Geolocation using guided surface waves

• US 10,324,163 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Wave LLC
• Original Assignee: Cpg Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Corum, James F., Corum, Kenneth L., Lilly, James D., D'Aurelio, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US14/850,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20170074970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 307104
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/48 using wave or particle radiation means G01D5/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

Disclosed are various approaches for determining a location using guided surface waves. A wavelength and a phase of a base guided surface wave launched from a ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure are identified. A range of an overlaid guided surface wave launched from the ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure are identified., wherein the range of the overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a number of wavelengths of the base guided surface wave. A distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the ground station based at least in part on the phase of the base guided surface wave and the range of the overlaid guided surface wave is calculated. Finally, a location of the guided surface wave receive structure based at least in part on the distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the ground station is determined.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a charge terminal elevated over a lossy conducting medium;

a receiver network coupled between the charge terminal and the lossy conducting medium, the receiver network having a phase delay (Φ

) that matches a wave tilt angle (Ψ

) associated with a guided surface wave, the wave tilt angle (Ψ

) based at least in part upon characteristics of the lossy conducting medium in a vicinity of a guided surface wave receive structure and the guided surface wave having a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of the lossy conducting medium;

a processor;

a memory; and

an application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the application causes the apparatus to perform at least the following actions when executed by the processor;

identify a wavelength and a phase of a base guided surface wave launched from a ground station and received by the receiver network;

identify a range of an overlaid guided surface wave launched from the ground station and received by the receiver network, wherein the range of the overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a number of wavelengths of the base guided surface wave;

calculate a distance of the receiver network from the ground station based at least in part on the phase of the base guided surface wave and the range of the overlaid guided surface wave; and

determine a location of the receiver network based at least in part on the distance of the receiver network from the ground station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the apparatus to at least:

identify a second wavelength and a second phase of a second base guided surface wave launched from a second ground station and received by the receiver network;

identify a second range of a second overlaid guided surface wave launched from the second ground station and received by the receiver network, wherein the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a second number of wavelengths of the second based guided surface wave;

calculate a second distance of the receiver network from the second ground station based at least in part on the second phase of the second base guided surface wave and the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave; and

causing the apparatus to determine the location of the receiver network is further based at least in part on the second distance of the receiver network from the second ground station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlaid guided surface wave has a higher frequency than the base guided surface wave.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the apparatus to at least disambiguate the location of the receiving structure from a plurality of potential locations based at least in part on inertial data associated with the apparatus, wherein the inertial data is stored in the memory of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the apparatus to at least disambiguate the location of the receiving structure from a plurality of potential locations based at least in part on an identity of a cellular network tower within range of the receiver network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the apparatus to at least disambiguate the location of the receiving structure from a plurality of potential locations based at least in part on an identity of a radio transmission tower within range of the receiver network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge terminal is height adjustable such that a change in a height of the charge terminal causes a change in the phase delay (Φ

).

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, with a guided surface wave receive structure, a base guided surface wave launched from a ground station and travelling along a terrestrial medium, the base guided surface wave having a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle of the terrestrial medium;

identifying a wavelength and a phase of the base guided surface wave;

receiving, with the guided surface wave receive structure, an overlaid guided surface wave launched from the ground station;

identifying a range of the overlaid guided surface wave, wherein the range of the overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a number of wavelengths of the base guided surface wave;

calculating a distance from the ground station based at least in part on the phase of the base guided surface wave and the range of the overlaid guided surface wave; and

determining a current location based at least in part on the distance from the ground station.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, with the guided surface wave receive structure, a second based guided surface wave launched from a second ground station;

identifying a second wavelength and a second phase of the second base guided surface wave;

receiving a second overlaid guided surface wave launched from a second ground station;

identify a second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave launched, wherein the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a second number of wavelengths of the second based guided surface wave;

calculate a second distance from the second ground station based at least in part on the second phase of the second base guided surface wave and the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave; and

wherein determining the location is further based at least in part on the second distance from the second ground station.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the overlaid guided surface wave has a higher frequency than the base guided surface wave.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising wherein determining the current location is further based at least in part on inertial data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the current location is further based at least in part on identifying a cellular network tower.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a broadcast transmission;

disambiguating the current location from a plurality of potential locations based at least in part on an identity of the broadcast transmission.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a signal from a wireless network;

identifying a media access control (MAC) address associated with an access point for the wireless network;

identifying an approximate position based at least in part on the MAC address; and

wherein determining the current location is further based at least in part on the approximate position.

15. A system, comprising:

a guided surface wave receive structure configured to obtain electrical energy from a guided surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium;

a processor;

a memory; and

an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to at least;

identify a wavelength and a phase of a base guided surface wave launched from a ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure, the base guided surface wave having a first wave front incident at a first complex Brewster angle of the terrestrial medium;

identify a range of an overlaid guided surface wave launched from the ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure, wherein the range of the overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a number of wavelengths of the base guided surface wave and the overlaid guided surface wave having a second wave front incident at a second complex Brewster angle of the terrestrial medium;

calculate a distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the ground station based at least in part on the phase of the base guided surface wave and the range of the overlaid guided surface wave; and

determine a location of the guided surface wave receive structure based at least in part on the distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the ground station.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to at least:

identify a second wavelength and a second phase of a second base guided surface wave launched from a second ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure;

identify a second range of a second overlaid guided surface wave launched from the second ground station and received by the guided surface wave receive structure, wherein the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave is measured as a second number of wavelengths of the second based guided surface wave;

calculate a second distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the second ground station based at least in part on the second phase of the second base guided surface wave and the second range of the second overlaid guided surface wave; and

causing the apparatus to determine the location of the guided surface wave receive structure is further based at least in part on the second distance of the guided surface wave receive structure from the second ground station.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the overlaid guided surface wave has a higher frequency than the base guided surface wave.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to at least disambiguate the current location of the guided surface wave receive structure from a plurality of potential locations of the guided surface wave receive structure based at least in part on inertial data associated with the system, wherein the inertial data is stored in the memory of the system.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to at least disambiguate the current location of the guided surface wave receive structure from a plurality of potential locations of the guided surface wave receive structure based at least in part on an identity of a cellular network tower in range of the guided surface wave receive structure.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the application, when executed by the processor, further causes the system to at least disambiguate the current location of the guided surface wave receive structure from a plurality of potential locations of the guided surface wave receive structure based at least in part on an identity of a radio transmission tower within range of the guided surface wave receive structure.