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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Method Of Evanescently Coupling Whispering Gallery Mode Optical Resonators Using Liquids, Hengky Chandrahalim, Kyle T. Bodily May 2023

Method Of Evanescently Coupling Whispering Gallery Mode Optical Resonators Using Liquids, Hengky Chandrahalim, Kyle T. Bodily

AFIT Patents

The present invention relates to evanescently coupling whispering gallery mode optical resonators having a liquid coupling as well as methods of making and using same. The aforementioned evanescently coupling whispering gallery mode optical resonators having a liquid couplings provide increased tunability and sensing selectivity over current same. The aforementioned. Applicants’ method of making evanescent-wave coupled optical resonators can be achieved while having coupling gap dimensions that can be fabricated using standard photolithography. Thus economic, rapid, and mass production of coupled WGM resonators-based lasers, sensors, and signal processors for a broad range of applications can be realized.


Noncontact Liquid Crystalline Broadband Optoacoustic Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Michael T. Dela Cruz Jun 2022

Noncontact Liquid Crystalline Broadband Optoacoustic Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Michael T. Dela Cruz

AFIT Patents

An optoacoustic sensor includes a liquid crystal (LC) cell formed between top and bottom plates of transparent material. A transverse grating formed across the LC cell that forms an optical transmission bandgap. A CL is aligned to form a spring-like, tunable Bragg grating that is naturally responsive to external agitations providing a spectral transition regime, or edge, in the optical transmission bandgap of the transverse grating that respond to broadband acoustic waves. The optoacoustic sensor includes a narrowband light source that is oriented to transmit light through the top plate, the LC cell, and the bottom plate. The optoacoustic sensor …


Hinged Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Jeremiah C. Williams, Hengky Chandrahalim May 2022

Hinged Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Jeremiah C. Williams, Hengky Chandrahalim

AFIT Patents

A passive microscopic Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (FPI) sensor includes a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure formed on a cleaved tip of the optical fighter using a two-photon polymerization process on a photosensitive polymer by a three-dimensional micromachining device. The three-dimensional microscopic optical structure having a hinged optical layer pivotally connected to a distal portion of a suspended structure. A reflective layer is deposited on a mirror surface of the hinged optical layer while in an open position. The hinged optical layer is subsequently positioned in the closed position to align the mirror surface to at least partially reflect a light signal back …


Method Of Making Hinged Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Jeremiah C. Williams, Hengky Chandrahalim Mar 2022

Method Of Making Hinged Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Jeremiah C. Williams, Hengky Chandrahalim

AFIT Patents

A method is provided for fabricating a passive optical sensor on a tip of an optical fiber. The method includes perpendicularly cleaving a tip of an optical fiber and mounting the tip of the optical fiber in a specimen holder of a photosensitive polymer three-dimensional micromachining machine. The method includes forming a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure within the photosensitive polymer that comprises a two cavity Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) having a hinged optical layer that is pivotally coupled to a suspended structure. The method includes removing an uncured portion of the photosensitive polymer using a solvent. The method includes depositing a …


Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith Dec 2021

Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith

AFIT Patents

A passive microscopic Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (FPI) sensor an optical fiber a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure formed on a cleaved tip of an optical fighter that reflects a light signal back through the optical fiber. The reflected light is altered by refractive index changes in the three-dimensional structure that is subject to at least one of: (i) thermal radiation; and (ii) volatile organic compounds.


System, Method And Apparatus For Recovering Polarization Radar Data, Julie A. Jackson, Forest Lee-Elkin Dec 2021

System, Method And Apparatus For Recovering Polarization Radar Data, Julie A. Jackson, Forest Lee-Elkin

AFIT Patents

A method and apparatus that measure M coupled channels of radar polarization data (ỹ), that is a subset, which is less than the full set of received coupled channels. Sparse recovery operations are performed on the measured M coupled channels of radar polarization data (ỹ) and a representation of a set of more than M channels of radar polarization data is generated from the sparse recovery performed on the subset of coupled channels.


Method Of Making Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith Oct 2021

Method Of Making Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith

AFIT Patents

A method of making passive microscopic Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (FPI) sensor includes forming a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure on a cleaved tip of an optical fiber that reflects a light signal back through the optical fiber. The reflected light is altered by refractive index changes in the three-dimensional structure that is subject to at least one of: (i) thermal radiation; and (ii) volatile organic compounds.


Efficient, Dual-Particle Directional Detection System Using A Rotating Scatter Mask, Robert Olesen, Bryan V. Egner, Darren E. Holland, Valerie Martin, James E. Bevins, Larry W. Burggraf, Buckley E. O'Day Iii Jul 2021

Efficient, Dual-Particle Directional Detection System Using A Rotating Scatter Mask, Robert Olesen, Bryan V. Egner, Darren E. Holland, Valerie Martin, James E. Bevins, Larry W. Burggraf, Buckley E. O'Day Iii

AFIT Patents

A directional radiation detection system and an omnidirectional radiation detector. The omnidirectional radiation detector detects radiation comprising at least one of: (i) gamma rays; and (ii) neutron particles. A radiation scatter mask (RSM) of the radiation detection system includes a rotating sleeve received over the omnidirectional radiation detector and rotating about a longitudinal axis. The RSM further includes: (i) a fin extending longitudinally from one side of the rotating sleeve; and (ii) a wall extending from the rotating sleeve and spaced apart from the fin having an upper end distally positioned on the rotating sleeve spaced apart or next to …


Method For Radio Tomographic Image Formation, Richard K. Martin Apr 2021

Method For Radio Tomographic Image Formation, Richard K. Martin

AFIT Patents

A method for generating radio tomographic images is provided. A plurality of transceivers positioned around a region to be imaged is divided into a plurality of pixels. A control apparatus is configured to cause each of the plurality of transceivers in turn to send a signal to each of the other transceivers. The control apparatus is further configured to determine an attenuation in the received signals, generate weighing, derivative, and attenuation matrices from the signals, group the pixels into a plurality of provinces, select each province in turn and solve for a change in attenuation in each of the pixels …


Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith Mar 2021

Temperature-Immune Self-Referencing Fabry–Pérot Cavity Sensors, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jonathan W. Smith

AFIT Patents

A passive microscopic Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (FPI) sensor an optical fiber a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure formed on a cleaved tip of an optical fighter that reflects a light signal back through the optical fiber. The reflected light is altered by refractive index changes in the three-dimensional structure that is subject to at least one of: (i) thermal radiation; and (ii) volatile organic compounds.


Temporally Multiplexed Ladar Polarimeter, Christian Keyser, Richard Kenneth Martin Oct 2020

Temporally Multiplexed Ladar Polarimeter, Christian Keyser, Richard Kenneth Martin

AFIT Patents

In a polarimeter, a polarization modulator changes a polarization phase of an output optical pulse with a modulation function that varies in time over the duration of the optical pulse. A static polarization state analyzer, which includes a one or more static polarization component analyzers and detectors, receives the modulated optical pulse after interaction with a target medium and provides time varying intensities of the polarization components of the received pulse. A signal processing module determines a polarization property of the target medium, such as a Mueller matrix, dependent upon time varied intensities over the duration of the received optical …


Autoassociative-Heteroassociative Neural Network, Claudia V. Kropas-Hughes, Steven K. Rogers, Mark E. Oxley, Matthew Kabrisky Jun 2020

Autoassociative-Heteroassociative Neural Network, Claudia V. Kropas-Hughes, Steven K. Rogers, Mark E. Oxley, Matthew Kabrisky

AFIT Patents

An efficient neural network computing technique capable of synthesizing two sets of output signal data from a single input signal data set. The method and device of the invention involves a unique integration of autoassociative and heteroassociative neural network mappings, the autoassociative neural network mapping enabling a quality metric for assessing the generalization or prediction accuracy of the heteroassociative neural network mapping.


Statistical Photo-Calibration Of Photo-Detectors For Radiometry Without Calibrated Light Sources Comprising An Arithmetic Unit To Determine A Gain And A Bias From Mean Values And Variance Values, Adrian M. Catarius, Nicholas Yielding, Stephen C. Cain, Michael D. Seal Jun 2020

Statistical Photo-Calibration Of Photo-Detectors For Radiometry Without Calibrated Light Sources Comprising An Arithmetic Unit To Determine A Gain And A Bias From Mean Values And Variance Values, Adrian M. Catarius, Nicholas Yielding, Stephen C. Cain, Michael D. Seal

AFIT Patents

Calibration of a radiometry system uses a readout circuit of a photo-detector to provide first and second measurements collected over first and second integration times, respectively, where the first and second measurements are related to a photonic input to the photo-detector by a gain and a bias. First mean and variance values are computed for a plurality of first measurements. Second mean and variance values are computed for a plurality of second measurements. The gain and bias are determined from the first and second mean values and the first and second variance values without the use of a calibrated source. …


System And Method For Radio Tomographic Image Formation, Richard K. Martin Aug 2019

System And Method For Radio Tomographic Image Formation, Richard K. Martin

AFIT Patents

A system and method for generating radio tomographic images is provided. A plurality of transceivers positioned around a region to be imaged is divided into a plurality of pixels. A control apparatus is configured to cause each of the plurality of transceivers in turn to send a signal to each of the other transceivers. The control apparatus is further configured to determine an attenuation in the received signals, generate weighing, derivative, and attenuation matrices from the signals, group the pixels into a plurality of provinces, select each province in turn and solve for a change in attenuation in each of …


Real-Time Camera Tracking System Using Optical Flow Feature Points, Daniel D. Doyle, Alan L. Jennings, Jonathan T. Black Jul 2017

Real-Time Camera Tracking System Using Optical Flow Feature Points, Daniel D. Doyle, Alan L. Jennings, Jonathan T. Black

AFIT Patents

A new apparatus and method for tracking a moving object with a moving camera provides a real-time, narrow field-of-view, high resolution and on target image by combining commanded motion with an optical flow algorithm for deriving motion and classifying background. Commanded motion means that movement of the pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) unit is “commanded” by a computer, instead of being observed by the camera, so that the pan, tilt and zoom parameters are known, as opposed to having to be determined, significantly reducing the computational requirements for tracking a moving object. The present invention provides a single camera pan …


System And Method For Identifying Electrical Properties Of Integrate Circuits, Mary Y. Lanzerotti Jan 2016

System And Method For Identifying Electrical Properties Of Integrate Circuits, Mary Y. Lanzerotti

AFIT Patents

A new method for displaying electrical properties for integrated circuit (IC) layout designs provides for improved human visualization of those properties and comparison of as designed layout design parameters to as specified layout design parameters and to as manufactured layout parameters. The method starts with a circuitry as designed layout in a first digital format, extracts values for electrical properties from that circuitry as designed layout then annotates those values back into the first digital format. The annotated circuitry as designed layout is then converted from the first digital format to a second digital format that can be converted to …


Intrinsic Physical Layer Authentication Of Integrated Circuits, William E. Cobb, Michael A. Temple, Rusty O. Baldwin, Eric W. Garcia, Eric D. Lapse May 2015

Intrinsic Physical Layer Authentication Of Integrated Circuits, William E. Cobb, Michael A. Temple, Rusty O. Baldwin, Eric W. Garcia, Eric D. Lapse

AFIT Patents

A system and method of generating and comparing a fingerprint for an integrated circuit is provided. A sensor module captures electromagnetic emissions from the integrated circuit. A feature extraction module extracts discriminating features from the captured electromagnetic emissions. A classifier training module generates a plurality of authentication fingerprints of the integrated circuit from the extracted discriminating features creating a reference fingerprint template for the integrated circuit. The reference template for the integrated circuit is stored in a database. For authentication, the reference fingerprint template from the database is compared to the generated authentication fingerprint.


Global Navigation Satellite System Signal Decomposition And Parameterization Algorithm, Marshall E. Haker, John F. Raquet May 2015

Global Navigation Satellite System Signal Decomposition And Parameterization Algorithm, Marshall E. Haker, John F. Raquet

AFIT Patents

A method and apparatus is provided for intra-PIT signal decomposition of a signal received with RF front end hardware. The method begins by aligning a signal received by RF front end hardware into integer multiples of a duration of a pseudorandom noise code sequence. A search grid is computed based on an integer multiple of the aligned signal. A plurality of initial ray parameters associated with the computed search grid is coarsely estimated. Using the coarsely estimated plurality of initial ray parameters, a fine estimation of the plurality of initial ray parameters is initiated utilizing stochastic search and optimization techniques. …


Remote Sensing Of Hidden Objects, Mark G. Hoelscher, Michael A. Marciniak Mar 2015

Remote Sensing Of Hidden Objects, Mark G. Hoelscher, Michael A. Marciniak

AFIT Patents

An apparatus and method are provided for creating an indirect image of an object. The apparatus includes a light source and an imaging system. Light emitted from the light source is reflected by a first non-specular surface toward the object. Light reflected by the object is further reflected by a second non-specular surface toward the imaging system. The imaging system is configured to create the indirect image from the reflected light.


Low Clutter Method For Bistatic Rcs Measurements, Peter J. Collins Feb 2015

Low Clutter Method For Bistatic Rcs Measurements, Peter J. Collins

AFIT Patents

A bistatic radar measurement system is provided having a radar source configured to produce a radio frequency signal. A transmitting antenna is configured to transmit the radio frequency signal toward a target. A receiving antenna is configured to receive a reflected radio frequency signal from the target. A support system is configured to support the receiving antenna. The support system includes a plurality of low scattering dielectric strings configured to orient the receiving antenna.


Using Software-Based Decision Procedures To Control Instruction-Level Execution, William B. Kimball Dec 2013

Using Software-Based Decision Procedures To Control Instruction-Level Execution, William B. Kimball

AFIT Patents

An apparatus, method and program product are provided for securing a computer system. A digital signature of an application is checked, which is loaded into a memory of the computer system configured to contain memory pages. In response to finding a valid digital signature, memory pages containing instructions of the application are set as executable and memory pages other than those containing instructions of the application are set as non-executable. Instructions in executable memory pages are executed. Instructions in non-executable memory pages are prevented from being executed. A page fault is generated in response to an attempt to execute an …


Mems Fabrication Process Base On Su-8 Masking Layers, Scott A. Ostrow, Ronald A. Coutu Jr. Nov 2013

Mems Fabrication Process Base On Su-8 Masking Layers, Scott A. Ostrow, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

AFIT Patents

A novel fabrication process uses a combination of negative and positive photoresists with positive tone photomasks, resulting in masking layers suitable for bulk micromachining high-aspect ratio microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. This technique allows the use of positive photomasks with negative resists, opening the door to an ability to create complementary mechanical structures without the fabrication delays and costs associated with having to obtain a negative photomask. In addition, whereas an SU-8 mask would normally be left in place after processing, a technique utilizing a positive photoresist as a release layer has been developed so that the SU-8 masking material can …


Digitally Programmable Rf Mems Filters With Mechanically Coupled Resonators, Hengky Chandrahalim, Sunil Ashok Bhave Mar 2013

Digitally Programmable Rf Mems Filters With Mechanically Coupled Resonators, Hengky Chandrahalim, Sunil Ashok Bhave

AFIT Patents

A digitally-tunable RF MEMS filter includes a substrate and a plurality of mechanically coupled resonators, wherein a first and a last resonator of the plurality of mechanically coupled resonators are configured to be electrostatically transduced. One or more of the plurality of mechanically coupled resonators are configured to be biased relative to the substrate such that the one or more biased resonators may be brought substantially in contact with the substrate. In a method of digitally tuning an RF MEMS filter having a mechanically coupled resonator array, a DC bias voltage is applied to at least a first resonator and …


Mosaic Imager Using Wave Front Control, Mark T. Gruneisen, Matthew B. Garvin, Raymond C. Dymale, James R. Rotge Mar 2013

Mosaic Imager Using Wave Front Control, Mark T. Gruneisen, Matthew B. Garvin, Raymond C. Dymale, James R. Rotge

AFIT Patents

A wave front control system ("WFCS") organizes the object scene into a mosaic comprised of a grid of segments and transmits each segment in a temporal sequence. The WFCS steers the light fronts emanating from each segment, one segment at a time, through a series of optical components that transmit the light fronts respectively emanating from each segment onto a digital imaging sensor. An optical recording device records each sensed segment, and the object scene is composed by assembling the recorded segments. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, and is intended to allow a …


Navigation And Position Determination With A Multicarrier Modulation Signal Of Opportunity, Richard K. Martin, Jamie S. Velotta, John F. Raquet Dec 2011

Navigation And Position Determination With A Multicarrier Modulation Signal Of Opportunity, Richard K. Martin, Jamie S. Velotta, John F. Raquet

AFIT Patents

A multicarrier modulation position determination method that includes deploying at least one known receiver with a known location and a second receiver with an unknown location. At least two signals of opportunity with different locations are obtained by both the receiver and the second receiver. The signals having a plurality of block data, the block data having block boundaries. The block boundaries including a beginning block boundary and an end block boundary. The block data further including a cyclic prefix at the beginning block boundary. Acquiring a plurality of data samples for at least a portion of the block data …


Shaped Mems Contact, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane Mar 2011

Shaped Mems Contact, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane

AFIT Patents

A MEMS switch fabrication process and apparatus inclusive of a bulbous rounded surface movable contact assembly that is integral with the switch movable element and achieving of long contact wear life with low contact electrical resistance. The disclosed process is compatible with semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication materials and procedures and includes an unusual photoresist reflow step in which the bulbous contact shape is quickly defined in three dimensions from more easily achieved integrated circuit mask and etching-defined precursor shapes. A plurality of differing photoresist materials are used in the process. A large part of the contact and contact spring formation …


Digital Delay Device, Guna Seetharaman, Paul E. Kladitis Mar 2010

Digital Delay Device, Guna Seetharaman, Paul E. Kladitis

AFIT Patents

A digitally controlled optical delay apparatus providing optical signal delays electrically selectable in the picosecond to nanosecond range by way of selectable signal path lengths. Path lengths are incremented in physical length and path delay time according to digital ratios. The delay element includes micro-miniature path changing mirrors controlled in path length selecting positioning by input signals of logic level magnitude. Fiber optic coupling of signals to and from the delay element and a combination of fixed position and movable mirror included optical signal path lengths are included.


Shaped Mems Contact, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane Oct 2009

Shaped Mems Contact, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane

AFIT Patents

A MEMS switch fabrication process and apparatus inclusive of a bulbous rounded surface movable contact assembly that is integral with the switch movable element and achieving of long contact wear life with low contact electrical resistance. The disclosed process is compatible with semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication materials and procedures and includes an unusual photoresist reflow step in which the bulbous contact shape is quickly defined in three dimensions from more easily achieved integrated circuit mask and etching-defined precursor shapes. A plurality of differing photoresist materials are used in the process. A large part of the contact and contact spring formation …


Radio Frequency Mems Switch Contact Metal Selection, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane, Kevin D. Leedy Jun 2007

Radio Frequency Mems Switch Contact Metal Selection, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Robert L. Crane, Kevin D. Leedy

AFIT Patents

A method for selecting metal alloys as the electric contact materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) metal contact switches. This method includes a review of alloy experience, consideration of equilibrium binary alloy phase diagrams, obtaining thin film material properties and, based on a suitable model, predicting contact electrical resistance performance. After determination of a candidate alloy material, MEMS switches are conceptualized, fabricated and tested to validate the alloy selection methodology. Minimum average contact resistance values of 1.17 and 1.87 ohms are achieved for micro-switches with gold (Au) and gold-platinum (Au-(6.3 at %)Pt) alloy contacts. In addition, `hot-switched` life cycle test results …


Length Selectable, Hardware Efficient Pseudorandom Code Generator, John F. Brendle Jr., James P. Stephens Sr., Michael A. Temple, Robert S. Parks Sep 2001

Length Selectable, Hardware Efficient Pseudorandom Code Generator, John F. Brendle Jr., James P. Stephens Sr., Michael A. Temple, Robert S. Parks

AFIT Patents

A method and device for generating a pseudorandom electrical signal for enabling spread spectrum communication scrambling by directing data entry into pseudorandom number generator integrated circuit chip controlling registers using a length selectable feedback logic data sequence and either computer programmable selector means or manual selector means to communicate the logic data sequence characters to buffers. The logic data sequence characters are clocked to a pseudorandom number generating register of an integrated circuit chip and the pseudorandom electrical signal is generated by selectively tapping a signal code therefrom. The method and device features a pseudorandom electrical signal length varying capability …