Rockwell Collins, Inc.

William Bascom Sorsby

Tj T Kwon

Eric J Loren

James A Stevens

Joseph T Graf

Steven V Schatz

Timothy E Snodgrass

Stephen M Clark

Naveen Rajanikantha

Brian L Aanderud

Matthew D Bousselot

Philip D Dean

A system includes a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node include a communications interface and a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface. The controller includes one or more processors. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node are in motion relative to each other and to a common reference frame. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node are time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to the common reference frame. The receiver node is configured to determine a bearing and a range each between the receiver node and the transmitter node. The receiver node is automatically maintained within a formation relative to the transmitter node based on the bearing and range in the station keeping mode.

Station keeping using doppler null scanning

A node of a multi-node network (e.g., a transmitter (Tx) node or receiver (Rx) node) is disclosed. The node may include a communications interface with antenna elements and a controller. The controller may include one or more processors and have information of own-node velocity and own-node orientation relative to a common reference frame. The node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with the node's own motions relative to the common reference frame. The node may receive an input sequence via a zero or near-zero Doppler path from a source node, the input sequence one of a set possible correlation sequence uniquely identifying the source node. The controller includes a correlator with sub-correlator blocks for breaking the input sequence into a set of N sub-sequences. Based on sequence processing by the sub-correlators, the correlator outputs the decoded input sequence and associated delay metrics.

Robust addressing schema for spatial awareness via doppler null scanning (DNS)

A system is disclosed. The system may include a receiver or transmitter node. The receiver or transmitter node may include a communications interface with an antenna element and a controller. The controller may include one or more processors and have information of own node velocity and own node orientation relative to a common reference frame. The receiver or transmitter node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections to signals, the Doppler corrections associated with the receiver or transmitter node's own motions relative to the common reference frame, the Doppler corrections applied using Doppler null steering along Null directions. The receiver node is configured to determine a bearing angle based on the signals based on Doppler null steering; and to determine a range based on two-way time-of-flight based ranging signals.

Doppler-nulling and two-way timing and ranging (spatial awareness)

A node of a multi-node network includes a communications interface incorporating one or more paired antenna elements wherein a transmitter (Tx) element and receiver (Rx) element are oriented in opposing directions. The node discovers and/or links to other nodes of the network by orienting each paired antenna element to transmit to other nodes in one direction and receive in the opposing direction (e.g., through a transmit and receive region, the transmit region opposite the receive region). At subsequent time intervals (e.g., alternating with the first time interval or set thereof), the Tx antenna elements transmit in directions through the initial receive region, each transmit direction interleaved between two prior receive directions, while the Rx antenna elements simultaneously attempt to receive in opposing directions through the initial transmit region, each receive direction interleaved between two prior transmit directions.

System and method for efficient directional discovery of communications terminals via beam interleaving

A communications node of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) or like multi-node network may receive a preamble and/or header portion associated with a resource allocation message (e.g., as opposed to the full message) transmitted by another network node in motion relative to the receiving node. The receiving node determines a receiver-side Doppler nulling direction (e.g., for offsetting Doppler shift associated with the motion of the transmitting node relative to the receiving node) by adjusting a receiving frequency of the preamble and/or header portion through one or more nulling frequencies, each nulling frequency associated with a nulling direction for offsetting Doppler shift due to relative motion in that direction. Based on the determination of a receiver-side Doppler nulling frequency, the receiving node can determine a velocity and direction of the relative motion between the receiving and transmitting nodes.

System and method for spatial awareness overlay onto mobile ad hoc network (MANET) frequent message preambles

A system may include a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) including a plurality of nodes. Each of the plurality of nodes is configured to transmit communication data packets and transmit beacons. Each of the plurality of nodes has passive spatial awareness. A first node has information of own node velocity, own node orientation, and a destination. The first node may be configured to: calculate a direct line or an arc from the first node to the destination; utilize passive spatial awareness; assess possible relay routes beyond the communication range and within the beacon range of the first node; determine a next relay node that is on one of the possible relay routes wherein the one of the possible relay routes may be closest to the direct line or the arc without being determined to be part of a dead-end route; and transmit a communication data packet to the next relay node.

System and method using passive spatial awareness for GEO network routing

A system includes a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node are time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to a stationary common inertial reference frame. The stationary common inertial reference frame is known to the transmitter node and the receiver node prior to the transmitter node transmitting a plurality of packets to the receiver node and prior to the receiver node receiving the plurality of packets from the transmitter node. The plurality of packets each comprise at least a preamble and a body payload. The body payload comprises a plurality of symbols. The plurality of symbols are separated into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks are scanned at separate null directions.

DNS spatial discoveries with on-going traffic

A system may include a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node may include a communications interface including at least one antenna element and a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface, the controller including one or more processors, wherein the controller has information of own node velocity and own node orientation. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node may be in motion relative to each other. Each node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to a common reference frame. The common reference frame may be known to the transmitter node and the receiver node prior to the transmitter node transmitting signals to the receiver node and prior to the receiver node receiving the signals from the transmitter node. The receiver node may be configured to be in a state of reduced emissions.

Situational awareness (SA) in radio silence (spatial awareness)

A system may include a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node may include a communications interface including at least one antenna element and a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface, the controller including one or more processors, wherein the controller has information of own node velocity and own node orientation. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node may be in motion. Each node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to a common reference frame. The common reference frame may be known to the transmitter node and the receiver node prior to the transmitter node transmitting signals to the receiver node and prior to the receiver node receiving the signals from the transmitter node.

System and method for application of doppler corrections for time synchronized transmitter and receiver in motion

A system may include a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node may include a communications interface including at least one antenna element and a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface, the controller including one or more processors, wherein the controller of the receiver node has information of own node velocity and own node orientation. The receiver node may be in motion and the transmitter node may be stationary. Each node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to a common reference frame. The common reference frame may be known to the transmitter node and the receiver node prior to the transmitter node transmitting signals to the receiver node and prior to the receiver node receiving the signals from the transmitter node.

System and method for application of doppler corrections for time synchronized stationary transmitter and receiver in motion

A system and method for correlating a received signal is disclosed. The system may include an antenna configured to receive the received signal. The system may also include a controller. The controller may include a field programmable gate array (FPGA) including a plurality of look-up tables (LUTs). The controller may also include a plurality of registers for storing and manipulating data. The plurality of registers may be coupled to the plurality of LUTs. The plurality of registers may include a known reference register, a secondary reference register, an in-phase register, and a quadrature register. Each LUT may be configured to receive Boolean inputs from the known reference register, the secondary reference register, the in-phase register, and the quadrature register and to output correlation results based on the Boolean inputs.

System and method for using FPGA look-up table as quadrature digital correlator

A system is disclosed for Doppler nulling configured for security. The system may include a receiver or transmitter node. The receiver or transmitter node may include a communications interface with an antenna element and a controller. The controller may include one or more processors and have information of own node velocity and own node orientation relative to a common reference frame. The receiver or transmitter node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections to signals, the Doppler corrections associated with the receiver or transmitter node's own motions relative to the common reference frame, the Doppler corrections applied using Doppler null steering along Null directions based on a protocol. The protocol may include a protocol modulation, such as a modulation of the signals for security purposes.

Doppler nulling scanning (DNS) security (spatial awareness)

A system may include a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) including nodes. The nodes may include beacon-based clusterhead (BB-CH) nodes and members. Each of the nodes may be configured to transmit communication data packets and transmit beacons. Each of the nodes may have passive spatial awareness. For each of at least some of the BB-CH nodes having members, a BB-CH node may be configured to compile spatial awareness information of all members of the BB-CH node. The compiled spatial awareness information may include a BB-CH node identification for the BB-CH node, position-location information (PLI) of the BB-CH node, a quantity of the members of the BB-CH node, and a member list including member identifications. For each of the at least some of the BB-CH nodes, the BB-CH node may be configured to broadcast, via efficient flooding, some or all of the compiled spatial awareness information to every connected node.

System and method for spatial awareness network routing

A system includes a transmitter node and a receiver node. Each node of the transmitter node and the receiver node are time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with said node's own motions relative to a stationary common inertial reference frame. The stationary common inertial reference frame is known to the transmitter node and the receiver node prior to the transmitter node transmitting a plurality of signals to the receiver node and prior to the receiver node receiving the plurality of signals from the transmitter node. The receiver node performs adaptive digitization of the signals to account for a speed of the platform.

Adaptive doppler-nulling digitization for high-resolution

A system includes at least a transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) node of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) including one or more non-terrestrial nodes (e.g., operating in earth orbit or extra-terrestrial space). Each node may include a communications interface with antenna elements and a controller, which may include one or more processors and have information of own-node velocity and own-node orientation relative to a common reference frame. Each node may be time synchronized to apply Doppler corrections associated with the node's own motions relative to the common reference frame. Based on the Doppler corrections, each node may determine a relative bearing to the other node. The non-terrestrial node is configured for operation on a non-terrestrial platform (e.g., a satellite in earth orbit), which may be an extra-terrestrial platform operating in spaceflight beyond the earth's atmosphere or in association with a non-Earth solar system object.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

William Bascom Sorsby