US3890619A — Omega navigation receiver apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 302 words

Omega Navigation receiver apparatus for determing the phase relationship between multiple Omega signals of the same frequency which are transmitted successively by different Omega transmitters according to a predetermined repeating real-time cycle, and the apparatus using time signals broadcast from a Standard Time Signal station to identify the sources of said Omega signals, by determining their positions in said repeating cycles comprising in the apparatus: a. a receiver for receiving the OSmega signals and a receiver for receiving said Standard Time Signals; b. a reference oscillator generating an oscillation; c. frequency divider chains connected to divide the frequency of said oscillation to obtain a reference oscillation of the same frequency as said transmitted Omega signals, and to obtain timing signals representing the moments during each cycle of transmission of said successive Omega signals by said Omega transmitters; d. comparison means connected to receive said Standard Time Signals and the locally-generated timing signals and to compare their relative times of occurrence and including timing correction means responsive to said relative times of occurrence to bring these signals into coincidence; e. means for selecting certain Omega signals from their positions in the repeating time cycle; f. first phase shifting means operative to shift the phase of said reference oscillation to provide a first reference signal having a predetermined phase relationship with respect to a first selected one of said received Omega signals; g. second phase shifting means operative to shift the phase of a signal based on the first reference signal to provide a second reference signal having said same predetermined phase relationship with respect to a second selected one of said Omega signals; and h. indicator means responsive to the amount of phase shift performed by said second phase shifting means to indicate the phase difference between the first and second Omega signals.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 302 words

Omega Navigation receiver apparatus for determing the phase relationship between multiple Omega signals of the same frequency which are transmitted successively by different Omega transmitters according to a predetermined repeating real-time cycle, and the apparatus using time signals broadcast from a Standard Time Signal station to identify the sources of said Omega signals, by determining their positions in said repeating cycles comprising in the apparatus: a. a receiver for receiving the OSmega signals and a receiver for receiving said Standard Time Signals; b. a reference oscillator generating an oscillation; c. frequency divider chains connected to divide the frequency of said oscillation to obtain a reference oscillation of the same frequency as said transmitted Omega signals, and to obtain timing signals representing the moments during each cycle of transmission of said successive Omega signals by said Omega transmitters; d. comparison means connected to receive said Standard Time Signals and the locally-generated timing signals and to compare their relative times of occurrence and including timing correction means responsive to said relative times of occurrence to bring these signals into coincidence; e. means for selecting certain Omega signals from their positions in the repeating time cycle; f. first phase shifting means operative to shift the phase of said reference oscillation to provide a first reference signal having a predetermined phase relationship with respect to a first selected one of said received Omega signals; g. second phase shifting means operative to shift the phase of a signal based on the first reference signal to provide a second reference signal having said same predetermined phase relationship with respect to a second selected one of said Omega signals; and h. indicator means responsive to the amount of phase shift performed by said second phase shifting means to indicate the phase difference between the first and second Omega signals.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the divider chains to obtain said timing signals have reset means comprising said timing correction means, and said Standard Time Signals actuate means to reset the divider chains at real-times corresponding with the said repeating cycles when the timing signals are out of step with the Standard Time Signals.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 55 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said comparison means includes means for obtaining error signals as a result of comparing said timing signals and said Standard Time Signals by determining when said error signals exceed predetermined amounts, and means for actuating said reset means when the error signals exceed said predetermined amounts.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 47 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said oscillator includes oscillator frequency control means, and said apparatus further includes means coupling the error signals to the frequency control means to reduce the error and bring said timing signals into coincidence with said Standard Time Signals.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein means for counting the number of times the Standard Time Signals fails to coincide with the timing signals and for delaying actuation of said reset means until a predetermined number of failures have occurred.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 102 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said Standard Time Signals are received marking each new minute and each new second, and said repeating time cycles start anew every 10 seconds, said counter chains including counters counting 0.1 second, 1.0 second, 10 seconds, and 1 minute intervals, recognition means for distinguishing between Standard 1-second signals and Standard 1-minute signals and said timing signal divider chains having reset means, the recognized 1-minute Standard Time Signals being connected to reset the 10-second and 1-minute counters and said 1-second Standard Time Signals being connected to reset the 0.1 second and 1.0 second counters.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 119 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said oscillator includes oscillator frequency control means and said timing correction means includes recognition means for recognizing Standard 1-second Time Signals, gate means driven by said timing signals and delivering a gating signal just prior to the beginning of each new seconD and a gating signal just after the beginning of each new second, and means for determining when a Standard 1-second Time Signal falls within one of said gating signals to deliver a plus or minus output, means for integrating said outputs to obtain a correction signal and means for applying said correction signal to said oscillator frequency control means to make said plus and minus outputs balance out.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 102 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first phase shifting means including means for generating said first reference signal at the rate of said reference oscillation, coarse phase detector means receiving said first selected Omega signal and said reference oscillation and actuating said generating means to deliver said reference signal in the closest 180 degree relationship to said first selected Omega signal, and fine phase detector means coupled to drive delay means for shifting the phase of the generating means to deliver said reference signal precisely in said predetermined phase relationship with respect to said first selected Omega signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 103 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second phase shifting means including means for generating said second reference signal at the rate of said first reference signal, coarse phase detector means receiving said second selected Omega signal and said first reference signal and actuating said generating means to deliver said second reference signal in the closest 180 degree relationship to said second Omega signal, and fine phase detector means coupled to drive delay means for shifting the phase of the generating means to deliver said reference signal precisely in said predetermined phase relationship with respect to said second Omega signal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 65 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said coarse phase detector means which is coupled to receive the second Omega signal delivering outputs to control the phase of the second reference signal generating means, and said indicator means receiving and summing said outputs and displaying a value proportional to their sum to indicate the phase difference between the first and second Omega signals.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 87 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said Omega signals being transmitted in predetermined swquence during said repeating time cycles each in a uniquely assigned time slot, and said means for selecting certain Omega signals comprising gate means coupled to receive said timing signals and operative to decode them to represent the unique time slots respectively occupied by the Omega signals being selected, and said gate means being coupled to pass to said phase shifting means only those Omega signals received during the decoded time slots.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 134 words

Omega Navigation receiver apparatus responsive to multiple received Omega signals of the same frequency, transmitted from different locations in uniquely assigned time slots forming a repeating time cycle to determine the relative phases of said Omega signals using a local oscillator for generating reference oscillations of the same frequency to provide reference signals by which the phases of the Omega signals are compared, the improvements comprising: means for receiving broadcast Standard Time Signals, means for generating from said oscillations timing signals representing boundaries of said time slots, automatic means for controlling said oscillator and said generating means to keep the timing signals synchronized with said Standard Time Signals, and means for decoding said timing signals to identify at the receiver apparatus time slots in repeating cycles to thereby identify the Omega signals transmitted therein.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 134 words

Omega Navigation receiver apparatus responsive to multiple received Omega signals of the same frequency, transmitted from different locations in uniquely assigned time slots forming a repeating time cycle to determine the relative phases of said Omega signals using a local oscillator for generating reference oscillations of the same frequency to provide reference signals by which the phases of the Omega signals are compared, the improvements comprising: means for receiving broadcast Standard Time Signals, means for generating from said oscillations timing signals representing boundaries of said time slots, automatic means for controlling said oscillator and said generating means to keep the timing signals synchronized with said Standard Time Signals, and means for decoding said timing signals to identify at the receiver apparatus time slots in repeating cycles to thereby identify the Omega signals transmitted therein.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 89 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said timing signal generating means comprising dividers driven by said local oscillator and said dividers having reset means; and said automatic controlling means including gate means decoding said timing signals and enabling said reset means at tImes other than the times of expected occurrence of said Standard Time Signals and means for coupling Standard Time Signals to the dividers whereby if the Standard Time Signals occur during intervals when the reset means are enabled, the dividers will be reset thereby.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 68 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said local oscillator includes oscillator frequency control means, and said apparatus includes means responsive to the times of occurrence of said timing signals and said Standard Time Signals for developing error signals, and means coupling the error signals to the frequency control means to reduce the error and bring said timing signals into coincidence with said Standard Time Signals.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 38 words

Receiver apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said means for decoding the timing signals being coupled to means to select two Omega signals at a time whose phases are to be compared using said reference oscillations.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-06-16	1978-12-16	1979-06-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-06-16	1982-12-16	1983-06-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-06-16	1986-12-16	1987-06-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Omega navigation receiver apparatus

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