Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for aircraft to determine own position and navigate using a navigation heartbeat signal broadcast on a DME uplink and/or a Mode-S uplink frequency. The present invention enables deep integration between the existing navigation systems (DME interrogation-reply ranges and GPS/WAAS raw TDOA or pseudo range measurements) and the DME heartbeat TDOAs or Mode-S heartbeat TDOAs to provide a highly accurate navigation positioning capability and provide necessary backup capability in lieu of GPS to maintain the necessary RNP/RNAV capability and avoid degrading aircraft operational safety.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for aircraft to determine own position and navigate using a navigation heartbeat signal broadcast on a DME uplink and/or a Mode-S uplink frequency. The present invention enables deep integration between the existing navigation systems (DME interrogation-reply ranges and GPS/WAAS raw TDOA or pseudo range measurements) and the DME heartbeat TDOAs or Mode-S heartbeat TDOAs to provide a highly accurate navigation positioning capability and provide necessary backup capability in lieu of GPS to maintain the necessary RNP/RNAV capability and avoid degrading aircraft operational safety.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking the position of objects, such as aircraft and ground vehicles around an airport. A transmission from the object is received at a non-imaging surveillance device of known location, the transmission being used to determine the coordinate position of the object within a given time period. Image data for the object is captured by an imaging surveillance device of known location to provide an image of the object within the same given time period. The coordinate position is correlated with the image to provide composite data about the object within the same given time period. The composite data is displayed to a viewer as a visual depiction of the object.

Abstract: A secure system for authenticating the identity of ADS-B systems, including: an authenticator, including a unique id generator and a transmitter transmitting the unique id to one or more ADS-B transmitters; one or more ADS-B transmitters, including a receiver receiving the unique id, one or more secure processing stages merging the unique id with the ADS-B transmitter's identification, data and secret key and generating a secure code identification and a transmitter transmitting a response containing the secure code and ADSB transmitter's data to the authenticator; the authenticator including means for independently determining each ADS-B transmitter's secret key, a receiver receiving each ADS-B transmitter's response, one or more secure processing stages merging the unique id, ADS-B transmitter's identification and data and generating a secure code, and comparison processing comparing the authenticator-generated secure code and the ADS-B transmitter-generated secure code and providing an authentication signa

Abstract: A method and system for tracking the position of objects, such as aircraft and ground vehicles around an airport. A transmission from the object is received at a non-imaging surveillance device of known location, the transmission being used to determine the coordinate position of the object within a given time period. Image data for the object is captured by an imaging surveillance device of known location to provide an image of the object within the same given time period. The coordinate position is correlated with the image to provide composite data about the object within the same given time period. The composite data is displayed to a viewer as a visual depiction of the object.

Abstract: A secure automatic dependant surveillance—broadcast system includes: an authenticator including a unique id generator memory storing an authenticator secret key and a transmitter for transmitting the unique id to a responder; a responder including a secure hash algorithm generator combining the received unique id with a responder secret key and a data signal to generate a secure response and a transmitter transmitting the secure response and the data signal to the authenticator; the interrogator also including a receiver receiving the secure response and the data; the authenticator including an secure hash algorithm generator combining the received data and the received secure response and generating an output signal; and a comparator for comparing the output signal with the received secure response and providing an authentication signal based on the comparison.

Abstract: An improved non-contact apparatus and method for reading a surface that has information encoded in a relief pattern thereon, includes an optical transmitter for projecting a line of light onto the relief pattern at a first angle to a normal of the surface; an optical receiver that views the projected line of light at a second angle to the normal of the surface and produces signal data that is representative of an image of the reflection thereon. The image viewed by the receiver has parallactic displacements of the line of illumination that occur at transitions between raised and recessed portions of the relief pattern. The signal data is culled such that only those pixels surrounding the line of light are selected. The culled signal data is then decoded into electrical signals which represent decoded information contained in the relief pattern. The optical receiver can be realized as a plurality of light sensors arranged in a linear, or a two dimensional array, together with suitable focusing optics.

Abstract: There is disclosed a non-contact apparatus and method for reading a surface that has information encoded in a relief pattern thereon. The apparatus comprises an optical transmitter for projecting a line of light onto the relief pattern at a first angle to a normal of the surface; an optical receiver that views the projected line of light at a second angle to the normal of the surface and produces a signal that is representative of an image of the reflection thereon. The image viewed by the receiver has parallactic displacements of the line of illumination that occur transitions between raised and recessed portions of the relief pattern. The displacements are detected by a pattern detector which is coupled to the optical receiver and submitted to a decoder. The optical receiver can be realized as a plurality of light sensors arranged in a linear, or a two dimensional array, together with suitable focusing optics.