Patents by Inventor John V. Thommana
John V. Thommana has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11889399Abstract: A communication system is disclosed. The communication system includes a first core network that is mobile, and a radio access network, which includes a first central unit and one or more distributed units. The first central unit includes a first router containing a multi-level security guard configured to route user plane data and control plane data to the first core network. The first central unit further includes a transceiver, a control plane interface coupled to the core network, and a second router configured to communicate user plane data and control plane data to one or more first distributed units. The central unit configures at least one network function of radio resource control (RRC). The one or more distributed units configures at least one network function of packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical link (PHY) network functions.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, James A. Stevens
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Patent number: 11831469Abstract: A system may include a tactical military network including tactical nodes and a tactical gateway node configured as a trusted network access node (TNAN) to a mobile core network. The system may further include a military trusted interworking function (M-TIF) device of the mobile core network. The M-TIF device may support an interworking function between the tactical military network and the mobile core network. The M-TIF device may be communicatively coupled to the tactical gateway node. The tactical gateway node may be collocated with the M-TIF device. Services of the mobile core network may be accessible to the tactical nodes via the tactical gateway node and the M-TIF device.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Naveen Rajanikantha
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Patent number: 11824580Abstract: A communication system is described. The communication system includes a number of nodes which frequency hop without coordination from a frequency table. To establish communication, the nodes scan across a band for one or more signals of interest. The signals of interest include one or more of a synchronization signal, a control signal, and a traffic signal. When transmitting the signals of interest, the nodes determine one or more characteristic for the signal, such as a channel, based on a spectral occupancy of interferers in the band.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Syed A. Ahmed
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Publication number: 20230344465Abstract: A communication system is described. The communication system includes a number of nodes which frequency hop without coordination from a frequency table. To establish communication, the nodes scan across a band for one or more signals of interest. The signals of interest include one or more of a synchronization signal, a control signal, and a traffic signal. When transmitting the signals of interest, the nodes determine one or more characteristic for the signal, such as a channel, based on a spectral occupancy of interferers in the band.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2022Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: John V. Thommana, Syed A. Ahmed
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Publication number: 20230262021Abstract: A system and method for implementing M-TIF to integrate one or more non-IP tactical nodes as an integral part of a 5G network includes a tactical translator. The tactical translator provides I/O functionality, message encapsulation, message translation, and IP-to-non-IP address translation. The tactical translator may be interposed between a tactical gateway and a tactical proxy to securely bridge legacy non-IP waveforms with the 5G Core.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2022Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Jeffrey D. Bouis, Naveen Rajanikantha, John V. Thommana
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Patent number: 11677436Abstract: A platform is provided which removes the need for the pilot to select between high angle and low angle antenna elements. By the automatic selection, the platform may improve BLOS connectivity during various phases of flight, such as during banking operations. The platform includes a SATCOM antenna including first and second elements. The platform also includes one or more SDRs which provide receive and transmit functions for the BLOS waveform. The platform may also include either a UHF diversity combiner or an LNA diplexer assembly. Thus, two methods are described for reducing out-of-service events for CDMA and legacy Narrowband UHF SATCOM.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Grundmeyer, John V. Thommana
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Publication number: 20230180012Abstract: A communication system is described. The communication system includes 5g base stations (gNodeB) which are communicatively coupled to a user equipment (UE) by a multiple radio access technology (multi-RAT) dual connectivity. A first of the gNodeBs is a master gNodeB which relays control signaling from a 5G network core to a secondary gNodeB. To avoid spectral interference of the control signals between the master gNodeB and the secondary gNodeB, the control signals are transmitted according to a tactical waveform protocol selected from the Department of Defense (DoD) Communication Waveform Inventory (2020), such as a common data link (CDL) protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: John V. Thommana, James A. Stevens
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Publication number: 20230171596Abstract: A system and method for implementing M-TIF to integrate one or more tactical nodes as an integral part of a 5G network includes a tactical proxy to interface with a TWIF. The tactical proxy terminates wireless local area network interactions, eliminating the need for changes to the tactical waveform. Application layer messages between the tactical network node and tactical proxy are introduced to initiate, manage, and terminate sessions with the 5G Core.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2021Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Naveen Rajanikantha, Jeffrey D. Bouis, John V. Thommana
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Publication number: 20230170931Abstract: A platform is provided which removes the need for the pilot to select between high angle and low angle antenna elements. By the automatic selection, the platform may improve BLOS connectivity during various phases of flight, such as during banking operations. The platform includes a SATCOM antenna including first and second elements. The platform also includes one or more SDRs which provide receive and transmit functions for the BLOS waveform. The platform may also include either a UHF diversity combiner or an LNA diplexer assembly. Thus, two methods are described for reducing out-of-service events for CDMA and legacy Narrowband UHF SATCOM.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2021Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Jeffrey Grundmeyer, John V. Thommana
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Patent number: 11653232Abstract: Cellular communications, such as 5G cellular, may be a primary link between cell phones and a base station. Such cellular communications may be desirable, due to a high link rate. When the cellular communications are denied, a tactical waveform may be used to bridge communications between the cell phones and the base station. The tactical waveform may be transmitted between tactical radios coupled with the cell phones. The waveform may include a line-of-sight waveform. The tactical waveform may also include a beyond-line-of-sight waveform.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Lizy Paul
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Publication number: 20230147822Abstract: A system may include a tactical military network including tactical nodes and a tactical gateway node configured as a trusted network access node (TNAN) to a mobile core network. The system may further include a military trusted interworking function (M-TIF) device of the mobile core network. The M-TIF device may support an interworking function between the tactical military network and the mobile core network. The M-TIF device may be communicatively coupled to the tactical gateway node. The tactical gateway node may be collocated with the M-TIF device. Services of the mobile core network may be accessible to the tactical nodes via the tactical gateway node and the M-TIF device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2021Publication date: May 11, 2023Inventors: John V. Thommana, Naveen Rajanikantha
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Patent number: 11632143Abstract: A system may include a software-defined radio (SDR) configured to communicate over multiple channels by using a beyond line of sight (BLOS) waveform. The SDR may be configured to transmit encrypted communications over some or all of the multiple channels to a satellite and on to at least one radio access node (RAN). The SDR may be configured to receive encrypted communications over some or all of the multiple channels from the at least one RAN via the satellite. At least one of the multiple channels may use a spreading factor greater than 256. The SDR may be configured to simultaneously transmit and receive encrypted communications over the multiple channels.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Jeffrey Grundmeyer, Lizy Paul
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Patent number: 11617218Abstract: Cellular communications, such as 5G cellular, may be a primary link between cell phones and a base station. Such cellular communications may be desirable, due to a high link rate. When the cellular communications are denied, a tactical waveform may be used to bridge communications between the cell phones and the base station. The tactical waveform may be transmitted between tactical radios coupled with the cell phones. The tactical radios may include an application layer coupled with an application layer of the cell phone, such that an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the cell phone may remain unchanged.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Lizy Paul
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Publication number: 20230036904Abstract: A communication system is disclosed. The communication system includes a first core network that is mobile, and a radio access network, which includes a first central unit and one or more distributed units. The first central unit includes a first router containing a multi-level security guard configured to route user plane data and control plane data to the first core network. The first central unit further includes a transceiver, a control plane interface coupled to the core network, and a second router configured to communicate user plane data and control plane data to one or more first distributed units. The central unit configures at least one network function of radio resource control (RRC). The one or more distributed units configures at least one network function of packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), radio link control (RLC), medium access control (MAC), and physical link (PHY) network functions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventors: John V. Thommana, James A. Stevens
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Publication number: 20230011379Abstract: A method and system for operating an ad hoc communication network under suboptimal commercial global navigation satellite system (GNSS) conditions and a loss of a base station communication link is disclosed. The method includes configuring the ad hoc communication network to operation in in-band or out-of-band mode, allowing device-to-device D2D communication. The method further includes configuring the ad hoc communication system to operate in overlay mode, sharing communication resources between network-controlled resources and D2D resources. The method further includes configuring the D2D resources with a base station precedent to the loss of the base station communication link and enabling the ad hoc communication network to operate in frequency hopping mode. The method further includes disabling physical sidelink control channel synchronization and/or resource management within the ad hoc communication network.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: John V. Thommana, James A. Stevens
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Patent number: 11451291Abstract: A system may include an ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, a first terminal, and a second terminal. Each of the first satellite and a second satellite of the multiple satellites may include: a receive high frequency (HF) antenna configured to receive HF signals; a transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; an inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; an inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and a processor. The first terminal may include an HF transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network. The second terminal may include an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Joseph Splean, II
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Publication number: 20220256366Abstract: Cellular communications, such as 5G cellular, may be a primary link between cell phones and a base station. Such cellular communications may be desirable, due to a high link rate. When the cellular communications are denied, a tactical waveform may be used to bridge communications between the cell phones and the base station. The tactical waveform may be transmitted between tactical radios coupled with the cell phones. The waveform may include a line-of-sight waveform. The tactical waveform may also include a beyond-line-of-sight waveform.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2021Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: John V. Thommana, Lizy Paul
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Publication number: 20220256624Abstract: Cellular communications, such as 5G cellular, may be a primary link between cell phones and a base station. Such cellular communications may be desirable, due to a high link rate. When the cellular communications are denied, a tactical waveform may be used to bridge communications between the cell phones and the base station. The tactical waveform may be transmitted between tactical radios coupled with the cell phones. The tactical radios may include an application layer coupled with an application layer of the cell phone, such that an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) of the cell phone may remain unchanged.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2021Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: John V. Thommana, Lizy Paul
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Publication number: 20220247483Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a jam resistant signal. The signal is transmitted from a terminal to a satellite. The signal may include two waveform components. The first waveform component includes a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) wideband Direct Spread Spectrum (DSSS) waveform. The FDD wideband DSSS waveform may include one or more spectrally notched portions. At least one of the spectrally notched portions may be for the second waveform component. The second waveform component includes an FDD narrowband waveform.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: John V. Thommana, Jeffrey Grundmeyer, Syed A. Ahmed
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Publication number: 20220209852Abstract: A system may include an ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, a first terminal, and a second terminal. Each of the first satellite and a second satellite of the multiple satellites may include: a receive high frequency (HF) antenna configured to receive HF signals; a transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; an inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; an inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and a processor. The first terminal may include an HF transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network. The second terminal may include an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2020Publication date: June 30, 2022Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: John V. Thommana, Joseph Splean, II