Communication system with radar function

Abstract

Flying platform (10), comprising: a communication system (1) comprising at least one communication device (21, 22), each comprising a transmitting device (31; 32), a receiving device (41; 42) and a pivotable phased array antenna (61; 62); a control unit (5) which is connected to each transmitting device (31; 32) and to each receiving device (41; 42) and is designed to enable a wireless transmission of data by means of the transmitting devices (31; 32) and receiving devices (41; 42) and to use reflected signals (71; 72), which were reflected from an environment (11) of the flying platform (1) by one of the transmitting devices (31; 32) and received by one of the receiving devices (41; 42), to create a model of the environment (11); and an optical target detection system (8) and a display unit (9) connected to the communication system (1) for outputting optical target detection data of the target detection system (8), which display unit is designed to superimpose the model of the environment (11) on the optical target detection data, wherein a first communication device (21) is configured to transmit a signal (71) having a first frequency and to receive a signal (72) having a second frequency, while at least one further communication device (21) is configured to receive a signal (71) having the first frequency and / or to transmit a signal (72) having the second frequency.

Description

Prior ArtThe present invention relates to a communication system, in particular a communication system for flying platforms. The invention also relates to a flying platform, for example a helicopter, which is equipped with such a communication system.Modern military helicopter or other flying platforms often contain reconnaissance systems, e.g. viewfinders, for target detection in the optical as well as in the infrared range. By means of such reconnaissance systems, air units or ground units which represent a risk for the flying platform can be detected and, if necessary, combated.However, it has been found that, especially in the case of asymmetric threats, the existing reconnaissance systems are not sufficient. Thus, hidden units such as tanks or positions of the gun camouflaged between houses, forests or other suitable environments are often not adequately clarified. However, this lack of clarification leads to a decisive tactical disadvantage of the flying platform, which can lead up to the loss of personnel and machines.However, it is a known problem especially in helicopters that they have a limited departure weight. Thus, it is often not possible to install many different reconnaissance systems in the flying platform to enable comprehensive reconnaissance in many different situations.Furthermore, it is known from the prior art to integrate a radar functionality and a communication functionality in one device. This is shown, for example, in the following publication:ROBERTON, M.; BROWN, E.R.: Integrated radar and communications based on chirped spread-spectrum techniques. In: Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003 IEEE MTT-S International, Data of Conference: 8-13 Jun. 2003, Volume: 1, pp. 611-614.The document DE 20 2006 009 330 U1 discloses a short-range obstacle warning system for helicopters for measuring distance of obstacles with the aid of radar sensors. The document DE 102 45 496 A1 discloses a steering system for steering a movable object by an aircraft, having a radar with a synthetic aperture arranged on the aircraft.Disclosure of the InventionIt is therefore the object of the invention to provide a component which can preferably be used in a flying platform and which, with simple and cost-effective production and assembly, enables comprehensive clarification of an environment, wherein attention is to be paid to the lowest possible weight.The object is achieved by the combination of features of independent claim 1, which relates to a flying platform, in particular a helicopter. The flying platform includes: a communication system including at least one communication device each including a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a pivotable phased array antenna; a control unit connected to each transmitting device and to each receiving device and configured to enable wireless transmission of data by the transmitting devices and receiving devices and to build a model of the environment based on reflected signals reflected from one of the transmitting devices from an environment of the flying platform and received by one of the receiving devices; and a target sensing optical system and a display unit connected to the communication system for outputting target sensing optical data of the target sensing system, configured to superimpose the model of the environment on the target sensing optical data. The flying platform can therefore quickly and reliably clarify dangerous scenarios, which is indispensable for a rapid initiation of countermeasures.The dependent claims include preferred developments of the invention.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication system has at least two communication devices. In this case, the communication devices are each arranged at at least a first distance from one another, so that the individual communication devices can scan the environment from different aspect angles. Thus, a view from different perspectives of potential hazards is also possible, which significantly increases their probability of detection. Therefore, as the number of communication devices increases and the resulting increasing numbers of perspectives from which the environment is scanned, the resolution of the model of the environment may be increased.The phased array antenna comprised for transmitting and receiving signals in each of the communication devices can advantageously serve, on the one hand, as a transmitter and receiver of a radar system and, on the other hand, as a transmitter and receiver of a directed radio connection.According to the invention, it is provided that the phased array antennas of the communication system are designed to be pivotable, in particular electronically movable. This has the advantage, on the one hand, that the antenna can establish a directed radio connection in different directions, for example can follow a moving receiver. On the other hand, it is possible to scan a large area with a phased array antenna since it can act independently of the orientation of the communication system by the movability. This is advantageous in particular when using the communication system in flying platforms, since areas can be elucidated independently of the orientation of the flying platform by means of the communication devices equipped with phased array antennas. It is thus possible to identify hidden targets, which are not located in the primary field of view of users of the flying platform, for example, by means of the communication system according to the invention.Furthermore, it is preferably provided that when at least two communication devices are used, each communication device emits signals at different frequencies. Thus, connections to different receivers can preferably be set up in order to transmit data independently of one another. It is likewise possible to scan a same area independently of one another using a plurality of communication devices without the individual transmitted signals being superimposed or the scanning being disturbed in another way. This can be advantageous, particularly in the aforementioned preferred case of scanning from different aspect angles, since all communication devices can emit signals simultaneously without there being the risk that the emitted signals overlap and would thus lead to an erroneous result.According to the invention, a first communication device is configured to emit a signal at a first frequency. Furthermore, according to the invention, the first communication device is configured to receive a signal having a second frequency. In addition, a further communication device is configured according to the invention to receive a signal with the first frequency and / or to emit a signal with the second frequency. The use of several communication devices for scanning the environment of the communication system and the spatial separation of transmitter and receiver enables an advantageous creation of a model of the environment with a very high accuracy.Preferably, the communication devices transmit modulated transmit pulses. Likewise, orthogonal spreading sequences are preferably used in the modulation of the transmission pulses in order to exclude mutual influencing of the transmission pulses with respect to one another. In addition, it is thus possible to identify, on the basis of the modulation, from which transmission device the signal or the transmission pulse was transmitted. In an advantageous manner, an environment of the communication system can therefore be scanned multiple times in order to increase the accuracy of the model of the environment.Finally, it is advantageous if the communication devices are configured to communicate with a guided missile. In this way, it is possible, for example, to transmit current target data to a guided missile.The flying platform according to the invention comprises an optical target acquisition system for acquiring optical target acquisition data. For example, the target detection data may include information from the visible light or from the infrared light. The flying platform further comprises a display unit configured to output the target optical detection data. It is provided that the display unit is also connected to the communication system, so that the display unit superimposes the optical target detection data on the model of the environment. This makes it possible to provide additional information, so that a user of the flying platform is quickly and comprehensively elucidated about possible hazardous locations in the environment. The safety of personnel and machines can therefore be significantly increased.Brief Description of the DrawingsHereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, there is: FIG. 1 shows a schematic overview of the structure of the communication system according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a flying platform that exposes an environment with the communication system according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of a flying platform target detection system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.Embodiments of the InventionFIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of the communication system 1 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. The communication system 1 includes two communication devices, a first communication device 21 and a second communication device 22. Further, the communication system 1 includes a control device 5 connected to the first communication device 21 and the second communication device 22. The communication devices contain subsystems for transmitting and receiving data. Thus, the first communication device 21 comprises a first transmitting unit 31 and a first receiving unit 41. the second communication device 22 comprises a second transmitting unit 32 and a second receiving unit 42. For transmitting data, the communication system 1 also has a first phased array antenna 61 and a second phased array antenna 62. The first phased array antenna 61 is connected to the first transmitting unit 31 and the first receiving unit 41, while the second phased array antenna 62 is connected to the second transmitting unit 32 and the second receiving unit 42.Via the first phased array antenna 61 and via the second phased array antenna 62, it is therefore possible for the first transmission device 31 and the second transmission device 32 to transmit data. Also, the first receiving device 41 and the second receiving device 42 may receive data. For this purpose, the first phased array antenna 61 and the second phased array antenna 62 are designed to be movable in particular, so that optimum alignment of the first phased array antenna 61 and the second phased array antenna 62 can always be ensured for communication with further communication devices.Furthermore, the control unit 5 is configured to generate a model of an environment 11 (cf. FIG. 2 ) of the phased array antennas 61, 62 by means of the phased array antenna 61 and the second phased array antenna 62. For this purpose, the first transmitting device 31 transmits a first signal 71 having a first frequency via the first phased array antenna 61, wherein the first signal 71 is reflected from the surroundings 11 of the first phased array antenna 61 such that the first signal 71 can be received by the second phased array antenna 62. The second receiving device 42 registers the reception of the first signal 71, so that the control device 5 can draw a conclusion about the environment 11 from the runtime of the first signal 71. Likewise, the second transmitting device 32 is configured to emit a second signal 72 at a second frequency, wherein the second signal 72 is likewise reflected at the environment 11 in order to be received by the first phased array antenna 61. Here, the first receiving device 41 registers the second signal 72, so that here too the control device 5 can draw conclusions about the environment 11 from the runtime of the second signal. Overall, therefore, the environment 11 is scanned twice. Since the first phased array antenna 61 and the second phased array antenna 62 are swingably formed, it is possible for the control device 5 to scan a wide range of the environment and build a model therefor. The control device 5 therefore allows dual use of the communication devices 21, 22 and the phased array antennas 61, 62, so that, in addition to communication, the environment 11 can also be clarified by the control device 5.FIG. 2 shows a flying platform 10, which can be a helicopter, for example. The flying platform 10 is equipped with the communication system 1, wherein the first communication device 21 is arranged on one side of the flight axis 100 and the second communication device 22 is arranged on another side of the flight axis 100. Thus, both communication devices 21, 22 are spaced apart from one another, so that the first communication device 21 scans the environment 11 from a first aspect angle 101 and the second communication device 22 scans the environment 11 at a second aspect angle 102.It is thus possible for a user of the flying platform 10 to identify a camouflaged threat 12, which is located, for example, directly in extension of the flight axis 100 but nevertheless cannot be seen by the user on account of the environment 11, at an early stage, since the first communication device 21 and the second communication device 22 already record the threat 12. Thus, a rapid reconnaissance of the environment 11 takes place, so that the user of the flying platform 10 is provided with a tactical advantage.It is likewise possible to supply the data obtained by the communication system 1 to a target detection system, which is outlined in FIG. 3. For this purpose, the flying platform 10 comprises, for example, an optical target detection system 8 which outputs optical target detection data to a display unit 9. Thus, for example, it is possible for the user of the flying platform 10 to combat a threat 12 by means of the target detection system 8. In order to further enhance the accuracy of the target detection data, the display unit 9 is further connected to the communication system 1. Thus, the target optical detection data can be superimposed on the model of the environment 11. Overall, therefore, a clearly improved reconnaissance of the environment 11 results, since the user is informed of possible threats at an early stage. Thus, the user of the flying platform 10 has a distinct tactical advantage.In addition to the written disclosure above, express reference is hereby made to the disclosure of FIGS. 1 to 3.List of reference characters1 Communication system 21 First communication device 22 Second communication device 31 First transmission device 32 Second transmission device 41 First reception device 42 Second reception device 5 Control unit 61 First phased array antenna 62 Second phased array antenna 71 First signal 72 Second signal 8 Optical target detection unit 9 Display unit 10 Flying platform 11 Environment 12 Threat 100 Flight axis 101 First aspect angle 102 Second aspect angle

Claims

A flying platform (10) comprising: a communication system (1) having at least one communication device (21, 22) each including a transmitting device (31; 32), a receiving device (41; 42) and a pivotable phased array antenna (61; 62); a control unit (5) connected to each transmitting device (31; 32) and to each receiving device (41; 42) and configured to enable wireless transmission of data by means of the transmitting devices (31; 32) and receiving devices (41; 42) and to create a model of the environment (11) on the basis of reflected signals (71; 72) which have been reflected from an environment (11) of the flying platform (1) starting from one of the transmitting devices (31; 32) and have been received by one of the receiving devices (41; 42); and an optical target detection system (8) and a display unit (9) connected to the communication system (1) for outputting optical target detection data of the target detection system (8), which display unit is configured to superimpose the model of the environment (11) on the optical target detection data, wherein a first communication device (21) is configured to emit a signal (71) with a first frequency and to receive a signal (72) with a second frequency, while at least one further communication device (21) is configured to receive a signal (71) with the first frequency and / or to emit a signal (72) with the second frequency.The flying platform (10) according to claim 1, comprising at least two communication devices (21, 22), each arranged at at least a first distance from each other and scanning the environment (11) from different aspect angles (101, 102).The flying platform (10) according to claim 2, wherein the communication devices (21, 22) are configured to emit signals (71, 72) at respectively different frequencies.The flying platform (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication devices (21, 22) are configured to emit modulated transmit pulses and to use orthogonal spreading sequences in the modulation of the transmit pulses.The flying platform (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication devices (21, 22) are configured to communicate with a guided missile.

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