Combined aircraft TCAS/transponder with common antenna system

• US 7,436,350 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Vesel, Andrew M., Maloratsky, Leo G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US10/954,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 342 27- 51, 342/118, 342128-145, 342165-175, 342/195, 342 25 R- 25 F, 342200-204, 701/300, 701/301, 701 3- 18
• US Class Current: 342/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00

Abstract

The present invention is a combined aircraft TCAS/Transponder with common antenna system and transmitter. Common TCAS/Transponder multi-monopole top and bottom antennas may be connected to a top and bottom antenna modules, the top and bottom antenna modules being electrically coupled to the combined TCAS/Transponder transmitter/receiver block through connection lines.

Claims

1. A combined multi-frequency transmitter and receiver with common antenna system, comprising:

a first and second antenna;

a multiple frequency transmitter and receiver;

a first antenna module coupled to said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver and said first antenna which provides an interface between said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver and said first antenna; and

a second antenna module coupled to said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver and said second antenna which provides an interface between said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver and said second antenna;

wherein each of said first and second antenna modules includes a beam forming network coupled to a switched divider and combiner, said beam forming network and said switched divider and combiner providing amplitude and phase calibration whereby said multi-frequency transmitter and receiver transmits and receives signals of at least two distinct frequencies, said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver being operable to determine a range of another object from a location of said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver.

2. The combined multi-frequency transmitter and receiver with common antenna system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second antennas are monopole antennas.

3. The combined multi-frequency transmitter and receiver with common antenna system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said beam forming network includes a plurality of quadrature hybrids.

4. The combined multi-frequency transmitter and receiver with common antenna system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of quadrature hybrids are coupled to each other to form a network matrix with a plurality of network ports corresponding to monopoles of said first and second antennas and a plurality of inputs corresponding to outputs of said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver and a plurality of outputs corresponding to inputs of said multiple frequency transmitter and receiver.