Systems and methods for providing processing diversity transponder signals with distributed electronics
View Patent ↗A distributed antenna system of an aircraft includes first and second antennas and corresponding first and second remote transceiver units (RTUs). Each RTU receives a radio signal from the corresponding antenna and includes a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)/digital signal processor (DSP). The FPGA/DSP of a second RTU receives a second signal corresponding to the radio signal from the second antenna and receives a first signal from the first RTU corresponding to the radio signal from the first antenna. The FPGA/DSP of a second RTU determines which of the first and second antennae will transmit a reply to an interrogation included in the radio signals from the first and second antennae, based on a comparison of the first signal and the second signal.
1. A distributed antenna system comprising:
a first remote transceiver unit (RTU) connected to a first antenna and comprising a first field programmable gate array (FPGA)/digital signal provider (DSP) configured to receive a first digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal, corresponding to a first RF signal, comprising an interrogation, from the first antenna;
a second RTU connected to a second antenna and comprising:
a second FPGA/DSP configured to receive a second digital IF signal, corresponding to a second RF signal, comprising the interrogation, from the second antenna and to receive the first digital IF signal;
wherein the second FPGA/DSP comprises comparison logic configured to determine which of the first antenna and the second antenna will transmit a reply to the interrogation, based on a comparison of the first digital RF signal and the second digital RF signal.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first RTU further comprises a first receiver, connected to the first antenna and configured to receive the first RF signal from the first antenna; and
the second RTU further comprises a second receiver, connected to the second antenna and configured to receive the second RF signal from the second antenna.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first receiver is a first 1030 MHz receiver and the second receiver is a second 1030 MHz receiver.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second RTU further comprises a supplemental receiver configured to receive, from the first RTU, a signal corresponding to the first RF signal and configured to output, to the second FPGA/DSP the first digital IF signal.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first receiver is further configured to output the first digital IF signal to the second FPGA/DSP.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second FPGA/DSP is further configured to output, to the first FPGA/DSP a control signal configured to control the first FPGA/DSP to output a reply to the interrogation via the first antenna.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first antenna and the second antenna comprises a top antenna and another of the first antenna and the second antenna comprises a bottom antenna.
8. A distributed antenna system comprising:
a first remote transceiver unit (RTU) connected to a first antenna and comprising:
a first field programmable gate array (FPGA)/digital signal provider (DSP) configured to receive a first digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal, corresponding to a first RF signal, comprising an interrogation, from the first antenna;
a second RTU connected to a second antenna and comprising:
a second FPGA/DSP configured to receive a second digital IF signal, corresponding to a second RF signal, comprising the interrogation, from the second antenna; and
a remote FPGA/DSP configured to receive a first signal corresponding to the first RF signal and to receive a second signal corresponding to the second RF signal;
wherein the remote FPGA/DSP comprises comparison logic configured to determine which of the first antenna and the second antenna will transmit a reply to the interrogation.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first RTU further comprises a first receiver, connected to the first antenna and configured to receive the first RF signal from the first antenna; and
the second RTU further comprises a second receiver, connected to the second antenna and configured to receive the second RF signal from the second antenna.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first receiver is a first 1030 MHz receiver and the second receiver is a second 1030 MHz receiver.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein one of the first antenna and the second antenna comprises a top antenna and another of the first antenna and the second antenna comprises a bottom antenna.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote FPGA/DSP is further configured to output, one of the first RTU and the second RTU, a control signal configured to control the transmission of a reply to the interrogation.
13. A method of response to an interrogation received by a distributed antenna system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first antenna, a first radio frequency (RF) signal, comprising an interrogation, at a first remote transceiver unit (RTU);
receiving, from a second antenna, a second RF signal, comprising the interrogation, at a second RTU disposed apart from the first RTU;
at a FPGA/DSP, receiving a first digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal, corresponding to the first RF signal and receiving a second digital IF signal, corresponding to the second RF signal;
the FPGA/DSP determining which of the first antenna and the second antenna will transmit a reply to the interrogation, based on a comparison of the first digital RF signal and the second digital RF signal.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the FPGA/DSP is disposed within one of the first RTU and the second RTU.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the FPGA/DSP is spaced apart from both the first RTU and the second RTU.