In-flight transceiver and locator system

• US 7,822,415 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comtech Mobile Datacom LLC (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Thorne, Christopher Richard, Hulcher, Philipp Lynn, Meyers, Thomas Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US11/592,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/12.1, 342/357.1
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

Military systems in particular face two specific problems: field casualties typically increase as unit visibility decreases and it is often difficult for ground stations and/or headquarters to maintain control and visibility of geographically dispersed assets. The system provides satellite communications such as two-way messaging, Voice over Packet, and global positioning information and reporting for fixed and rotary wing aircrafts where traditional methods of communications are not otherwise practical. The system provides communications between remote users and other remote users as well as between remote users and control stations. In some embodiments there is an in-flight transceiver system that includes an antenna, an aviation box, and a switch. The aviation box conforms to a one-half, ½ short Air Transport Rack (ATR) form factor and includes a transceiver, an interface card, and a global positioning system (GPS) unit. The switch is located between the aviation box and the antenna for controlling a data signal between the antenna and the transceiver of the aviation box.

Claims

1. An in-flight transceiver system for communicating an information securely at a high data rate between an in-flight unit and a ground unit comprising:

an antenna;

an aviation box conforming to a one-half, half short Air Transport Rack (ATR) form factor comprising a transceiver and a global positioning system (GPS) unit;

a switch between the aviation box and the antenna for controlling a data signal between the antenna and the transceiver, and

an interface comprising a servicing data connector and an in-flight data connector coupled to the in-flight unit wherein connecting a cable to the servicing data connector automatically disables the in-flight data connector,

wherein the transceiver operates at a data rate of greater than approximately 800 bits per second (bps) when sending information from the in-flight unit to the ground unit and greater than approximately 2800 bps when receiving information at the in-flight unit from the ground unit, and

wherein the information from the in-flight unit to the ground unit and the information from the ground unit to the in-flight unit is packet encrypted using a Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm and an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, or a DES algorithm and a Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) algorithm, or an AES algorithm and an RSA algorithm.

2. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 further comprising an interface card.

3. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the GPS unit comprises a selective availability anti-spoofing module (SAASM).

4. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 further comprising a signal booster between the aviation box and the antenna.

5. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the antenna is located outside a body of an aviation platform and wherein the aviation box is located inside the body of the aviation platform.

6. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 5 wherein the antenna is located at a distance of not less than 15 feet from the aviation box.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna is fin-shaped.

8. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a dual-pole antenna.

9. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the antenna is an omni-directional antenna.

10. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the information is communicated bidirectionally between the in-flight unit and the ground unit.

11. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the in-flight transceiver system is operable in at least one environmental condition comprising vibration, salt fog, or temperatures between minus twenty-six (−

26) degrees Centigrade and plus seventy-one (+71) degrees Centigrade, aircraft voltage transients, and external electromagnetic forces.

12. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the traffic is transmitted over an L Band satellite communication channel.

13. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein disconnecting the servicing data connector automatically enables the in-flight data connector.

14. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is Blue Force Tracking-capable.

15. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is operable to send and receive Voice over Packet transmissions.

16. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is assigned unique radio identifier.

17. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 16 wherein a customizable node name is associated with the unique radio identifier.

18. The in-flight transceiver system of claim 1 wherein the information is communicated beyond-line-of-sight.

19. A method for securely communicating between a first party and a second party comprising:

providing to the second party an in-flight transceiver system comprising;

an antenna;

an aviation box conforming to a one-half, half short Air Transport Rack (ATR) form factor comprising a transceiver and a global positioning system (GPS) unit;

a switch between the aviation box and the antenna for controlling a data signal between the antenna and the transceiver; and

an interface comprising a servicing data connector and an in-flight data connector coupled to the in-flight transceiver wherein connecting a cable to the servicing data connector automatically disables the in-flight data connector;

sending a first independent communications packet over a first communications channel that is not allocated or predetermined; and

sending a second independent communications packet over a second communications channel before receiving acknowledgement of successful receipt of the first communications packet, wherein the first and second communications packets are sent between the first and second party,

wherein the transceiver operates at a data rate of greater than approximately 800 bits per second (bps) when sending the first or second independent communications packet from the second party to the first party and greater than approximately 2800 bps when receiving the first or second independent communications packet at the second party from the first party, and

wherein at least one of the first or second communications packets is packet encrypted using a Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm and an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, or a DES algorithm and a Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) algorithm, or an AES algorithm and an RSA algorithm.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first party is a ground station unit and the second party is an in-flight remote unit.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first party is a remote ground unit and the second party is an in-flight remote unit.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the first channel and the second channel are the same channel.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the first channel and the second channel are different channels.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first or second communications packets is a Voice over Packet communications packet that utilizes the BlueForce Tracking system.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first or second communications packets are transmitted using code divided multiple access (CDMA) protocols.

26. The method of any of claims 19 wherein at least one of the first or second communication packets includes at least one of GPS information, text message information, or voice communications.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the first channel and the second channel are L Band satellite communication channels.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein the transceiver is assigned unique radio identifier.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein a customizable node name is associated with the unique radio identifier.

30. The method of claim 19 wherein sending the first and second communication packets offers beyond-line-of-sight communications.