Secondary surveillance radar system

• US 5,196,855 A
• Filed: 05/08/1992
• Issued: 03/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/879,918
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 342/37, 342/32, 342/38, 342/46
• US Class Current: 342/37
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar

Abstract

A secondary surveillance radar system combines a mechanical scanning type of mode-S sensor using a mechanical rotation type of antenna and an electronic scanning type of mode-S sensor using an electronic scanning type of antenna. The mechanical scanning type of mode-S sensor performs at least mode-A/C general inquiry/response with aircraft targets and create a file of surveillance data obtained by the general inquiry/response. This allows circumvention of problems, which would be encountered in performing the same processing by using the electronic scanning system, such as the deterioration of accuracy of monopulse angular measurement, the increasing probability that unwanted responses will be received, etc., which are due to the elevation dependence of horizontal beamwidths. The electronic scanning type of mode-S sensor performs at least mode-S individual inquiry/response, reducing the time interval allotted for the general inquiry/response, thereby permitting an increase in data link communications capacity, and real-time communications.

Claims

1. A secondary surveillance radar system comprising:

a mechanical scanning sensor using a mechanical rotation type of antenna to form a beam in a horizontal plane and rotate it at a constant speed and having a function of performing mode-A/C general inquiry/response with aircraft targets within the beam, and a function of preparing management data file for the aircraft targets on the basis of responses from the aircraft targets; and

an electronic scanning sensor using an electronic scanning type of antenna for electronically causing a beam to scan in a horizontal plane, and having a function of designating the aircraft targets in sequence by referring to the management data file, a function of performing mode-S individual inquiry/response with each of the aircraft targets designated in sequence, and a function of performing data link communications with each of the targets.

2. The secondary surveillance radar system according to claim 1, in which the electronic scanning sensor is further equipped with a function of performing mode-A/C individual inquiry/response with the aircraft targets.

3. The secondary surveillance radar system according to claim 1, in which the mechanical scanning sensor is further equipped with a function of performing mode-S general inquiry/response with the aircraft targets, and the electronic scanning sensor is further equipped with a function of performing mode-A/C individual inquiry/response with the aircraft targets.

4. The secondary surveillance radar system according to claim 1, in which the mechanical scanning sensor is further equipped with a function of performing mode-S general inquiry/response and a function of performing mode-S individual inquiry/response with the aircraft targets.

5. The secondary surveillance radar system according to claim 1, in which the mechanical rotation type of antenna and the electronic scanning type of antenna are installed with one placed upon the other.