Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080315075 | METHOD FOR OPTICALLY DETECTING AND IDENTIFYING A THREAT - An optical detection apparatus includes a housing having a circumferential opening therein. A primary mirror reflects light rays to form a first set of light rays to a secondary mirror that has a generally concave shape coupled to the housing. A tertiary mirror having a generally concave shape coupled to the housing spaced apart from the secondary mirror directs light to detection optics that form an image using the third set of light rays. The detection optics include a micro-mirror array that redirect the image to a detector. A controller controls the micro-mirror array and determines an event characteristic based upon the image thereon. | 12-25-2008 |
20090278725 | IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES - A system or method of creating a map of voids in the ground based on a scattered electromagnetic signal includes traversing a receiver/probe in a near field above a target area; generating a signal from a signal transmitter, the signal having a predetermined wavelength λ; receiving a scattered signal with the receiver/probe, the scattered signal including indications of subsurface variations via reflection of the generated signal; and detecting evanescent components of the scattered signal to provide a predetermined resolution. The method includes the use of an electrically small antenna for resolution of subwavelength features. The metamaterial-based antenna is on the order of meters and has an efficient transmit/receive capability. The ESA is 1/10 of the length of the equivalent dipole length, and may be scaled down to 1/10,000. Such an antenna may include phase sensitive current injection in the metamaterial resonant structures for loss-compensation. | 11-12-2009 |
20090278754 | ELECTRICALLY SMALL ANTENNA - An electrically small antenna (ESA) for resolution of subwavelength features is disclosed. The ESA is on the order of meters and has an efficient transmit/receive capability. The ESA is 1/10 of the length of the equivalent dipole length, and may be scaled down to 1/10,000. The ESA includes a metamaterial shell. Such an antenna may include phase sensitive current injection in the metamaterial resonant structures for loss-compensation. | 11-12-2009 |
20100073232 | Wide Angle Impedance Matching Using Metamaterials in a Phased Array Antenna System - A phased array antenna system may include a sheet of conductive material with a plurality of aperture antenna elements formed in the sheet of conductive material. Each of the plurality of aperture antenna elements is capable of sending and receiving electromagnetic energy. The phased array antenna system may also include a wide angle impedance match (WAIM) layer of material disposed over the plurality of aperture antenna elements formed in the sheet of conductive material. The WAIM layer of material includes a plurality of metamaterial particles. The plurality of metamaterial particles are selected and arranged to minimize return loss and to optimize an impedance match between the phased array antenna system and free space to permit scanning of the phased array antenna system up to a predetermined angle in elevation. | 03-25-2010 |
20100079354 | Lens for Scanning Angle Enhancement of Phased Array Antennas - A method and apparatus are present for creating a negative index metamaterial lens for use with a phased array antenna. A design having a buckyball shape is created for the negative index metamaterial lens. The buckyball shape is capable of bending a beam generated by the phased array antenna to around 90 degrees from a vertical orientation to form an initial design. The initial design is modified to include discrete components to form a discrete design. Materials are selected for the discrete components. Negative index metamaterial unit cells are designed for the discrete components to form designed negative index metamaterial unit cells. The designed negative index metamaterial unit cells are fabricated to form fabricated designed negative index metamaterial unit cells. The negative index metamaterial lens is formed from the designed negative index metamaterial unit cells. | 04-01-2010 |
20100302065 | Environmental Sensor System - In one embodiment, a system to detect one or more environmental conditions in proximity to a surface comprises a first metamaterial environmental sensor module proximate the surface. The environmental sensor comprises a metamaterial-based electrically resonant structure having a resonance frequency which varies in response to changes in at least one of a humidity proximate the sensor module, a temperature proximate the sensor module, or the presence of a chemical or biological agent proximate the sensor module. The system further comprises a remote receiver to receive an electromagnetic signal comprising the signal generated by the electrically resonant structure and a signal analysis module to determine an environmental condition such as humidity, temperature, pre-ice conditions, ice, chemicals or biological species from the at least one environmental condition signal. Other embodiments may be described. | 12-02-2010 |
20100326534 | SYSTEM & METHOD FOR REDUCING VISCOUS FORCE BETWEEN A FLUID AND A SURFACE - A metamaterial has a magnetic permeability response at frequencies sufficient to generate a repulsive force between a fluid and a surface to which the metamaterial may be applied. The metamaterial may be nanofabricated such that an absolute value of the magnetic permeability of the metamaterial is substantially greater than an absolute value of an electric permittivity of the metamaterial. The metamaterial may generate a repulsive force between the surface and the fluid moving relative to the surface and thereby reduce viscous drag of the fluid on the surface. A method of reducing the viscous drag of the fluid moving past the surface includes producing relative motion between the surface and the fluid and generating the repulsive force between the surface and the fluid. | 12-30-2010 |
20100328175 | LEAKY CAVITY RESONATOR FOR WAVEGUIDE BAND-PASS FILTER APPLICATIONS - A leaky cavity resonator that includes a waveguide, the waveguide being filled with a dielectric material, and at least two complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs), the CSRRs residing inside the waveguide parallel to each other placed symmetrically both radially and in height, a leaky resonant cavity being formed between the at least two CSRRs and a wall of the waveguide. A frequency band of the leaky cavity resonator is adjustable by varying a distance w between at least one outside perimeter of at least one CSRR and an interior wall of the waveguide. A frequency band of the leaky cavity resonator is also adjustable by varying a size of the leaky resonant cavity. The at least two CSRRs each have at least one stub connecting to a wall of the waveguide. A frequency band of the leaky cavity resonator is also adjustable by varying a size of the stubs. | 12-30-2010 |
20110221630 | SUPER-RESOLUTION IMAGING RADAR - A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for a super-resolution imaging radar (SRIR). The SRIR employs a pulse signal generator that propagates bursts of radio frequency (RF) energy. Each burst contains a number of pulses. One pulse of each burst is an ancilla pulse, and the remaining pulses are propagated towards an object. An array bucket detector (ABD) collects pulses that are reflected from the object. Also, the ancilla pulses are propagated through a virtual lens. A virtual scanning detector detects the virtual ancilla electric field. A processor calculates a virtual ancilla electric field, which would be present at the scanning detector. Further, a coincidence circuit calculates a cross-time correlation function of the electric fields of the reflected pulses that are collected by the ABD and the virtual ancilla electric field. The coincidence circuit uses cross-time correlation function results to generate pixels of an image of the object. | 09-15-2011 |
20120037420 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE PROTECTION - Apparatus, systems and methods for electronic device protection are provided. A particular apparatus includes a non-conductive substrate and a plurality of cells including conductive members coupled to the non-conductive substrate. The conductive members are arranged to form a first discontinuous mesh, where each conductive member of a cell is separated from conductive members of adjacent cells by a gap and a cavity is defined in the non-conductive substrate at a location of each gap. | 02-16-2012 |
20120061176 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ACOUSTIC METAMATERIAL - A method for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial may include providing a planar pattern of springs arranged in columns and rows and separated from each other by interconnection nodes, providing a planar pattern of mass units separated from each other by a distance corresponding to a distance between the interconnection nodes, providing an array of vertically oriented springs separated from each other by the distance between the interconnection nodes, and aligning and joining the planar pattern of springs, the planar pattern of mass units and the array of vertically oriented springs to form a layer of unit cells. | 03-15-2012 |
20140252305 | Enhanced Photo-Thermal Energy Conversion - Semiconducting quantum dots are applied to a fluid. The quantum dots are configured to absorb visible or near infrared light and re-radiate infrared energy that excites a fundamental vibration frequency of the fluid. | 09-11-2014 |