Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Vadim Olen

Jonathan A Lovseth

Anders P Walker

Michael C Meholensky

Adrian A Hill

James B West

Sasha N Oster

Russell David Wyse

Roy H Olsson

Carlos J Chavez

Kenneth Wojciechowski

Paul L Opsahl

Robert Newgard

Ted J Hoffmann

Robert C Potter

A spread-spectrum transmitter is disclosed. The transmitter includes a modulator configured to produce an intermediate frequency signal, a frequency shifter configured to shift the intermediate frequency factor by a first factor, and a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate a LO signal. The transmitter further includes a ramp signal generator configured to determine the value of the first factor and a second factor, is configured to transmit the value of the factor to the frequency shifter, is configured to transmit the value of the second factor to the LO, where the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal shifted by the first factor is shifted synchronously with the frequency of the LO signal shifted by the second factor. The transmitter includes a mixer configured to mix the shifted intermediate frequency with the shifted LO signal that has been shifted by the second factor, producing a spread leaked LO signal.

Fast local oscillator tuning transmitter

A log periodic antenna is used in a communication system that utilizes multiple channels to drive distinct frequency sub-bands within an ultra-wide band. The driving elements are active and specifically tuned to the operating sub-band of the channel. Each driving element may be synchronized via a single local oscillator. Driving element includes a modem and analog-to-digital converters to digitize a portion of the signal intended for the sub-band within the channel. Actively driven log periodic antennas can jam an ultra-wide band of the spectrum.

UWB spread spectrum power spatial combining antenna array

The present invention includes a system for removing drift from a head-worn gyro, which utilizes forward and rearward looking IR sensors, which are used to determine if gyro output signals, which indicate downward or upward rotation of the head, are correct.

Wearable head tracking system

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

Disclosed are control systems, and more specifically control systems which benefit from a long-gate time for measurement and a rapid sample time to enhance responsiveness and methods and systems for utilizing multiple-staggered, overlapping gates where the gate time is an integer multiple of the time between ends of adjacent gates. The system continuously counts at the wavefronts or zero-crossings of a frequency reference signal and temporarily records them in registers and compares the contents of registers separated by a gate time and outputs a sample after every sample time.

Control system with both fast sample time and long gate time

A bridge-stabilized oscillator with feedback control includes an RF amplifier connected to a first bridge path and a second bridge path. Each first and second bridge path has a variable gain amplifier to receive and modify the respective signals to maintain the resistance of a resistor in the first bridge path, so the resonator in the second bridge path oscillates. A power detector provides a control signal to each of the variable gain amplifiers to maintain the phase of the output with respect to the input and constrain the gain in each of the first and second bridge paths.

Bridge-stabilized oscillator with feedback control

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 a method for reducing phase noise in oscillator signals. For example, the oscillator may be a low phase noise MEMS-based oscillator and may include a resonator (ex.&#x2014;a MEMS resonator). Further, the resonator of the oscillator may be operated near a bifurcation point. Still further, the MEMS resonator may be parametrically pumped in such a way so as to redistribute the quadrature signal noise (ex.&#x2014;phase noise) to in-phase noise (ex.&#x2014;amplitude noise).

Low phase noise MEMS-based oscillator with bifurcation and parametric noise squeezing

The present invention is an oscillator which implements matched resonators which are driven at a same frequency, one hundred-eighty degrees out-of-phase. The resonators may be implemented in a same plane of a printed circuit board and located adjacent to each other, thus the resonators are affected by a same (ex.&#x2014;same magnitude of) vibration interference. However, in the oscillator embodiments described herein, the vibration interference component cancels out of (ex.&#x2014;is eliminated from) the oscillator output signal, leaving only the desired component.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Vadim Olen