Publications

Refine Results

(Filters Applied) Clear All

Mode S beacon system: functional description (revision D)

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-42-D

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon System, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current ATC beacon system, and may be implemented at low user cost over an extended transition period. Mode S will provide the surveillance and communication performance required by the ATC automation, the reliable communications needed to support data link services, and the capability of operating with a terminal or enroute, radar digitizer-equipped, ATC surveillance radar. The material contained in this document updates and expands the information presented in "Mode S Beacon System: Functional Description", DOT/FAA/PM-83/8, 215 July 1983.
READ LESS

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon System, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current...

READ MORE

TCAS Experimental Unit (TEU) hardware description

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-133

Summary

This report describes the hardware design of the TCAS Experimental Units (TEU's) constructed by Lincoln Laboratory to support the design and validation of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) for the FAA. Section 1.0 presents an overview of the operation of hte TEU's, in order to give some context for the hardware design. References are given to more extensive descriptions of the TCAS system operation and software design. Section 2.0 constitutes the bulk of the report, and is a detailed description of the TEU hardware design. The purpose of this description is to document the design details of the equipment which was used to develop and validate the signal processing techniques and algorithms which appear in the TCAS II Minimum Operational Performance Standard, the TCAS National Standard and various technical reports listed in the references. A second purpose is to provide design guidance to potential TCAS II manufacturers, in the form of a detailed description of a feasible design with documented performance. Finally, this document is a manual for future use and maintenance of the TEU's.
READ LESS

Summary

This report describes the hardware design of the TCAS Experimental Units (TEU's) constructed by Lincoln Laboratory to support the design and validation of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) for the FAA. Section 1.0 presents an overview of the operation of hte TEU's, in order to give some...

READ MORE

Fundamentals of mode S parity coding

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-117

Summary

This report presents the details and basic theory of the coding scheme employed on Mode S uplink and downlink transmissions. Since ATCRBS interference is the main source of error for these signals, a cyclic burst detection code was chosen for Mode S. This code permits simple error detection at the transponder and more complex error correction at the sensor. The theory behind cyclic encoding and decoding as used for Mode S is presented first. Then, since polynomial multiplication and division are required for these processes, circuits for these operations are described. Finally, the last chapter describes the actual implementations specified for encoding and decoding in both the transponder and sensor.
READ LESS

Summary

This report presents the details and basic theory of the coding scheme employed on Mode S uplink and downlink transmissions. Since ATCRBS interference is the main source of error for these signals, a cyclic burst detection code was chosen for Mode S. This code permits simple error detection at the...

READ MORE

Mode S surveillance netting

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-120

Summary

The surveillance performance of a single Mode S Sensor is degraded by several factors, including: poor crossrange accuracy at long range, diffraction-induced azimuth errors, missing of incomplete reports, and extraneous reports. The surveillance netting project reported here sought to overcome these difficulties by employing information from a secondary (and perhaps also a tertiary) sensor. The project was performed to determine what auxiliary information is most useful, how this information could be used for maximum effect, when help should be sought from other sensors, what form this inter-sensor communication should take, and where the netting algorithms should be implemented. It was also planned to include the construction of a real-time netting demonstration system to exercise and test the concepts developed. The central issue in this project was the approach to be used for multi-sensor azimuth determination. In particular, a new form of incremental bilateration, employing a flat earth model, is shown to be both accurate and bias-resistant. Altitude estimation methods and multi-sensor tracker design are also addressed, with new algorithms developed in each case. Finally, the deisgn of the netting subsystem for a Mode S sensor is presented.
READ LESS

Summary

The surveillance performance of a single Mode S Sensor is degraded by several factors, including: poor crossrange accuracy at long range, diffraction-induced azimuth errors, missing of incomplete reports, and extraneous reports. The surveillance netting project reported here sought to overcome these difficulties by employing information from a secondary (and perhaps...

READ MORE

Airborne Intelligence Display (AID) phase I software description

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-123

Summary

The Airborne Intelligent Display is a microprocessor-based display capable of serving as a cockpit data terminal in a variety of FAA developmental applications. A prototype of this display was developed by Lincoln Laboratory during 1979-1980 in order to evaluate and demonstrate the use of the data link between Mode S ground sensor and Mode S transponder-equipped aircraft. The AID served as a data link interface allowing the pilot to see, respond to, and initiate communications from a ground sensor. Later, when Lincoln began testing the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), the AID became the TCAS display device, showing position estimates for TCAS-tracked aircraft. More recently, a redesign effort, focused principally on software, was begun to extend the AID design so that it could be more quickly adapted to a variety of FAA developmental programs. This document describes the redesigned Airborne Intelligent Display, with special emphasis on software design.
READ LESS

Summary

The Airborne Intelligent Display is a microprocessor-based display capable of serving as a cockpit data terminal in a variety of FAA developmental applications. A prototype of this display was developed by Lincoln Laboratory during 1979-1980 in order to evaluate and demonstrate the use of the data link between Mode S...

READ MORE

Mode S Beacon System: Functional Description (Revision C)

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-42,C

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon Systme, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current ATC beacon system, and may be implemented at low user cost over an extended transition period. Mode S will provide the surveillance and communication performance required by the ATC automation, the reliable communications needed to support data link services, and the capability of operating with a terminal or enroute, radar digitizer-equipped, ATC surveillance radar. The material contained in this document updates and expands the information presented in "Mode S Beacon System: Functional Description", DOT/FAA/RD-82/52, 27 October 1982.
READ LESS

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon Systme, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current...

READ MORE

Generation of the mode select sensor network coverage map

Author:
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-98A

Summary

This paper describes the technique of desiging the network management coverage map files necessary to coordinate a network of Mode S sensors. First, the concept of the Mode S network is defined, and the functions of Network Management are briefly described, as they relate to the coverage map. Then, the rationale for the coverage map is given together with definitions of the map structure and the information required in the file. Implementation of these definitions is illustrated in terms of a specific example: a network of four Mode S sensors in the Washington, D.C. area. As configured, each of the sensors provides service to only one of four ATC facilities (three TRACONs and one ARTCC). The resulting map generation process illustrates not only the general principles but also the significant effects of the ATC control are geometry. Finally, the procedure requored for automated map generation is defined. This procedure assumes the use of an interactive computer display terminal and is applicable to any sensor network and ATC facility configuration.
READ LESS

Summary

This paper describes the technique of desiging the network management coverage map files necessary to coordinate a network of Mode S sensors. First, the concept of the Mode S network is defined, and the functions of Network Management are briefly described, as they relate to the coverage map. Then, the...

READ MORE

Mode S Beacon System: Functional Description (Revision B)

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-42,B

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon System, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current ATC beacon system, and may be implemented at low user cost over an extended transition period. Mode S will provide the surveillance and commucation performance required by the ATC automation, the reliable communications needed to support data link services, and the capability of operating with a terminal or enroute, radar digitizer-equipped, ATC surveillance radar. The material contained in this document updates and expands the information presented in "DABS: A System Description", FAA-RD-74-189, November 1974 and "DABS: Functional Description," FAA-RD-80-41, April 1980.
READ LESS

Summary

This document provides a functional description of the Mode S Beacon System, a combined secondary surveillance radar (beacon) and ground-air-ground data link system capable of providing the aircraft surveillance and communications necessary to support ATC automation in future traffic environments. Mode S is capable of common-channel interoperation with the current...

READ MORE

Mode S installation and siting criteria

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-99,REV.A

Summary

This paper provides information on site-associated phenomena that affect the proper operation of a Mode S sensor and therefore warrant serious consideration when siting a sensor. The Mode S related discussion is intended to be a supplement to the ATCRBS siting criteria presented in the FAA Primary/Secondary Terminal Radar Siting Handbook. The paper discusses siting criteria as they relate to the Mode S sensor antenna system, as opposed to the ATCRBS hogtrough antenna, and importantly, addresses those characteristics of the surrounding environment that are crucial to proper Mode S surveillance.
READ LESS

Summary

This paper provides information on site-associated phenomena that affect the proper operation of a Mode S sensor and therefore warrant serious consideration when siting a sensor. The Mode S related discussion is intended to be a supplement to the ATCRBS siting criteria presented in the FAA Primary/Secondary Terminal Radar Siting...

READ MORE

Air-to-air mode S surveillance algorithms

Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-111

Summary

Lincoln Laboratory is assisting the Federal Aviation Administration in developing a beacon-based airborne collision avoidance system known as the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). The version of TCAS intended for air carrier use is called TCAS II. It provides traffic and resolution advisories and operates in the highest traffic densities predicted for the end of the century. TCAS II extends and replaces an earlier system known as BCAS (for Beacon Collision Avoidance System). Mode S surveillance algorithms form the basis for TCAS algorithms now under development at Lincoln Laboratory.
READ LESS

Summary

Lincoln Laboratory is assisting the Federal Aviation Administration in developing a beacon-based airborne collision avoidance system known as the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). The version of TCAS intended for air carrier use is called TCAS II. It provides traffic and resolution advisories and operates in the highest...

READ MORE