METHOD FOR DATA EXCHANGE BETWEEN MILITARY AIRCRAFT AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT THIS METHOD

• US 20090079631A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Werth, Monika Von Der, Mehltretter, Ludwig, Hurst, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/367
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A device for user data transmission implemented in an aircraft for transmitting user data to a relay aircraft. The device includes a controllable directional antenna arrangement and an antenna steering module that is structured and arranged to control radiation properties and transmitting power of the antenna arrangement. Moreover, the device includes an antenna orientation module and a threat management system. Additionally, the device includes an optimization device. Furthermore, the threat management system and the optimization device are associated with the antenna steering module and the optimization device receives a desired radiation profile from the threat management system and a desired direction range of an antenna lobe from the antenna orientation module. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. A device for user data transmission implemented in an aircraft for transmitting user data to a relay aircraft, the device comprising:

a controllable directional antenna arrangement;

an antenna steering module that is structured and arranged to control radiation properties and transmitting power of the antenna arrangement;

an antenna orientation module;

a threat management system; and

an optimization device,

wherein the threat management system and the optimization device are associated with the antenna steering module and the optimization device receives a desired radiation profile from the threat management system and a desired direction range of an antenna lobe from the antenna orientation module.

2. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a user data transmission module that is configured to provide user data to the relay aircraft; and

a receiver device that receives information from the relay aircraft.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the optimization device determines antenna transmission properties to be produced by the antenna steering module and transmits the antenna transmission properties to the steering module as a control command.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the antenna transmission properties include one of an angular range, a side lobe loss for radiation of the antenna lobes, and a maximum transmitting power.

5. The device according to claim 3 wherein the threat management system receives and uses information on a current transmission quality, in which the current transmission quality is determined by the receiver, based on the information from the relay aircraft.

6. The device according to claim 3 wherein the desired direction range of the antenna lobe is determined in the antenna orientation module on a basis of a relative position of the transmitting aircraft relative to the relay aircraft and a flight attitude of the transmitting aircraft.

7. The device according to claim 3 further comprising:

a decision device connected to the antenna steering module that is structured and arranged to stop the user data transmission of the transmitting aircraft when a probability of a locatability of the transmitting aircraft exceeds a comparative value.

8. The device according to claim 3 further comprising:

an antenna control unit that is structured and arranged to set the transmission properties such that a side lobe loss is at least 30 dB.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein the antenna orientation module is associated with a flight attitude computer.

10. A method for user data transmission in which user data is transmitted from a first aircraft to a relay aircraft for retransmission to another aircraft, the method comprising:

arranging a device for user data transmission in the first aircraft and the relay aircraft;

assessing a desired radiation profile by a threat management system; and

obtaining a desired direction range of an antenna lobe by an antenna orientation module.

11. The method for user data transmission according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining a current transmission quality based upon information fed to a receiver.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein optimization of the transmission properties takes place in the transmitting aircraft.

13. An aircraft having a data transmission device using the method according to claim 10, wherein the aircraft is the first aircraft.

14. A device for user data transmission for an aircraft comprising:

a controllable directional antenna arrangement;

an antenna steering module that is structured and arranged to control radiation properties and transmitting power of the antenna arrangement;

an antenna orientation module;

a threat manager; and

an optimizer,

wherein the threat manager and the optimizer are associated with the antenna steering module and the optimizer receives a desired radiation profile from the threat manager and a desired direction range of an antenna lobe from the antenna orientation module.

15. The device according to claim 14 further comprising:

a user data transmitter that is configured to transmit user data to a relay aircraft; and

a receiver that receives information from the relay aircraft.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the optimizer device determines antenna transmission properties to be produced by the antenna steering module and transmits the antenna transmission properties to the steering module as a control command.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the antenna transmission properties include one of an angular range, a side lobe loss for radiation of the antenna lobes, and a maximum transmitting power.

18. The device according to claim 16 wherein the threat manager receives and uses information on a current transmission quality, in which the current transmission quality is determined by the receiver based on the information from the relay aircraft.

19. The device according to claim 16 wherein the desired direction range of the antenna lobe is determined in the antenna orientation module on a basis of a relative position of the transmitting aircraft relative to the relay aircraft and a flight attitude of the transmitting aircraft.

20. The device according to claim 16 further comprising:

a decider connected to the antenna steering module that is structured and arranged to stop the user data transmission of the transmitting aircraft when a probability of a locatability of the transmitting aircraft exceeds a comparative value.

21. The device according to claim 16 further comprising:

an antenna controller that is structured and arranged to set the transmission properties such that a side lobe loss is at least 30 dB.

22. A method for user data transmission in which user data is transmitted from an aircraft, the method comprising:

determining a desired radiation profile by a threat management system;

determining a desired direction range of an antenna lobe by an antenna orientation module; and

transmitting the user data with the desired radiation profile and in the desired direction range.

23. The method for user data transmission according to claim 22, further comprising:

determining a current transmission quality based upon information fed to a receiver.