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A transponder system that is adapted to be positioned in an aircraft includes a transponder that is adapted to transmit information pertaining to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned includes at least one receiver that is adapted to receive information including information pertaining

A transponder system that is adapted to be positioned in an aircraft includes a transponder that is adapted to transmit information pertaining to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned includes at least one receiver that is adapted to receive information including information pertaining to another aircraft. The receiver(s) is adapted to receive different types of data on multiple different frequencies. A display, which may be integral with the system housing or remotely mounted, is adapted to display (i) information received by said receiver and/or (ii) information to guide user input selection of information transmitted by said transponder. The housing houses the transponder, the receiver and, in one embodiment, the display. The existing transponder in the aircraft can be removed thereby leaving an opening in the aircraft and the transponder installed in the opening.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An aircraft transponder system that is adapted to be positioned in an aircraft, comprising: a transponder operable to transmit transponder information pertaining to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned;at least one receiver operable to receive other information, at least some of th

1. An aircraft transponder system that is adapted to be positioned in an aircraft, comprising: a transponder operable to transmit transponder information pertaining to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned;at least one receiver operable to receive other information, at least some of the received other information pertaining to another aircraft, wherein the at least one receiver is further operable to receive different types of data on multiple different frequencies, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a UAT receiver operable to receive data from a ground station and from a UAT equipped aircraft, and wherein the at least one receiver further comprises an extended squitter receiver operable to receive data from an aircraft equipped with an extended squitter transmitter;a controller responsive to the at least one receiver and operable to produce a display output to be received by a display, wherein the display output is derived from information received by the at least one receiver, wherein the controller has a dual display mode in which the display output causes the display to depict information derived from the at least one receiver on one portion of the display and to depict information used to guide input selection of information transmitted by the transponder on another portion of the display; anda housing that houses the transponder, the at least one receiver, and the controller. 2. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is attached to the housing. 3. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is remote from the housing. 4. The transponder system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing is adapted to fit within a MARK width transponder slot in an aircraft cockpit. 5. The transponder system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display is essentially the same shape as the transponder slot. 6. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display has a width-to-height aspect ratio that is greater than 1:1. 7. The transponder system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the aspect ratio is at least approximately 2:1. 8. The transponder system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the portions are laterally disposed across the display. 9. The transponder system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display comprises a touch screen. 10. The transponder system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller in a data entry mode receives user selection of information to be transmitted by the transponder, and causes the display output to display numeric touch entry keys across all of the display. 11. The transponder system as claimed in claim 10, wherein all of the numeric touch entry keys extend lengthwise across the display in a single row when the controller is in the data entry mode. 12. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a global navigation system position source, wherein the display output derived from the at least one receiver is depicted with respect to position information from the global navigation system position source. 13. The transponder system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing further houses the global navigation system position source. 14. The transponder system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the information received by the at least one receiver comprises weather information received from a ground station, and wherein the controller has a weather display mode in which the display output causes the display to depict the weather information with respect to position information. 15. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller has a data select mode in which the display depicts information to guide user input selection of from among at least two types of received data for depiction on the display. 16. The transponder system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the display output comprises a wireless output, the wireless output adapted to display information derived from the at least one receiver on a portable electronic device spaced from the housing. 17. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transponder is capable of functioning as a Mode S transponder and an ATCRBS transponder. 18. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAT receiver receives ADS-B data, ADS-R data, TIS-B data, and FIS-B data. 19. The transponder system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller has a passive traffic display mode in which the display depicts passive aircraft traffic information, wherein the aircraft traffic information comprises at least position data of other aircraft, and wherein the passive aircraft traffic information is depicted with respect to the position information. 20. The transponder system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the passive aircraft traffic information comprises at least one of ADS-B data, ADS-R data, and TIS-B data. 21. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an active aircraft traffic detector comprising a traffic collision avoidance system, wherein the housing further houses the active aircraft detector. 22. The transponder system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the controller is operable to provide both passive traffic information and active traffic information at the display output, wherein the controller has a blended traffic mode in which the display output causes the display to depict at least one of the passive aircraft traffic information and the active aircraft traffic information from the active aircraft traffic detector, wherein the aircraft traffic information comprises at least position data of other aircraft. 23. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller processes terrain data and TAWS data, and wherein the display output is operable to display the terrain data and to perform a TAWS alerting function. 24. The transponder system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the terrain data and the TAWS data are stored on the controller or an external memory device. 25. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is defined by a frequency agile receiver. 26. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the UAT receiver is adapted to receive data in a 978 MHz frequency band. 27. The transponder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extended squitter receiver is adapted to receive data in a 1090 MHz frequency band. 28. A method of providing transponder capability to an aircraft, the method comprising: positioning an aircraft transponder system in an aircraft, the transponder system comprising a transponder, at least one receiver, and a housing that houses the transponder and the at least one receiver;transmitting transponder information with the transponder, wherein the transponder information pertains to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned;receiving other information with the at least one receiver, at least some of the other information pertaining to another aircraft, the received other information further comprising different types of data on multiple different frequencies, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a UAT receiver, wherein the at least one receiver further comprises an extended squitter receiver receiving data from an aircraft equipped with an extended squitter transmitter;receiving data from a ground station and from a UAT-equipped aircraft with the UAT receiver; andselectively displaying information derived from the other information received from the at least one receiver and information to guide user input selection of the transponder information transmitted by the transponder on a display, such that information derived from the at least one receiver is depicted on one portion of the display and information to guide user input selection of the transponder information transmitted by the transponder is depicted on another portion of the display. 29. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising: removing an existing transponder from the aircraft; andpositioning the aircraft transponder system in the aircraft to replace the existing transponder, wherein the transponder and the at least one receiver have a combined volume that is essentially the same volume as the existing transponder. 30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the display is attached to the housing. 31. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the display is remote from the housing. 32. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the housing is adapted to fit within a MARK width transponder slot in an aircraft cockpit. 33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the display is essentially the same shape as the transponder slot. 34. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the display has a width-to-height aspect ratio that is greater than 1:1. 35. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the aspect ratio is at least approximately 2:1. 36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the portions are laterally disposed across the display. 37. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the display comprises a touch screen. 38. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising displaying numeric touch entry keys across all of the display, wherein the displaying numeric touch entry keys further comprises displaying numeric touch entry keys lengthwise across the display in a single row. 39. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the receiving other information further comprises receiving position information for the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned from a global navigation system position source, wherein the information derived from the at least one receiver is depicted with respect to the received position information. 40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the global navigation system position source is housed in the housing. 41. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the receiving other information further comprises receiving weather information from a ground station, and wherein the receiving weather information comprises receiving weather information by the UAT receiver. 42. The method as claimed in claim 41 further comprising depicting weather information on the display with respect to position information. 43. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising depicting information on the display to guide user input selection of from among at least two types of received data for depiction on the display. 44. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the display output comprises a wireless output, the wireless output adapted to display information derived from the at least one receiver on a portable electronic device spaced from the housing. 45. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the transponder is capable of functioning as a Mode S transponder and an ATCRBS transponder. 46. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the UAT receiver receives ADS-B data, ADS-R data, TIS-B data, and FIS-B data. 47. The method as claimed in claim 39 further comprising depicting on the display passive aircraft traffic information, wherein the aircraft traffic information comprises at least position data of other aircraft, and wherein the passive aircraft traffic information is depicted with respect to the received position information. 48. The method as claimed in claim 47, wherein the passive aircraft traffic information comprises at least one of ADS-B data, ADS-R data, and TIS-B data. 49. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising providing traffic collision avoidance information from an active aircraft traffic detector housed in the housing. 50. The method as claimed in claim 49 further comprising depicting on the display at least one of passive aircraft traffic information and active aircraft traffic information, wherein the aircraft traffic information comprises at least position data of other aircraft. 51. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising depicting on the display terrain data and performing a TAWS alerting function. 52. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the terrain data and TAWS data are stored in a memory device. 53. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one receiver is defined by a frequency agile receiver. 54. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the UAT receiver is adapted to receive data in a 978 MHz frequency band. 55. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein the extended squitter receiver is adapted to receive data in a 1090 MHz frequency band.