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Air traffic advisory system bearing estimation receiver

  • US 5,604,504 A
  • Filed: 08/24/1995
  • Issued: 02/18/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a traffic advisory system wherein an intruder aircraft is equipped for transmitting intruder signals and wherein a protected aircraft is equipped for receiving the intruder signals and determining therefrom the intruder bearing as the bearing angle of the intruder aircraft relative to the protected aircraft, the intruder bearing being subject to error, an apparatus for determining a corrected intruder bearing, said apparatus comprising:

  • an array of antennas mounted aboard the protected aircraft, said antennas being operable for receiving the intruder signals and responsive thereto for producing respective antenna signals; and

    signal processing means for receiving and processing said antenna signals for determining the bearing of the intruder aircraft relative to the protected aircraft, said signal processing means includingsignal combining means including means for producing a sum signal representative of the sum of selected antenna signals, and means for producing a first delta signal representative of the differences of selected antenna signals,receiving means for producing a first phase signal representative of the phase relationship between said sum and first delta signals, said first phase signal being representative of a first intruder bearing and being subject to error due to intruder signal reflection,said signal combining means including means for producing a second delta signal representative of the differences of selected antenna signals,said receiving means including means for producing a second phase signal representative of the phase relationship between said sum and second delta signals, said second phase signal being representative of a second intruder bearing and being subject to error due to intruder signal reflection,said signal combining means including means for producing said first and second delta signals so that said errors of said first and second phase signals are at least partially offsetting,said signal processing means further including bearing determining means for determining a corrected bearing as a function of both said first and second phase signals.

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