Integrated datalinks in a surveillance receiver

• US 6,545,631 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hudson, Craig William, Pratt, John Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/981,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 342/29, 342/30, 342/31, 342/32, 342/36, 342/37, 342/42, 342/46, 342/50
• US Class Current: 342/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/781 Secondary Surveillance Radar [SSR] in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A surveillance transceiver system is provided for receiving extended squitters from Mode S transponders, translating the squitters into ADS-B state vectors in UAT format, and transmitting the ADS-B state vectors using a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) datalink. The surveillance transceiver system bridges the gap created by differently-equipped aircraft by using multiple datalinks to provide seamless ADS-B surveillance. The module for processing the extender squitters includes a 1090 MHz receiver and a computer processor in communication with the UAT processor for parsing the squitter and composing the ADS-B state vector in UAT format for broadcast.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a squitter received from a vehicle, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a squitter from a vehicle;

a processor in communication with said receiver and configured to translate said squitter into a transmittable ADS-B signal; and

a transmitter in communication with said processor and configured to transmit said ADS-B signal.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said squitter is an extended squitter from a Mode S transponder.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmittable ADS-B signal comprises an ADS-B state vector in UAT format.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor comprises one or more processors in communication with said receiver and said transmitter.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to receive traffic data from fixed ground radar stations and said transmitter is further configured to transmit said traffic data.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter is a Universal Access Transceiver configured to receive and transmit ADS-B signals in UAT format.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processor is further configured to suspend translation of a squitter received from a target when a UAT signal is also received from said target.

8. An apparatus for translating a Mode S extended squitter into an ADS-B state vector, said apparatus in communication with a transceiver system, the transceiver system characterized by a transceiver and a first processor, said apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an extended squitter from a vehicle; and

a second processor in communication with said receiver and with said first processor, said second processor configured to parse said squitter into its component data and compose an ADS-B state vector using said data.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first processor is configured to cooperate with said second processor to parse said squitter into its component data.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first processor is configured to cooperate with said second processor to compose said ADS-B state vector using said data.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said extended squitter comprises a plurality of segments.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second processor stores said component data in a track file.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second processor composes said ADS-B state vector in UAT format.

14. A method for processing a squitter received from a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a squitter from a vehicle via a receiver;

translating said squitter into a transmittable ADS-B signal using a processor in communication with said receiver; and

transmitting said ADS-B signal via a transmitter in communication with said processor.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said step of translating said squitter further comprises:

parsing said squitter into its component data; and

composing a transmittable ADS-B signal from said data.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step of parsing said squitter further comprises storing said data in a track file.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step of composing a transmittable ADS-B signal further comprises composing said ADS-B signal in UAT format.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

suspending the translation of a squitter received from a target when a UAT signal is also received from said target.

19. A method for translating a Mode S extended squitter into an ADS-B state vector within a transceiver system, the transceiver system characterized by a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter, said method comprising:

receiving a squitter from a vehicle via said receiver;

parsing said squitter into its component data using said processor;

composing an ADS-B state vector from said data using said processor; and

transmitting said ADS-B state vector via a transmitter in communication with said processor.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said step of parsing said squitter further comprises storing said data in a track file.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said step of composing an ADS-B state vector further comprises composing said ADS-B state vector in UAT format.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises one or more processors.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said processors are configured to cooperate to parse said squitter into its component data.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein said processors are configured to cooperate to compose said ADS-B state vector using said data.

25. A method according to claim 19, wherein said transmitter is a Universal Access Transceiver configured to receive and transmit ADS-B signals in UAT format.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

suspending the translation of a squitter received from a target when a UAT signal is also received from said target.

27. A system for processing a squitter received from a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle equipped with an onboard transmitter;

a receiver configured to receive a squitter from said onboard transmitter;

a computer processing device in communication with said receiver, said computer device comprising;

a first processing portion configured to parse said squitter into its component data; and

a second processing portion configured to compose a transmittable ADS-B signal using said data; and

a transmitter in communication with said processor and configured to transmit said ADS-B signal.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said computer processing device comprises one or more computer processing devices in communication with said receiver and said transmitter.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said computer processing devices are configured to cooperate to execute said first and second processing portions.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein said transmitter is a Universal Access Transceiver configured to receive and transmit ADS-B signals in UAT format.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said computer processing device further comprises:

a third processing portion configured to suspend translation of a squitter received from a target when a UAT signal is also received from said target.

32. A system according to claim 27, wherein said computer processing device further comprises:

a traffic processing portion configured to receive traffic data from fixed ground radar stations; and

a broadcast processing portion configured to direct said transmitter to transmit said traffic data.

33. A computer software program product translating a Mode S extended squitter into an ADS-B state vector in a system having a transceiver component, the transceiver component characterized by a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter, said product comprising:

a first executable portion configured to parse said squitter into its component data; and

a second executable portion configured to compose an ADS-B state vector from said data.

34. A computer software program product according to claim 33, wherein said first executable portion further comprises a sub-portion configured to store said data in a track file.

35. A computer software program product according to claim 33, further comprising:

a third executable portion configured to compose said ADS-B state vector in UAT format.

36. A computer software program product according to claim 33, further comprising:

a fourth executable portion configured to suspend translation of a squitter received from a target when a UAT signal is also received from said target.

37. A method of integrating a squitter translator into a transceiver system, comprising:

adding a receiver configured to receive a squitter in a first format from a vehicle;

adding a squitter processor in communication with said receiver; and

linking said squitter processor to said transceiver system such that said squitter is parsed into its component data and an ADS-B signal in a second format is composed using said data, said second format compatible with said transceiver system.

38. A translator module for use with a transceiver system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a squitter in a first format from a vehicle; and

a squitter processor in communication with said receiver and including a link configured to be connected for data communication with said transceiver system, said squitter processor being configured to translate said squitter into an ADS-B signal in a second format, said second format compatible with said transceiver system.

39. A module according to claim 38, wherein said squitter processor is further configured to parse said squitter into its component data and to compose said ADS-B signal using said data.