Enhanced LDACS system that determines A-PNT information and associated methods
AssigneeSkystream LLC
InventorsShawn H. Gallagher, Eric J. Salyers, Timothy Huggins, Ivica Kostanic, Edward Paulsen, Daniel Schwinn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An enhanced L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) may include LDACS ground stations; and Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters positioned on the ground; and LDACS airborne stations. The LDACS airborne station may be configured to communicate with the LDACS ground stations, and determine A-PNT information based upon the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters.
Claims33
An enhanced L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) comprising:
- a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters positioned on the ground, each A-PNT beacon transmitter comprising an LTE cellular telephone base station configured to transmit LTE pilot signals that serve as beacon signals;
- and
- a plurality of LDACS airborne stations configured to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations,
- receive the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters, and
- determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne stations based upon the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
An L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) airborne station for an enhanced LDACS comprising a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- and a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters each comprising an LTE cellular telephone base station positioned on the ground and configured to transmit LTE pilot signals that serve as beacon signals;
- the LDACS airborne station comprising:
- radio frequency (RF) circuitry configured to communicate with the plurality of LDACS ground stations and receive the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters;
- and
- a controller coupled to the RF circuitry and configured to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations, and
- determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne station based upon the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
A method for operating an enhanced L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) comprising a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- and a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters, each comprising an LTE cellular base station positioned on the ground and configured to transmit LTE signals that serve as beacon signals;
- the method comprising:
- operating an LDACS airborne station to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations,
- receive the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters, and
- determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne station based upon the LTE pilot signals as beacon signals received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
An enhanced L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) comprising:
- a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters positioned on the ground and having stored eLORAN Additional Secondary Factor (ASF) maps specific for each beacon transmitter, each A-PNT beacon transmitter comprising an eLORAN beacon transmitter configured to transmit an eLORAN signal and its respective ASF maps;
- and
- a plurality of LDACS airborne stations configured to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations,
- receive the eLORAN signals and the ASF maps from the plurality of eLORAN beacon transmitters, and
- determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne stations based upon the eLORAN signals and respective ASF maps received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
An L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) airborne station for an enhanced LDACS comprising a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- and a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters positioned on the ground, each beacon transmitter comprising an eLORAN beacon transmitter having stored eLORAN Additional Secondary Factor (ASF) maps specific for each beacon transmitter;
- the LDACS airborne station comprising:
- radio frequency (RF) circuitry configured to communicate with the plurality of LDACS ground stations and receive the eLORAN signals and the ASF maps from the plurality of eLORAN beacon transmitters;
- and
- a controller coupled to the RF circuitry and configured to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations, and determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne station based upon the eLORAN signals and respective ASF maps received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
A method for operating an enhanced L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS) comprising a plurality of LDACS ground stations;
- and a plurality of Alternate Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) beacon transmitters positioned on the ground, each beacon transmitter comprising an eLORAN beacon transmitter having stored eLORAN Additional Secondary Factor (ASF) maps specific for each beacon transmitter;
- the method comprising:
- operating an LDACS airborne station to
- communicate with the LDACS ground stations,
- receive the eLORAN signals and the ASF maps from the plurality of eLORAN beacon transmitters, and
- determine A-PNT information that includes the location of the LDACS airborne station based upon the eLORAN signals and respective ASF maps received from the plurality of A-PNT beacon transmitters to augment any positioning determined from the LDACS ground stations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.