US3787860A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Airborne navigation apparatus
Assignee: Southern Illinois University Carbondale
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Filing: 1971-10-20
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Granted: 1974-01-22
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Expires: 1991-10-20
Abstract
Abstract VOR navigation apparatus is provided with reference and variable phase signals from a received transmission of a VOR station, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual station radial of an aircraft receiving the transmission. The apparatus includes digital phase measurement circuitry for repetitively calculating the digital phase difference between the signals. A solid state display arrangement is responsive to this digital phase difference and has an indicator format which graphically represents the actual radial so as to provide rapid pilot assimilation of aircraft position with respect to the VOR station.
Inventors
- 👤 S Greatline
- 👤 F Grismore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:37
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
Vhf omnirange (VOR) airborne navigation apparatus comprising: means for providing reference and variable phase signals from a received transmission of a predetermined VOR station, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; digital phase measurement means for repetitively calculating the digital phase difference between said signals; display means having a generally circular indicator format and responsive to said digital phase difference for providing graphic representation of said actual radial, thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of aircraft position with respect to said station; means for manually preselecting a desired radial; and means for causing graphic representation by said display means also of said desired radial, thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of the difference between said actual and desired radials.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
Vhf omnirange (VOR) airborne navigation apparatus comprising: means for providing reference and variable phase signals from a received transmission of a predetermined VOR station, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; digital phase measurement means for repetitively calculating the digital phase difference between said signals; display means having a generally circular indicator format and responsive to said digital phase difference for providing graphic representation of said actual radial, thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of aircraft position with respect to said station; means for manually preselecting a desired radial; and means for causing graphic representation by said display means also of said desired radial, thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of the difference between said actual and desired radials.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means has two display modes, and further comprises means for switching the display means from one display mode to the other in response to the difference between the actual and desired radials being less or more than a predetermined value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means has two display modes and is adapted to provide coarse graphic representation of both said actual and desired radials, and further comprising vernier indicator means which in one of said display modes provides vernier indication of said actual radial.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means has two display modes and further comprises means for digitally calculating the numerical difference in degrees between said actual and desired radials, and vernier indicator means which in one of said display modes indicates said numerical difference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further comprising direction indicator means for automatically indicating the required direction in which aircraft course should be altered for interception of said desired radial.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further comprising means for causing reversed direction indication of said direction indicator means according to determination of whether the aircraft is proceeding generally toward, or generally from, said station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising optoelectronic indicator means for graphically representing whether said aircraft is proceeding generally toward or generally from said station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said vernier indicator comprises optoelectronic numerical readout means for indicating the unit''s digit of said actual radial.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said digital phase measurement means comprises: an oscillator operating at a predetermined frequency; counter means for counting in response to oscillations of said oscillator; and switching means responsive to said reference and variable phaSe signals for causing counting by said counter means for a predetermined period determined by the phase difference between said signals, whereby the count of said counter means constitutes said digital phase difference.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said switching means comprises means for initiating said counting in response to a predetermined level of said reference signal and means for terminating said counting in response to a predetermined level of said variable phase signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indicator format of said display means is constituted by a plurality of discrete solid state optoelectronic indicators arranged in a circle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said display means comprises a plurality of discrete light sources arranged in a circle, and further comprises means for periodically energizing a selected one of said light sources to provide a flashing indication representing the actual radial, and means for selectively energizing one of said light sources to provide a visually steady light source representing the desired radial.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
154 words
Vhf omnirange (VOR) airborne navigation apparatus comprising: means for providing reference and variable phase signals from a received transmission of a predetermined VOR station, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; pulse means for providing a predetermined number of pulses per cycle of said reference signal; counter means for counting said pulses; switching means responsive to said signals for respectively causing counting of a number of said pulses proportional to the phase difference between said signals, said counted number constituting the digital phase difference between said signals; selector means for manually preselecting a desired radial; display means including a generally circular indicator format for providing rapidly assimilated graphic representation of radials; and means, responsive to said digital phase difference and to said selector means, for causing representation by said display means of said actual and desired radials.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
154 words
Vhf omnirange (VOR) airborne navigation apparatus comprising: means for providing reference and variable phase signals from a received transmission of a predetermined VOR station, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; pulse means for providing a predetermined number of pulses per cycle of said reference signal; counter means for counting said pulses; switching means responsive to said signals for respectively causing counting of a number of said pulses proportional to the phase difference between said signals, said counted number constituting the digital phase difference between said signals; selector means for manually preselecting a desired radial; display means including a generally circular indicator format for providing rapidly assimilated graphic representation of radials; and means, responsive to said digital phase difference and to said selector means, for causing representation by said display means of said actual and desired radials.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said pulse means comprises an oscillator operating at a predetermined output frequency and digital means for dividing the output frequency of said oscillator by a factor to provide pulses of a pulse repetition period corresponding to a predetermined interval of radial measurement.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said digital means comprises a binary counter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said predetermined interval is equivalent to one degree of radial measurement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further comprising means for synchronizing operation of said digital means with said reference signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further comprising memory means for storing the counted number of pulses for representation by said display means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said counter means comprises a plurality of binary-coded-decimal counter stages and said memory means comprises a plurality of solid state latch circuits respectively interconnected with said counter stages.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
73 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said display means has two display modes, and which further comprises calculating means for digitally calculating the difference between the stored number of pulses and a number representative of the desired radial, and vernier indicator means responsive in one of said modes to said difference between said stored number and said representative number for indicating the difference between said actual and desired Radials.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said calculating means includes comparator means for determining whether said difference is less or greater than a predetermined value and said vernier indicator means is adapted in said one mode to display said difference if less than said predetermined value.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said vernier indicator means is adapted in the other of said modes to display the unit''s digit of said stored number if said difference is greater than said predetermined value.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said vernier indicator means comprises an optoelectronic numeric readout.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said optoelectronic readout comprises an LED display.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
55 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said comparison means comprises: a digital counter; and null-seeking means for causing said counter means to count until the count accumulated therein is equal to the number representative of the desired radial, said digital counter storing the number of counts required to cause said equaling.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein the number representative of the desired radial is from zero through 359*.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 26 further comprising discontinuity compensating means for preventing erroneous operation of the first said counter means in response to operation of said null-seeking means when counting past the discontinuity between zero and 359*.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
62 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 27 wherein said discontinuity compensating means comprises: decoder means for decoding both a predetermined value of the number representative of the desired radial and a predetermined value of said stored number; and means for causing a predetermined number to be inserted in the first said counter means in response to said decoded predetermined values.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said indicator format of said display means is constituted by a plurality of LED''s arranged in a circle.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said vernier indicator means comprises an optoelectronic numeric readout positioned within said circle of LED''s.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 30 further comprising means, including a pair of optoelectronic direction indicator devices, for automatically determining and indicating in said one display mode the required direction left or right in which aircraft course should be altered for interception of said desired radial.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 29 further comprising decoder-driver means for decoding the stored number in said memory means and selectively driving said LED''s in accordance with the decoded number.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
Airborne navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 32 further comprising a multiplexer for causing said decoder-driver means to alternate between decoding of the stored number and said number representative of said desired radial.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
188 words
The method of displaying vhf omnirange (VOR) radials comprising: receiving a transmission from a predetermined VOR station; providing reference and variable phase signals from said received transmission, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; generating a periodically varying signal having a period having a predetermined correspondence to that of said reference signal; repetitively counting the number of periodic variations of said periodically varying signal for an interval corresponding to the phase difference between said reference and variable signals whereby the counted number is a nUmerical representation of said actual radial; storing the counted number; decoding the counted number; graphically representing on a generally circular indicator said actual radial with respect to a VOR station in accordance with the decoded number thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of aircraft position with respect to the VOR station; preselecting a desired radial; and graphically representing on said generally circular indicator said desired radial with respect to the VOR station thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of the difference between said actual and desired radials.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
188 words
The method of displaying vhf omnirange (VOR) radials comprising: receiving a transmission from a predetermined VOR station; providing reference and variable phase signals from said received transmission, the phase difference between said signals being proportional to the actual magnetic radial with respect to said station of an aircraft receiving said transmission; generating a periodically varying signal having a period having a predetermined correspondence to that of said reference signal; repetitively counting the number of periodic variations of said periodically varying signal for an interval corresponding to the phase difference between said reference and variable signals whereby the counted number is a nUmerical representation of said actual radial; storing the counted number; decoding the counted number; graphically representing on a generally circular indicator said actual radial with respect to a VOR station in accordance with the decoded number thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of aircraft position with respect to the VOR station; preselecting a desired radial; and graphically representing on said generally circular indicator said desired radial with respect to the VOR station thereby to permit rapid pilot assimilation of the difference between said actual and desired radials.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as set forth in claim 34 in which two display modes are provided and wherein said actual radial is coarsely graphically represented by its two more significant digits on said indicator and further comprising the step of providing in one of said modes vernier numerical representation of the unit''s digit of said actual radial.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 35 which further includes: numerically comparing said actual and desired radials; and providing vernier representation in the other of said display modes of the numerical difference between said actual and desired radials.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method as set forth in claim 36 further comprising: determining whether or not said actual radial is within a predetermined number of degrees of said desired radial; providing said vernier representation of said numerical difference only if said actual radial is within said predetermined number of degrees of said desired radial; and providing vernier representation of said actual radial when not within said predetermined number of degrees of said desired radial.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
74 words
Airborne nagivation apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said display means comprises a plurality of discrete light sources arranged in a circle, and wherein only one visually steady light source is energized to provide a single visually steady light source when the difference between said actual and desired radials is less than a predetermined value, and which includes means for deenergizing said direction indicator means when said actual and desired radials coincide.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-21 | 1977-07-23 | 1978-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-21 | 1981-07-23 | 1982-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-21 | 1985-07-23 | 1986-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |