U.S. patent number RE29,260 [Application Number 05/568,270] was granted by the patent office on 1977-06-07 for proximity indication with range and bearing measurements.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Litchstreet Co.. Invention is credited to George B. Litchford.
United States Patent |
RE29,260 |
Litchford |
June 7, 1977 |
Proximity indication with range and bearing measurements
Abstract
Proximity indication and evaluation for aircraft, using only the
signals emitted by secondary surveillance radar and cooperating
transponders, to detect intrusion in a monitored proximity volume
and determine slant range and relative bearing to the intruder.
Inventors: |
Litchford; George B.
(Northport, NY) |
Assignee: |
Litchstreet Co. (Northport,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
27391302 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/568,270 |
Filed: |
April 15, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
180578 |
Sep 15, 1971 |
3757324 |
|
|
Reissue of: |
371839 |
Jun 20, 1973 |
03858211 |
Dec 31, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
342/147; 342/37;
342/139; 342/32; 342/125; 342/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S
13/933 (20200101); G01S 13/781 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01S
13/93 (20060101); G01S 13/78 (20060101); G01S
13/00 (20060101); G01S 009/56 () |
Field of
Search: |
;343/16R,6.5R,6.5LC,112CA,16R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wilbur; Maynard R.
Assistant Examiner: Buczinski; S. C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue &
Raymond
Parent Case Text
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 180,578,
filed Sept. 15, 1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,324.
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of determining at an own transponder station the
bearing angle .phi. of said own station from a selected .Iadd.one
of a plurality of .Iaddend.secondary surveillance .[.radar.].
.Iadd.radars .Iaddend.(SSR) that .Iadd.transmit directional
interrogation signals of the same frequency and that
.Iaddend.omniazimuthally .[.transmits a.]. .Iadd.transmit
.Iaddend.reference .[.signal.]..Iadd.signals .Iaddend.as the main
radar .[.beam sweeps.]. .Iadd.beams thereof sweep .Iaddend.through
a standardized reference direction, such as magnetic North, said
method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving said reference signals .[.,.]. .Iadd.from said
radars, .Iaddend.
(b) receiving interrogation signals from said .[.radar.].
.Iadd.radars .Iaddend.as the main .[.beam sweeps.]. .Iadd.beams
thereof sweep .Iaddend.by the own location,
(c) .[.measuring the time interval between successive reception of
one of said reference and said interrogation signals and producing
a quantitative first representation of the main beam rotation
interval,.]. .Iadd.selecting the reference and interrogation
signals received from one of said secondary surveillance radars,
.Iaddend.
(d) .[.measuring and producing a quantitative second representation
of the time interval between reception of a reference signal and
reception of the next subsequently received interrogation
signal,.]. .Iadd.measuring the time interval between successive
reception of one of said selected reference and said selected
interrogation signals and producing a quantitative first
representation of the main beam rotation interval, .Iaddend.
(e) .[.dividing the value of said second representation by that of
said first representation to produce the quotient of said values,
and.]. .Iadd.measuring and producing a quantitative second
representation of the time interval between reception of one of
said selected reference and said selected interrogation signals and
the next subsequently received other one of said signals,
.Iaddend.
(f) .[.producing a quantitative representation .phi. of said
quotient..]. .Iadd.dividing the value of said second representation
by that of said first representation to produce the quotient of
said values, and
(g) producing a quantitative representation .phi. of said quotient.
.Iaddend.
2. Apparatus for determining at an own transponder station the
bearing angle .phi. of said own station from a selected
.[.azimuthally scanning radar that omnidirectionally transmits a.].
.Iadd.one of a plurality of secondary surveillance radars (SSR)
that transmit directional interrogation signals of the same
frequency and that omniazimuthally transmit .Iaddend.reference
.[.signal when its directional beam points in a standard.].
.Iadd.signals as the main radar beams thereof sweep through a
standardized .Iaddend.reference direction, such as .Iadd.magnetic
.Iaddend.North, said apparatus comprising:
(a) means for receiving said reference .[.signal.]. .Iadd.signals
.Iaddend.and for receiving the .[.normal.]. interrogation
transmission signals of said .Iadd.radars .Iaddend.as the radar
.[.beam sweeps.]. .Iadd.beams sweep .Iaddend.by the own
location,
(b) .[.a first interval timer for measuring the interval between
successive reception of one of said reference and said normal
transmission signals and producing a quantitative representation N
of said interval,.]. .Iadd.means for selecting the reference and
interrogation signals received from one of said secondary
surveillance radars, .Iaddend.
(c) .[.a second interval timer for measuring and producing
quantitative representation M of the interval between reception of
a reference signal and a normal transmission signal,.]. .Iadd.a
first interval timer for measuring the interval between successive
reception of one of said selected reference and said selected
interrogation signals and producing a quantitative representation N
of said interval, .Iaddend.
(d) .[.divider means for computing the quotient M/N, and.]. .Iadd.a
second interval timer for measuring and producing a quantitative
second representation M of the time interval between reception of
one of said selected reference and said selected interrogation
signals and the next subsequently received other one of said
signals, .Iaddend.
(e) .[.means for producing a quantitative representation .phi. of
said quotient..]. .Iadd.divider means for computing the quotient
M/N, and
(f) means for producing a quantitative representation .phi. of said
quotient. .Iaddend.
3. A method as in claim 1 for additionally producing at said own
transponder station a representation of the angular relationship
between the bearing of said own transponder station from said
selected SSR and the bearing from said selected SSR of another
transponder station within a common azimuthal sector with said own
transponder station, including the further steps of:
.[.(g).]. .Iadd.(h) .Iaddend.receiving at said own transponder
station reply signals transmitted by said other transponder station
in response to said interrogation signals as said main beam sweeps
by said other transponder station,
.[.(h).]. .Iadd.(i) .Iaddend.determining the time relationship
between said interrogation signals and said reply signals, and
.[.(i).]. .Iadd.(j) .Iaddend.producing, in accordance with said
time relationship, a representation of said angular relationship
between said bearing angles from said selected SSR.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein step .[.(i).]. .Iadd.(j)
.Iaddend.comprises the steps of:
.[.(j).]. .Iadd.(k) .Iaddend.producing a lead signal in response to
the prior occurrence of said interrogation signals immediately
subsequent ot said reference signals, and
.[.(k).]. .Iadd.(1) .Iaddend.producing a lag signal in response to
the prior occurrence of said reply signals immediately subsequent
to said reference signals.
5. Apparatus according to claim 2 for additionally producing at
said own transponder station a representation of the angular
relationship between the bearing of said own transponder station
from said selected SSR and the bearing from said selected SSR of
another transponder station within a common azimuthal sector with
said own transponder station, further comprising:
.[.(f).]. .Iadd.(g) .Iaddend.means for receiving at said own
transponder station reply signals transmitted by said other
transponder station in response to said interrogation signals as
said main beam sweeps by said other transponder station,
.[.(g).]. .Iadd.(h) .Iaddend.means for determining the time
relationship between said interrogation signals and said reply
signals, and
.[.(h).]. .Iadd.(i) .Iaddend.means for producing, in accordance
with said time relationship, a representation of said angular
relationship between said bearing angles from said selected
SSR.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means .[.(h).].
.Iadd.(i) .Iaddend.comprises:
.[.(i).]. .Iadd.(j) .Iaddend.means for producing a lead signal in
response to the prior occurrence of said interrogation signals
immediately subsequent to said reference signals, and
.[.(j).]. .Iadd.(k) .Iaddend.means for producing a lag signal in
response to the prior occurrence of said reply signals immediately
subsequent to said reference signals. .Iadd. 7. The method
according the claim 1 wherein the reference and interrogation
signals are selected in accordance with the pulse repetition
characteristic associated with said one of said secondary
surveillance radars. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 8. The apparatus according to
claim 2, wherein means (b) selects the reference and interrogation
signals in accordance with the pulse repetition characteristic
associated with said one of said secondary surveillance radars.
.Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to radiolocation of mobile vehicles, such
as aircraft, with respect to each other within the coverage of a
scanning radar at a reference location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Major airports and way points are presently equipped with secondary
surveillance radar (SSR) adapted to cooperate with transponder
beacons carried on aircraft to discriminate against interference
and ground clutter and to provide for transmission of
identification and other data such as altitude from the craft to
the groundbased radar. A traffic controller observing the radar
display directs the pilots of the involved aircraft by radio,
usually with voice communication, so as to maintain or restore safe
separations between craft. Such systems are limited in capability
because each craft must be dealt with individually and requires its
share of the controller's time and attention and its share of the
available radio spectrum. When traffic is heavy, takeoffs and
landings are delayed, and the possibility of collisions
increases.
The number of mid-air collisions and near misses has become so
large in busy areas that numerous interaircraft cooperative
proximity warning systems have been proposed. Those more
prominently under study or development at this time involve
frequent or quasicontinuous exchange of signals between all
cooperative aircraft within the region of interest and make no
provision for non-cooperating aircraft. The required airborne
equipment would be bulky and expensive, use more of the already
crowded radio spectrum and would be generally independent of other
needed and existing equipment, such as transponders. Another
drawback of some of the proposed systems is that they provide only
relative positional information, without ground reference but in
effect with respect to a randomly floating reference.
My copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 130,952, filed Apr.
5, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,408 and entitled Common Azimuth
Sector Indicating System describes the use of a standard airborne
transponder with additional equipment including a receiver for
receiving other's transponder replies and means for indicating the
presence of another .[.transponderequipped.].
.Iadd.transponder-equipped .Iaddend.aircraft within a monitored
airspace sector or volume.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention, detection of a proximity
situation as in the above-identified U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,408 is
used to add a special proximity code signal to the normal
transponder reply. Such a signal, when received from another
similarly equipped aircraft, initiates an exchange of
interrogations and replies between the respective transponders of a
proximity pair, enabling measurement of the direct slant range
between the two craft. This operation may be accomplished without
modification of the standard SSR-transponder traffic control
system, and without interference with its normal operation.
The slant range information, useful in itself as a quantitative
measure of the degree of proximity, may also be used in the
determination of relative bearings of the two aircraft from each
other. To this end, the SSR must be arranged to transmit
.[.onmidirectionally.]. .Iadd.omnidirectionally .Iaddend.a
reference signal, called a "North pulse" when the sweeping main
radar beam points toward the local magnetic North. North pulse
reference signals are available at existing SSR installations, and
can be transmitted as required with slight modification of the
equipment.
The North pulse, received and decoded by the transponder when the
beam points North, and the normal interrogation, received when the
beam points at the aircraft, define a time interval which is a
measure of the .[.carft's.]. .Iadd.craft's .Iaddend.own magnetic
bearing from the radar. The own radar bearing, slant range, and the
differential range from the radar, which can be determined from the
interval between a radar interrogation and the reception of the
other's reply to the same interrogation, provide sufficient data
for a simple computation of other's relative bearing.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating generally a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a geometrical diagram used in explaining the operation of
the apparatus of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a more detailed block diagram showing a specific
implementation of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a PRF selector suitable for use in the
system of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a phase locked PRF generator used in
the system of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an interval timer used in the system
of FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a lead-lag logic device used in the
system of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a transponder 60 is arranged to receive the
usual 1,030 MHz interrogations from secondary surveillance radars,
and to transmit 1,090 MHz replies in response thereto. Many
transponders are provided with terminals where the P2 of SLS pulse
of the interrogation and the first frame pulse F1 of the reply are
available; others may be readily modified for external access to
these pulses. A specially coded North reference signal, for example
a PO pulse preceding the standard P1 interrogation pulse while the
SSR main beam points North, is made available by slight
modification of the transponder decoder, or by addition of a simple
special decoder.
All transponders include reply encoders which may be set either
manually or by electrical inputs to add any of 4096 coded messages
to the reply signal. Some of the available code groups are used to
transmit identification, barometric altitude, and various emergency
or situation messages; many are not used presently. The transponder
60 is provided with an input line 61 connected to encode a special
range command message on the replies when it is energized, for
example, in response to the detection of the proximity of another
aircraft's transponder. Another input line 62 is connected to a
point in the transponder where the reply trigger pulse usually
appears. When a pulse is applied to line 62, the transponder is
triggered to send a reply in the same manner as if it were
interrogated by an SSR, although such interrogation is not
received.
A 1,090 MHz receiver and decoder 63 is adapted to receive and
decode transponder replies of other aircraft in the general
vicinity. The decoder portion of this device provides an output
pulse on line 64 in response to the reception of both reply frame
pulses F1 and F2 from another aircraft's transponder, and an output
pulse on line 65 in response to the reception of a range command
message.
A widened common azimuth sector proximity detector system 66, which
may be the same as that described in the abovementioned copending
U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 130,952, now U.S. Pat. No.
3,735,408, receives the reply frame decode pulse on line 64 and the
own transponder F1 pulse and P2 decode pulse on lines 67 and 68.
Output from the proximity detector 66 energizes the transponder
input line 61 to encode proximity and energizes a proximity
indicator 53.
An alternative F1 input to the proximity detector 66 is provided
under certain conditions by a phase locked PRF pulse generator 69,
which can be synchronized to the pulse repetition frequency of a
selected radar either by the repetitive burst of F1 pulses
resulting from interrogations received from that radar, or by the
continuous train of decoded P2 pulses received from that radar
within the SLS area. The output of the PRF generator 69 is a
"synthetic F1" pulse, coincident with the actual F1 pulse when it
is present, and substituting for the actual F1 pulse as a time
reference when it is absent.
The actual and synthetic F1 pulses are applied to a range computer
70, which also receives as inputs the reply frame decode pulse on
line 64 and the proximity decode pulse on line 65. The range
computer 70, as will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
3 later, utilizes measurement of the time interval between the F1
and proximity decode pulses, when said pulses are present, to
determine the direct slant range Y between the aircraft of a
proximity pair. The range computer also utilizes measurement of the
interval between synthetic F1 pulses and next following reply frame
decode pulses to determine the difference X between the ranges of
the two craft from a selected SSR.
Referring to FIG. 2, the selected SSR is at point 71, the
"own".[.).]. aircraft is at point 72, and the other aircraft is at
point 73. The slant range Y is proportional to the time required
for a radio signal to travel from one aircraft to the other and
back again, less system delays. The differential radar range X is
proportional to the time interval between reception of an
interrogation from the SSR by the own craft at 72, and reception of
the same interrogation by the other craft at 73.
Returning to FIG. 1, the computed slant range Y is displayed by a
meter or other quantitative indicator 74. Representations of X and
Y are applied to an other's bearing computer 75, which utilizes
these and the output of an own SSR bearing computer 76 to determine
the bearing of the other craft from one's own craft.
The own SSR bearing computer 76, as will be described further
below, utilizes measurements of the time intervals between
successive decoded North reference signals, and between North
reference signals and next subsequent F1 bursts, to determine own
magnetic bearing .phi. from the selected SSR. The other's bearing
computer 75, also to be described later, determines the angle
.theta. between one's own line of position from the radar as
.theta. = cos.sup.-1 X/Y, adds own SSR bearing .phi., and subtracts
own magnetic heading H, to determine other's bearing B relative to
own's heading. The angular quantities .phi. and B are displayed by
indicators 77 and 78, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that the arc 79 closely
approximates a straight line perpendicular to the differential
radar range line X, and also approximately perpendicular to the own
line of position 80. Accordingly, the angle .theta. is
approximately cos.sup.- 1 X/Y, within one or two degrees in a
typical situation. As shown in the diagram, B= .phi. + .theta.
-H.
The system of FIG. 1 operates at all times in the usual manner of
an ordinary SSR beacon transponder, replying to interrogations
received during the dwell time as the main beam of an SSR sweeps by
it. Similar replies from transponders on other aircraft, received
and decoded by the 1,090 MHz receiver-decoder 63, are ignored
unless the other aircraft enters the widened common azimuth sector
that is swept by the main beam immediately before or immediately
after the "own" aircraft carrying the equipment of FIG. 1. If these
replies, as processed in the detector system 66, define a proximity
situation, the transponder 60 adds the proximity message to each of
its .[.transmission.]. .Iadd.transmissions.Iaddend., thereby
alerting the air traffic control system by way of the ground based
SSR display.
If the other, or "intruder," aircraft is equipped with a
receiver-decoder 63 and a detector system 66, it will also add the
proximity message to each of its replies. In the usual case, the
two aircraft will not approach the proximity condition along a
common radial from the SSR. Accordingly, the rotating radar beam
will first illuminate only one of the aircraft, then possibly both,
if they are near enough to a common radial, then only the other. In
the unusual case, when the aircraft approach proximity along a
common radial from one SSR, they will nearly always be within
operating range of another differently located SSR, and on
different radials from that SSR.
When one aircraft is being illuminated by a particular radar beam
and the other is not, the one in the .[.baem.]. .Iadd.beam
.Iaddend.will be replying with the added proximity message. This
message received by the 1,090 MHz receiver-decoder on the aircraft
which is not then in the radar beam, will trigger the transponder
on that aircraft, causing it to transmit a reply, not solicited by
a direct SSR interrogation, but by the other aircraft's proximity
message. The other aircraft, that is the one presently in the radar
beam, will receive the special transmission at a time following its
own SSR-solicited transmission by an interval corresponding to the
direct slant range Y between the two aircraft. Thus either
aircraft, if equipped with a range computer 70, is .[.provid.].
.Iadd.provided .Iaddend.with slant range information updated with
each rotation of the radar beam.
The range computer also provides differential SSR range X. Note
that both Y and X are available on the equipped aircraft even if
the other aircraft does not carry a range computer. Similarly, an
aircraft with an own SSR bearing computer 76 and an other's bearing
computer 75 will obtain .phi. and B angle information from another
that carries only the transponder 60, receiver-decoder 63 and
detector system 66.
Referring to FIG. 3, the 1090 MHZ receiver-decoder 63 of FIG. 1
includes a 1090 MHz receiver 10, a reply frame decoder 11 and an
altitude decoder 43, all of which may be the same as the respective
correspondingly designated elements of the system described in said
copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 130,952, now U.S. Pat. No.
3,735,408. In addition, a proximity decoder 81 is provided for
producing an output pulse whenever a proximity coded reply signal
is received by receiver 10.
The widened common azimuth sector proximity detector includes
resettable gate signal generators 3, 12, 35 and 49, AND 45, all the
same as the respective corresponding designated elements of the
system described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,408, and interconnected in
the same way. The output of AND gate 52 is applied to the start
input terminal of a resettable gate signal generator 82 designed
for a gate time interval of several SSR beam rotation periods, say
12 seconds. The output of a gate generator 82 supplies the
proximity encode input 61 to the transponder 60, and energizes the
proximity indicator 53.
The common azimuth sector and range warning signal on line 42 at
the output of AND gate 39 goes to an AND gate 83, which receives
the output of proximity decoder 81 on line 65 as another input.
Simultaneous presence of both inputs to AND gate 83 produces an
output pulse for the external trigger input 62 of the transponder
60.
An OR gate 84 is connected to supply the F1 pulse on line 67 or the
decoded P2 pulse on line 68 if either is present, or both if both
are present, to the gate generator 35 by way of OR gate 34, and to
the phase locked PRF generator 69 by way of a PRF selector 85. The
PRF selector consists of an AND gate 86 and a delay device 87
connected as shown in FIG. 4. The delay 87 is made equal to the
pulse period frequency, that is, to the interval between successive
interrogations of a selected SSR.
Each SSR is assigned a characteristic PRF to distinguish its
transmissions from those of others. The delay 87 may be adjusted by
the aircraft operator to select the transmissions of a favorably
located SSR. Each delay pulse reaches the AND circuit
coincidentally with the next undelayed pulse, producing an output
pulse.
Referring to FIG. 5, the phase locked PRF generator 69 of FIG. 1
includes an oscillator 88 with frequency control means 89 that can
be adjusted, for example by selection of an appropriate crystal, to
the desired PRF. A voltage controlled reactance device 90, for
example a varactor diode, is coupled to the frequency control 89 to
control the phase of the oscillator 88 in known manner. The
oscillator output is coupled to a phase detector 91, which also
receives the selected F1 or decoded P2 pulses from the PRF
selector.
When the aircraft is within the SLS coverage area of the selected
radar, decoded P2 pulses are present continuously. Any phase
difference between these and the output of oscillator 88 is
detected by the phase detector 91, which automatically adjusts the
voltage controlled reactance device to null the difference. The
oscillator 88 drives a pulse generally 92 to produce a continuous
train of pulses, hereinafter referred to as "synthetic F1" pulses,
that are phase locked to the selected radar PRF.
When the aircraft is outside the SLS coverage, a burst of about
twenty actual F1 pulses occurs during the dwell time of the main
beam. These adjust the phase of the oscillator 88 once during each
beam rotation. The reactance device 90 is designed in known manner
to hold its adjustment between bursts. An AND gate 94, controlled
by a resettable gate signal generator 93, couples the oscillator 88
to the pulse generator 92. The gate generator 93 is designed for a
gate time interval somewhat longer than one SSR beam rotation, say
four seconds. When no F1 or decoded P2 pulses occur within about
four seconds after the most recent burst, the AND gate 94 is
disabled, disconnecting the oscillator 88 from the pulse generator
92 and stopping it.
Returning to FIG. 3, the synthetic F1 output of the phase locked
PRF generator 69, when present, supplies an alternative input by
way of OR gate 34 to the range warning gate generator 35. The
synthetic F1 also goes through AND gate 120 to the start input
terminal of an interval timer 95, which is one of the elements of
the range computer 70 of FIG. 1. A second input to gate 120 is
taken from the common azimuth sector range warning line 42. The
stop input terminal of interval .[.time.]. .Iadd.timer .Iaddend.95
receives the output of an AND gate 96, which has one input from the
common azimuth and range warning line 42 and another input from the
reply frame decoder 11, through a PRF selector 97. This selector,
like the selector 85, is adjusted to pass only the repetition
frequency of a desired radar.
The range computer also includes another interval timer 98, which
receives its start input from an AND gate 99 connected to the F1
line 67 and the proximity signal gate 82, and its stop input from
the proximity decode 81. Gate 99 receives a third input from a
5-millisecond resettable gate generator 109, connected to be
started by a proximity decode pulse on line 65. Outputs of the
interval timers 95 and 98 are applied to a subtractor 100, and the
output of interval .[.time.]. .Iadd.timer .Iaddend.98 is displayed
on indicator 74.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the interval timers 95 and 98 may be
digital devices each including a counter 101, a buffer 102, AND
gates 103 and 104, a control flip-flop 105, and delay .[.device.].
.Iadd.devices .Iaddend.106 amd 107. A common or system clock pulse
generator 108 provides one input to AND gate 103.
A pulse applied to the start input terminal sets the flip-flop 105,
energizing its 1 output terminal and enabling gate 103 to conduct
clock pulses to the counter 101. The counter continues to count
until a pulse is applied to the stop input terminal, clearing the
flip-flop and deenergizing its 1 output to disable the AND gate 103
and stop the counter. The accumulated count at this time represents
the length of the time interval between the start and stop input
pulses.
After a brief delay in device 106, the stop pulse enables gate 104
to transfer the accumulated count into buffer 102. Gate 104 may be
a multiple gate arranged in known manner to effect parallel
transfer, or may be a known arrangement for slower, but adequately
rapid serial transfer. In either case, the buffer 102 is simply
forced into a state representing the count most recently
transferred to it, holding that state until forced into another
that represents a new, updated count.
Following a further delay in device 107, long enough to complete
the transfer, the stop input pulse clears the counter 101. The
output of the buffer, which may be either in digital or analog
form, represents the most recently measured interval continuously
until again updated.
Returning to FIG. 3, the interval timer 98 operates only when a
proximity condition has been detected, producing an output from
gate generator 82, and proximity messages are being received from
another aircraft, producing an output from gate generator 109.
These two gate signals enable the AND gate 99 to pass F1 pulses to
start the timer 98. Each next following pulse from the proximity
decoder 81 stops the timer, which thus measures the .[.inerval.].
.Iadd.interval .Iaddend.between the two pulses. This interval,
taking system delays into account, is the round trip radio transit
time between the two aircraft, and is therefore a measure of the
direct slant range Y.
It should be noted that the described range measuring operation can
occur between two suitably equipped aircraft in response to any SSR
that illuminates them sequentially. Two or more such radars can
cause such ranging without interference, except at the extremely
unusual times when both beams point simultaneously into the
proximity space. That situation, when it does occur, can persist
only temporarily because each radar has a different assigned beam
.[.roation.]. rotation period and pulse repetition period.
The interval timer 95 operates only when a common azimuth sector
range warning signal exists on line 42, enabling AND gates 96 and
120, the PRF generator 69 is locked to a selected radar, producing
synthetic F1 pulses, and reply frames are being received from
another aircraft interrogated by the same selected radar. Under
these conditions, the interval timer is started by each synthetic
F1 pulse and stopped by each decoded reply frame pulse that passes
the PRF selector 97.
The measured interval is that between one's own decoded
interrogation or the synthetic F1 and the reception of the other's
reply to the corresponding interrogation. This interval, taking
system delays into account, is a measure of Y+ X, the algebraic sum
of the slant range and the differential SSR range. The output of
interval timer 95 goes to the subtractor 100, where the difference
between it and that of interval timer 98 produces a representation
of the differential SSR range X, to be utilized by the other's
bearing computer.
Turning to the upper portion of FIG. 3, the own bearing computer 76
of FIG. 1 comprises PRF selectors 121 and 122, envelope detectors
123 and 124, delay device 125, interval timers 126 and 127, divider
128 and function generator 129. The interval times may be like
those described above, but designed for operation on a large time
scale, measuring intervals of up to a radar beam rotation period,
say four seconds. Alternatively, they may be simple
electromechanical clock devices of known type. The envelope
detectors are diode rectifiers with low pass filters, or any other
convenient means for converting pulse bursts into single,
preferably longer pulses.
In operation, each North pulse from the selected SSR first stops
interval timer 126 if it has been running, then after a brief delay
in device 125, starts both timers 126 and 127. The next subsequent
burst of F1 pulses, occurring as the radar beam sweeps by the
aircraft, stops timer 127, which remains stopped until the next
North pulse occurs.
The output of timer 126, designated N, represents the length of
time required for the radar beam to make a complete revolution. The
output of timer 127, designated M, represents the length of time
required for the beam to rotate from magnetic North to the line of
position of the aircraft from the radar. These outputs are applied
to the divider 128, which in turn produces an output representing
the quotient M/N.
The quantity M/N has a value between zero and unity representing
the magnetic bearing .phi. of the aircraft from the SSR as a
fraction of a complete circle, i.e., 360.degree.. The
representation may be digital or analog, electrical or mechanical,
depending upon the specific design of the timers 126 and 127 and
the divider 128. The function generator 129 converts this
representation to a form suitable for display by indicator 77 and
for utilization in the other's bearing computer. It is noted that
the computed value of .phi. is independent of the individual beam
rotation rate of the selected SSR.
The other's bearing computer 75 of FIG. 1, appearing generally in
the lower right hand portion of FIG. 3, includes a divider 130, a
function generator 131, an algebraic adding device 132, an
algebraic substracting device 133, and a lead-lag logic device 134.
The usual magnetic compass 135 provides own heading, H, information
for the computation.
Referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that the angle .theta. between own
SSR line of position 80 and the line from own craft to other craft,
measured clockwise from the extension of line 80 past own location
72, is less than 90.degree.. When the other aircraft is closer to
the SSR, .theta. as thus measured is between 90.degree. and
270.degree.. The differential SSR range X is considered positive
when the other craft is farther from the SSR, and negative when the
other is nearer.
This sign convention is automatically taken into account by the
normal operation of the interval timer 95 and subtractor 100 of
FIG. 3, because of the differential transit time measured by the
timer 95 is proportional to Y+ .vertline.X.vertline. when the other
craft is farther, and to Y- .vertline.X.vertline. when the other is
nearer. Thus, when Y is subtracted from Y.+-. .vertline.X.vertline.
is the subtractor 100, the difference X is of the appropriate
sign.
Again referring to FIG. 2, all SSR beams rotate clockwise as viewed
from above, as indicated by the arrow 136. When the aircraft is
illuminated before the other as would occur with the .Iadd.own
.Iaddend.positions shown, the angle .theta. is between zero and
180.degree.. When the other craft is illuminated first, .theta.
lies between 180.degree. and 360.degree.. The first mentioned
condition, shown, is called "lead." The other, not shown, is called
"lag." Adopting the convention that Y is positive under the lead
condition and negative under the lag condition, the sign of Y is
determined by the lead-lag logic device 134.
Referring to FIG. 7, the lead-lag logic comprises AND gates 137 and
138, and flip-flops 139 and 140. A North pulse signal taken from
the output of the envelope detector 123 clears both flip-flops,
energizing their 0 outputs and enabling both AND gates. Gate 137 is
connected to receive detected F1 burst signals from envelope
detector 124, and gate 138 is connected to receive decoded reply
frame pulses in the output of AND gate 96 of FIG. 3.
After a North pulse signal occurs while the beam of the selected
radar is pointing North, an F1 signal will appear while the beam
points at the own aircraft and a reply frame signal will appear
when the beam points at the other aircraft. When the F1 signal
occurs first, flip-flop 139 is set, energizing its 1 output
terminal to indicate a lead condition, and deenergizing its 0
output terminal. This disables AND gate 138 to prevent a subsequent
reply frame signal from setting flip-flop 140.
When a reply frame signal occurs before the F1 signal, flip-flop
140 sets, energizing its 1 output to indicate a lag condition, and
deenergizing its 0 output to prevent setting of flip-flop 139 by a
subsequent F1 signal. Accordingly, the sign of Y is determined by
which of the flip-flop 1 outputs is energized.
Returning to FIG. 3, the Y sign information from lead-lag logic
device 134 and the output of divider 130, representing the quotient
X/Y with the X sign, are applied to the function generator 131,
which may be a digital or analog device of known type that produces
an output representing the angle cos.sup.- 1 X/Y, including its
quadrantal position. This angle is a close approximation,
.[.withint.]. .Iadd.within .Iaddend.two or three degrees in a
typical situation, of the angle .theta..
The adding device combines the representations of .theta. and .phi.
to produce an output representing .theta. + .phi., which, as shown
in FIG. 2, is the magnetic bearing from the own aircraft to the
other aircraft. A similar representation of own magnetic heading H,
provided by the compass 135, .[.is.]. .Iadd.as .Iaddend.subtracted
in the subtractor 133 to provide an output representing .theta. +
.phi. - H, which is seen in FIG. 2, is the other craft's bearing
from own craft's heading, B. This representation, exhibited by
display device 78, indicates directly the line of sight to an
intruder aircraft with respect to the own craft's longitudinal
axis.
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