US3603993A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control apparatus
Assignee: Honeywell Inc
•
Filing: 1969-09-26
•
Granted: 1971-09-07
•
Expires: 1989-09-26
Abstract
Abstract A cooperative proximity warning system wherein interrogation signals from interrogating aircraft are modulated to scan the bands of altitude adjacent the altitude of the interrogator as well as the altitude of the interrogator and responses to the interrogations occur when the altitude of a responding aircraft coincides with the altitude information contained in a received interrogation signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J Follen
- 👤 Charles P Harman Jr
- 👤 Jackie R Meyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/74; G01S13/76; G01S13/78; G01S13/88; G01S13/93; G01S13/933
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
Aircraft proximity warning apparatus comprising: means carried by an interrogator aircraft for transmitting to a responder aircraft a pair of pulsed signals, the time delay between said pair of pulse signals comprising first and second time periods. the first time period continuously variable as a function of the altitude of the interrogator aircraft, the second time period discontinuously and periodically variable as a function which represents bands of altitude adjacent the altitude of the interrogator aircraft which are to be interrogated; means carried by said responder aircraft for receiving said pulsed signals and in response to the first pulse of a pair of pulsed signals developing a delayed gate signal, the delay comprising first and second time periods, the first time period representing the altitude of the responder aircraft, the second time period being fixed; means carried by said responder aircraft for transmitting to the interrogator aircraft a single pulsed signal if said delayed gate signal and the second pulse of a pulsed pair transmitted from the interrogator aircraft coincide; means on said interrogator aircraft for receiving said single pulsed signal transmitted by the responder aircraft, and indicating means on said transponder aircraft which responds to the single pulsed signals transmitted by the responder aircraft that are received during a predetermined variable time after the transmission of a pair of pulsed signals from the interrogator aircraft, the predetermined time representing a preselected interrogation range.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
Aircraft proximity warning apparatus comprising: means carried by an interrogator aircraft for transmitting to a responder aircraft a pair of pulsed signals, the time delay between said pair of pulse signals comprising first and second time periods. the first time period continuously variable as a function of the altitude of the interrogator aircraft, the second time period discontinuously and periodically variable as a function which represents bands of altitude adjacent the altitude of the interrogator aircraft which are to be interrogated; means carried by said responder aircraft for receiving said pulsed signals and in response to the first pulse of a pair of pulsed signals developing a delayed gate signal, the delay comprising first and second time periods, the first time period representing the altitude of the responder aircraft, the second time period being fixed; means carried by said responder aircraft for transmitting to the interrogator aircraft a single pulsed signal if said delayed gate signal and the second pulse of a pulsed pair transmitted from the interrogator aircraft coincide; means on said interrogator aircraft for receiving said single pulsed signal transmitted by the responder aircraft, and indicating means on said transponder aircraft which responds to the single pulsed signals transmitted by the responder aircraft that are received during a predetermined variable time after the transmission of a pair of pulsed signals from the interrogator aircraft, the predetermined time representing a preselected interrogation range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
158 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first-named means comprises: an RF transmitter; a pulse modulator for modulating said transmitter; a PRF generator, developing a series of periodic pulsed signals which energize said pulse modulator; a ramp generator which generates a ramplike output signal which begins with each pulse out of the PRF generator; a baro transducer generating an output signal which is a function of the altitude of the interrogator aircraft; a comparator for comparing the signals out of the ramp generator and the baro transducer and generating a pulsed signal when the two signals are equivalent; a source of clock pulses; a digital counter; means for applying the clock pulses to the counter when the comparator generates a pulsed signal, the clock pulses being applied to the counter until it is full at which time it generates an output pulse which causes said pulse modulator to again be energized; and, means for periodically presetting said counter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ramplike output signal of the ramp generator corresponds to a decreasing altitude with increasing time and the output signal of the baro transducer varies inversely with altitude.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ramplike output signal of the ramp generator corresponds to an increasing altitude with increasing time and the output signal of the baro transducer varies directly with altitude.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicating means comprises one alarm channel associated with the altitude of the interrogator aircraft and one alarm channel associated with each adjacent band of altitude interrogated; means for sequentially enabling individual alarm channels synchronously with the variations in the second time period between pairs of pulsed signals transmitted from the interrogator aircraft, an enabled alarm channel being energized when a predetermined number of signals are received from the responder aircraft during a predetermined time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |