Abstract: Collision avoidance systems are provided for groups of aircraft operating in close proximity, as during formation flights or cooperative missions. Fixed and rotary airfoil aircraft with separations of 30 feet to 5 miles, for example, participate in a local radio sub-net. An aircraft receiving CAS sub-net signals derives signal transit time values representing differences between send and receive times and which are used to derive data on inter-aircraft range and closing rate. With synchronized clocks, highly-accurate one-way ranging uses assigned time slots with predetermined sub-net time-of-day timing of transmissions. Round-trip ranging operates with less accurate time synchronization, and systems may operatively select between one-way and round-trip ranging. By exchange of range and closing rate data among aircraft, 3-D data for current three-dimensional location of aircraft enables evasive action determination.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for generating a radar waveform (W). A noise generator (20) generates a series of pulses in a pseudo-random pattern, and a frequency generator (16) generates a carrier wave having a frequency within a predetermined band of frequencies. The carrier wave is modulated with the pseudo-random pattern of pulses, and the resulting modulated carrier wave passed through both a filter (30) and an attenuator (32) to suppress any discernible feature or signal characteristics of the resulting waveform. The modulated carrier is transmitted by an antenna (42) and a received return signal is processed by a signal processor (100) to obtain pertinent information about a target. The transmitted waveform has no discernible attributes by which the waveform, if processed and analyzed by someone else's radar detector (E) would convey any intelligence as to the presence or source of the transmitted waveform.

Abstract: In order to recover the original audio modulation samples when using a continuous code change, sampled data, spread spectrum waveform structure, a dedicated message matched filter is used to process data from multiple emitters within the same range interval. The dedicated message matched filter is matched to an incoming signal only at the precise time of the message epoch. The matched filter coding corresponding to the arrival time of message epochs as derived from synchronization acquisition circuitry is rapidly switched so that one dedicated message matched filter can be used to process data from multiple users simultaneously.

Abstract: The amplitude of a signal to be modulated on a carrier wave is sampled every T seconds. The sampled amplitudes are converted into phase representative pulses of pulse rate 1/T. Each phase representative pulse corresponds to the difference between a first phase corresponding to the sampled amplitude and the phase of Nth previous phase representative pulse, where N is an interger greater than 1. The discrete phase representative pulses are phase modulated onto the carrier wave. Conversion is accomplished by detecting the sampled amplitudes, applying the detected amplitudes as an address to a ROM to provide corresponding differential phase information, and modulating the differential phase information onto the carrier. To demodulate the signal from the carrier wave, the carrier wave is delayed for NT seconds and the delayed signals are subtracted from the undelayed signals.

Abstract: A CDMA format is used within a network to permit communication between members of a network. Network members are synchronized to each other and are each aware of a predetermined set of code words which has been established. A member desiring to transmit data selects a code word from the predetermined set. If there are unused code words, one of the unused words is randomly selected. If all words are being used, the code word of the farthest user is selected. Since all members are synchronized in time to stable clocks, the range of each user is known. All members of the network are always listening and keeping track of detections of other users and code words. Transmitted signals are a series of pulses with a jitter or sync pulse inserted within each series. The number and location of sync pulses is unique for each code and defines the CDMA code of the signal.