SYSTEM FOR AIR-TO-AIR COMMUNICATIONS

Abstract

A system for air-to-air communications which provides for multi-band simultaneous high and low frequency communications utilizing a variable geometry type antenna. The system operates simultaneously in a broadcast mode on low frequencies and in a directed mode on high frequencies.

Claims

1. A system for air-to-air communications, comprising: a means for generating a high frequency steerable radio frequency beam; a means for generating a low frequency substantially omnidirectional radio frequency beam; wherein said means for generating said high frequency steerable radio frequency beam comprises a plurality of selectable antenna radiating elements; and a means for routing high frequency signals to said selected radiating antenna elements; and to said means for generating a low frequency substantially omnidirectional radio frequency beam comprises a geometry of said plurality selectable antenna radiating elements so chosen as to provide coupling of low frequency signals between said plurality.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for said a plurality of selectable antenna radiating elements each being simultaneously selectably connectable to a source and a receiver of said high frequency signals; selectably connectable to a source and a receiver of said low frequency signals; and selectably connectable to one or more other of said plurality of selectable antenna radiating elements.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for simultaneous connectivity to a source and a receiver comprises a circulator.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for simultaneously connectivity to a source and a receiver further comprises a high frequency bandpass filter and a low frequency bandpass filter.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for routing high frequency signals to said selected antenna radiating elements comprises: an antenna controller; and in cooperation with a high frequency directional determination system for controlling antenna radiating element phase; and said selectable connectivity of said plurality of antenna radiating elements.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data decoder; and a data encoder for determining whether data will be received and transmitted over said high frequency steerable radio frequency beam or said low frequency substantially omnidirectional radio frequency beam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 depicts a use of the present invention for the purposes of airborne communications.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram depicting the various RF feeds off a pixelated patch antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention, called a Multiband Communications and Repeater System (MCaRS), is composed of a reconfigurable pixelated patch or display type antenna 100 with simultaneous radio frequency (RF) transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) signals (i.e., modes) 110 coming from both low and high frequency systems. There are multiple possible means of separating the high and low frequency RF, the means envisioned here consists of a circulator 120 with ports designed to admit only the proper low and high frequency RF 130 and 140 to the respective Rx/Tx communications systems 150 and 160, although alternate instantiations could rely on band pass filters for this purpose as seen in FIGS. 3 290 and 310. The received data 330 is sent to the Data Decoder/Encoder 170 which, based on requirements, determines if the data needs to be resent via the high or low frequency Rx/Tx and properly formats the data for the appropriate system 340 and 350 thus acting as a repeater. For pre-existing commercial or government radio systems (which would replace the Rx/Tx systems 150 and 160) the Decoder/Encoder 170 would ensure the data is properly formatted for each radio system, while also sending the data 360 to and from the I/O Adaptor 180 as necessary. The High Frequency Directional Determination system 190 accepts control signals 380 from the I/O Adaptor 180 and the separate signals 370 from the High Frequency Rx/Tx 160 to control the display antenna via the Antenna Control 220, ensuring to the proper beam shaping for the high frequency capability.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows an application of the present invention as an airborne communications system. An aircraft 240 is depicted communication with two other aircraft using both low frequency modes 250 denoted by non-directionality of the radiating patterns and high frequency modes 380 denoted by highly directive radiation patterns.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows how the high frequency RF 270 is fed to the adaptive portion of the antenna 260, here shown as a pixelated patch (i.e., selectable radiating element). The entire antenna (i.e., all antenna radiating elements), meanwhile, serves to provide the antenna for the low frequency RF 280 due to inter-element coupling at low frequencies. In the instantiation shown in FIG. 3 the high and low frequency RF are fed off separate feeds and pass through the appropriate band pass filter 290 and 310 (as an alternate embodiment to the use of a circulator 120) before being sent to the various Tx/Rx modules via high and low frequency I/O elements 300 and 320.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT

[0016] An alternate embodiment would be mostly identical, however the circulator method of separating frequency bands FIG. 1 120 would be replaced by a set of high and low frequency band pass filters similar to the method shown in FIG. 3.

[0017] Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in to the appended claims.