and the coating reduces diffusion and chemical reaction between the liquid metal and at least portions of the channel. The liquid metal may carry thermal energy to act as a heat transfer mechanism between two or more locations on the substrate. The substrate may include electrical interconnects to allow electrical components to be populated onto the substrate to form an electronics assembly. The pump may be driven by electric current that is utilized by one or more electronic components on the circuit board.

System and method for proportional cooling with liquid metal

An electrical switching device employs an actuator mechanism formed of a shape memory alloy (SMA). The electrical switching device includes a housing, at least one non-actuated electrical contact supported in the housing, and an actuator assembly contained within the housing. The actuator assembly includes a movable contact for engaging the non-actuated electrical contact and an actuator formed of a shape memory alloy (SMA). Application of a first electrical current to the actuator causes the actuator to move the movable contact to either engage or disengage the non-actuated electrical contact.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Bryan S McCoy