Systems and methods for providing ADS-B mode control through data overlay

• US 9,465,097 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stayton, Gregory T., McCullen, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US14/814,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/784 Coders or decoders therefor; Degarbling systems; Defruiting systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/02 Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/10 Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/18 Phase-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using phase-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26 Systems using multi-frequency codes H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/02 Channels characterised by the type of signal

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose systems and methods for providing enhanced features using an ATC Overlay data link. Further, there are provided systems and methods for ADS-B Mode Control that enable a transponder to selectively transmit data on a desired link, such as the ADS-B or ATC Overlay link, based on the control inputs such as current active ADS-B applications, thus reducing RF interference while maximizing the amount of pertinent data being transmitted. In various embodiments, ADS-B Mode Control also offers a mechanism to include pilot-entered data onto the ADS-B or ATC Overlay link, thereby producing flexibility for future ADS-B In applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data inputs for transmission through a provided ADS-B transponder;

receiving one or more control inputs;

analyzing the control inputs and the data inputs to determine a transmission priority for the plurality of data inputs;

selecting a first input of the plurality of data inputs based upon the transmission priority and encoding the selected first input to produce a modulated Air Traffic Control (ATC) signal;

selecting a second input of the plurality of data inputs based upon the transmission priority and encoding the second input as an overlay message; and

modulating the modulated ATC signal with the overlay message using an overlay modulation protocol.

2. The method as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the overlay-modulated ATC signal from at least one of a TCAS transponder;

an ADS-B transponder;

a ATC radar; and

a ground station.

3. The method as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the overlay modulation protocol is phase shift keying modulation.

4. The method as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of data inputs comprise two or more of:

a radar altitude;

a pressure altitude;

an ownship heading;

an ownship airspeed;

a vertical climb rate;

a vertical descent rate;

a GPS location of ownship;

a GPS antenna offset;

a location of a second aircraft other than ownship;

an ADS-B reply message;

a desired flight level;

an aircraft sensor value;

a message for transmission to another aircraft;

a message for transmission to a ground station;

a transponder reply signal;

a squitter signal;

a 1030 MHz interrogation signal;

a 1030 MHz TCAS signal;

at least one of a signal within a voice band or a data band operating within an ATC HF, VHF, and UHF band;

a VDL Mode 4 ADS-B modulated signal;

a DME signal;

a SATCOM signal;

a signal originating from any avionics equipment that radiates a modulated RF signal;

a baseband signal for transmitting data; and

a pilot input, and combinations thereof.

5. The method as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the overlay modulation protocol is selected from the group consisting of:

binary phase shift keying modulation (BPSK);

quadrature phase shift keying modulation (QPSK);

8-phase shift keying modulation (8-PSK);

differential phase-shift keying (DPSK);

DNPSK modulation, where N is an even integer and a multiple of 2;

frequency shift keying (FSK);

amplitude shift keying (ASK);

quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM);

orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM);

minimum-shift keying (MSK);

asymmetric phase-shift keying, (APSK);

pulse position modulation (PPM);

amplitude modulation (AM);

frequency modulation (FM); and

combinations thereof.

6. The method as disclosed in claim 1 wherein the one or more control inputs comprise at least one of:

an Application Input File (AIF);

a list of ADS-B applications currently active on ownship;

location information regarding a second aircraft;

velocity information regarding the second aircraft;

bearing information regarding the second aircraft;

an input from a TX 429 bus;

a pilot input; and

an input received from a Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI).

7. The method as disclosed in claim 6, wherein the applications comprise one or more of:

a closely spaced parallel approach, an In-Trail Procedure (ITP);

a Flight Deck Interval Management (FIM); and

Surface Indicating &

Alerting (SURF IA)).

8. The method as disclosed in claim 1 further comprising encrypting the overlay message.

9. The method as disclosed in claim 1 further comprising applying a second overlay modulation protocol to the overlay-modulated signal.

10. The method as disclosed in claim 9, wherein the second overlay modulation protocol is selected from the group consisting of:

binary phase shift keying modulation (BPSK);

quadrature phase shift keying modulation (QPSK);

8-phase shift keying modulation (8-PSK);

differential phase-shift keying (DPSK);

DNPSK modulation, where N is an even integer and a multiple of 2;

frequency shift keying (FSK);

amplitude shift keying (ASK);

quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM);

orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM);

minimum-shift keying (MSK);

asymmetric phase-shift keying, (APSK);

pulse position modulation (PPM);

amplitude modulation (AM);

frequency modulation (FM); and

combinations thereof.

11. The method as disclosed in claim 1 wherein:

analyzing the control inputs and the data inputs to determine a transmission priority for the plurality of data inputs further comprises determining that a closely spaced parallel approach application is active; and

selecting a first input of the plurality of data inputs further comprises selecting a GPS antenna offset data value.

12. The method as disclosed in claim 1 wherein:

analyzing the control inputs and the data inputs to determine a transmission priority for the plurality of data inputs further comprises determining that a closely spaced parallel approach application is active; and

selecting a second input of the plurality of data inputs further comprises selecting a GPS antenna offset data value.

13. The method as disclosed in claim 1 wherein:

analyzing the control inputs and the data inputs to determine a transmission priority for the plurality of data inputs further comprises determining that an In-Trail Procedure (ITP) application is active; and

selecting a first input of the plurality of data inputs further comprises selecting a desired flight level input.

14. The method as disclosed in claim 1 wherein:

analyzing the control inputs and the data inputs to determine a transmission priority for the plurality of data inputs further comprises determining that an In-Trail Procedure (ITP) application is active; and

selecting a second input of the plurality of data inputs further comprises selecting a desired flight level input.