Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Theodore Jay Hoffmann

Russell David Wyse

Michael L Hageman

Mark M Mulbrook

James B West

James A Stevens

Chenggang Xie

David W Cripe

Jeremiah Damien Wolf

David A Gribble

Matilda Gabriela Livadaru

Roger A Dana

Anders P Walker

Jonathan A Lovseth

Jerzy K Richter

Shannon D Hauerwas

An antenna system is disclosed. In embodiments, the antenna system may include a communication sub-system disposed within an aircraft. The communication sub-system may include one or more power supply components configured to generate a direct current (DC) power supply, and a first capacitive coupling device configured to capacitively couple an alternating current (AC) transmit signal to the DC power supply to form an antenna input signal. In embodiments, the antenna system may further include an electrical line configured to transmit the antenna input signal from the communication sub-system to an antenna module. In embodiments, the antenna module may include a second capacitive coupling device configured to de-couple the DC power supply and the AC transmit signal, communication circuitry configured to generate one or more transmission signals based on the AC transmit signal.

System and method for retrofitting digital antenna arrays

An antenna array system can including a plurality of antenna subarray panels assembled together to form a single wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) antenna array. Each antenna subarray panel can include a corresponding plurality of antenna elements such that at least two antenna elements of the plurality of antenna subarray panels have different antenna element sizes. The antenna array system can include one or more beamformer circuits. Each of the one or more beam former circuits can be communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of antenna subarray panels. For each adjacent pair of the plurality of antenna subarray panels, each antenna element adjacent to a gap separating the adjacent pair of antenna subarray panels along an elongated boundary of the gap is greater than a predetermined value. The predetermined value can be determined based on a predefined width of the gap separating the pair of adjacent antenna subarray panels.

Wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) antenna arrays

A communication device including a plurality of receive channels and/or a plurality of transmit channels is disclosed. The receive channels and/or the transmit channels are configured to share one or more monitor receivers for nonlinear equalization and/or digital predistortion functions.

Shared monitor receiver for linearization in multi-channel systems

A multiple input, multiple function, multiple output (MIMFMO) radiofrequency (RF) processor including a MIMFMO RF processor element. The MIMFMO RF processor element is configured to receive multiple RF input signals, perform multiple RF operations on the multiple RF input signals, and output processed RF output signals to multiple output circuits.

Radiofrequency processor

A system and method is disclosed for using two or more currently installed antenna elements on a vehicle for geolocation of a remote emitter. Redundant antenna elements initially installed for a non-geolocation purpose are employed to receive signals from the remote emitter. A splitter is used to tap from the received signal where the content of the received signal, if desired, is available to a non-geolocation receiver for which the antenna element was originally designed. The splitter transmits the split portion of the signal to a geolocation sensing receiver for signal processing based on a two or more antenna element geolocation solution.

Geolocation with redundant aircraft antennas system and related method

High efficiency transmitters for electronically scanned arrays (also known as electronically steered antennas or ESAs) are disclosed. The transmitters in accordance with the present disclosure utilize outphasing power amplification. In one embodiment, the outphasing transmitter includes a phase shifting device. The phase shifting device is configured for phase shifting an input signal and providing a pair of phase shifted signals for each emitting element of the EAS. The outphasing transmitter also includes an outphasing power amplifier associated with each emitting element. Each outphasing power amplifier is configured for separately amplifying the pair of shifted signals for each emitting element and combining the separately amplified signals for each emitting element for transmission.

High efficiency outphasing transmitter for electronically scanned arrays

At least two waveforms are operated on a single antenna. A scheduler module coordinates the at least two waveforms. A modem module processes the at least two waveforms. A transmitter propagates the at least two waveforms to the antenna.

Waveform scheduling on a common antenna

The invention is a method of transmitting a radio signal using a complex envelope elimination and restoration technique. The method includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal. Further, the method includes separating the RF signal into an in-phase baseband signal (I) and a quadrature baseband signal (Q). Still further, the method includes decomposing the (I) signal into a in-phase magnitude component and a in-phase phase component while decomposing the Q signal into a quadrature magnitude component and a quadrature phase component. Alternatively, the source signal could be digital baseband information. Digital signal processing could generate the phase and magnitude reference signals for the system.

Complex envelope elimination and restoration transmitter

The present invention is an apparatus and method for simultaneously processing multiple communication and navigation signals. An apparatus of the present invention may comprise a single receiver with a direct radio frequency (RF) sampling front end, a single analog to digital converter, a digital downconverter and a digital signal processor. In an embodiment of the invention, the receiver of the present invention may simultaneously process navigation signals in the 108-118 MHz band and communication signals in the 118-137 MHz band.

Multiple signal receiver

A radio has a tunable bandpass filter that is tuned by apparatus within the radio. A reference generator generates a reference signal for use in tuning the tunable bandpass filter. The tunable bandpass filter receives the reference signal and provides a filter output signal. A digital signal processing and control processor is connected to the tunable bandpass filter to receive the filter output signal. The digital signal processing and control processor has a phase comparison function that provides a phase error metric from the filter output signal. The digital signal processing and control processor tunes the tunable bandpass filter to provide a desired phase error metric signal thereby tuning the tunable bandpass filter to the desired center frequency. The digital signal processing and control processor stores tunable filter parameters for the desired center frequency. The tuning process may be repeated for several desired center frequencies of the tunable bandpass filter.

Growing community of inventors

Hiawatha, IA, United States of America

Theodore Jay Hoffmann