US4870425A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Communications system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1987-09-15
•
Granted: 1989-09-26
•
Expires: 2007-09-15
Abstract
Abstract A communication system particularly adapted for use in an aircraft collision avoidance system wherein the transmitted portions of messages changed between aircraft consist of pulses or pairs of pulses at the beginning and end of a message. The data or information content of a message is defined by the time duration between start and end pulses, an interval during which the sender's transmitter is off. Thus the media is clear for other aircraft to use during the major portion of any message, thereby greatly increasing the number of aircraft which can be accommodated by the system without overloading the communication medium. The system provides for determining the presence of other aircraft in the near vicinity which may be a collision threat and for sending intent messages to threat aircraft to assist in collision avoidance.
Inventors
- 👤 Edmond R. Gunny
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/74; G01S13/76; G01S13/765; G01S13/88; G01S13/93; G01S13/933
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A system for communicating between a plurality of stations via discrete messages conveying information, the system comprising: at least a first and a second station each having means for at least receiving said messages from another station; means in at least one station for generating predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end, respectively, of a message to be conveyed to another station, the time interval between beginning and end of the message defining the information content of the message, said message comprising a plurality of data elements each having a time duration portion of said message which is related to the information content of said data element; means in said at least one station for establishing the time interval between said beginning and end designating events in accordance with the information content of a message to be conveyed, said message being characterized by the lack of any said predetermined identifiable event which is related to the message within the interval between said predetermined identifiable events; and, said message receiving means at another station including means for recognizing the predetermined identifiable events designating the beginning and end of a conveyed message and decoding the information content of the message as a function of the time duration between said designating events.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
211 words
A system for communicating between a plurality of stations via discrete messages conveying information, the system comprising: at least a first and a second station each having means for at least receiving said messages from another station; means in at least one station for generating predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end, respectively, of a message to be conveyed to another station, the time interval between beginning and end of the message defining the information content of the message, said message comprising a plurality of data elements each having a time duration portion of said message which is related to the information content of said data element; means in said at least one station for establishing the time interval between said beginning and end designating events in accordance with the information content of a message to be conveyed, said message being characterized by the lack of any said predetermined identifiable event which is related to the message within the interval between said predetermined identifiable events; and, said message receiving means at another station including means for recognizing the predetermined identifiable events designating the beginning and end of a conveyed message and decoding the information content of the message as a function of the time duration between said designating events.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said event designating the beginning of a message is distinguishable from said event designating the end of a message.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the time duration of each different data element is equal to some positive integer multiple of a fundamental unit time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said stations having message receiving means also includes means for generating second predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end of another message to be conveyed and means for directing said message to another station overlapped in time with a message being received.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said beginning and end designating events comprise first and second non-identical pulse configurations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said message is devoid of pulse configurations between said first and second configurations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said data elements contains magnitude information.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
206 words
A method for communicating between a plurality of stations via discrete messages conveying information comprising the steps of: providing at least a first and a second station capable of communicating together; in at least one station, generating predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end, respectively, of a message to be conveyed to another station, the time interval between beginning and end of the message defining the information content of the message, said message comprising a plurality of data elements each having a time duration portion of said message which is related to the information content of said data element; in said at least one station, establishing the time interval between said beginning and end designating events in accordance with the information content of a message to be conveyed, said message being characterized by the lack of any said predetermined identifiable event which is related to the message within the interval between said predetermined identifiable events; at another of said stations, receiving and identifying said message conveyed from a message originating station by recognizing the events designating the beginning and end of a conveyed message; and decoding the information content of the received message as a function of the time duration between said designating events.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
206 words
A method for communicating between a plurality of stations via discrete messages conveying information comprising the steps of: providing at least a first and a second station capable of communicating together; in at least one station, generating predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end, respectively, of a message to be conveyed to another station, the time interval between beginning and end of the message defining the information content of the message, said message comprising a plurality of data elements each having a time duration portion of said message which is related to the information content of said data element; in said at least one station, establishing the time interval between said beginning and end designating events in accordance with the information content of a message to be conveyed, said message being characterized by the lack of any said predetermined identifiable event which is related to the message within the interval between said predetermined identifiable events; at another of said stations, receiving and identifying said message conveyed from a message originating station by recognizing the events designating the beginning and end of a conveyed message; and decoding the information content of the received message as a function of the time duration between said designating events.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said event designating the beginning of a message is distinguishable from said event designating the end of a message.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the time duration of each different data element is equal to some positive integer multiple of a fundamental unit time.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 8 further including the steps of, while receiving said messages at said another station, generating second predetermined identifiable events to designate the beginning and end of another message to be conveyed, and directing a different station to a different station overlapped in time with a message being received.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said beginning and end designating events comprise first and second non-identical pulse configurations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said message is devoid of pulse configurations between said first and second configurations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said data elements contains magnitude information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2606317A
Cited
US3208064A
Cited
US3025521A
Cited
US3159832A
Cited
US3071767A
Cited
US3183504A
Cited
US3255900A
Cited
US3217321A
Cited
US3560991A
Cited
US3564544A
Cited
US3564545A
Cited
US3803608A
Cited
US4194201A
Cited
US3887916A
Cited
US3940764A
Cited
US3913100A
Cited
US3893112A
Cited
US3947845A
Cited
US4003050A
Cited
US4167006A
Cited
US4059806A
Cited
US4357634A
Cited
US4380050A
Cited
US4710774A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-25 | 1993-03-27 | 1993-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-25 | 1997-03-27 | 1997-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-25 | 2001-03-27 | 2001-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |