Bearing calculation

• US 10,667,145 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airspan IP Holdco LLC (Airspan Networks Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Airspan Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Lysejko, Martin, Logothetis, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Whitney
• Application Number:
  US15/186,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20160377695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/06 allowing pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 : providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/005 : providing two patterns of opposite direction; back to back antennas H01Q25/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 : using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 : for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/10 : to produce a conical or spiral scan
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/12 : using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 : varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 : varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2611 : Means for null steering; Adaptive interference nulling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 : with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 : Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 : for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0621 : Feedback content
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 : using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0817 : with multiple receivers and antenna path selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 : using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 : using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 : using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 : the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 : using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 : radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 : detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 : using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 : Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 : Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus comprising a location receiver to receive a signal indicative of a location of the location receiver. A movement mechanism rotates the location receiver about an axis and provides an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point. Calculation circuitry produces an output value indicative of an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, based on a plurality of given angles of the location receiver about the axis from the known point, and a plurality of associated locations of the location receiver indicated by the signal received when the location receiver is at each of the given angles.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a location receiver to receive a signal indicative of a location of the location receiver;

a movement mechanism to rotate the location receiver about an axis and to provide an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point of the apparatus, wherein an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis is initially unknown; and

calculation circuitry to calculate an output value indicative of the absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, based on a plurality of given angles of the location receiver about the axis from the known point, and a plurality of associated locations of the location receiver indicated by the signal received when the location receiver is at each of the given angles.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

a noise filter, wherein

the signal indicative of the location of the location receiver comprises a noise component; and

the noise filter is to filter out the noise component.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the noise filter is a low-pass filter.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation circuitry comprises:

a correlator to correlate the angle of the location receiver about the axis from the known point and output a correlation result; and

a phase angle extractor to produce the output value from the correlation result.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the correlator comprises:

a multiplier to multiply the location of the location receiver by e<sup>−

jφ</sup>

, where j is the unit imaginary number and φ

is the angle of the location receiver about the axis from the known point with which the location is associated, and to output a plurality of multiplication results; and

an integrate and dump filter to operate on the plurality of multiplication results.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the absolute bearing of the known point about the axis is a bearing of the known point about the axis relative to true east.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the signal is a navigation system signal.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the signal is a satellite based global navigation system signal.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the signal is a GPS signal.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the location receiver is to receive a further signal indicative of a location of the location receiver;

and

the further signal is a ground based global navigation system signal.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the signal is indicative of a longitude and latitude of the location receiver.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

an antenna assembly to perform at least one of receiving or transmitting a further signal, wherein

the antenna assembly defines a reference plane;

the movement mechanism is to rotate the antenna assembly about the axis;

the location receiver is directly or indirectly mounted to the antenna assembly at a distance from the axis equal to the radius such that when the movement mechanism rotates the antenna assembly about the axis, the location receiver rotates about the axis.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, the apparatus further comprising:

an antenna bearing calculation unit to determine an indication of an absolute bearing of the reference plane based on an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point and a position at which the location receiver is directly or indirectly mounted to the antenna assembly.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the indication of the absolute bearing of the reference plane is a vector perpendicular to the reference plane.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the axis is perpendicular to the reference plane;

and

the axis passes through a mid-point of the antenna assembly.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the axis is upright.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the calculation circuitry is to produce the output value and a further output value indicative of a tilt of the location receiver, additionally based on a radius between the location receiver and the axis.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the calculation circuitry comprises cost minimising circuitry to calculate the output value and further output value by performing a cost minimising function.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the cost minimising function is based on a least squares estimate of the output value and the further output value.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the calculation circuitry comprises:

a correlator to correlate the angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point and output a correlation result;

a phase angle extractor to produce the output value from the correlation result; and

a tilt estimator to produce the further output value based on a magnitude of the correlation result.

21. A method of operating an apparatus, the method comprising the steps:

receiving a signal indicative of a location of a location receiver;

rotating the location receiver about an axis;

providing an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point of the apparatus, wherein an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis is initially unknown; and

calculating an output value indicative of the absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, based on a plurality of given angles of the location receiver about the axis from the known point, and a plurality of associated locations of the location receiver indicated by the signal received when the location receiver is at each of the given angles.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a signal indicative of a location of the location receiver;

means for rotating the location receiver about an axis;

means for providing an angle of the location receiver about the axis from a known point of the apparatus, wherein an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis is initially unknown; and

means for calculating an output value indicative of an absolute bearing of the known point about the axis, based on a plurality of given angles of the location receiver about the axis from the known point, and a plurality of associated locations of the location receiver indicated by the signal received when the location receiver is at each of the given angles.