The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Robert Alan Smith

David Keith Mefford

John E Rogers

Sandor Holly

Ted Ronald Dabrowski

Nicholas Koumvakalis

Hong Hue Tat

Yuan-Jye Wu

John Dalton Williams

John Rubrecht Lowell

Corey McKinney Thacker

Jake Aspen Wilson

Larry Leon Savage

Frederick R Vachss

Matthew J Berden

Timothy Doyle Messer

James Alan Aske

Michael Francis Mitchell

Leigh A Hanback

Steve B Pickard

Aaron Frost Markowitz

Kim S Wright

Gregory P Bowman

Systems and methods for measuring air gaps between opposing surfaces of two structural components. In one application, such measurements are used to fabricate a shim that fills the air gap between two structural members, such as parts of an aircraft. The resonant inductive coupling-based sensing system has the capability to remotely measure an air gap using an on-board transmit system. Furthermore, the system has the capability to switch between multiple inductor-capacitor sets such as to simultaneously measure air gaps across an area so that a better profile of the air gap can be determined. The resonant inductive coupling-based gap sensor is configured as signal generating and signal sensing electronics printed or mounted on respective flexible substrates to provide a flexible and portable measurement solution.

System for sensing miniature gaps by inductive coupling

A system for remote sensing of air gaps includes a substrate and a capacitor sensor array attached to the substrate, where the capacitor sensor array includes a plurality of capacitor sensors. The system also includes a transmit antenna attached to the substrate, and a microprocessor electrically connected to the transmit antenna and the capacitor sensor array. The microprocessor is configured to switch on and off at least one capacitor sensor of the plurality of capacitor sensors and to transmit determined air gap measurements using the transmit antenna.

Systems and methods for remote sensing of air gaps using a capacitor sensor array

A transceiver assembly is configured to detect an object. The transceiver assembly includes a first transmit antenna array configured to transmit a first signal at a first frequency, a second transmit antenna array configured to transmit a second signal at a second frequency that differs from the first frequency, and a receive antenna array configured to receive a third signal at a third frequency that is a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. The transceiver assembly detects the object in response to reception of the third signal by the receive antenna array.

Transceiver assembly for detecting objects

A method and apparatus for identifying a location of a radio-frequency identification tag. A hand-held locator device is configured to transmit a first signal and a second signal. A frequency of the first signal changes through a first range of frequencies and is transmitted in a range of directions corresponding to the first range of frequencies. A frequency of the second signal changes through a second range of frequencies and is transmitted in the range of directions corresponding to the second range of frequencies. A difference frequency signal, having a frequency that is a difference between the frequency of the first signal and the frequency of the second signal, is received from the radio-frequency identification tag. The difference frequency signal is processed to determine and display a direction of the radio-frequency identification tag from the locator device.

Electronically scannable device for radio-frequency identification

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a polarization uniqueness manipulation apparatus (PUMA) are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, an antenna apparatus (e.g., a PUMA) comprises a receive antenna to receive a signal with a first polarization. In one or more embodiments, the antenna apparatus is configured to passively modify the first polarization of the signal to a second polarization. The antenna apparatus further comprises a transmit antenna to transmit the signal with the second polarization. In at least one embodiment, the receive antenna is communicatively coupled to the transmit antenna. In one or more embodiments, the receive antenna and the transmit antenna are each separate patch antennas that are mounted on a substrate of the antenna apparatus at different orientations from one another. In at least one embodiment, the second polarization is dependent upon the different orientations of the receive antenna and the transmit antenna.

Polarization uniqueness manipulation apparatus (PUMA)

A fastener system, which includes a fastener with an RFID tag secured to the fastener, wherein the RFID tag includes an antenna communicatively coupled to an integrated circuit which includes a memory. The fastener system further includes an operating system device, which transmits a command signal containing logistics data to the antenna of the RFID tag wherein the antenna receives the command signal and communicates the command signal containing the logistics data to the integrated circuit.

Intelligent fasteners

An example system includes an array of capacitive elements, a measurement lead, and a ground plane lead. One or more respective capacitive elements of the array of capacitive elements include a dielectric substrate and a corresponding top conductive layer, with each dielectric substrate configured to be positioned between the top conductive layer and a common ground plane. The measurement lead is coupled to the top conductive layer of each of the one or more respective capacitive elements. The ground plane lead is configured to be coupled to the common ground plane. The capacitive elements are structured such that the capacitive elements have varying respective capacitances, and the capacitive elements are arranged positionally within the array of capacitive elements such that a change in total capacitance is indicative of damage to a particular capacitive element at a particular position within the array of capacitive elements.

Capacitive sensor array for structure damage detection or health assessment

A method of detecting a compound in a material sample is presented. A transformation is generated from a set of IR spectra of a set of identified compounds, in which the compound is one of the set of identified compounds. The transformation is applied to an IR spectrum of the material sample to form a transformed IR spectrum. A decomposition is applied to the transformation. Results indicative of a presence or an absence of the compound are generated based on an output of the decomposition.

Detection of compounds in material samples utilizing a transformation and subsequent decomposition

A dual sensor, includes: one or more analyte detectors, each having an analyte-specific binding site for interacting with a specific analyte; an optical source generating a first frequency comb spectrum directed to an environment to be scanned, the first frequency comb spectrum having multiple optical frequencies at a first frequency range; an optical spectrum analyzer analyzing an optical spectrum resulting from interaction of the first frequency comb spectrum with the environment; and a controller that is configured, where an analyte detector indicates presence of a specific analyte, to adjust the first frequency comb spectrum to increase sensitivity for detecting the specific analyte.

Dual sensor and method for detection of an analyte gas

An optical detection method and device are provided. The optical detection method includes directing an optical beam toward a target; selecting a first test sensor from among a plurality of test sensors to compare with radiation received from the target, wherein the first test sensor comprises a first test chemical; receiving a reflected or scattered optical beam from the target; comparing a first spectrum from the first test chemical with a spectrum of the reflected or scattered optical beam that was received using a linear detector array; determining a likely chemical from the target based on the comparing using a hardware processor; and providing an output based on the determining.

Optical detection system and method

An antenna. The antenna includes a plurality of loop antennas sharing a common gap. The antenna also includes a nonlinear mixing component connected to the gap and configured to collect energy from at least one of the plurality of loop antennas.

Dominant H-field multiband loop antenna including passive mixer

A passive difference-frequency tag including a first antenna on a substrate, the first antenna having a first frequency band, the first antenna having a first shape of a first bowtie with first rounded end caps and first ends opposed to each other. The passive difference-frequency tag also includes a second antenna on the substrate inside the first antenna. The second antenna has a second frequency band higher than the first antenna frequency band. The second antenna having a second shape of a second bowtie with second rounded end caps and second ends opposed to each other. A combination of the first antenna and the second antenna forms a plurality of multi-band antennas with a shared axis of symmetry. The passive difference-frequency tag also includes a diode assembly on the substrate, and connected to the first ends of the first antenna and to the second ends of the second antenna.

Wideband bowtie antenna including passive mixer

Systems and methods for generating radio frequency signals and/or microwave signals using a tunable optical source. An optical frequency comb including multiple optical components is received or generated based on an optical signal. A subset of optical components is selected from the multiple optical components. A detector array having two or more square law detectors is uniformly illuminated with the subset of optical components. Each square law detector of the detector array outputs an electrical signal having a difference frequency corresponding to a difference in frequency between the subset of optical components. A radio frequency or microwave output signal with a narrow bandwidth centered at a target frequency is generated by coherently summing each of the output signals output by the square law detectors.

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Hampton Cove, AL, United States of America

Robert Alan Smith