Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio altimeter tracking filter is provided. The filter comprises: a wireless radio interface; a processor coupled to the wireless radio interface; a memory coupled to the wireless radio interface; wherein the wireless radio interface is configured to wirelessly receive a radio altimeter signal and convert the radio altimeter signal to a baseband frequency signal, wherein the a radio altimeter signal sweeps across a first frequency spectrum between a first frequency and a second frequency; wherein the processor is configured to pass the baseband frequency signal through a filter executed by the processor, the filter comprising a passband having a first bandwidth, and wherein the filter outputs a plurality of spectral chirps in response to the baseband frequency signal passing through the first bandwidth; wherein the processor is configured to process the plurality of spectral chirps to output characteristic parameters that characterize the radio altimeter signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio altimeter tracking filter is provided. The filter comprises: a wireless radio interface; a processor coupled to the wireless radio interface; a memory coupled to the wireless radio interface; wherein the wireless radio interface is configured to wirelessly receive a radio altimeter signal and convert the radio altimeter signal to a baseband frequency signal, wherein the a radio altimeter signal sweeps across a first frequency spectrum between a first frequency and a second frequency; wherein the processor is configured to pass the baseband frequency signal through a filter executed by the processor, the filter comprising a passband having a first bandwidth, and wherein the filter outputs a plurality of spectral chirps in response to the baseband frequency signal passing through the first bandwidth; wherein the processor is configured to process the plurality of spectral chirps to output characteristic parameters that characterize the radio altimeter signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio altimeter tracking filter is provided. The filter comprises: a wireless radio interface; a processor coupled to the wireless radio interface; a memory coupled to the wireless radio interface; wherein the wireless radio interface is configured to wirelessly receive a radio altimeter signal and convert the radio altimeter signal to a baseband frequency signal, wherein the a radio altimeter signal sweeps across a first frequency spectrum between a first frequency and a second frequency; wherein the processor is configured to pass the baseband frequency signal through a filter executed by the processor, the filter comprising a passband having a first bandwidth, and wherein the filter outputs a plurality of spectral chirps in response to the baseband frequency signal passing through the first bandwidth; wherein the processor is configured to process the plurality of spectral chirps to output characteristic parameters that characterize the radio altimeter signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods to synchronize wireless device nodes in the presence of a FMCW radio altimeter are provided.

Abstract: A wireless device network comprises: an unsynchronized wireless device in a time division multiple access based system; and a cognitive master in communication with the device, wherein the master processor is configured to: determine a number of time slots required for the master to transmit a message to and receive a response from the device, each time slot is a portion of a radio frequency spectrum over a frame period; when the number of time slots required are consecutively available, broadcast an announcement message indicating start of discovery of the unsynchronized device; wherein the device processor is configured to: generate a response message including a device ID; and broadcast the response message to the master; wherein the master processor is configured to: generate a correction factor based on at least one of a master transmit time and a master received time; and broadcast the correction factor to the device.

Abstract: Systems and methods to synchronize wireless device nodes in the presence of a FMCW radio altimeter are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods to synchronize wireless device nodes in the presence of a FMCW radio altimeter are provided.

Abstract: A wireless device network comprises: an unsynchronized wireless device in a time division multiple access based system; and a cognitive master in communication with the device, wherein the master processor is configured to: determine a number of time slots required for the master to transmit a message to and receive a response from the device, each time slot is a portion of a radio frequency spectrum over a frame period; when the number of time slots required are consecutively available, broadcast an announcement message indicating start of discovery of the unsynchronized device; wherein the device processor is configured to: generate a response message including a device ID; and broadcast the response message to the master; wherein the master processor is configured to: generate a correction factor based on at least one of a master transmit time and a master received time; and broadcast the correction factor to the device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a wireless device network comprises: a plurality of device nodes using TDMA, the plurality of device nodes configured to transmit during a future TDMA frame of communication on channels having timeslots; and a timeslot allocation function comprising a processor and a memory, the processor configured to: receive signal characterization data characterizing a radio altimeter signal; using the signal characterization data, predict a frequency of the radio altimeter signal during the future TDMA frame of communication; identify conflicting timeslots for respective channels, wherein the predicted frequency of the radio altimeter signal overlaps with the respective channels during conflicting timeslots; and transmit a TDMA timeslot allocation, for wireless communications during the future TDMA frame of communication, to the plurality of device nodes, the TDMA timeslot allocation including non-conflicting timeslots where the predicted frequency of the radio altimeter signal does not overlap with th

Abstract: In one embodiment, a wireless device network comprises: a plurality of device nodes using TDMA, the plurality of device nodes configured to transmit during a future TDMA frame of communication on channels having timeslots; and a timeslot allocation function comprising a processor and a memory, the processor configured to: receive signal characterization data characterizing a radio altimeter signal; using the signal characterization data, predict a frequency of the radio altimeter signal during the future TDMA frame of communication; identify conflicting timeslots for respective channels, wherein the predicted frequency of the radio altimeter signal overlaps with the respective channels during conflicting timeslots; and transmit a TDMA timeslot allocation, for wireless communications during the future TDMA frame of communication, to the plurality of device nodes, the TDMA timeslot allocation including non-conflicting timeslots where the predicted frequency of the radio altimeter signal does not overlap with th

Abstract: Systems and methods to synchronize wireless device nodes in the presence of a FMCW radio altimeter are provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio altimeter tracking filter is provided. The filter comprises: a wireless radio interface; a processor coupled to the wireless radio interface; a memory coupled to the wireless radio interface; wherein the wireless radio interface is configured to wirelessly receive a radio altimeter signal and convert the radio altimeter signal to a baseband frequency signal, wherein the a radio altimeter signal sweeps across a first frequency spectrum between a first frequency and a second frequency; wherein the processor is configured to pass the baseband frequency signal through a filter executed by the processor, the filter comprising a passband having a first bandwidth, and wherein the filter outputs a plurality of spectral chirps in response to the baseband frequency signal passing through the first bandwidth; wherein the processor is configured to process the plurality of spectral chirps to output characteristic parameters that characterize the radio altimeter signal.

Abstract: A wireless communication system comprises one or more control units operable to transmit control signals, a plurality of actuators responsive to the control signals, and a plurality of sensors operable to transmit sensor data used by the one or more control units in generating the control signals. Each of the sensors, actuators, and one or more control units are located at a fixed position in the system relative to one another. Each of the plurality of sensors and each of the plurality of actuators are coupled to at least one of the one or more control units via a plurality of wireless paths. Each of the plurality of sensors are operable to transmit the sensor data in an assigned time slot to at least one of the one or more control units over a plurality of wireless channels in each of the plurality of wireless paths.

Abstract: Techniques are described for sensing a position of an object located within an enclosure over a position range. The techniques include generating an expected output signal of each of a plurality of magnetic field sensors disposed along an outer surface of the enclosure, receiving actual output signals from the sensors, wherein each actual output signal indicates a relative proximity of a magnetic target coupled to the object to the corresponding sensor. The techniques further include superimposing the expected output signal over the actual output signals, and iteratively shifting the expected output signal over position relative to the actual output signals and comparing the shifted expected output signal to the actual output signals, until the expected output signal compared to the actual output signals corresponds to a substantially minimized error parameter. The position of the object may then be determined based at least in part on the shifted expected output signal.

Abstract: Techniques are described for sensing a position of an object located within an enclosure over a position range. The techniques include generating an expected output signal of each of a plurality of magnetic field sensors disposed along an outer surface of the enclosure, receiving actual output signals from the sensors, wherein each actual output signal indicates a relative proximity of a magnetic target coupled to the object to the corresponding sensor. The techniques further include superimposing the expected output signal over the actual output signals, and iteratively shifting the expected output signal over position relative to the actual output signals and comparing the shifted expected output signal to the actual output signals, until the expected output signal compared to the actual output signals corresponds to a substantially minimized error parameter. The position of the object may then be determined based at least in part on the shifted expected output signal.

Abstract: A method of communicating over a network for wireless communications is disclosed. The method transmits encoded data from a source device to a destination device via a single path up through a plurality of wireless paths using a random frequency hopping tuning pattern for wireless communications, and pseudo-randomly varies dwell times of the frequency hopping tuning pattern over which the data is transmitted. The network uses forward-error correction coding redundancy within a data burst to allow recovery of corrupted data in any partially jammed hop of the transmitted data.

Abstract: A method of verifying programmable antenna configurations is disclosed. The method comprises selecting a desired antenna configuration from a plurality of antenna configuration patterns, with the selected antenna configuration forming at least one reconfigurable antenna from reconfigurable antenna array elements. The method validates the formation of the selected antenna configuration to determine antenna performance of the at least one reconfigurable antenna.

Abstract: A transponder-based beacon transmitter system in an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The transponder-based beacon transmitter system comprises a global positioning system interface communicatively coupled to receive position information indicative of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a message formatter communicatively coupled to the global positioning system interface, and a transponder-based beacon transmitter. The message formatter formats vehicle identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the position information indicative of the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle into an automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter message. The message formatter operates in one of a military mode, a National Airspace System mode, and a combined military/National Airspace System mode. The transponder-based beacon transmitter transmits the automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter messages from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A transponder-based beacon transmitter system in an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The transponder-based beacon transmitter system comprises a global positioning system interface communicatively coupled to receive position information indicative of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a message formatter communicatively coupled to the global positioning system interface, and a transponder-based beacon transmitter. The message formatter formats vehicle identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the position information indicative of the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle into an automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter message. The message formatter operates in one of a military mode, a National Airspace System mode, and a combined military/National Airspace System mode. The transponder-based beacon transmitter transmits the automatic dependent surveillance broadcast mode-select squitter messages from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A method of testing the electrical functionality of an optically controlled switch in a reconfigurable antenna is provided. The method includes configuring one or more conductive paths between one or more feed points and one or more test point with switches in the reconfigurable antenna. Applying one or more test signals to the one or more feed points. Monitoring the one or more test points in response to the one or more test signals and determining the functionality of the switch based upon the monitoring of the one or more test points.