Abstract: A mobile radio has more than one channel, each channel corresponding to a programmable transceiver circuit. The mobile radio also includes at least one high gain antenna coupled to at least one of the programmable transceiver circuits. A location determining circuit is configured to determine the location of the mobile radio. A processor is coupled to the transceivers and to the location determining circuit. The processor runs a program logic that is configured to identify whether the mobile radio is in a location that enables the mobile radio to extend the reach of the network both due to its location and due to the use of the at least one high gain antenna. The processor also runs a program logic to carry out spectrum sensing to identify available spectral resources based on communication traffic on various frequency bands.

Abstract: An antenna array is formed by a network of transceivers that includes unit radios and a command radio. The command radio configures the antenna array and communicates with the unit radios to send and receive signals. The unit radios may form an antenna array with greater than half-wavelength spacing and the command radio receives signals from another radio through a unit radio receiving a best signal or from combined signals from several unit radios received from the other radio. The unit radios may form an antenna array having half wavelength or less spacing that forms a digital beam forming antenna with an antenna grid to which the unit radios are connected.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling channel access in a communications system is disclosed. The method and system include providing a data packet to communications queue and determining the priority of the data packet. The method and system also generate a channel occupancy statistic. The channel occupancy statistic is based on the level of activity on a communications channel during a predetermined period. The method and system also compare the channel occupancy statistic to a predetermined threshold. The threshold is based on the priority.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for signal acquisition with transmit blanking compensation compensates for collisions between a desired received signal and a transmitted signal. A blanking block blanks a received signal when the transmitted signal is transmitted and stops blanking when the transmitted signal stops to provide a received signal with blanking. A correlation block correlates the received signal with blanking with a known sequence of symbols corresponding to the desired received signal and outputs a correlation metric and a number of symbols blanked. Means for adjusting the correlation metric or a variable threshold using the number of symbols blanked are provided. A decision block compares the adjusted correlation metric to a fixed threshold or the correlation metric to the variable threshold. If the adjusted correlation metric exceeds the threshold or if the correlation metric exceeds the variable threshold, the decision block determines that the desired signal is detected.

Abstract: A follower aircraft is guided to a lead aircraft using a datalink that determines range between the two. The lead aircraft has an antenna array and processing system for determining azimuth/elevation of the follower aircraft. The lead aircraft transmits a ranging message to the follower aircraft and stores a lead aircraft time of transmit (TOT) time. The ranging message is received at the follower aircraft and a follower aircraft time of reception (TOR) time is stored. A second ranging message is transmitted from the follower aircraft to the lead aircraft and a follower aircraft TOT time is stored. The second ranging message is received at the lead aircraft and a lead aircraft TOR is stored. A message is sent from the follower aircraft when follower aircraft TOT and TOR. The range and time offset is determined by the lead aircraft using follower aircraft TOT/TOR and stored lead aircraft TOT/TOR.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data from a transmitter to a receiver in an ad hoc large scale directional network includes the followings steps. A first training sequence is sent by a transmitter in an ad hoc directional network. The first training sequence is received by a receiver in the ad hoc directional network. The receiver determines a first apparent direction from which the first training sequence is sent. The receiver sends a second training sequence to the transmitter. The transmitter determines a second apparent direction from which the second training sequence is sent. The transmitter directs a signal with the first training sequence to the receiver. The transmitter sends the signal with the first training sequence to the receiver. The receiver receives the first training sequence. The receiver is directed to the first apparent direction to receive the signal.

Abstract: A method of obtaining coarse synchronization in a frequency hopped/direct sequence spread spectrum (FH/DSS) time division multiple access (TDMA) data link network includes tuning the receiver to a first frequency used in the data link network. Then, signal strength of signals received on the first frequency during a sample time period is observed to obtain a sample energy pattern. An expected energy pattern during a time uncertainty window is determined based upon a known hopping pattern. Then, the sample energy pattern is compared to a first portion of the expected energy pattern, with the first portion of the expected energy pattern corresponding to a first time period within the time uncertainty window. A determination is then made as to whether the first time period is a coarse synchronization candidate based upon the comparison. If it is determined that the time period is a coarse synchronization candidate, one or more additional comparisons on different frequencies can be used to verify the hypothesis.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting a file stream using quality of service capable links. The system has a network capable of supporting quality of service negotiations and an embedded component capable of negotiating different quality of service levels for a plurality of file streams according to importance of bits to be transmitted. To transmit the compressed data, the embedded component identifies important bits and less important bits in the file stream, negotiates quality of service parameters for a plurality of file streams, divides the important bits and less important bits into different file streams having different quality of service levels, and transmits the streams. On the receiving end, the received streams are synchronized and combined into a single stream for the application to display. The error correction and detection coding is performed by physical layers of the network, not the application or embedded component, thereby improving efficiency.

Abstract: A system for controlling the number of iterations to be performed by an iterative decoder. The system includes an input port configured to receive a data throughput value, a processor configured to determine an efficient number of iterations for an iterative decoder based on the data throughput value, and an output port configured to provide the efficient number of iterations based on the determination by the processor.

Abstract: A translator terminal for use with two or more wireless networks is disclosed. The translator terminal allows a first network to communicates with first-type terminals in an encrypted form and a second network to communicate with second terminals in an encrypted form. The translator terminal allows information from the first terminal to be translated to the second terminals, without jeopardizing the encryption format utilized by the first terminals. The translator could be utilized to translate selected information from a Link 16 network to another network.

Abstract: A method of determining absolute positions of devices in a network. Relative distances between the devices are determined. For each of at least one of the devices, a range is calculated from a number of distant ranging sources that is less than an amount required to obtain a precise location of the device. The calculated ranges are combined with the determined relative distances to determine a unique absolute position of the devices in the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing communication resources between nodes of a network is disclosed. The network utilizes both dynamic and static assignment of communication time slots. The invention includes a plurality of dynamic nodes wherein communication is accomplished as a result of a node's dynamic assignment to itself of specific time slots from a time multiplex structure. At least one static node is also included in the network. The static node does not participate in the dynamic assignment protocol. Instead, a time slot in said time multiplex structure is pre-assigned for communication with the static node. A dynamic node can serve as a surrogate for a static node, relaying communications between the dynamic and static portions of the network.

Abstract: A system for adaptively determining a bitwise weighting factor for coded binary data comprising a correction unit that provides an overall weighting factor representative of the sum of the products of the individual symbol probability factor times the bit value.

Abstract: A method for real-time data exchange between an RF modem of a mobile data terminal and a base station host computer of a mobile radio-frequency data communications network is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the data exchange timing architecture of the present invention reduces message error rates by accurately predicting signal presence by using a modem hosted by the central processing unit of a mobile data terminal. RF network signal synchronization is improved through precise prediction of the likelihood of message presence, a method that significantly reduces message errors triggered by inadvertent synchronization on signal noise.

Abstract: A system for adaptively determining a bitwise weighting factor for coded binary data comprising a correction unit that provides an overall weighting factor representative of the sum of the products of the individual symbol probability factor times the bit value.

Abstract: A system for receiving, correlating and interpreting secured wireless transmissions, periodic or otherwise, including multiplexed receivers, robust correlator design, a state machine device for controlling the receivers and correlation function, and the ability to determine signal spatial diversity via switched antenna signal processing. The correlator is constructed to include a synchronization scheme adaptive to any variety of input signals from the coupled receiver tuned frequencies.