USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Lumedyne Technologies, Inc.

Google Inc.

Waters, Richard

Swanson, Paul D.

Richard Lee Waters

Mark Steven Fralick

Paul David Swanson

John David Jacobs

Charles Harold Tally, Iv

Xiaojun Huang

Monti E Aklufi

Yanting Zhang

Hugo F Jazo

Brad Wesley Chisum

Bryan George Moosman

Brian B Dick

Andrew Wang

Barry R Hunt

Maxwell Mayekawa Kerber

Charles H Tally, Iv

Patrick M Sullivan

Chris Hutchens

Charles Tally

Stephen Douglas Russell

Wayne P Liu

Jacques Pierre Leveille

Stanley R Clayton

Steve Fanelli

Ricardo E Dao

David Carbonari

Max Kerber

Mark R Roser

Jeffrey Alan Brayshaw

Mark Fralick

Systems and methods are described herein for extracting inertial information from nonlinear periodic signals. A system for determining an inertial parameter can include circuitry configured for receiving a first periodic analog signal from a first sensor that is responsive to motion of a proof mass, converting the first periodic analog signal to a first periodic digital signal, determining a result of trigonometrically inverting a quantity, the quantity based on the first periodic digital signal, and determining the inertial parameter based on the result.

Extracting inertial information from nonlinear periodic signals

Systems and methods are described herein for extracting inertial information from nonlinear periodic signals. A system for determining an inertial parameter can include circuitry configured for receiving first and second analog signals from first and second sensors, each sensor responsive to motion of a proof mass. The system can include circuitry configured for determining a difference between the first and second analog signals, determining a plurality of timestamps corresponding to times at which the difference crosses a threshold, and determining a plurality of time intervals based on the timestamp. The system can include circuitry configured for determining a result of applying a trigonometric function to a quantity, the quantity based on the plurality of time intervals and determining the inertial parameter based on the result.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for extracting system parameters from nonlinear periodic signals from sensors. A sensor such as an inertial device includes a first structure and a second structure that is springedly coupled to the first structure. The sensor is configured to generate an output voltage based on a current between the first and second structures. Monotonic motion of the second structure relative to the first structure causes a reversal in direction of the current.

Systems and methods for extracting system parameters from nonlinear periodic signals from sensors

A method for approximating the behavior of a periodic parameter of a time-domain device in response to a perturbation, the method comprising the following steps: collecting data points at discreet times, wherein each data point represents a measurement of the parameter; dividing the time domain into intervals, each given interval containing at least one data point sampled during the given interval; fitting a polynomial function to the data points of each interval such that each interval has a corresponding polynomial function that is time-centered on the interval's center point and that accurately describes the parameter behavior over that interval; and stitching together the polynomial functions piece-wise to create an analytic approximation of the behavior of the system parameter over the entire time domain.

Method for analytical reconstruction of digital signals via stitched polynomial fitting

An oscillatory apparatus and methods of utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a force sensor having a proof mass, with one or more sensing electron tunneling electrodes disposed thereon, and a frame comprising one or more reference electron tunneling electrodes. Conductive plates disposed on the sensor base and capping wafers induce oscillations of the proof mass. The sensing and the reference electrode pairs are disposed in a face-to-face configuration, thus forming a digital switch characterized by one or more closed states. In the closed state, the switch generates triggering events, thereby enabling the sensing apparatus to generate a digital output indicative of the mass position. The time period between consecutive trigger events is used to obtain mass deflection due to external forcing. Time separation between the triggering events is based on the physical dimensions established during fabrication, thus not requiring ongoing sensor calibration.

Apparatus and methods for time domain measurement of oscillation perturbations

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for determining rotation. A gyroscope includes a drive frame and a base, the drive frame springedly coupled to the base. The gyroscope includes a drive structure configured for causing a drive frame to oscillate along a first axis. The gyroscope includes a sense mass springedly coupled to the drive frame. The gyroscope includes a sense mass sense structure configured for measuring a displacement of the sense mass along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The gyroscope includes measurement circuitry configured for determining a velocity of the drive frame, extracting a Coriolis component from the measured displacement, and determining, based on the determined velocity and extracted Coriolis component, a rotation rate of the gyroscope.

Systems and methods for controlling oscillation of a gyroscope

Systems and methods for determining rotation from nonlinear periodic signals

A photoelectric cell comprising: a cathode layer configured to eject electrons in response to receiving photons from a light source; a substantially-photon-transparent anode configured to receive the ejected electrons; first and second, substantially-photon-transparent, dielectric layers, wherein the first dielectric layer is disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer and wherein the anode layer is disposed between the first and second dielectric layers such that the cathode layer, the first dielectric layer, the anode layer, and the second dielectric layer form a layered stack; and wherein at least a first portion of the layered stack overlaps a second portion of the layered stack.

High efficiency photoelectric cell

Systems and methods for perturbation analysis of harmonic oscillations in the time domain according to several embodiments can include a time domain switching sensor and a resonator for imposing a first oscillation and a second oscillation on the sensor. The first and second oscillations can have the same amplitude A and period P, but can have a known phase shift. The sensor can use a time interval, which can be defined by the time between when the sensor passes a reference point due to motion caused by the first oscillation and when the sensor passes the same reference point, but due to motion caused by the second oscillation. With this configuration an improved accuracy of measurement for the system can be realized.

Apparatus and methods for time domain measurement using phase shifted virtual intervals

A method for increasing the accuracy of a time-domain apparatus comprising the following steps: initiating a periodic oscillation with the time-domain apparatus; measuring time intervals between trigger events during each oscillation, wherein the trigger events correspond to the oscillation passing known values; detecting a perturbation to the oscillation by monitoring changes in the time intervals between trigger events; and adjusting a parameter of the oscillation based on the perturbation such that measurement error is reduced.

Auto-ranging for time domain extraction of perturbations to sinusoidal oscillation

A time-domain inertial sensor comprising: a support structure having an electrode plane parallel to an x-y plane of an x-y-z mutually orthogonal coordinate system, wherein the support structure's largest dimension lies within the x-y plane; a proof mass having a first surface parallel to the x-y plane; wherein the proof mass is springedly coupled to the support structure such that the first surface is separated from the electrode plane by a gap; a driver configured to drive the proof mass to oscillate with respect to the support structure in approximately only the x-direction such that, while oscillating, the gap does not vary significantly; and a first, time-domain, proximity switch disposed to switch from an open state to a closed state each time the proof mass is in a first reference position with respect to the support structure.

Inertial sensor using sliding plane proximity switches

In one preferred embodiment, a semiconductor photodiode is provided which includes a substrate layer fabricated from a Si32 radioisotope of a first type of conductivity material and a thick-field oxide layer formed on the substrate layer. The oxide layer has a selectively patterned area to form an open region on the substrate layer. The semiconductor photodiode further includes a dopant material of a second conductivity material, which is different from the first conductivity material. The dopant material is formed within the open region on the substrate layer to form a photodiode junction. The semiconductor photodiode further includes an enclosure package enclosing the semiconductor diode for containing any radiation from the radioisotope.

Beta voltaic semiconductor photodiode fabricated from a radioisotope

A gyroscope comprising: a frame; a tuning fork comprising a base and first and second prongs, wherein the base has proximal and distal ends, and wherein the proximal end is coupled to the frame and the distal end is coupled to the first and second prongs; first and second drivers configured to drive the first and second prongs respectively to oscillate with respect to the frame in a first direction, such that the prongs oscillate at their respective resonant frequencies and 180&#xb0; out of phase with each other; and at least two digital position triggers operatively coupled to the frame and to the tuning fork, wherein each position trigger is configured to experience at least two trigger events during each oscillation of the tuning fork in a second direction, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Richard Lee Waters