A novel cognitive computing architecture is conceptualized for processing multiple channels of multi-modal sensory data streams simultaneously, and fusing the information in real time to generate intelligent reaction sequences. This unique architecture is capable of assimilating parallel data streams that could be analog, digital, synchronous/asynchronous, and could be programmed to act as a knowledge synthesizer and/or an "intelligent perception" processor. In this architecture, the bio-inspired models of visual pathway and olfactory receptor processing are combined as processing components, to achieve the composite function of "searching for a source of food while avoiding the predator." The architecture is particularly suited for scene analysis from visual data and odorant

Duong, Tuan A.

Duong, Vu A.

NASA Technical Reports Server

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2012 13
Electronics/Computers
Highly sensitive receivers are used to
detect minute amounts of emitted elec-
tromagnetic energy. Calibration of
these receivers is vital to the accuracy of
the measurements. Traditional calibra-
tion techniques depend on calibration
reference internal to the receivers as
reference for the calibration of the ob-
served electromagnetic energy. Such
methods can only calibrate errors in
measurement introduced by the re-
ceiver only. The disadvantage of these
existing methods is that they cannot ac-
count for errors introduced by devices,
such as antennas, used for capturing
electromagnetic radiation. This se-
verely limits the types of antennas that
can be used to make measurements
with a high degree of accuracy. Com-
plex antenna systems, such as electron-
ically steerable antennas (also known as
phased arrays), while offering poten-
tially significant advantages, suffer from
a lack of a reliable and accurate calibra-
tion technique.
The present innovation provides a
method to perform an end-to-end cali-
bration of a radio frequency (RF) re-
ceiver system comprised of an antenna
and a receiver. Traditional calibration
techniques cannot eliminate errors in
measurement introduced by variations
in antenna characteristics. The pro-
posed invention provides a method to
quantify the instantaneous, as well as
long-term, variations in antenna charac-
teristics. This technique will enable im-
proved accuracy in measurements made
using passive receiver systems and
phased array systems in particular, by
monitoring the performance of the an-
tenna array by measuring the gain of the
antenna electronics in real time.
The proximity of antenna elements in
an array results in interaction between
the electromagnetic fields radiated (or
received) by the individual elements.
This phenomenon is called mutual cou-
pling.  The new calibration method uses
a known noise source as a calibration
load to determine the instantaneous
characteristics of the antenna. The noise
source is emitted from one element of
the antenna array and received by all the
other elements due to mutual coupling.
This received noise is used as a calibra-
tion standard to monitor the stability of
the antenna electronics.
The proposed calibration technique
makes use of five measurements. These
are observations of an internal warm
load, cold load (both internal to the ra-
diometer/receiver), the scene of inter-
est, the scene of interest with the noise
source emitted from the center element
of the antenna array, and a known noise
source injected directly into each ele-
ment of the antenna array. The noise
source, coupled from the central ele-
ment in the array to all other elements
in a square array will be symmetric. With
the noise source being emitted from the
central element, the mutually coupled
signal will be received on the other an-
tenna elements, combined, and used as
a calibration signal to monitor any
change in the RF components (low-
noise amplifiers, phase shifters, attenua-
tors, and power combiners) in front of
the radiometer. Based on these observa-
tions, a calibrated estimate of the scene
can be obtained.
This work was done by Paul Meyer,
William Sims, Kosta Varnavas, and Jeff
McCracken of Marshall Space Flight Cen-
ter; Karthik Srinivasan, Ashutosh L i -
maye,  and Charles  Laymon of  Univer-
sities Space Research Association; and
James Richeson of ICRC. For further infor-
mation, contact Sammy Nabors, MSFC
Commercialization Assistance Lead, at
sammy.a.nabors@nasa.gov. Refer to MFS-
32783-1.
Technique for Radiometer and Antenna Array 
Calibration — TRAAC
This technique provides a unique and accurate method 
to calibrate an antenna and radiometer system.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
A novel cognitive computing archi-
tecture is conceptualized for processing
multiple channels of multi-modal sen-
sory data streams simultaneously, and
fusing the information in real time to
generate intelligent reaction se-
quences. This unique architecture is ca-
pable of assimilating parallel data
streams that could be analog, digital,
synchronous/asynchronous, and could
be programmed to act as a knowledge
synthesizer and/or an “intelligent per-
ception” processor. In this architecture,
the bio-inspired models of visual path-
way and olfactory receptor processing
are combined as processing compo-
nents, to achieve the composite func-
tion of “searching for a source of food
while avoiding the predator.” The archi-
tecture is particularly suited for scene
analysis from visual data and odorant
Real-Time Cognitive Computing Architecture for Data Fusion 
in a Dynamic Environment 
This architecture can enable smart instrumentation for automotive, security, and intelligent
robotics applications. 
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20120006580 2019-08-30T19:51:02+00:00Z
14 NASA Tech Briefs, January 2012
signature identification in a heteroge-
neous environment.
In this architecture, there are four basic
blocks: input, output, processing, and stor-
age. The input block consists of sensing
devices including IR, lidar, radar, visual,
chemical, and biosensors, at their various
sampling data rates. Based on application
scenario, selected sensory streams are sent
by the input block to the subsequent “pro-
cessing” block in a fully parallel fashion.
Feature data is extracted from the analog/
digital sensory streams and is accumulated
in the storage block for enriching the
“knowledge base” as a situation unfolds.
The incoming raw data is not stored as is
the usual approach in current computer
architecture, and is reconstructed if re-
quired during the process in real time.
The output block sends the out put signal
to various interfaces (actuating inter-
faces), such as other machines, humans,
or RF devices. The processing block con-
sists of several mathematical constructs in-
cluding Principal Component Analysis
(PCA), Independent Component Analysis
(ICA), Neural Network (NN), Genetic Al-
gorithm (GA), etc., and is controlled by a
hierarchy of logical rules to enact reason-
ing, reconfiguring, and adapting as re-
quired when the target is changing in the
dynamic environment. There fore, the
processing block can select an architec-
ture for each particular application as
needed, dynamically, and still remain com-
patible with a digital environment. The
conceptualized architecture, capable of
extracting knowledge from information
and using the knowledge for reasoning,
adapting, and reacting therefore qualifies
as a cognitive architecture for real-time
data fusion in a dynamic environment.
Further more, its dynamic autonomous re -
configurability makes it versatile as a “gen-
eral-purpose” intelligent system to accom-
plish the “searching for a source of food
while avoiding the predator” function. 
This work was done by Tuan A. Duong
and Vu A. Duong of Caltech for NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Laboratory. Further information
is contained in a TSP (see page 1).
In accordance with Public Law 96-517,
the contractor has elected to retain title 
to this invention. Inquiries concerning
rights for its commercial use should be ad-
dressed to:
Innovative Technology Assets Management
JPL
Mail Stop 202-233
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109-8099
E-mail: iaoffice@jpl.nasa.gov
Refer to NPO-46633, volume and num-
ber of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and
the page number. 
An existing three-channel analog
servo loop controller has been re-
designed for piezoelectric-transducer-
based (PZT-based) etalon control appli-
cations to a digital servo loop controller.
This change offers several improve-
ments over the previous analog con-
troller, including software control over
proportional–integral–derivative (PID)
parameters, inclusion of other data of
interest such as temperature and pres-
sure in the control laws, improved ability
to compensate for PZT hysteresis and
mechanical mount fluctuations, ability
to provide pre-programmed scanning
and stepping routines, improved user in-
terface, expanded data acquisition, and
reduced size, weight, and power.
The original analog servo controller
only had the ability to correct for a sin-
gle error term generated by the capac-
itive gap sensor. This was less than opti-
mal when trying to return to the same
gap position due to the hysteresis of
the PZT motors and thermal drift in
the electronics.
To overcome the limitations of the 
analog servo loop, it was decided that a
control loop could be built around a mi-
crocontroller/central processing unit
(CPU), i.e., a digital servo loop. The
CPU would query various sensors such as
a capacitive gap sensor or temperature
sensor, among others, then based on re-
programmable control laws, provide a
driving signal to a high-voltage driver
that actuates the PZT motor on the
etalon. The system is based on mostly
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) hard-
ware and software.
The design is based around a new
generation of direct capacitance to digi-
tal converters from Analog Devices, the
AD7745. This integrated circuit (IC) al-
lows the measurement of the capaci-
tance of the gap capacitor at up to 90
Hz with resolutions down to 4 aF. This
measurement is an absolute value
whereas the previous analog design
measured capacitance relative to a ref-
erence capacitor whose value had some
uncertainty. The new design allows one
to measure the gap directly, after cali-
bration, thereby greatly improving over-
all control.
This work was done by Gregory J. Wassick of
Michigan Aerospace Corporation for Goddard
Space Flight Center. For further information,
contact the Goddard Innovative Partnerships
Office at (301) 286-5810. GSC-15524-1
Programmable Digital Controller 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Use of CCSDS Packets Over SpaceWire to Control Hardware 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
For the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter,
the Command and Data Handling subsys-
tem consisted of several electronic hard-
ware assemblies that were connected with
SpaceWire serial links. Electronic hard-
ware would be commanded/controlled
and telemetry data was obtained using the
SpaceWire links. Prior art focused on par-
allel data buses and other types of serial
buses, which were not compatible with
the SpaceWire and the core flight execu-
tive (CFE) software bus.
This innovation applies to anything
that utilizes both SpaceWire networks and
the CFE software. The CCSDS (Consulta-
tive Committee for Space Data Systems)
packet contains predetermined values in
its payload fields that electronic hardware
attached at the terminus of the SpaceWire
node would decode, interpret, and exe-
cute. The hardware’s interpretation of the
packet data would enable the hardware to
change its state/configuration (com-
mand) or generate status (telemetry).


Real-Time Cognitive Computing Architecture for Data Fusion in a Dynamic Environment

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