Abstract: A very high frequency (VHF) transceiver can include an amplitude and phase shift keying (APSK) modulator configured to modulate signals for transmission across a first VHF channel of a plurality of VHF channels used to communicate between or among aircraft and one or more ground stations. Each of the VHF channels can have a bandwidth of at least 8.33 kilo Hertz (kHz) with a data rate per Hertz (Hz) greater than or equal to 3 bits per second per Hz (bps/Hz). The VHF transceiver can include a power amplifier configured to amplify the modulated signals prior to the transmission. The VHF transceiver can include a linearity controller configured to control linearity of the power amplifier according to at least one of a Cartesian feedback amplifier linearization, pre-distortion amplifier linearization or feedforward amplifier linearization to mitigate nonlinear distortion associated with signals output by the power amplifier.

Abstract: A system and methods for generating alerts in a terrain awareness and warning system (“TAWS”) in an aircraft, using data acquired from a forward-looking radar The system comprises a forward-looking imaging device, an airport database, a navigation system, a forward-looking terrain alert (“FLTA”) processor, and a crew alerting system. The FLTA processor determines a measured clearance altitude of a highest cell within an area and compares it with a required minimum clearance altitude; if the measured altitude is equal or less than the required altitude, the crew is alerted. Alternatively, a terrain database may be used. with the FLTA processor for determining if the aircraft descends below the minimum operating altitude or is predicted to do so and then generating an alert. A method is disclosed for generating TAWS alerts using elevation angle measured by the forward-looking radar and terrain data retrieved from a terrain database.

Abstract: A present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for presenting clearance-dependent advisory information in an aircraft is disclosed. Clearances include those corresponding to interval management operations and/or trajectory management operations. Data representative of clearance information including data representative of an actual controller intervention threshold (“CIT”) information, ownship information, target information, and alert parameter(s) information is received. The actual CIT information is comprised of the CIT of a clearance assigned to an aircraft and/or an designator from which the CIT of the assigned clearance is determined. A dynamic alerting threshold is determined as a function of the received information.

Abstract: A terrain awareness and warning system (“TAWS”) provides input to a terrain alert (“TA”) processor from at least one real-time aircraft system or sensor and a source of terrain data; the processor determines a terrain clearance surface and a terrain airspace alert surface, and if one surface penetrates the other, the processor generates an alert signal and provides an alert signal to a crew alerting system. The two surfaces are determined by the processor by executing an algorithm(s) embedded in software containing the disclosed embodiments and methods. At least one criterion used to define an aircraft terrain alert surface is programmed to include real-time and/or static input factor data provided by at least one system or sensor input from an aircraft. Such input factor could be used to define a terrain clearance surface.

Abstract: A terrain awareness system includes a processor for receiving radar returns and providing terrain and/or obstacle alerts or warnings in response to the radar returns. The processor receives information from a database and the information is used to select the radar transmit function and/or the radar reception function to optimize the performance of the system.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting incursions for an aircraft and surface vehicles includes an incursion processor receiving ownship position from an ownship navigation processor, traffic information from a traffic surveillance processor, and obstacle information from an obstacle detector and generating alert information. The apparatus also includes a display processor receiving airport chart information and providing display information for displaying the alert information and airport chart information.

Abstract: An avionics system including a software defined radio (SDR) is provided. The SDR includes configurable avionics function implementation circuitry configured to implement each of multiple avionics functions. Also included in the SDR is a priority arbitrator. The priority arbitrator is configured to receive priority control parameters and, based on a make-up of the received priority control parameters, responsively direct the configurable avionics function implementation circuitry to implement a particular priority-based subset (less than all) of the multiple avionics functions.

Abstract: A software defined radio system is described. The software defined radio comprises a modem bank at least partially defined by software running on a processor. The software defined radio also comprises an antenna group translator coupled to the modem bank. The software defined radio also comprises at least one antenna coupled to the antenna group translator. Further, the software defined radio comprises a program stored in a memory and running on the processor. The program is configured to generate a test signal to be leaked by the first of the at least two channels and to be received by the second of the two channels. The program is configured to automatically and autonomously verify the availability of a function of one of the at least two channels and determine the integrity of the function of the one of the at least two channels.

Abstract: An airspace awareness and warning system (“AAWS”) provides input to an airspace alert (“AA”) processor from at least one real-time aircraft system or sensor, a navigation system, and an airspace database containing three-dimensional delineations of defined airspace; the processor determines an airspace clearance surface and an aircraft airspace alert surface, and if one surface penetrates the other, the processor generates an alert signal and provides an alert signal to a crew alerting system. The two surfaces are determined by the processor by executing an algorithm(s) embedded in software containing the disclosed embodiments and methods. At least one criterion used to define an aircraft airspace alert surface is programmed to include real-time and/or static input factor data provided by at least one system or sensor input from an aircraft. Such input factor could be used to define an airspace clearance surface.

Abstract: A terrain awareness and warning system includes electronics for receiving radar returns and providing terrain and/or obstacle alerts or warnings in response to the radar returns. The electronics receives information from a database and the information is utilized to suppress false alerts or warnings.

Abstract: The present invention is a high availability digital radio architecture which includes an analog interface subsystem and a baseband digital processing subsystem. The analog interface subsystem includes an antenna switching network and a digital antenna group translator. The translator includes a set of analog and digital building blocks for each communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) waveform. The set of blocks includes a receive signal processing chain and/or a transmit signal processing chain with digital interfaces to a multi-channel transceiver. The switching network provides connectivity between antennas and the translator. The baseband digital processing system includes a network switch and said multi-channel transceiver. The transceiver includes a digital modem and protocol processing components for implementing behavior of each CNS waveform.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for managing a transmitter located in close proximity to a sensitive receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may include recognizing incomplete receive operations on frequencies that may be affected by co-site transmit operations. Further, the method may include detecting the beginning of a speech message and delaying the speech message up to a selected maximum amount of time. The speech message may be delayed to correspond to required communications performance, allowing receive and transmit operations to be coordinated and thus, reducing the possibility of the receiver to be interrupted or affected by the transmitter operating on a relatively nearby frequency.

Abstract: A designated function or “golden” slot for implementing and managing re-configurable SDR modules is provided. In an embodiment, the slot includes at least one radio frequency (RF) front end for providing an interface with at least one antenna. In addition, the slot may include at least one slot modem coupled to the RF front end for implementing at least one designated function and at least one input/output (I/O) module coupled to the slot modem. The designated function or “golden” slot is capable of implementing and managing the at least one designated function in a re-configurable module during standard and emergency operations.

Abstract: An improved architectural approach for implementation of a low power, scalable topology for a software defined radio (SDR). Low power processors and switching elements forming building blocks are employed in an embedded switched fabric architecture network having a repeating building block topology that advantageously employs wormhole routing and has self-healing, fail-safe properties. Differential signaling is used and data rates in excess of 250 Mbps are possible. In one embodiment a dual civilian and military channel SDR is disclosed; in other embodiments, a plurality of independent SDR channels, with or without encryption, are disclosed. A plurality of different topologies are disclosed including torodial topologies having a planar topology with orthogonal connections, a planar topology with orthogonal and diagonal connections, and a cube topology with both orthogonal and/or diagonal connections.

Abstract: A phased array antenna with an egg crate array structure is formed from metallic row slats that form a floor and ceiling of each array element. Column slats with slots engage the row slots to form the egg crate array structure. EMXT devices are located on the column slats such that a pair of EMXT devices form array element walls. The column slats are formed from U-shaped column strips configured such that a left side of the U-shape forms a left-hand side of each array element in a column and a right side of the U forms an opposing right-hand side. The column strips sides are mounted back-to-back with sides of adjacent column strips to form the column slats. Circuit devices for operation of the antenna are mounted on the U-shaped column strip and a connector is mounted at an apex of the U-shaped column slat.

Abstract: A visual display format for a terrain situational awareness system comprising a horizontal terrain elevation view and a profile terrain elevation view of potential terrain hazards integrated onto a single display.