System and method for mitigating radio frequency interferences

• US 8,744,395 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• 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: Mitchell, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US12/854,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 455/297, 455/448, 455/501, 455/504, 455/506, 455/63.1, 455/63.4, 455/65, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/67.16, 455/98, 455/114.2, 455/129, 455/152.1, 455/242.1, 455/242.3, 455/243.1, 455/276.1, 455/278.1, 455/296, 455/304, 455/242.2, 455/303, 455/305
• US Class Current: 455/297
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver

Abstract

A system for mitigating radio frequency (RF) interferences. The system may comprise an interference cancellation module communicatively coupled with a first antenna, the interference cancellation module configured for mitigating interferences from a second antenna by phase shifting a signal receivable at the first antenna according to a phase shift value, the phase shift value being predetermined when the second antenna is oriented in an initial directional orientation. The system may further comprise a variable RF delay module communicatively coupled with the interference cancellation module, the variable RF delay module configured for determining a current directional orientation of the second antenna, the variable RF delay module further configured for providing a phase compensation value based upon the current directional orientation of the second antenna. The interference cancellation module may be further configured for phase shifting the signal receivable at the first antenna according to the phase compensation value.

Claims

1. A method for mitigating interferences in a radio frequency (RF) communication system, the RF communication system having a first antenna and a second antenna, the method comprising:

determining a first directional orientation of the second antenna;

providing a first RF delay value based upon the first directional orientation of the second antenna;

phase shifting a first signal receivable at the first antenna according to the first RF delay value, the first RF delay value being utilized to mitigate an interference caused by the second antenna when the second antenna is directed towards the first directional orientation;

determining a second directional orientation of the second antenna, the second directional orientation being different from the first directional orientation;

providing a second RF delay value based upon the second directional orientation of the second antenna, the second RF delay value being different from the first RF delay value; and

phase shifting a second signal receivable at the first antenna according to the second RF delay value, the second RF delay value being utilized to mitigate an interference caused by the second antenna when the second antenna is directed towards the second directional orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second directional orientation is determined based upon information received from at least one of:

a Global Positioning System (GPS), an Inertial Navigation System (INS), a Flight Management System (FMS), and a positioning module configured for steering the second antenna.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a second RF delay value based upon the second directional orientation of the second antenna further comprises:

identifying a directional range covering the second directional orientation of the second antenna; and

determining the second RF delay value based upon the directional range.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a second RF delay value based upon the second directional orientation of the second antenna further comprises:

determining a distance between the first antenna and the second antenna; and

calculating the second RF delay value at least partially based upon the distance determined.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of delays; and

selectively engaging at least one of the plurality of delays according to the second RF delay value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are positioned on a same vehicle, the first antenna and the second antenna are configured to operate independently with respect to each other, the first RF delay value is utilized to mitigate cosite interferences between the first antenna and the second antenna when the second antenna is directed towards the first directional orientation, and the second RF delay value is utilized to mitigate cosite interferences between the first antenna and the second antenna when the second antenna is directed towards the second directional orientation.