Patent Description:
The invention is defined in the independent claims <NUM> (system) and <NUM> (method). Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims. Other embodiments and/or examples not falling under the claims and not comprising these features are not part of the claimed invention but are useful for understanding the invention. According to an essential aspect of the present invention, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a system, as claimed in claim <NUM>. The system includes an aircraft. The aircraft includes a rotor having rotor blades, a phased array, and processor communicatively coupled to the phased array. The phased array is configured to at least one of transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward the rotor blades or receive EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades. The processor is configured to: at least one of determine or obtain rotor blade information, the rotor blade information including at least one location of the rotor blades; at least one of determine or obtain aircraft information, the aircraft information including a position and an orientation of the aircraft; based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, determine (a) at least one time to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy and (b) at least one angle to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy; and based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, control the phased array to adjust at least one beam pointing angle of the phased array to one or more of the at least one angle and to transmit EM energy for a particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle. The phased array is configured to transmit EM energy for the particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle, wherein the transmitted EM energy is configured to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades toward at least one target. The at least one processor is further configured to determine whether to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades or to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades; and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine that to- be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades.

According to an essential aspect of the present invention, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a method, as claimed in claim <NUM>. The method includes: by a phased array, at least one of transmitting electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward rotor blades or receiving EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades, wherein an aircraft includes the phase array, at least one rotor, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the phased array, wherein the at least one rotor has the rotor blades; by the at least one processor, at least one of determining or obtaining rotor blade information, the rotor blade information including at least one location of the rotor blades; by the at least one processor, at least one of determining or obtaining aircraft information, the aircraft information including a position and an orientation of the aircraft; by the at least one processor, based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, determining (a) at least one time to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy and (b) at least one angle to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy; by the at least one processor, based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, controlling the phased array to adjust at least one beam pointing angle of the phased array to one or more of the at least one angle and to transmit EM energy for a particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle; and by the phased array, transmitting EM energy for the particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle, wherein the transmitted EM energy is configured to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades toward at least one target, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine whether to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades or to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades; and wherein in that:the at least one processor is further configured to determine that to-be-transmitted orto-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades.

Broadly, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be directed to a method and a system (e.g., an aircraft system) including a phased array configured to at least one of transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward the rotor blades or receive EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades, wherein the transmitted and/or received EM energy at least one of dodges the rotor blades or reflects off the rotor blades. For example, EM energy may dodge the rotor blades for satellite communication (SATCOM) and/or high-altitude command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) platforms. For example, the EM energy may reflect off the rotor blades for communication with surface communication targets and/or for ground radar operations.

Some embodiments may reduce cost by allowing for use of a single phased array on an aircraft as compared to current aircraft that have first phased array on a top of the aircraft and a second phased array on the bottom of the aircraft. Some embodiments may increase visibility at wide scan angles. Some embodiments may provide multifunction radiofrequency (RF) capabilities for SATCOM links, air-to-ground communications, landing zone terrain radar (e.g., which may be useful for brown-out conditions), and/or target radar (e.g., mobile or stationary targets).

Referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of a system <NUM> according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein is depicted. In some embodiments, the system may include at least one aircraft <NUM> (e.g., a helicopter or an aircraft having a propeller), at least one radar target <NUM> (e.g., a terrain feature, a water feature, a structure, and/or a surface vehicle), at least one communication target <NUM> (e.g., having a communication radio; e.g., a man pack radio, a vehicle radio (e.g., an automobile radio, a watercraft radio, or an aircraft radio), or a stationary radio), at least one mobile radar target <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., a vehicular radar target or a munition radar target), and/or at least one satellite target <NUM>, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time.

In some embodiments, the aircraft <NUM> may include a spine <NUM>, at least one rotor <NUM>, and/or at least one phased array <NUM>. In some embodiments, the phased array <NUM> may be positioned on the spine <NUM> of the aircraft <NUM>. In some embodiments, the phased array <NUM> may be a radiofrequency (RF) phased array or an optical phased array. The rotor <NUM> may include rotor blades <NUM>.

In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the aircraft <NUM> may further include at least one rotor sensor <NUM>, at least one aircraft sensor <NUM>, at least one processor <NUM>, memory, and/or the phased array <NUM>, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time. In some embodiments, the at least one processor <NUM> may be implemented as part of a single computing device or distributed among any number of computing devices configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform if more than one computing device and processor) any or all of the operations disclosed throughout.

For example, the phased array <NUM> may be configured to at least one of transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward the rotor blades <NUM> or receive EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades <NUM>. In some embodiments, the phased array <NUM> may be configured for analog beamforming (e.g., a single beam) and/or digital beamforming (e.g., one or multiple beams). In some embodiments, where the phased array <NUM> is an optical phased array, each of at least one of the rotor blades <NUM> may include at least one optically reflective surface for the transmitted EM energy to reflect off. In some embodiments, where the phased array <NUM> is an optical phased array and/or uses micromirrors, the optical phased array may have at least one steerable laser. Such optical phased array applications may be configured for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and/or optical over-the-air (OTA) communications.

For example, the at least one rotor sensor <NUM> may be configured to provide rotor sensor data to be used to at least one of determine or obtain the rotor blade information (e.g., at least one location and/or at least one angle of the rotor blades <NUM> at a given or an expected time). For example, the angle of a rotor blade <NUM> can be used to determine an angle of reflection off the rotor blade <NUM>. For example, the at least one rotor sensor <NUM> may include a motor encoder and a blade angle sensor. The motor encoder may provide information on a position of the rotor blades <NUM>. The blade angle sensor may provide information of the blade angles. For example, a camber of the rotor blades <NUM> may be used to direct reflected EM energy.

For example, the at least one aircraft sensor <NUM> may be configured to provide aircraft data to be used to at least one of determine or obtain the aircraft information (e.g., a position and/or orientation of the aircraft at a given or expected time).

For example, the at least one processor <NUM> may include at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one digital signal processor, at least one virtual machine (VM) running on at least one processor, and/or the like configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform if more than one processor) and/or cause (e.g., collectively cause) to be performed any of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor <NUM> may be configured to run various software applications or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. The processor <NUM> may be configured to perform any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the processor <NUM> may be configured to: at least one of determine or obtain rotor blade information (e.g., based at least on rotor sensor data received from the rotor sensor <NUM>), the rotor blade information including at least one location and/or at least one angle of the rotor blades <NUM> (e.g., at a given or an expected time); at least one of determine or obtain aircraft information (e.g., based at least on aircraft sensor data received from the aircraft sensor <NUM> and/or on information collected from pilot controls, for example, which may be used to calculate an angle of attack), the aircraft information including a position and an orientation of the aircraft <NUM>; based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, determine (a) at least one time to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy and (b) at least one angle to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy; and/or based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, control the phased array <NUM> to adjust at least one beam pointing angle of the phased array <NUM> to one or more of the at least one angle and to transmit EM energy for a particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle.

For example, based at least on such operations performed by the processor <NUM>, the phased array <NUM> may be configured to transmit EM energy for the particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle, wherein the transmitted EM energy is configured to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades <NUM> toward at least one target (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>). In some embodiments, the phased array <NUM> may be a radiofrequency (RF) phased array, wherein the transmitted EM energy is further configured to reflect off the at least one target (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>) back toward at least one of the rotor blades <NUM>, reflect off at least one of the rotor blades <NUM>, and be received by the phased array <NUM> as reflected EM energy, wherein the phased array <NUM> may be configured to measure the reflected EM energy, wherein the processor <NUM> may be further configured to calculate a range to the at least one target (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>) based at least on the measured reflected EM energy. In some embodiments, the transmitted EM energy includes at least one communication signal, wherein the at least one target (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>) is at least one communication target.

In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> may be further configured to: determine whether to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades <NUM> or to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades <NUM>. In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> may be further configured to: determine that to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades, wherein the to-be-transmitted or the to-be-received EM energy includes at least one communication signal to or from the satellite <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> may be further configured to: obtain or determine a timing of the rotor blades <NUM>; cause EM energy to reflect off the rotor blade in a downward facing angle; calculate geometry for use in obtaining a desired direction for EM energy receive and/or transmit functions; and/or control the phased array <NUM> to point at a specific point of a rotor blade <NUM> to achieve a desired angle.

Referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of an aircraft <NUM> is shown. The aircraft <NUM> (e.g., a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (e.g., V-<NUM> Osprey)) may have positionable rotor blades <NUM>, such as for operating in a vertical takeoff and/or landing situation (as shown in <FIG>) or for operating in a forward flight situation (as shown in <FIG>). The aircraft <NUM> may include rotor pivot members <NUM> configured to adjust a position of the rotors <NUM> and rotor blades <NUM>, such as between a forward flight rotor position (as shown in <FIG>) or a vertical takeoff and landing rotor position (as shown in <FIG>).

Referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of an aircraft <NUM> is shown. At least one of the rotor blades <NUM> may include at least one polarizer for the transmitted EM energy to reflect off while imparting at least one polarization to the transmitted EM energy. For example, a first rotor blade <NUM> of the rotor blades <NUM> may include a right-hand polarizer 702A for the transmitted EM energy to reflect off and impart a right-hand polarization to the transmitted EM energy, and a second rotor blade <NUM> of the rotor blades <NUM> may include a left-hand polarizer 702B for the transmitted EM energy to reflect off and impart a left-hand polarization to the transmitted EM energy. In this instance, the processor <NUM> would delay transmission until the correct polarizer 702A or 702B is in position.

Referring now to <FIG>, a size of an EM energy beam transmitted from the phased array <NUM> may be small enough to stay on a width of the rotor blade <NUM> at many angles. For example, a rotor blade width can be approximately <NUM> centimeters (cm). For example, a width of beam from a phased array <NUM> positioned on the spine <NUM> of the aircraft <NUM> can project a beam that is between <NUM> and <NUM> wide depending on a beam forming angle (e.g., approximately <NUM> degrees) and where on the rotor blade <NUM> that the beam reflects off.

Referring now to <FIG>, by way of example, a size of an EM energy beam transmitted from the phased array <NUM> that reflects off the rotor blade <NUM> and onto a radar target <NUM> (e.g., a hazard) may fit within the beam width that is approximately <NUM> feet in diameter, for example, based at least on an exemplary set of factors: <NUM> degree beam angle, <NUM> vertical feet from the radar target <NUM> to the rotor blade <NUM>, and <NUM> meters (m) from phased array <NUM> to rotor blade <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of a method <NUM> according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein may include one or more of the following steps. Additionally, for example, some embodiments may include performing one or more instances of the method <NUM> iteratively, concurrently, and/or sequentially. Additionally, for example, at least some of the steps of the method <NUM> may be performed in parallel and/or concurrently. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least some of the steps of the method <NUM> may be performed non-sequentially.

A step <NUM> may include by a phased array, at least one of transmitting electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward rotor blades or receiving EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades, wherein an aircraft includes the phase array, at least one rotor, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the phased array, wherein the at least one rotor has the rotor blades.

A step <NUM> may include by the at least one processor, at least one of determining or obtaining rotor blade information, the rotor blade information including at least one location of the rotor blades.

A step <NUM> may include by the at least one processor, at least one of determining or obtaining aircraft information, the aircraft information including a position and an orientation of the aircraft.

A step <NUM> may include by the at least one processor, based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, determining (a) at least one time to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy and (b) at least one angle to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy.

A step <NUM> may include by the at least one processor, based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, controlling the phased array to adjust at least one beam pointing angle of the phased array to one or more of the at least one angle and to transmit EM energy for a particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle.

A step <NUM> may include by the phased array, transmitting EM energy for the particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle, wherein the transmitted EM energy is configured to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades toward at least one target.

As will be appreciated from the above, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be directed to a method and a system (e.g., an aircraft system) including a phased array configured to at least one of transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward the rotor blades or receive EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades, wherein the transmitted and/or received EM energy at least one of dodges the rotor blades or reflects off the rotor blades.

As used throughout and as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, "at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium" may refer to as at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., at least one computer-readable medium implemented as hardware; e.g., at least one non-transitory processor-readable medium, at least one memory (e.g., at least one nonvolatile memory, at least one volatile memory, or a combination thereof; e.g., at least one random-access memory, at least one flash memory, at least one read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., at least one electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)), at least one on-processor memory (e.g., at least one on-processor cache, at least one on-processor buffer, at least one on-processor flash memory, at least one on-processor EEPROM, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof), at least one storage device (e.g., at least one hard-disk drive, at least one tape drive, at least one solid-state drive, at least one flash drive, at least one readable and/or writable disk of at least one optical drive configured to read from and/or write to the at least one readable and/or writable disk, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof).

Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods, operations, and/or functionality can be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein and defined by the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A system, comprising: an aircraft (<NUM>), comprising:
at least one rotor (<NUM>) having rotor blades (<NUM>);
a phased array (<NUM>) configured to at least one of transmit electromagnetic (EM) energy in a direction toward the rotor blades or receive EM energy in a direction from the rotor blades; and
at least one processor (<NUM>) communicatively coupled to the phased array, the at least one processor configured to:
at least one of determine or obtain rotor blade information, the rotor blade information including at least one location of the rotor blades;
at least one of determine or obtain aircraft information, the aircraft information including a position and an orientation of the aircraft;
based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, determine (a) at least one time to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy and (b) at least one angle to at least one of transmit EM energy or receive EM energy; and
based at least on the rotor blade information and the aircraft information, control the phased array to adjust at least one beam pointing angle of the phased array to one or more of the at least one angle and to transmit EM energy for a particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle;
wherein the phased array is configured to transmit EM energy for the particular duration at the at least one adjusted beam pointing angle, wherein the transmitted EM energy is configured to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades toward at least one target;
wherein the at least one processor (<NUM>) is further configured to determine whether to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades or to reflect off at least one of the rotor blades; and wherein
the at least one processor (<NUM>) is further configured to determine that to-be-transmitted or to-be-received EM energy is to dodge the rotor blades.