Patent US4371978A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4371978A
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Automatic tuning system
Assignee: Jet Electronics and Technology Inc
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Filing: 1981-04-21
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Granted: 1983-02-01
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Expires: 2001-04-21
Abstract
Abstract An automatic tuning system for controlling the avionics in an aircraft includes an operator actuated keyboard for entering any available frequency for the many avionic receiver/transmitters and/or transponders employed in the aircraft. Signals from the keyboard are applied to a microprocessor programmed to detect first a valid frequency selection for one of the instruments aboard the aircraft and provide control output signals which are converted to a data format for tuning the device to which the selected frequency applies to the frequency selected. Such a system eliminates the need for the pilot or other operator to individually tune a particular device since it is necessary only to enter a desired frequency with a control signal being automatically applied to tune the electronic unit to which the selected frequency corresponds.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard J. Lukso
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 10:36
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03J; H03J1/00; H03J1/0008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A system for providing tuning control signals for automatically controlling the tuning of a plurality of independent simultaneously operable avionic transceivers each of which is assigned a predetermined frequency spectrum mutually exclusive of the frequency spectra of the other transceivers comprising: data entry means permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency and responsive to such entry for providing signals identifying the desired frequency; and circuit means coupled to said data entry means for comparing the signals therefrom with stored data defining the frequency spectra associated with the plurality of avionic transceivers and for providing control output signals for tuning the one of said avionic transceivers assigned the frequency spectrum within which the desired frequency lies to the entered frequency without changing the tuning of the avionic transceivers having frequency spectra within which the desired frequency does not lie.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A system for providing tuning control signals for automatically controlling the tuning of a plurality of independent simultaneously operable avionic transceivers each of which is assigned a predetermined frequency spectrum mutually exclusive of the frequency spectra of the other transceivers comprising: data entry means permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency and responsive to such entry for providing signals identifying the desired frequency; and circuit means coupled to said data entry means for comparing the signals therefrom with stored data defining the frequency spectra associated with the plurality of avionic transceivers and for providing control output signals for tuning the one of said avionic transceivers assigned the frequency spectrum within which the desired frequency lies to the entered frequency without changing the tuning of the avionic transceivers having frequency spectra within which the desired frequency does not lie.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as defined in claim 1 and further including display means coupled to said circuit means for displaying the frequency to which a transceiver is tuned.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said data entry means includes a numerical keyboard.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said circuit means includes a microprocessor and associated memory circuit means programmed for comparing signals from said keyboard with stored frequency limit data to ascertain if an entered frequency falls within a valid frequency spectrum for the transceivers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as defined in claim 4 and further including means coupled to said microprocessor for providing an alarm signal to the operator in the event an entered frequency does not fall within a permitted frequency allocation for the transceivers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as defined in claim 5 and further including data format converting means and means for coupling said data format converting means to said microprocessor for providing control output signals in a format compatible with the transcievers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said display means include a separate digital display for each transceiver and an entry digital display proximate to said keyboard.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of providing control signals for automatically tuning a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers comprising the steps of: providing signals representing a desired tuning frequency of a transceiver; providing memory means containing test criteria to identify mutually exclusive frequency sets assigned each avionic transceiver; and correlating the desired frequency signals with the test criteria and providing control output signals for tuning the one of said avionic transceivers assigned the frequency set within which the desired frequency lies to the desired frequency without changing the tuning of the avionic transceivers assigned frequency sets within which the desired frequency does not lie.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of providing control signals for automatically tuning a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers comprising the steps of: providing signals representing a desired tuning frequency of a transceiver; providing memory means containing test criteria to identify mutually exclusive frequency sets assigned each avionic transceiver; and correlating the desired frequency signals with the test criteria and providing control output signals for tuning the one of said avionic transceivers assigned the frequency set within which the desired frequency lies to the desired frequency without changing the tuning of the avionic transceivers assigned frequency sets within which the desired frequency does not lie.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said first named providing step comprises the generation of data signals by an operator actuated keyboard.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as defined in claim 9 wherein said second named providing step comprises the storage of information defining the frequency limits for each frequency set for each transceiver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as defined in claim 10 wherein said correlating step comprises sequentially comparing data signals from said keyboard with stored information to determine to which transceiver the keyboard entered data pertains.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as defined in claim 11 wherein said correlating step comprises the further step of testing data signals from the keyboard to ascertain if said data signals represent a valid frequency within a frequency set assigned to a transceiver.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as defined in claim 12 and further including the step of providing an alarm when data signals are generated which represent a frequency which is not a valid frequency for any of the transceivers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined in claim 13 and further including the step of displaying the frequency represented by the generated data signals to the operator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
An electrical circuit for controlling the tuning of a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers comprising: a single keyboard permitting an operator to enter a frequency associated with an avionic transceiver and for providing signals representative of the entered frequency; and a microprocessor and memory circuit means, said microprocessor coupled to said keyboard and programmed for testing the signals therefrom to ascertain to which transceiver the entered frequency corresponds and for providing control output signals for tuning the transceiver to the entered frequency without changing the frequency of the other avionic transceivers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
92 words
An electrical circuit for controlling the tuning of a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers comprising: a single keyboard permitting an operator to enter a frequency associated with an avionic transceiver and for providing signals representative of the entered frequency; and a microprocessor and memory circuit means, said microprocessor coupled to said keyboard and programmed for testing the signals therefrom to ascertain to which transceiver the entered frequency corresponds and for providing control output signals for tuning the transceiver to the entered frequency without changing the frequency of the other avionic transceivers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as defined in claim 15 and further including means for indicating to the operator when an entered frequency is not a valid frequency.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as defined in claim 16 and further including display means coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the frequency to which a transceiver is tuned.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system as defined in claim 17 and further including data format converting means coupled to said microprocessor for providing output signals in response to said control output signals in a data format accepted by individual transceivers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
124 words
An automatic tuning system for a plurality of independent simultaneously operable aircraft receiver/transmitters comprising: a numerical entry digital keyboard permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency therein; a microprocessor and interface circuit means coupling said microprocessor to said keyboard; memory circuit means coupled to said microprocessor and programmed to correlate frequency representative signals from said keyboard with stored frequency limit data defining the valid frequency bands used by the aircraft receiver/transmitters being controlled and for providing frequency control signals to the receiver/transmitter to which the entered frequency corresponds when a valid frequency is entered at said keyboard without changing the tuning of receiver/transmitters to which the entered frequency does not correspond; and display means coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the entered frequency.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
124 words
An automatic tuning system for a plurality of independent simultaneously operable aircraft receiver/transmitters comprising: a numerical entry digital keyboard permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency therein; a microprocessor and interface circuit means coupling said microprocessor to said keyboard; memory circuit means coupled to said microprocessor and programmed to correlate frequency representative signals from said keyboard with stored frequency limit data defining the valid frequency bands used by the aircraft receiver/transmitters being controlled and for providing frequency control signals to the receiver/transmitter to which the entered frequency corresponds when a valid frequency is entered at said keyboard without changing the tuning of receiver/transmitters to which the entered frequency does not correspond; and display means coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the entered frequency.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said microprocessor provides an alarm signal when a nonvalid frequency has been entered at the keyboard.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for providing tuning control signals for automatically controlling the tuning of a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers each of which is assigned a predetermined frequency set mutually exclusive of the other transceivers' frequency sets comprising: data entry means permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency and for providing signals identifying the desired frequency; circuit means coupled to said data entry means for comparing the signals therefrom with stored data defining the frequency sets associated with the plurality of transceivers and for providing frequency controlling output signals for selectively tuning the transceiver assigned the frequency set within which the desired frequency lies to the entered frequency without changing the tuning of the other transceivers; and a plurality of output means, each coupled to said circuit means for coupling said control output signals to the plurality of transceivers.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for providing tuning control signals for automatically controlling the tuning of a plurality of simultaneously operable avionic transceivers each of which is assigned a predetermined frequency set mutually exclusive of the other transceivers' frequency sets comprising: data entry means permitting an operator to enter a desired frequency and for providing signals identifying the desired frequency; circuit means coupled to said data entry means for comparing the signals therefrom with stored data defining the frequency sets associated with the plurality of transceivers and for providing frequency controlling output signals for selectively tuning the transceiver assigned the frequency set within which the desired frequency lies to the entered frequency without changing the tuning of the other transceivers; and a plurality of output means, each coupled to said circuit means for coupling said control output signals to the plurality of transceivers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as defined in claim 21 and further including display means coupled to said circuit means for displaying the frequency to which a transceiver is tuned.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said data entry means includes a numerical keyboard.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system as defined in claim 23 wherein said circuit means includes a microprocessor and associated memory circuit means programmed for comparing signals from said keyboard with stored frequency limit data to ascertain if an entered frequency falls within a valid frequency band for the transceivers.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as defined in claim 24 and further including means coupled to said microprocessor for providing an alarm signal to the operator in the event an entered frequency does not fall within a permitted frequency allocation for the transceivers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system as defined in claim 25 and further including data format converting means and means for coupling said data format converting means to said microprocessor for providing control output signals in a format compatible with the transceivers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as defined in claim 26 wherein said display means include a separate digital display for each transceiver and an entry digital display proximate to said keyboard.
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) | 1986-01-31 | 1986-08-02 | 1987-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-01-31 | 1990-08-02 | 1991-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-01-31 | 1994-08-02 | 1995-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |