Patent classifications
G01S1/18
ANTENNA AND GLIDE PATH ARRAY FOR SMALL FOOTPRINT AIRCRAFT PRECISION APPROACH AND LANDING SYSTEM
An instrument landing system (ILS) is described. The ILS comprises a plurality of antennas and a plurality of antenna radio units (ARUs). Each ARU of the plurality of ARUs operates to generate a modulated RF signal provided to a different one of the plurality of antennas for transmission. The ILS further comprises a central processing unit that operates to control the ARUs to adjust synchronization between the modulated RF signal provided by the ARUs to the plurality of antennas for transmission.
Antenna and glide path array for small footprint aircraft precision approach and landing system
An instrument landing system (ILS) is described. The ILS comprises a plurality of antennas and a plurality of antenna radio units (ARUs). Each ARU of the plurality of ARUs operates to generate a modulated RF signal provided to a different one of the plurality of antennas for transmission. The ILS further comprises a central processing unit that operates to control the ARUs to adjust synchronization between the modulated RF signal provided by the ARUs to the plurality of antennas for transmission.
Method and device for verifying a guidance signal
A verification method comprising a first step of measuring at least one position parameter of an aircraft and a first set of steps implemented after the flight of at least one aircraft, in an automatic and repetitive manner, comprising computing a geographical height of an aircraft with respect to the runway on the basis of the position parameters of an aircraft, computing an evaluated vertical deviation, between the geographical height and a reference height, and computing a vertical error on the basis of a comparison between the evaluated vertical deviation and the reference vertical deviation.
Aircraft Navigation Performance Prediction System
Systems and methods for predicting aircraft navigation performance are provided. In one embodiment, a method can include determining that one or more navigational aid measurements are not available to the aircraft. The method can include estimating a future actual navigation performance of the aircraft for a future point in the flight plan. The method can include determining a future required navigation performance associated with the future point in the flight plan. The method can include comparing the future actual navigation performance to the future required navigation performance to determine if the future actual navigation performance satisfies the future required navigation performance. The method can include providing, to an onboard system of the aircraft, information indicative of whether the future actual navigation performance satisfies the future required navigation performance.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LOW OVERHEAD FREQUENCY-AVERAGED BEAM PATTERN FEEDBACK IN MILLIMETER WAVE POSITIONING SYSTEMS
The position of a mobile device is estimated using angle based positioning measurements. The angle based positioning measurements are generated using transmit (Tx) beams or receive (Rx) beams from one or more base stations that generate the beams over an ultra-wide bandwidth, which produces frequency and spatial distortions and impairments in an array gain response. The array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used in beamforming is conveyed to indicate the frequency and spatial distortions. The array gain distribution variation may be provided to the mobile device in assistance data for a sub-band that is only a portion of the allocated bandwidth for the base stations, or as an aggregation of the array gain distribution variation for a plurality of sub-bands of the allocated bandwidth to reduce the overhead in signaling.
Systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor
There are provided systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor that assist pilots by providing alerts when a barometric altitude of the ownship aircraft is may be incorrect. Various embodiments of the present invention determine whether significant errors in barometric altitude occur though comparisons to alternate altitude information sources. Through aspects of the present invention, errors arising from manual entry of barometric pressure information by a pilot may be identified before safety issues arise, thus helping to prevent events such as controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
Systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor
There are provided systems and methods for providing a barometric altitude monitor that assist pilots by providing alerts when a barometric altitude of the ownship aircraft is may be incorrect. Various embodiments of the present invention determine whether significant errors in barometric altitude occur though comparisons to alternate altitude information sources. Through aspects of the present invention, errors arising from manual entry of barometric pressure information by a pilot may be identified before safety issues arise, thus helping to prevent events such as controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
Apparatus and method for low overhead frequency-averaged beam pattern feedback in millimeter wave positioning systems
The position of a mobile device is estimated using angle based positioning measurements. The angle based positioning measurements are generated using transmit (Tx) beams or receive (Rx) beams from one or more base stations that generate the beams over an ultra-wide bandwidth, which produces frequency and spatial distortions and impairments in an array gain response. The array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used in beamforming is conveyed to indicate the frequency and spatial distortions. The array gain distribution variation may be provided to the mobile device in assistance data for a sub-band that is only a portion of the allocated bandwidth for the base stations, or as an aggregation of the array gain distribution variation for a plurality of sub-bands of the allocated bandwidth to reduce the overhead in signaling.
Apparatus and method for low overhead frequency-averaged beam pattern feedback in millimeter wave positioning systems
The position of a mobile device is estimated using angle based positioning measurements. The angle based positioning measurements are generated using transmit (Tx) beams or receive (Rx) beams from one or more base stations that generate the beams over an ultra-wide bandwidth, which produces frequency and spatial distortions and impairments in an array gain response. The array gain distribution variation as a function of angle and frequency for the set of beam weights used in beamforming is conveyed to indicate the frequency and spatial distortions. The array gain distribution variation may be provided to the mobile device in assistance data for a sub-band that is only a portion of the allocated bandwidth for the base stations, or as an aggregation of the array gain distribution variation for a plurality of sub-bands of the allocated bandwidth to reduce the overhead in signaling.
Glideslope visibility monitor
An airfield visibility monitoring system may include a measurement unit to emit one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation along an aircraft glideslope associated with a runway and detect backscattered radiation from the glideslope associated with the emitted pulses. The measurement unit may further determine round-trip times between emission of the one or more pulses and detection of the backscattered radiation. The system may further include a controller. The controller may determine values of a visibility metric for multiple distances from the measurement unit along the glideslope based on the detected backscattered radiation and round-trip times, determine values of the visibility metric for multiple altitudes based on the values of the visibility metric along the glideslope, and direct an airfield communication unit to broadcast values of the visibility metric for at least some of the altitudes.