Systems and methods for using a TCAS directional antenna for omnidirectional transmission

• US 7,554,482 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems
• Inventors: Stayton, Gregory T., Smith, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/786,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 342 29- 40, 342 42- 44, 342/46, 342200-204
• US Class Current: 342/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00

Abstract

A method of transmitting from a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) directional antenna, the TCAS directional antenna including a plurality of antenna elements connected to an integrated beam forming network, according to various aspects of the present invention comprises: providing a signal to each input of the integrated beam forming network, wherein each signal is of equal phase and equal amplitude to result in transmitting omnidirectionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting from a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) directional antenna, the TCAS directional antenna including a plurality of antenna elements connected to an integrated beam forming network, the method comprising:

providing a signal to each input of the integrated beam forming network, wherein each signal is of equal phase and equal amplitude to result in transmitting omnidirectionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a Mode S transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a universal access transceiver (UAT) transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a TCAS transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal has a frequency of 1090 MHz, 978 MHz, or 1030 MHz.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a signal to a single input of the integrated beam forming network to result in transmitting directionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

7. A system for transmitting from a TCAS directional antenna, the TCAS directional antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements connected to an integrated beam forming network, the system comprising:

a transmitter in communication with the TCAS directional antenna, the transmitter for providing a signal to each input of the integrated beam forming network, wherein each signal is of equal phase and equal amplitude to result in transmitting omnidirectionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal is a Mode S transmission.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal is a universal access transceiver (UAT) transmission.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal is a TCAS transmission.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal has a frequency of 1090 MHz, 978 MHz, or 1030 MHz.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the transmitter provides a signal to a single input of the integrated beam forming network to result in transmitting directionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

13. A system for transmitting from a TCAS directional antenna, the TCAS directional antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements connected to an integrated beam forming network, the system comprising:

a circuit in communication with the TCAS directional antenna, the circuit for receiving a first signal and providing a second signal to each input of the integrated beam forming network, wherein each second signal is of equal phase and equal amplitude to result in transmitting omnidirectionally from the TCAS directional antenna.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein amplitude of the first signal is a multiple of the amplitude of the second signal.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first signal is a Mode S transmission.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first signal is a universal access transceiver (UAT) transmission.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first signal is a TCAS transmission.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal has a frequency of 1090 MHz, 978 MHz, or 1030 MHz.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the circuit provides the first signal to a single input of the integrated beam forming network to result in transmitting directionally from the TCAS directional antenna.