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US 12,413,460 B2Granted
Digitally augmented VHF ATC communications
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsKenneth K. Hamby, James M. Mitchell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for communicating using both analog and digital transmissions on the same bandwidth. The method may include receiving a digital transmission and an analog transmission using a same/shared bandwidth. The method may include playing a digital audio of the digital transmission and an analog audio of the analog transmission using a same audio output. The digital transmission may include an identification code. The playing of the digital audio may include selectively playing the digital audio based on a match of the identification code with a stored identification code of the system and selectively squelching the digital audio based on a mismatch of the identification code with the stored identification code.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- receiving, via a system, a digital transmission using a first bandwidth;
- receiving, via the system, an analog transmission using a second bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth are a same bandwidth;
- playing, via the system, a digital audio of the digital transmission using a first audio output;
- playing, via the system, an analog audio of the analog transmission using a second audio output, wherein the first audio output and the second audio output are a same audio output such that the system is simultaneously configured for both the playing of the digital audio and the playing of the analog audio;
- and
- transmitting a digital outgoing audio message, wherein the transmitting the digital outgoing audio message comprises:
- beginning a recording of an outgoing audio message based on an activation of a user-activatable element of the system communicatively coupled to a controller;
- stopping the recording of the outgoing audio message based on a deactivation of the user-activatable element;
- performing an analog-to-digital conversion of the outgoing audio message;
- appending a stored identification code to the outgoing audio message;
- waiting a cancellation time period;
- and
- transmitting the outgoing audio message after the cancellation time period, wherein the cancellation time period enables a cancellation of the transmission of the outgoing audio message based on a second activation of the user-activatable element during the cancellation time period,
- wherein the digital transmission comprises an identification code, wherein the playing of the digital audio comprises selectively playing the digital audio based on a match of the identification code with the stored identification code of the system and selectively squelching the digital audio based on a mismatch of the identification code with the stored identification code.
11 more elements
A system comprising:
- a controller, the controller configured to:
- receive a digital transmission using a first bandwidth and to receive an analog transmission using a second bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth are a same bandwidth;
- and
- direct a playing of a digital audio of the digital transmission using a first audio output;
- and
- a user-activatable element communicatively coupled to the controller and configured for push-to-talk generation of audio recordings,
- wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a digital outgoing audio message, wherein the transmitting comprises:
- beginning a recording of an outgoing audio message based on an activation of the user-activatable element;
- stopping the recording of the outgoing audio message based on a deactivation of the user-activatable element;
- performing an analog-to-digital conversion of the outgoing audio message;
- appending a stored identification code to the outgoing audio message;
- waiting a cancellation time period;
- and
- transmitting the outgoing audio message after the cancellation time period, wherein the cancellation time period enables a cancellation of the transmission of the outgoing audio message based on a second activation of the user-activatable element during the cancellation time period.
11 more elements
A method comprising:
- transmitting a signal indicative of an ability to receive digital transmissions via a particular communication protocol used with analog communications;
- receiving a digital transmission via the particular communication protocol, wherein the digital transmission comprises digital audio and an identification code;
- directing the digital audio to be played to a user;
- directing the identification code to be displayed via a display for the user;
- receiving a second transmission via the particular communication protocol, wherein the second transmission is analog and comprises an analog audio;
- directing the analog audio to be played to the user;
- and
- transmitting a digital outgoing audio message, wherein the transmitting the digital outgoing audio message comprises:
- beginning a recording of an outgoing audio message based on an activation of a user-activatable element of a system communicatively coupled to a controller;
- stopping the recording of the outgoing audio message based on a deactivation of the user-activatable element;
- performing an analog-to-digital conversion of the outgoing audio message;
- appending an ownship identification code to the outgoing audio message;
- waiting a cancellation time period;
- and
- transmitting the outgoing audio message after the cancellation time period, wherein the cancellation time period enables a cancellation of the transmission of the outgoing audio message based on a second activation of the user-activatable element during the cancellation time period.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.