Granted Patent B2

US 12,407,393 · App. 17/957,881 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Inventors: Stephen M. Clark (Evansdale, IA); Tj T. Kwon (Marion, IA); Brian L. Aanderud (Eden Prairie, MN); Eric J. Loren (North Liberty, IA); William B. Sorsby (Cedar Rapids, IA)

Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.

H04B7/068H04L5/0048

Abstract

Claims (92)

1. A communications node of a multi-node communications network, comprising:

a communications interface including at least one antenna element; and

a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface, the controller including one or more processors;

wherein a common reference frame of the communications network is known to the controller;

and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, at least one of a preamble or a header portion associated with a resource allocation message transmitted by a transmitting (Tx) node of the communications network, the Tx node in motion according to a velocity vector comprising a velocity and a direction;

determine a receiver (Rx) nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header portion through at least one nulling frequency corresponding to a nulling direction, the Rx nulling direction configured to correct a Doppler frequency shift associated with the velocity vector;

and

determine, based on the adjusting, one or more of:

the velocity of the velocity vector of the Tx node;

the direction of the velocity vector of the Tx node;

or

a direction of the Tx node relative to the communications node.

2. The communications node of claim 1 , wherein:

the communications node is a participating member of a cell of the communications network;

and

the Tx node is an administrator of the cell.

3. The communications node of claim 2 , wherein the Tx node is a tactical base station (TBS) of the communications network.

4. The communications node of claim 2 , wherein:

the communications node is a one-hop neighbor of the Tx node;

and

wherein the communications node is configured to:

create a replica message corresponding to the resource allocation message based on the at least one of the preamble or the header portion;

and

determine the receiver (Rx) nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of the replica message through the at least one nulling frequency.

5. The communications node of claim 1 , wherein:

the communications node is a participating member of a first cell of the communications network;

and

the Tx node is an administrator of a second cell of the communications network.

6. The communications node of claim 5 , wherein:

the communications node is configured to transition from the first cell to the second cell.

7. The communications node of claim 1 , wherein the common reference frame is a three-dimensional inertial reference frame.

8. The communications node of claim 1 , wherein the communications node is configured to determine the Rx nulling direction by adjusting the receiving frequency through two or more step frequencies, the two or more step frequencies corresponding to an arc section of two or more incremental angles.

9. The communications node of claim 1 , wherein the velocity vector is a transmitter (Tx) velocity vector comprising a Tx velocity and a Tx direction, and:

the communications node is in motion according to a Rx velocity vector comprising an Rx velocity and an Rx direction;

and

wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the adjusting, one or more of:

a relative velocity of the Tx node relative to the communications node;

and

a relative direction of the Tx node relative to the communications node.

10. The communications node of claim 9 , wherein:

the Tx node is associated with a Tx nulling direction;

and

wherein the controller is configured to determine the Rx nulling direction by adjusting the receiving frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header portion to an Rx nulling direction opposite the Tx nulling direction.

11. The communications node of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the Rx nulling direction based on a time synchronization with the Tx node.

12. The communications node of claim 11 , wherein:

at least one of the preamble, the header portion, or the resource allocation message is associated with a time of transmission TOT known to the controller;

and wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a time of arrival (TOA) associated with at least one of the preamble, the header portion, or the resource allocation message;

and

based on at least the TOA and the TOT determine a distance between the communications node and the Tx node.

13. A communications node of a multi-node communications network, comprising:

a communications interface including at least one antenna element; and

a controller operatively coupled to the communications interface, the controller including one or more processors;

wherein a common reference frame of the communications network is known to the controller,

wherein the communications node is in motion according to a velocity vector comprising a velocity and a direction;

and

wherein the communications node is a transmitting (Tx) node associated with a cell of one or more participating communications nodes;

wherein the controller is configured to:

transmit, via the communications interface, at least one resource allocation message to the one or more participating communications nodes, each resource allocation message including at least one of a preamble or a header portion;

and

determine a transmitter (Tx) nulling direction by adjusting a transmitting frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header through at least one nulling frequency corresponding to a nulling direction, the Tx nulling direction configured to correct a Doppler frequency shift associated with the velocity vector.

14. The communications node of claim 13 , wherein the communications node is configured to determine the Tx nulling direction by adjusting the transmitting frequency through two or more step frequencies, the two or more step frequencies corresponding to an arc section of two or more incremental angles.

15. The communications node of claim 13 , wherein the Tx node is a tactical base station (TBS) configured for administration of the cell.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a communications node of a multi-node communications network, at least one of a preamble or a header portion associated with a resource allocation message transmitted by a transmitting (Tx) node of the communications network, the Tx node in motion according to a velocity vector comprising a velocity and a direction;

determining, via the communications node, a receiver (Rx) nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header portion through at least one nulling frequency corresponding to an Rx nulling direction, the Rx nulling direction configured to correct a Doppler frequency shift associated with the velocity vector;

and

determining, via the communications node and based on the adjusting, one or more of:

the velocity of the velocity vector of the Tx node;

the direction of the velocity vector of the Tx node;

or

a direction of the Tx node relative to the communications node.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining, via the communications node, a receiver (Rx) nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header portion through at least one nulling frequency includes:

creating, based on at least one of the preamble or the header portion, a replica message corresponding to the resource allocation message;

and

determining the Rx nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of the replica message through the at least one nulling frequency.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining, via the communications node, a receiver (Rx) nulling direction by adjusting a receiving frequency of at least one of the preamble or the header portion through at least one nulling frequency includes:

adjusting the receiving frequency through two or more step frequencies, the two or more step frequencies corresponding to an arc section of two or more incremental angles.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the communications node and the Tx node are time synchronized;

wherein at least one of the preamble, the header portion, or the resource allocation message is associated with a time of transmission TOT known to the communications node;

further comprising:

determining, via the communications node, a time of arrival (TOA) associated with at least one of the preamble, the header portion, or the resource allocation message;

and

determining, via the communications node and based on at least the TOA and the TOT a distance between the communications node and the Tx node.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the multi-node communications network is a cell-based network comprising a plurality of cells;

the communications node is a participating member of a first cell of the plurality of cells;

and

the Tx node is a tactical base station (TBS) configured for administration of at least one cell of the plurality of cells.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (14)

References Cited (315)