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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9

A multipurpose digital modulator

The theoretical basis and hardware implementation of a versatile device which uses digital signal-processing methods to achieve signal modulation are reported. The carrier-modulation process is formulated as a simple quadrature equation; a generalized description of the signal constellation to be processed is derived; the pulse-shaping scheme is explained; and the system architecture is described in detail and illustrated with diagrams. Experimental results obtained with a breadboard transmitter based on this modulation technique are presented in extensive graphs. The power spectra and eye diagrams generated for different QPSK, 8PSK, and MSK modulation schemes are shown to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions. It is suggested that this modulator could be readily implemented in VLSI and mass produced.

Davarian, Faramaz↗

Digital Mammography with a Mosaic of CCD-Arrays

The present invention relates generally to a mammography device and method and more particularly to a novel digital mammography device and method to detect microcalcifications of precancerous tissue. A digital mammography device uses a mosaic of electronic digital imaging arrays to scan an x-ray image. The mosaic of arrays is repositioned several times to expose different portions of the image, until the entire image is scanned. The data generated by the arrays during each exposure is stored in a computer. After the final exposure, the computer combines data of the several partial images to produce a composite of the original x-ray image. An aperture plate is used to reduce scatter and the overall exposure of the patient to x-rays. The novelty of this invention is that it provides a digital mammography device with large field coverage, high spatial resolution, scatter rejection, excellent contrast characteristics and lesion detectability under clinical conditions. This device also shields the patient from excessive radiation, can detect extremely small calcifications and allows manipulation and storage of the image.

Jalink, Antony, Jr.↗

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Recent Radiation Effects Test Results

Total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, and single event effects testing were performed to characterize and determine the suitability of candidate electronics for NASA space utilization. Devices tested include FPGAs, optoelectronics, digital, analog, and bipolar devices.

Single-Event Effects (SEE)↗

LEC GaAs for integrated circuit applications

Recent developments in liquid encapsulated Czochralski techniques for the growth of semiinsulating GaAs for integrated circuit applications have resulted in significant improvements in the quality and quantity of GaAs material suitable for device processing. The emergence of high performance GaAs integrated circuit technologies has accelerated the demand for high quality, large diameter semiinsulating GaAs substrates. The new device technologies, including digital integrated circuits, monolithic microwave integrated circuits and charge coupled devices have largely adopted direct ion implantation for the formation of doped layers. Ion implantation lends itself to good uniformity and reproducibility, high yield and low cost; however, this technique also places stringent demands on the quality of the semiinsulating GaAs substrates. Although significant progress was made in developing a viable planar ion implantation technology, the variability and poor quality of GaAs substrates have hindered progress in process development.

Kirkpatrick, C. G.↗

Effective use of remote sensing products in litigation

A boiled-down version of major legal principles affecting the admissibility of data and products from remote sensing devices is presented. It is suggested that enhancements or classifications of digital data (from scanning devices or from digitized aerial photography) be proffered as evidence in a fashion similar to the manner in which maps from photogrammetric techniques are introduced as evidence. Every effort should be made to illucidate the processes by which digital data are analytically treated or manipulated. Remote sensing expert witnesses should be practiced in providing concise and clear explanations of both data and methods. Special emphasis should be placed on being prepared to provide a detailed accounting of steps taken to calibrate and verify spectral characteristics with ground truth.

Jaynes, R. A.↗

Development of an optical parallel logic device and a half-adder circuit for digital optical processing

The paper describes the fabrication and operation of an optical parallel logic (OPAL) device which performs Boolean algebraic operations on binary images. Several logic operations on two input binary images were demonstrated using an 8 x 8 device with a CdS photoconductor and a twisted nematic liquid crystal. Two such OPAL devices can be interconnected to form a half-adder circuit which is one of the essential components of a CPU in a digital signal processor.

Athale, R. A.↗

Active pixel sensor having intra-pixel charge transfer with analog-to-digital converter

An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor Integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node and an analog-to-digital converter formed in the substrate connected to the output of the readout circuit.

Fossum, Eric R.↗

Active pixel sensor having intra-pixel charge transfer with analog-to-digital converter

An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node and an analog-to-digital converter formed in the substrate connected to the output of the readout circuit.

Fossum, Eric R.↗

Two-Way Communication Using RFID Equipment and Techniques

Equipment and techniques used in radio-frequency identification (RFID) would be extended, according to a proposal, to enable short-range, two-way communication between electronic products and host computers. In one example of a typical contemplated application, the purpose of the short-range radio communication would be to transfer image data from a user s digital still or video camera to the user s computer for recording and/or processing. The concept is also applicable to consumer electronic products other than digital cameras (for example, cellular telephones, portable computers, or motion sensors in alarm systems), and to a variety of industrial and scientific sensors and other devices that generate data. Until now, RFID has been used to exchange small amounts of mostly static information for identifying and tracking assets. Information pertaining to an asset (typically, an object in inventory to be tracked) is contained in miniature electronic circuitry in an RFID tag attached to the object. Conventional RFID equipment and techniques enable a host computer to read data from and, in some cases, to write data to, RFID tags, but they do not enable such additional functions as sending commands to, or retrieving possibly large quantities of dynamic data from, RFID-tagged devices. The proposal would enable such additional functions. The figure schematically depicts an implementation of the proposal for a sensory device (e.g., a digital camera) that includes circuitry that converts sensory information to digital data. In addition to the basic sensory device, there would be a controller and a memory that would store the sensor data and/or data from the controller. The device would also be equipped with a conventional RFID chipset and antenna, which would communicate with a host computer via an RFID reader. The controller would function partly as a communication interface, implementing two-way communication protocols at all levels (including RFID if needed) between the sensory device and the memory and between the host computer and the memory. The controller would perform power V

Jedry, Thomas↗

Analog to digital converter for two-dimensional radiant energy array computers

The analog to digital converter stage derives a bit array of digital radiant energy signals representative of the amplitudes of an input radiant energy analog signal array and derives an output radiant energy analog signal array to serve as an input to succeeding stages. The converter stage includes a digital radiant energy array device which contains radiant energy array positions so that the analog array is less than a predetermined threshold level. A scaling device amplifies the radiant signal levels of the input array and the digital array so that the radiant energy signal level carried by the digital array corresponds to the threshold level. An adder device adds the signals of the scaled input and digital arrays at corresponding array positions to form the output analog array.

Shaefer, D. H.↗

A system for the functional testing and simulation of custom and semicustom VLSI chips

A system for the functional testing and simulation of custom and semicustom very large scale integrated (VLSI) chips that are designed using the integrated UNIX-based computer-aided design (CAD) system is described. The testing and simulation system consists of two parts. One of these is a special purpose hardware device that is capable of controlling the digital imputs and outputs on a custom chip. This device, the Digital Microcircuit Functionality Tester (DMFT) system, can be operated by itself or in conjunction with the VAX host computer on the CAD system. The DMFT is integrated into a microprobe station so that these signals can be injected or read from nodes inside the chip, as well as at the pins. The second part of the system is a software package that is installed on the VAX. This software package, logic, includes a full-screen editor for developing chip test sequences and drivers for both the DMFT and the esim logic simulator.

Olson, E. M.↗

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Compendium of Radiation Effects Test Results

Total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, and single event effects testing were performed to characterize and determine the suitability of candidate electronics for NASA space utilization. Devices tested include FETs, flash memory, FPGAs, optoelectronics, digital, analog, and bipolar devices.

Single Event Effects (SEE)↗