Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Neil J Earnhardt

Scott F Bauler

William T Greenleaf

Joel Michael Wichgers

Gregory R Voors

An aircraft communication system includes, and a method of aircraft communication uses, communication radios and a multilink communication controller. The multilink communication controller includes a link selection table and a link selector. The link selector is in communication with the link selection table. The link selector is configured to receive a message from a system of the aircraft and select a communication link among a number of communication links for the message using a priority of the message and priority information from the link selection table.

Systems and methods for multilink aircraft communication

Embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to systems and methods for data link acquisition using multichannel transceivers. A first transceiver may scan a first set of frequencies for a first signal at a first frequency from a first ground station. A second transceiver may scan a second set of frequencies for a second signal at a second frequency from a second ground station. The second set may be higher than the first set. A controller of the avionics radio device may be communicatively coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver. The controller may compare the first signal quality of the first signal with the second signal quality of the second signal. The controller may commence a data link with the first ground station or the second ground station via one of the first and second transceivers of the avionics radio device based on the comparison.

Datalink acquisition and link maintenance using software-defined radio multichannel receivers

Various embodiments are directed to systems, methods, and devices for concurrent high frequency down link air to ground communication transactions using multiple frequencies. A ground station radio device includes a transmitter to transmit uplink data to a plurality of aircraft over a first frequency, and a receiver to receive downlink data from the plurality of aircraft over a plurality of second frequencies that are different from the first frequency.

Multi-frequency high frequency data link

An aircraft remote network, device, and method are disclosed. The network may include a central data management unit (CDMU) and one or more aircraft systems, where each system may include an antenna and one or more units, through which radio frequency (RF) signals are transmitted and/or received. The device could receive a RF signal from an external source via the antenna, convert the signal to data, and provide the data to the CDMU; and receive data from the CDMU, convert the data to an RF signal, and provide the RF signal to the external source via the antenna, where the distance between the antenna and the device is less than the distance between the device and the CDMU.

Remotely-managed aircraft RF communication network, device, and method

A system and related method for encrypting HFDL position reports of an aircraft involves determining the position of the aircraft based on signals received from navigational satellites and generating data packets based on the position and an aircraft identifier such as an ICAO address. The data packets are encrypted for transmission to HF ground stations as a position report normally would be (e.g., as a performance diagnostic packet or a frequency diagnostic packet). However, the encrypted position data can only be decrypted by a control key provided to traffic control authorities or a subscriber key provided to the aircraft owner or authorized personnel. Only holders of the control key or subscriber key may decode the aircraft position and track the aircraft's heading or position.

Encrypted HFDL position reports

A very high frequency (VHF) transceiver can include an amplitude and phase shift keying (APSK) modulator configured to modulate signals for transmission across a first VHF channel of a plurality of VHF channels used to communicate between or among aircraft and one or more ground stations. Each of the VHF channels can have a bandwidth of at least 8.33 kilo Hertz (kHz) with a data rate per Hertz (Hz) greater than or equal to 3 bits per second per Hz (bps/Hz). The VHF transceiver can include a power amplifier configured to amplify the modulated signals prior to the transmission. The VHF transceiver can include a linearity controller configured to control linearity of the power amplifier according to at least one of a Cartesian feedback amplifier linearization, pre-distortion amplifier linearization or feedforward amplifier linearization to mitigate nonlinear distortion associated with signals output by the power amplifier.

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Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Neil J Earnhardt