Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090045997 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING USING PULSED RADAR SIGNAL DATA LINKS - A method and system for communicating using pulsed radar signal data links is disclosed. The method comprises encoding downlink data with a signature sequence as a secondary function onto a continuous wave pulse signal having a primary function at a master device. The data-encoded pulse signal from the master device is interpreted at one or more slave devices configured to receive the pulse signal within a first communications bandwidth of the primary and secondary functions. The master device synchronizes returning communication transmissions from each of the one or more slave devices for the secondary function within a prescribed return interval of the primary function. | 02-19-2009 |
20090146894 | RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA STEERING PATTERNS - A method of configuring a reconfigurable antenna is disclosed. The method selects an antenna configuration pattern based on previously identified antenna configuration patterns where the previously identified antenna configuration patterns have known signal beam pattern characteristics. The method applies reconfigurable antenna steering patterns based on the selected configuration pattern to configure a reconfigurable antenna. | 06-11-2009 |
20090146895 | RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA PATTERN VERIFICATION - A method of verifying programmable antenna configurations is disclosed. The method comprises selecting a desired antenna configuration from a plurality of antenna configuration patterns, with the selected antenna configuration forming at least one reconfigurable antenna from reconfigurable antenna array elements. The method validates the formation of the selected antenna configuration to determine antenna performance of the at least one reconfigurable antenna. | 06-11-2009 |
20090157293 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DIMINISHING THE EFFECTS OF AN ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE OF VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for diminishing the effects of an acoustic signature of a vehicle while the vehicle is en route to a destination. One method includes the steps of retrieving acoustic data representing an acoustic model of the vehicle, terrain data representing a terrain model of a geographic area surrounding the destination, route data representing a model of a plurality of routes to the destination, and weather data representing atmospheric conditions of the geographic area. The method also includes selecting a route to the destination based on the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data. A system includes means for performing the retrieving step and the selecting step of the above method. Another system includes memory storing the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to select a route to the destination based on the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data. | 06-18-2009 |
20090251358 | RADAR ALTIMETER WITH FORWARD LOOKING RADAR AND DATA TRANSFER CAPABILITIES - A navigation system having a radar altimeter is disclosed. The navigation system comprises a signal processing unit and one or more antennas in operative communication with the radar altimeter and the signal processing unit. The system further comprises a forward looking radar communicatively coupled to the radar altimeter. The forward looking radar and the signal processing unit are configured to provide forward looking radar measurements, radar altitude measurements from the radar altimeter, and datalink communications within a single forward looking radar scanning sequence. | 10-08-2009 |
20090273504 | RADAR TARGET PROCESSING REDUCTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING COOPERATIVE SURVEILLANCE SOURCES - Systems and methods for reducing radar target processing. The systems include a processor configured to receive a first input from a cooperative surveillance source and a second input from a radar device. The first input includes cooperative target information, the second input includes cooperative and non-cooperative target information, and the processor is configured to process the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input to generate a modified radar output for use by an output device. The methods include receiving a first input including cooperative target information from a cooperative surveillance source, receiving a second input including cooperative and non-cooperative target information from a radar device, processing the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input, and generating a modified radar output based on the processed first and second inputs. | 11-05-2009 |
20100004913 | WINDS ALOFT PROFILER - A platform for a handheld wind profiler includes a housing containing a three-axis magnetic compass module generating a compass signal, including the orientation of the housing relative to magnetic north at a time. A two-axis inclinometer module generates a inclinometer signal including the orientation of the housing relative to a horizontal plane at the time. A GPS module generating a GPS signal indicating a time and position solution including a terrain position of the housing based upon the time. A processor receives a first velocimeter signal at the time from at least one laser Doppler velocimeter. The velocimeter signal includes a first radial velocity of a first wind-borne aerosol and a first orientation of the at least one laser Doppler velocimeter relative to the housing. The processor resolves the first velocimeter signal to determine an orientation of the at least one laser Doppler velocimeter relative to the terrain position. | 01-07-2010 |
20100085235 | RADAR SYSTEM FOR OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE - A radar system comprises a transmitter antenna configured to transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal, a first receiver antenna, and a second receiver antenna. Each of the first and second receiver antennas are configured to receive a reflection of the RF signal, wherein the first and second receiver antennas are synchronized and separated by a vertical distance. The radar system also comprises radar processing circuitry configured to control transmission of the RF signal from the transmitter antenna and to determine an elevation of an object reflecting the RF signal based on the phase difference between the reflected RF signal received by the first receiver antenna and the reflected RF signal received by the second receiver antenna; wherein the transmit antenna, first receiver antenna, and second receiver antenna are operable to continuously rotate 360 degrees along an azimuth angle without rotating along an elevation angle. | 04-08-2010 |
20100085236 | TRANSPONDER-BASED BEACON TRANSMITTER FOR SEE AND AVOID OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES - A transponder-based beacon transmitter system in an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The transponder-based beacon transmitter system comprises a global positioning system interface communicatively coupled to receive position information indicative of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a message formatter communicatively coupled to the global positioning system interface, and a transponder-based beacon transmitter. The message formatter formats vehicle identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the position information indicative of the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle into an automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter message. The message formatter operates in one of a military mode, a National Airspace System mode, and a combined military/National Airspace System mode. The transponder-based beacon transmitter transmits the automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter messages from the unmanned aerial vehicle. Receivers in the vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle receive unsolicited vehicle identification and location of the unmanned aerial vehicle. | 04-08-2010 |
20100085241 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBSTACLE DETECTION AND WARNING - A obstacle detection system comprises a transmission antenna operable to radiate a radio frequency (RF) signal and a transmitter operable to control transmission of the RF signal from the antenna. The obstacle detection system also comprises a receiver antenna operable to receive a reflection of the RF signal; and processing circuitry operable to analyze a plurality of characteristics of a radar cross section (RCS) of the received reflection to identify an obstacle and one or more physical attributes of the obstacle. | 04-08-2010 |
20100087967 | MULTI-SECTOR RADAR SENSOR - A radar system comprises a plurality of antenna sub-systems, each operable to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals in a corresponding sector, wherein the plurality of antenna sub-systems are positioned such that the corresponding sectors cover a total range of about 180 degrees to about 360 degrees without rotation of the radar system. The radar system also comprises shared backend circuitry coupled to each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems and operable to process signals from each of the plurality of antenna sub-systems to detect the presence of an obstacle in one of the corresponding sectors. | 04-08-2010 |
20100102992 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTE MONITORING OF WEATHER - Systems and methods are operable to capture images of weather along a portion of a flight path of an aircraft, and are operable to wirelessly communicate information corresponding to the captured images to the aircraft. An exemplary embodiment has at least one camera pointed in a direction corresponding to a portion of the flight path of the aircraft and configured to capture images of weather in proximity to the portion of the flight path, and has a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate images captured by the at least one camera. | 04-29-2010 |
20100149025 | GPS RECEIVER RAIM WITH SLAVED PRECISION CLOCK - A method and a system for providing a substituted timing signal for a missing satellite ephemeris in execution of a RAIM algorithm includes deriving a plurality of position, velocity, and time solutions from a GPS navigation system. The position, velocity and time solutions are derived from a plurality of satellite ephemerides. An atomic clock provides an atomic clock signal. The atomic clock signal is compared to the derived time solutions to arrive at a correction factor. The atomic clock signal is adjusted according to the correction factor to develop an adjusted atomic clock signal. The adjusted atomic clock signal is substituted for a missing satellite ephemeris to execute the RAIM algorithm. | 06-17-2010 |
20100175573 | Explosively formed penetrator detection and passive infrared sensor neutralization system - An apparatus for remote detection or neutralization of an explosively formed penetrator device. A LIDAR or LADAR unit may be used in conjunction with a RADAR unit to both detect the presence of an EFP and neutralize the EFP having an associated passive infrared sensor. The LIDAR unit's wavelength is selected to approximate the signature from the intended EFP target which then causes the safe remote detonation of the EFP. The detected EFP signature may be compared with known signatures and presented to a user via a display terminal. The display terminal may also present associated terrain or GPS data. | 07-15-2010 |
20100268458 | ENHANCED VISION SYSTEM FOR PRECISION NAVIGATION IN LOW VISIBILITY OR GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) DENIED CONDITIONS - A method of generating an image of a volume ahead of an aerial vehicle is provided. The method comprises determining a position of the aerial vehicle and generating a terrain image corresponding to ground features correlated to the position of the aerial vehicle. Obstacle data pertaining to a set of obstacles ahead of the aerial vehicle is determined with a forward looking sensor. An obstacle overlay image is generated and overlain onto the terrain image to generate a composite image. | 10-21-2010 |