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Antenna failure detectionAntenna failure detection description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070109190, Antenna failure detection. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to the detection of antenna failures, and more particularly to an apparatus, method, and computer-executable program for detecting antenna failures in directional antennas. [0003] 2. Background of the Invention [0004] Conventional directional antennas, such as a Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) directional antenna, are used in commercial, military, and private aircraft applications to detect and warn of potential collisions with other air traffic. Typically, such directional antenna systems include some apparatus for detecting failures in the antenna. For example, conventional directional antennas may employ internal test circuitry that is used to detect failures in the antenna and to ensure that the cables are correctly attached. [0005] FIG. 1 shows an example of a layout of such a circuit. The schematic of this circuitry is shown in FIG. 2. The function of the test circuitry is centered on four resistors that can be sensed by a computer unit. Each resistor has a different resistance value so that each channel of the directional antenna has a unique DC characteristic for ease in detection and isolation of failure. However, these resistors are isolated by the use of capacitors so that each channel can be sensed independently. As such, when one of the capacitors or solder joints fails as an open circuit, detection by a DC continuity check becomes difficult. This results in an undetected failure mode of the antenna. The result of this undetected capacitor or solder joint failure is radiation pattern degradation. Such degradation can be the cause of traffic being displayed in the wrong location on the pilot's display. While the bearing of an intruder aircraft is not used to determine any resolution advisory information, the pilot's confidence in a system possibly displaying incorrect information may be eroded. [0006] Other solutions for antenna failure detection have made use of detecting the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna ports and characterizing what VSWR values relate to a failed capacitor (open circuit). Unfortunately, VSWR detectors typically have large indeterminate zones where they are not reliable in detecting an out of specification VSWR. In addition, as VSWR detectors are typically located in a computer unit (which is typically further isolated from the antenna by a cable with 2-3 dB attenuation), even more uncertainty is added. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides an apparatus, method, and computer-executable program for detecting antenna failures in directional antennas. In particular, the present invention compares a bearing calculated from received positional data concerning a target aircraft to the bearing of the target aircraft determined using the directional antenna. If the calculated bearing and the determined bearing differ by greater than a predetermined amount it is determined that there is an antenna failure. In this way, bearing information determined by the directional antenna is compared against another source of positional data in order to determine if the antenna is functioning properly. As such, antenna failures may be detected more precisely and with better confidence. [0008] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a method of detecting a failure of a directional antenna. The method comprises the steps of receiving positional data concerning a target, calculating a bearing to the target with the received positional data, determining a bearing of the target utilizing directional reception, generating an offset bearing, the offset bearing being the difference between the calculated bearing and the determined bearing, and informing of an antenna failure in the case that the bearing offset is greater than a predetermined error threshold. [0009] According to another embodiment, the invention provides a method that comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of positional data points concerning a target, calculating a plurality of bearings to the target with the received positional data points, and determining a plurality of bearings of the target utilizing directional reception. The method further includes the steps of generating a plurality of bearing offsets, the bearing offsets being the difference between the calculated bearings and the determined bearings, and informing of an antenna failure in the case that a current bearing offset differs from a previously generated bearing offset by an amount greater than a predetermined error threshold. The current bearing offset and the previously generated bearing offset may be consecutively generated bearing offsets or the previously generated bearing offset may have been calculated further back in time. In addition, rather than comparing single bearing offsets, a running average of current bearing offsets may be compared to a running average of previously generated bearing offsets. [0010] The above-described method may be carried out with a program stored on a computer-readable medium or with an apparatus, as will be discussed in more detail below. [0011] It is to be understood that the descriptions of this invention herein are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 depicts a circuit layout of a conventional antenna failure detection circuit. [0013] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic of a conventional antenna failure detection circuit. [0014] FIG. 3 depicts the typical operating environment of the invention. [0015] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of the apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention. [0016] FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart showing the method steps according to one embodiment of the invention. [0017] FIG. 6 is a graph of a conventional directional antenna pattern. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS [0018] Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. [0019] The present invention provides an apparatus, method, and computer-executable program for detecting antenna failures in directional antennas. FIG. 3 depicts a typical operating environment for the invention. Host aircraft 100 includes a directional antenna system 300 which includes directional antenna 310. Host aircraft 100 is typically a commercial airliner or military aircraft, but may be any type of aircraft. Directional antenna system 300 and directional antenna 310 are used for, among other things, determining the bearing of other aircraft, such as target aircraft 200. Preferably, directional antenna system 300 is a Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), however this invention is applicable to any type of directional antenna system. Bearings to target aircraft 200 are determined by sending an interrogation 110 and receiving a reply 120 utilizing the directional antenna system 300. Additionally, positional data 210 concerning target aircraft 200 may be received by host aircraft 100 from target aircraft 200 or from some other source, such as ground station 250. [0020] In general, the present invention utilizes received positional data 210 concerning target aircraft 200 to calculate a bearing to that aircraft. This calculated bearing is then compared to a bearing that is determined using directional antenna system 300. If the difference between these two bearings is greater than some predetermined amount, it is determined that directional antenna 310 has failed. Continue reading about Antenna failure detection... Full patent description for Antenna failure detection Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Antenna failure detection patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Antenna failure detection or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: False reacquisition mitigation in high sensitivity navigational satellite signal receivers Next Patent Application: Antenna array including virtual antenna elements Industry Class: Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g., radar, radio navigation) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Antenna failure detection patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11554 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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