Mapping, storage, retrieval and display of high energy electromagnetic radiation emitters

• US 8,692,703 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Dove, Richard S., Bauler, Scott F., Jacobson, Randy H., Seah, Kirschen A., Hegerty, Eamon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Windrich, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US12/884,530
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 342/13, 342/14, 342/36, 342/176, 342/181
• US Class Current: 342/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/36 Means for anti-jamming , e.g. ECCM, i.e. electronic counter-counter measures
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones

Abstract

A system for providing the capability for a vehicle to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters. The system includes a processing module. A database is operatively connected to the processing module. The database comprises a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with the geographical areas. The data includes location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters. The data preferably also includes affected frequency spectrum for the selected geographical areas. A display system is operatively connected to the processing module. The processing module functions to receive information regarding the position of the vehicle and query the database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a threat to the vehicle'"'"'s ability to properly navigate or communicate. The relevant HE EM radiation emitters are displayed on the display system. The present invention provides enhanced situational awareness to the pilot and permits decision support systems to refine their trajectory through hazards.

Claims

1. A system for providing the capability for a vehicle to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters, comprising:

a) a processing module;

b) a database operatively connected to said processing module, said database comprising a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with said geographical areas, said data including location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters;

c) a display system operatively connected to said processing module, wherein said processing module is configured to receive information regarding the position of the vehicle and query the database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a signal interference threat to the vehicle'"'"'s ability to properly navigate or communicate, said relevant HE EM radiation emitters being displayed on said display system; and

,

d) a flight management system (FMS) operatively connected to said processing module,

wherein said relevant HE EM radiation emitters are determined by processing specific characteristics of the HE EM radiation emitters in said database and the level of the combined products produced by those emitters in combination,

wherein said HE EM radiation emitters are selected from the group, consisting of;

broadcast television towers, broadcast radio, cellular phone towers, microwave repeater stations, ground-based radar stations, radio relay antennas, and co-channel emitters,

wherein said processing module is configured to use a flight plan from said FMS to determine areas where interference could occur along the route and region between the present or initial position and destination, said FMS not doing calculations of possible interference based on the emitters from the database, but using results from the processing module to determine if the selected route or others it might specify would be interference-controlled.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data in said database further comprises the affected frequency spectrum for said selected geographical areas.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing module and said database are both contained within a processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said operative connection comprises a communications channel between said FMS and said processing module wherein:

a) said processing module retrieves an initial flight plan from said FMS and determines the threats based on locations or routes presented to it from said FMS;

b) said processing module returns a list of HE EM radiation emitters to said FMS in response to said retrieved flight plan;

c) said FMS computes a new flight plan in response to said determination of threats from said processing module; and

, d) said FMS sends information to said display system for display of said new flight plan.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing module and said database are both contained within a processor, said processor contained within said flight management system (FMS).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing module provides information to said display system for depicting said relevant HE EM radiation emitters in terms of color distinctions, shading, contour dashing, and/or other symbolic representations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing module provides information to said display system for depicting said relevant HE EM radiation emitters in terms of altitude and/or location.

8. A method for providing the capability for a vehicle to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a database including a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with said geographical areas, said data including location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters;

b) receiving information regarding the position of the vehicle and querying said database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a signal interference threat to the vehicle'"'"'s ability to properly navigate or communicate, utilizing a processing module; and

,

c) displaying said relevant HE EM radiation emitters,

wherein said relevant HE EM radiation emitters are determined by processing specific characteristics of HE EM radiation emitters in said database and the level of the combined products produced by those emitters in combination,

wherein said HE EM radiation emitters are selected from the group, consisting of;

broadcast television towers, broadcast radio, cellular phone towers, microwave repeater stations, ground-based radar stations, radio relay antennas, and co-channel emitters,

wherein said processing module is configured to use a flight plan from a flight management system (FMS) operatively connected to said processing module to determine areas where interference could occur along the route and region between the present or initial position and destination, said FMS not doing calculations of possible interference based on the emitters from the database, but using results from the processing module to determine if the selected route or others it might specify would be interference-controlled.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of providing a database includes providing a database further including the affected frequency spectrum for said selected geographical areas.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said processing module and said database are both contained within a processor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said flight management system (FMS) is operatively connected to said processing module, said operative connection comprising a communications channel between said FMS and said processing module,

a) wherein said processing module operates by the steps of:

a) retrieving an initial flight plan from said FMS; and

,

b) returning a list of HE EM radiation emitters to said FMS in response to said retrieved flight plan; and

,

b) wherein said FMS operates by the steps of;

a) computing a new flight plan in response to determination of threats from said processing module; and

,

b) sending information to said display system for displaying said new flight plan.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said processing module provides information to said display system for depicting said relevant HE EM radiation emitters in terms of color distinctions, shading, contour dashing, and/or other symbolic representations.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said processing module provides information to said display system for depicting said relevant HE EM radiation emitters in terms of altitude and/or location.

14. A system for providing the capability for an aircraft to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters, comprising:

a) a processing module positioned on an aircraft;

b) a database operatively connected to said processing module, said database comprising a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with said geographical areas, said data including location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters;

c) a display system operatively connected to said processing module, wherein said processing module is configured to receive information regarding the position of the aircraft and query the database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a signal interference threat to the aircraft'"'"'s ability to properly navigate, said relevant HE EM radiation emitters being displayed on said display system; and

,

d) a flight management system (FMS) operatively connected to said processing module,

wherein said relevant HE EM radiation emitters are determined by processing specific characteristics of HE EM radiation emitters in said database and the level of the combined products produced by those emitters in combination,

wherein said HE EM radiation emitters are selected from the group, consisting of;

broadcast television towers, broadcast radio, cellular phone towers, microwave repeater stations, ground-based radar stations, radio relay antennas, and co-channel emitters,

wherein said processing module is configured to use a flight plan from said FMS to determine areas where interference could occur along the route and region between the present or initial position and destination, said FMS not doing calculations of possible interference based on the emitters from the database, but using results from the processing module to determine if the selected route or others it might specify would be interference-controlled.