Link 16 Radio Receiver Antenna Diversity Combining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Link 16 systems require redundant receiving architecture, leading to increased costs and complexity, especially in airborne applications, due to the need for dual antennas and receivers to handle signal reception in multi-path environments.
Innovation Solution
A Link 16 radio receiving system utilizing a combiner to combine signals from two antennas and a rake receiver to process the combined signal, eliminating the need for redundant receivers and enhancing performance through diversity reception in multi-path environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fully redundant receiving capabilities are used for each antenna, then signal reception reliability is improved, but system cost and hardware complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the receiving functions of multiple antennas into a single receiver channel by combining the antenna signals before processing. This eliminates the need for separate redundant receivers for each antenna, reducing hardware complexity and cost while maintaining signal reception reliability through diversity reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The single receiver channel is designed to handle signals from multiple antennas universally, performing both diversity combining and multi-path resolution functions. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for dedicated receivers for each antenna, achieving reliability without proportional increases in hardware complexity.
2Reliability
If two receivers or redundant receiving capabilities are used, then signal reception reliability is improved, but system cost doubles due to increased hardware requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines signals from multiple antennas into a single receiver channel, eliminating the need for multiple redundant receivers. This merging approach maintains signal reception reliability through diversity reception while reducing the number of expensive receiver hardware components by half.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating physical copies of complete receiver systems for each antenna, the patent uses a single receiver that processes combined signals from multiple antennas. This virtual sharing approach maintains reliability without duplicating expensive hardware.
3Reliability
If diversity reception with multiple antennas is implemented, then signal reception performance is improved, but the requirement for redundant receiving architecture increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple antenna signals into a single combined signal that is then processed by one receiver channel. This combining approach enables diversity reception performance while avoiding the complexity of managing multiple separate receiving architectures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a signal combining mechanism as an intermediary between multiple antennas and a single receiver. This intermediary component enables diversity reception benefits while simplifying the overall architecture by eliminating the need for multiple independent receiving paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A Link 16 radio receiving system includes a first antenna, a second antenna, a combiner and a rake receiver. The combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna. The combiner provides a combined signal. The rake receiver is coupled to the combiner to receive the combined signal.