Motorola Corporation

John E Bjornholt

Robert Henry Bickley

Theodore Woolley Keller

Edward J Groth, Jr

Richard G Foster

In a collision avoidance communication system and method, equipped aircraft (12) and ground control stations (18) which represent nodes of an RF communication network (22). A radar system (16) determines locations of equipped aircraft (12) and unequipped aircraft (14) within an airspace (10). The ground control station (18) couples to the radar system (16) and the network (22) to receive location data for the aircraft (12, 14). These location data are merged in an object list (142). The ground control station (18) displays objects from the object list (142), broadcasts surrogate location data (84) for unequipped aircraft (14) over the network (22), and broadcasts control data (100, 116) describing weather conditions, geographic features, and the like, over the network (22). Equipped aircraft 12 receive aircraft location data (84) and control data (100, 116) from the network (22). Each equipped aircraft (12) determines its own location. The equipped aircraft (12) include a display (62) which shows the locations and orientations of nearby aircraft (12, 14) and of geographic features, and the equipped aircraft (12) broadcast their own locations over the network (22).

Collison avoidance communication system and method

A transponding tag (14) and method for responding with a unique code signal (18) when it receives an interrogation signal (16). The tag (14) waits a random duration before responding to avoid interference with response code signals (18) from other tags (14). The tag (14) includes two antennae (22, 24) formed on opposing sides of a dielectric planar substrate (20). A protective coating (52) and printed indicia (72) overlie the antennae. An electrical circuit (34), decoupling capacitor (44) and inductive pickup coil (46) are embedded within the substrate (20). The electrical circuit (34) and capacitor (44) reside between the antennae (22, 24) to receive RF shielding from the antennae and to reduce thickness of the tag (14). A capacitance exists between the antennae (22, 24). This capacitance stores DC electrical energy for the electrical circuit (34). The tag (14) is programmed through a modulated magnetic field detected at the inductive pickup coil (46).

Transponding tag and method

A method and apparatus for high power pulse modulation which includes a high voltage supply to provide a high voltage input signal, and a drive channel, rise channel, fall channel, and dump channel. A timing system controls the switching of the drive channel, rise channel, fall channel, and dump channel to modulate the high voltage input signal to produce an output signal. Each channel comprises a channel logic input, buffer amplifier, alternating current (AC) coupler, isolation pulse transformer, current limiter, and switch to provide the pulse modulation. Power MOSFETs can be used as switches in the four channels.

Method and apparatus for high power pulse modulation

A split-phase integrate and dump matched filter utilizes both the positive and negative inputs of a single comparator and adds an exclusive-OR logic element after the matched filter to correct the data polarity since the negative-input path of the data output is inverted.

Split-phase matched filter using single comparator

An automatic residual line suppression system for use with a spread spectrum signal wherein a narrow-band sample of the signal around a selected frequency is multiplied by a dithered signal in an auto-balance control loop. A resulting signal is used to control the dc offset of a mixer in order to minimize the residual carrier line in the signal spectrum while any remaining detectible residual lines are smeared by a noise source during up-conversion.

Auto-balance method and apparatus for suppression of residual lines in a

A spread spectrum modulator and a method therefor wherein a plurality of binary code generators each being at the same fraction of a desired modulation frequency and all being at equal relative phase angles are used to serially bi-phase modulate an unspread carrier signal.

Multiple mixer spread spectrum modulation and method therefor

An augmented phase-locked loop for use with a data communication system in which the data is encoded into a plurality of symbol signals such that the channel on which transmission occurs is switched at a data clock rate between symbol signals and such that two like symbol signals cannot appear successively. The coincidental transitions between symbol signals are detected and are used to lock a phase-locked loop. If the integrated signal from a transition detector is greater than integration of the signal level of the pluses on each incoming channel at the frequency of the loop locking to a subharmonic is detected and causes a sweep circuit to drive an oscillator to sweep until the phase-locked loop locks on the correct data clock frequency. The frequency to which the loop is locked is used to clock a successive sampling of each input so that if the loop is locked on a harmonic of the correct data clock, the sequential repetition of a symbol signal on a channel is detected and is used to force an oscillator to sweep until the phase-locked loop is locked to the correct data clock frequency.

Growing community of inventors

Mesa, AZ, United States of America

John E Bjornholt