US3870993A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distance measuring equipment for aircraft employing precision distance measuring means
Assignee: REPUBLIC ELECTRONICS Inc
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Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A system for measuring the distance between an aircraft and a ground beacon station comprising a generator of interrogation pulses for transmission to the beacon station; and a receiver for receiving reply pulses from the beacon station, and for converting the received pulses into data representative of the distance between the aircraft and beacon station. The apparatus further includes high precision distance measuring apparatus comprising a modulator means for imposing notches on the interrogation pulses; means for receiving a special reply pulse from the beacon station; and computer means for generating data representative of the elapsed time between the first pulse notch and reception of the special reply pulse.
Inventors
- 👤 Alvaro D Biagi
- 👤 Dimitri Luganski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 14:16
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/74; G01S13/76; G01S13/78; G01S13/785
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for measuring the distance between an aircraft and a beacon station comprising an airborne measuring equipment, said equipment comprising: antenna means for radiating wavetrains of a plurality of interrogation pulses from said aircraft to said beacon station and for picking up a plurality of reply pulses therefrom; distance measuring apparatus in circuit with said antenna means, comprising: a transmitting means for generating said interrogation pulses, and a first receiving means for receiving said reply pulses and converting the same into data representing the approximate distance between said aircraft and said beacon station; and a high precision distance measuring apparatus comprising: a pulse modulation means in circuit with said transmitting means for imposing a notch on one pulse of each consecutive pair of said interrogation pulses; a second receiving means in circuit with said antenna means for receiving from said beacon station a special reply pulse having a fast rise time generated at said beacon station in response to reception there of said notched interrogation pulses; and computer means in circuit with said second receiving means for measuring the time interval between the instant of notching the first interrogation pulse and the instant of reception of said special reply pulse having a fast rise time, and for producing data corresponding to said time interval and representative with high precision of the distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for measuring the distance between an aircraft and a beacon station comprising an airborne measuring equipment, said equipment comprising: antenna means for radiating wavetrains of a plurality of interrogation pulses from said aircraft to said beacon station and for picking up a plurality of reply pulses therefrom; distance measuring apparatus in circuit with said antenna means, comprising: a transmitting means for generating said interrogation pulses, and a first receiving means for receiving said reply pulses and converting the same into data representing the approximate distance between said aircraft and said beacon station; and a high precision distance measuring apparatus comprising: a pulse modulation means in circuit with said transmitting means for imposing a notch on one pulse of each consecutive pair of said interrogation pulses; a second receiving means in circuit with said antenna means for receiving from said beacon station a special reply pulse having a fast rise time generated at said beacon station in response to reception there of said notched interrogation pulses; and computer means in circuit with said second receiving means for measuring the time interval between the instant of notching the first interrogation pulse and the instant of reception of said special reply pulse having a fast rise time, and for producing data corresponding to said time interval and representative with high precision of the distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for measuring the distance between an aircraft and a beacon station comprising an airborne measuring equipment, said equipment comprising: antenna means for radiating wavetrains of a plurality of interrogation pulses from said aircraft to said beacon station and for picking up a plurality of reply pulses therefrom; distance measuring apparatus in circuit with said antenna means, comprising: a transmitting means for generating said interrogation pulses, and a first receiving means for receiving said reply pulses and converting the same into data representing the approximate distance between said aircraft and said beacon station; and a high precision distance measuring apparatus comprising: a pulse modulation means in circuit with said transmitting means for imposing a notch on one pulse of each consecutive pair of said interrogation pulses; a second receiving means in circuit with said antenna means for receiving from said beacon station a special reply pulse having a fast rise time generated at said beacon station in response to reception there of said notched interrogation pulses; and computer means in circuit with said second receiving means for measuring the time interval between the instant of notching the first interrogation pulse and the instant of reception of said special reply pulse having a fast rise time, and for producing data corresponding to said time interval and representative with high precision of the distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for measuring the distance between an aircraft and a beacon station comprising an airborne measuring equipment, said equipment comprising: antenna means for radiating wavetrains of a plurality of interrogation pulses from said aircraft to said beacon station and for picking up a plurality of reply pulses therefrom; distance measuring apparatus in circuit with said antenna means, comprising: a transmitting means for generating said interrogation pulses, and a first receiving means for receiving said reply pulses and converting the same into data representing the approximate distance between said aircraft and said beacon station; and a high precision distance measuring apparatus comprising: a pulse modulation means in circuit with said transmitting means for imposing a notch on one pulse of each consecutive pair of said interrogation pulses; a second receiving means in circuit with said antenna means for receiving from said beacon station a special reply pulse having a fast rise time generated at said beacon station in response to reception there of said notched interrogation pulses; and computer means in circuit with said second receiving means for measuring the time interval between the instant of notching the first interrogation pulse and the instant of reception of said special reply pulse having a fast rise time, and for producing data corresponding to said time interval and representative with high precision of the distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising transfer switch means for deactivating said high precision distance measuring apparatus; and an indicator means in circuit with said first receiving means for indicating only said approximate distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as defined in claim 2, further comprising other indicator means in circuit with said computer means for indicating with high precision the distance between said aircraft and said beacon station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as defined in claim 3, further comprising a distance detection means for determining when said aircraft is located within a predetermined short range from said beacon station, said distance detection means being connected in circuit with said pulse modulation means to enable the same to impose notches on alternate interrogation pulses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system as defined in claim 3, wherein said second receiving means comprises a logarithmic amplifier for producing a logarithmic pulse representative of time elapsing from the instant of imposition of the first notch on an interrogation pulse, and wherein said computer means comprises a half amplitude detector in circuit with said logarithmic amplifier to produce a timing reference pulse for use in determining elapsed time between the notch in the first interrogation and reception of said special reply pulse having fast rise time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising said beacon station which comprises: a. a beacon antenna means for picking up said interrogation pulses and for radiating reply pulses; b. a beacon receiving means in circuit with said beacon antenna means for receiving the interrogation pulses; c. a beacon first pulse processing means in circuit with said beacon receiving means to detect the notches in said interrogation pulses; and d. a reply pulse generatinG means in circuit with said beacon antenna means and said beacon first pulse processing means for generating said special reply pulse having fast rise time in response to receipt of the notched interrogation pulses and for radiating the same to said aircraft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said beacon station further comprises: a. a beacon second pulse processing means in circuit with said beacon receiving means to measure the time interval between received pairs of interrogation pulses; and b. a beacon reply pulse generating means in circuit with said beacon second pulse processing means and said beacon antenna means for generating a train of said reply pulses in response to reception of said interrogation pulses and for radiating the saem to said aircraft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as defined in claim 7, wherein said beacon second pulse processing means comprises a center tuned discriminator to determine that the received interrogation pulses have a particular frequency assigned to said beacon station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as defined in claim 7, comprising encoding means in circuit with said beacon first and said beacon second pulse processing means for separately generating pulses responsive to detection of the interrogation pulses and of the notches in the interrogation pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
A system as defined in claim 9, further comprising other transmitting means comprising: a. a first other pulse modulation means for generating a train of reply pulses responsive to reception of said interrogation pulses at the beacon station; b. a second other pulse modulation means for generating said special reply pulse having fast rise time responsive to detection of a notches in interrogation pulses received at the beacon station; and c. circuit means interconnecting said first and second other pulse modulation means and said other antenna means for radiating said train of reply pulses and said special reply pulse to the aircraft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3418581A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |