Apparatus And Method For Generating Low Latency Position Information From Position Signals Transmitted In A Narrow Bandwidth Channel Of A Radio Frequency
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating low latency position information from position signals transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency, such apparatus comprising:
- a processing module of an ownship communication device configured toreceive data representative of ownship position from a navigation data source;
generate an ownship position signal representative of ownship position;
transmit the ownship position signal to a processing module of each target communication device of a network if a position reporting time slot allocated to the ownship communication device in an interface protocol has been reached, wherethe network is comprised of the ownship communication device and at least one target communication device,the ownship communication device and each target communication device employ the interface protocol,the interface protocol is defined by a plurality of time slots comprised ofa plurality of position reporting time slots,a voice contention time slot, andan order wire time slot within which each communication device of the network is allocated one unique position reporting time slot, andeach position signal is transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency;
receive at least one target position signal, whereeach target position signal is transmitted by the processing module of one target communication device if the position reporting time slot allocated to such target communication device in the interface protocol has been reached; and
generate target data representative of each received target position signal, where the target data is representative of low latency position information of at least one target.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Present novel and non-trivial apparatus and method for generating low latency position information from position signals transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency are disclosed. An aircraft (i.e., ownship) and each target (e.g., aircraft) of a time-division multiple access (“TDMA”) network receives its respective position derived from its individual source such as a satellite navigation system. A processing module of a communication device installed in ownship and each target generate position signals, and during the allocated time slots of an interface protocol, exchange position information with the others in the network over a narrow bandwidth channel (e.g., bandwidths of 25 KHz or less) of a radio frequency in the VHF range or lower UHF range. The interface protocol may also be comprised of a voice contention time slot for the transmission of messages and an order wire for the administration of the network.
40 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating low latency position information from position signals transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency, such apparatus comprising:
a processing module of an ownship communication device configured to receive data representative of ownship position from a navigation data source; generate an ownship position signal representative of ownship position; transmit the ownship position signal to a processing module of each target communication device of a network if a position reporting time slot allocated to the ownship communication device in an interface protocol has been reached, where the network is comprised of the ownship communication device and at least one target communication device, the ownship communication device and each target communication device employ the interface protocol, the interface protocol is defined by a plurality of time slots comprised of a plurality of position reporting time slots, a voice contention time slot, and an order wire time slot within which each communication device of the network is allocated one unique position reporting time slot, and each position signal is transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency; receive at least one target position signal, where each target position signal is transmitted by the processing module of one target communication device if the position reporting time slot allocated to such target communication device in the interface protocol has been reached; and generate target data representative of each received target position signal, where the target data is representative of low latency position information of at least one target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16)
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11. A method for generating low latency position information from position signals transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency, such method comprising:
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receiving data representative of ownship position from a navigation data source; generating an ownship position signal representative of ownship position; transmitting the ownship position signal to a processing module of each target communication device of a network if a position reporting time slot allocated to the ownship communication device in an interface protocol has been reached, where the network is comprised of the ownship communication device and at least one target communication device, the ownship communication device and each target communication device employ the interface protocol, the interface protocol is defined by a plurality of time slots comprised of a plurality of position reporting time slots, a voice contention time slot, and an order wire time slot within which each communication device of the network is allocated one unique position reporting time slot, and each position signal is transmitted in a narrow bandwidth channel of a radio frequency; receiving at least one target position signal, where each target position signal is transmitted by the processing module of one target communication device if the position reporting time slot allocated to such target communication device in the interface protocol has been reached; and generating target data representative of each received target position signal, where the target data is representative of low latency position information of at least one target. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification