Airbus Defence and Space Gmbh

Covidien LP

Darwin Discovery Limited

Stephen Phillip Brown

Trevor John Beckett

Cormac O'Prey

Daniel Leonard Fuller

Rebecca Ann Wilkins

Thomas John Hector Copeland

Christopher John Silk

Niall Andrew Macmanus

Katarzyna Balakier

Antony Duncan Craig

Robert Hughes

Laguna Victor Manuel Fernandez

Peter Skinner

Yvonne Pickering

Victor Manuel Fernandez Laguna

Robert Julian Hughes

Optical Fast Fourier Transforms are described for use in photonic beamforming systems. Transmit and Receive photonic beamforming systems for use with active array antennas are described, together with digital and photonic payloads for use with such beamforming systems.

Photonic beamforming for active antennas

An optimisation method is presented for the transmission of data along any radio frequency link which can be split into distinct transmission blocks, an example being a beam hopping system. By reordering the packets to be transmitted, it is possible to send packets either at, or nearer to, their optimal modulation and encoding configuration. This will allow for a higher bit to symbol conversion for the majority of packets and hence more data bits can be sent for the same number of symbols.

Optimisation for data transmission

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a signal processing method and apparatus for use in a satellite payload in which an input RF signal received at a receiver antenna is modulated by using a single optical carrier at the input of an optical modulator. The optical domain signal is processed and is subsequently combined with a single unmodulated optical LO tone to provide an output RF signal for radiation by a transmitter antenna or for further digital processing by an on-board processor. This results in a clean generation of the frequency-converted RF signal at the output of the opto-electrical conversion stage.

Photonic processing of radiofrequency signals

Architecture is described for implementing digital signal processors, defined by a plurality of physically distinct processing modules connected by high speed digital interconnections in which a first plurality of first modules have a plurality of analog or digital signal inputs and arranged to perform a first set of digital processing functions and produce a first plurality of digital interconnection outputs, a second plurality of second modules are arranged to receive the first plurality of digital interconnection outputs and perform a second set of digital processing functions and produce a second plurality of digital interconnection outputs, and a third plurality of third modules are arranged to receive the second plurality of digital interconnection outputs and perform a third set of digital processing functions and produce a plurality of analog or digital signal outputs, wherein the architecture is scalable by selection of the number of first modules, the number of second modules and the number of third modules and the interconnections between them such that the signal processing required of a digital signal processor is achieved through the distribution of the processing over the combination of the selected numbers of first, second and third modules.

Scalable architecture for digital signal processing

A surgical access assembly for positioning within an opening in tissue including an outer member positionable outside a patient and defining an opening therein to receive a surgical instrument. The outer member has a first portion and a second portion wherein at least one of the first and second portions is movable with respect to the other portion. The assembly also includes an inner member positionable within a patient and a flexible member extending between the inner member and outer member, wherein movement of one of the first and second portions of the outer member adjusts tension on the flexible member to retract tissue. A locking mechanism locks the outer member in a plurality of select expanded positions. The locking mechanism includes first engagement structure on the first portion engageable with the second portion and a slidable member movable to a locking position to retain the first and second portions in the select expanded position.

Expandable thoracic access port

A plastics container containing a sterile aqueous solution of an acid addition salt of a 1-alkyl-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-piperidinecaboxamide, wherein the solution is buffered.

Plastics container containing stabilized drug formulation

A pharmaceutically-acceptable aqueous solution which is isobaric or hyperbaric, and isotonic, with respect to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), comprises a 1-alkyl-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-piperidinecarboxamide anesthetic agent such as bupivacaine or levobupivacaine and a saccharide. If the amount of the anesthetic agent is no more than 0.75% w/v, a salt or another additional non-saccharide is present. Accordingly, the amount of the saccharide can be kept below that which would provide isotonicity in the absence of the additional non-saccharide.

Growing community of inventors

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Stephen Phillip Brown