Patent Application
20080084861
Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
Although only two antennas 28, 32 are used in this embodiment, more antennas are used in other embodiments, such as by having one top mounted antenna and two bottom mounted antennas, for example. In the case of one top mounted and two bottom mounted antennas, priority may be given to routing transmissions from the top mounted antenna because it has increased isolation from the other two antennas, resulting in less disruption to them as it transmits. In an alternate embodiment that uses three antennas, the RF power combiner/splitter 30 is not included, the second MCR 24 is in signal communication with a third antenna 33 (shown by the dotted line in
The DPM 34 is in signal communication with an audio panel 40. The audio panel includes a first digital to analog converter (DAC) 42, a first analog to digital converter (ADC) 44, a second DAC 46, and a second ADC 48. However, in other embodiments, the DACs 46, 46 or the ADCs 44, 48 are not included because any analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog conversion is performed in other devices. In the example shown, the DPM 34 is in signal communication with the audio panel 40 using two receiving (REC) lines and two transmitting (TX) lines. A first REC audio line from the DPM 34 enters the first DAC 42 which converts signals received on the line to analog form before sending an output to a pilot device (not shown) such as a headset that includes a speaker, for example. In similar fashion, a second REC audio line from the DPM 34 enters the second DAC 46 which is in signal communication with a co-pilot device (not shown). The pilot device, such as a headset that includes a microphone, is also in signal communication with the first ADC 44 which receives signals from the pilot device and converts the received signals to digital form before sending an output to the DPM 34 over a line labeled TX Audio X. In similar fashion, the co-pilot device is also in signal communication with the second ADC 48 which receives signals from the co-pilot device and converts the received signals to digital form before sending an output to the DPM 34 over a line labeled TX Audio Y. Differing numbers of lines or alternate forms of signal communication are used in other embodiments.
The DPM 34 is also in signal communication with an avionics display and control computer 50. The display and control computer 50 includes a processor 52 that is in signal communication with a memory unit 54, an input device 56, and a display 58 in an example embodiment. In the example shown, the DPM 34 is in signal communication with the processor 52 using a receive data line (REC Data), a transmit data line (TX Data Z), and a channel control line. Differing numbers of lines or alternate forms of signal communication are used in other embodiments. Although the audio panel 40 and the avionics display and control computer 50 are shown as separate components, they are combined into an integrated component in other embodiments.
In an example embodiment, a method for conducting RF communications includes receiving a first signal from the first MCR 22 at the DPM 34, the first signal corresponding to at least a first channel and a second channel. The method further includes receiving a second signal from the second MCR 24 at the DPM 34, the second signal corresponding to at least a third channel and a fourth channel. In some embodiments, the first and second channels are the same as the third and fourth channels, respectively so that continuity of transmission is maintained when switching logic determines that it is advantageous to switch from one MCR to another. However, in other embodiments, some or all of the channels on each MCR are different from the channels on other MCRs.
The first and second signals are received using a data bus, such as that described with respect to
The audio panel 40 and the display and control computer 50 are also capable of transmitting signals to the DPM 34. The input device 56 is used to receive a channel selection from a pilot, co-pilot, or other user of the system that is used by the processor 52 to send a channel selection input signal to the DPM 34. Information contained in the channel selection input signal is then used by the DPM 34 as a part of the channel switching logic to determine the content of the signal sent from the DPM 34 to at least one of the audio panel 40 or the display and control computer 50. Signals sent from the DPM 34 to the audio panel 40 are first converted from digital to analog form using one or more of the DACs 42, 46 in an example embodiment. However, in other embodiments, initial D/A conversion is not performed before signals are sent from the audio panel 40 to the pilot or copilot devices.
Transmission signals from the audio panel 40 and the display and control computer 50 may include an audio signal intended for transmission or a data signal intended for transmission. These signals are received at the DPM 34. In the case of audio signals, they are first converted from analog to digital form using one or more of the ADCs 44, 48. However, in other embodiments, the audio signals are received in digital form from the audio panel 40 and have no need of initial A/D conversion by the ADCs 44, 48. The channel control line between the display and control computer 50 and the DPM 34 allows the computer 50 to send control information to the DPM 34. The DPM 34 is also capable of sending channel control and transmission mode enablement signals to the MCRs 22, 24, 26. In an example embodiment, the DPM 34 directs transmission data based on a transmission signal received from the audio control panel 40 or the computer 50 to one of the MCRs 22, 24, 26 along with a transmission mode enablement signal over the data bus.
In some examples of the invention, the method of conducting RF communications further includes receiving a third signal from the third MCR 26, the third signal corresponding to at least a fifth channel and a sixth channel and the at least one signal sent from the DPM 34 is based on applying the predefined channel switching logic to the first through sixth channels. The method further includes receiving a combined receive signal at the RF power combiner/splitter 30, splitting the combined receive signal with the RF power combiner/splitter 30 to form a first raw receive signal and a second raw receive signal. The first raw receive signal is received at the second MCR 24 and the second raw receive signal is received at the third MCR 26. In this example, the second signal from the second MCR 24 is based on the first raw receive signal and the third signal from the third MCR 26 is based on the second raw receive signal.
In an additional example, the method also includes receiving a first transmission signal at the DPM 34 from at least one of the audio panel 40 or the avionics control computer 50 and placing a first transmission data signal based on the received first transmission signal on a data bus using the DPM 34. In this example, the method also includes receiving the first transmission data signal using at least one of the first, second, or third MCRs 22, 24, 26 and emitting a first radio transmission signal based on the first transmission data signal from at least one of the MCRs 22, 24, 26 that received the first transmission data signal. Generally, emission of the first radio transmission signal and receiving a raw receive signal are not performed using the same MCR at that same time.
In a further example, the first transmission data signal is received using the second MCR 24 and the first radio transmission signal is emitted from the second MCR 24. Additionally, in this example, a second transmission signal is received at the DPM 34 from at least one of the audio panel 40 or the computer 50, a second transmission data signal based on the received second transmission signal is placed on the data bus using the DPM 34, the second transmission data signal is received using the third MCR 26, and a second radio transmission signal is emitted from the third MCR 26 based on the second transmission data signal. The first and second radio transmission signals are received at the RF power combiner/splitter 30, and a combined transmission signal based on the first and second radio transmission signals is emitted from the RF power combiner/splitter 30. Generally, the RF power combiner/splitter 30 is not used to both receive and emit signals to and from the antenna 32 at the same time.
Many different channels may be used for receiving and transmission. The following are used in an example embodiment of the invention: VHF Digital Link (VDL) at 137 mHz, audio air traffic control (ATC) at 135 mHz, audio ATC handoff at 130 mHz, audio automated surface observing system (ASOS) weather at 128 mHz, and an emergency channel at 121.5 mHz. Additionally, in an example embodiment, each receive and transmit channel may be quickly switched from VDL to 25 kHz audio or 8 KHz audio by a DPM. Each of the channels is assigned a priority level. Priorities are designated simply as priority or non-priority in an example embodiment, but have more gradations in other embodiments, such as being assigned a numeric priority level on a scale from 1 to 7 or any other numeric scale. ATC may have a higher priority than ASOS, and the emergency channel may have the highest priority, for example. In an example embodiment, the priorities are previously determined and described in a priority roster that includes a plurality of channel identifiers along with an associated priority indicator for each channel identifier.
The tables that follow illustrate two non-limiting example scenarios for the control of channel presentation by a DPM during various operational modes. In these examples, three MCRs designated as Com1, Com2, and Com3 are used. In an example embodiment, Com 1 corresponds to the third MCR 26, Com 2 corresponds to the second MCR 24, and Com 3 corresponds to the first MCR 22 described with respect to the embodiments described in relation to
When one of the letters ‘X’, ‘Y’, or ‘Z’ has a symbol ‘*’ in superscript following the letter, this signifies that the DPM is using that function at that moment. Whether the letter has an ‘*’ in superscript or not, data continues to flow to and from each MCR. For the receive case, the DPM controls which MCR's audio is sent to the audio panel. For transmit cases, the DPM controls which MCR is enabled to transmit. Generally, when any transmission takes place using an MCR and a particular antenna, no receive function takes place using the same MCR or the same antenna due to interference with the transmitter. For each table, a pilot or other user has selected channels ‘X’, ‘Y’, and ‘Z’, each of which are selectively used for transmission or reception on either Com1 or Com2. The DPM is in signal communication with Com 1, Com 2, and Com 3, such as by using a data bus similar to the one shown in
The first example, shown in the first table below illustrates seamless switching of receiving and transmitting functions between MCRs.
In row 1A, all channels are set to receiving. The DPM is sending through channel ‘X’ from Com1A, channel ‘Y’ from Com1B, and channel ‘Z’ from Com3B. At row 2A, channel ‘X’ changes from receive to transmit. In response, the DPM switches its source of channel ‘Y’ receive information from Com1B to Com3A. At row 3A, channel ‘Y’ changes from receive to transmit. In response, the DPM commands Com 2 to enter a transmit state and to transmit using channel ‘Y’, such as by using the Com 2 TX ON/OFF and Com 2 TX Channel fields respectively of the data bus shown in
In the second non-limiting example, shown in the second table below, a change in the MCR used during transmission of a channel is performed.
In row 1B, all channels are transmitting. At row 2B, channel ‘Y’ changes from transmit to receive. In response, the DPM begins to use Com3A as its source of channel ‘Y’ receive data. The DPM also switches channel ‘Z’ transmission from Com3 to Com2. In an example embodiment, a channel is selected as a “victim” channel so that only the victim channel is affected by re-channeling during the course of a transmission, such as that just performed in switching the channel ‘Z’ transmission from Com3 to Com2 during the course of transmission. At row 3B, channel ‘Z’ changes from transmit to receive. In response, the DPM begins to use Com3B as its source of channel ‘Z’ receive data. At row 4B, channel ‘X’ changes from transmit to receive. In response, the DPM begins to use Com1A as its source of channel ‘X’ receive data.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although example methods were described with reference to
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/828,822, entitled “AVIONICS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM UTILIZING MULTI-CHANNEL RADIO TECHNOLOGY,” filed Oct. 10, 2006 which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60828822 | Oct 2006 | US |
