Patent ID: 8643534

Claim:
A system for sensing aircraft and other objects comprising: (a) an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transmitter; (b) an ADS-B receiver; (c) a first ADS-B antenna; (d) a second ADS-B antenna; (e) an antenna controller; (f) an ADS-B antenna multiplexer; (g) an ADS-B processor; (h) a radar processor; (i) a display; whereby (j) said second ADS-B antenna is directional and said radar processor is configured to control said antenna controller which is configured to control the direction of said second ADS-B antenna, (k) said ADS-B processor is configured to control said ADS-B antenna multiplexer, and said ADS-B antenna multiplexer is configured to allow said ADS-B transmitter to use either said first ADS-B antenna or said second ADS-B antenna, and said ADS-B antenna multiplexer is also configured to allow said ADS-B receiver to use either said first ADS-B antenna or said second ADS-B antenna, (l) said ADS-B processor and said radar processor are configured to work together, (m) said ADS-B processor is configured to periodically cause said ADS-B transmitter to emit a transmitted signal through either said first ADS-B antenna or said second ADS-B antenna through said ADS-B antenna multiplexer, (n) said transmitted signal is reflected by a target producing a reflected signal, (o) said reflected signal is received by either or both said first ADS-B antenna and said second ADS-B antenna, and said ADS-B antenna multiplexer is configured to select either said first ADS-B antenna or said second ADS-B antenna and send said reflected signal to said ADS-B receiver, (p) said radar processor is configured to process said reflected signal from said ADS-B receiver and said transmitted signal from said ADS-B transmitter to determine a range to said target, (q) said radar processor is configured to use the direction of said second ADS-B antenna to determine a bearing to said target, and (r) said radar processor is configured to display said range and said bearing on said display.