CONTINUOUS HIGH-ACCURACY LOCATING METHOD AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method of locating an object that is to be located relative to a frame of reference associated with a reference object, the method including electrically generating a locating signal by modulating a carrier signal with pseudo-noise, this modulation spreading the spectrum of said locating signal, said locating signal being transmitted in the form of locating waves using at least one wave transmitter, such locating waves being received and transformed into a received reflected signal of electrical form, the received reflected signal being processed so as to determine at least the propagation time of said locating wave, which propagation time is used to calculate a relative position for said objects;
- wherein the method comprises the following steps;
electrically generating said locating signal and transmitting said locating wave from the reference object, the modulation of said carrier signal with said pseudo-noise being continuous and of the ultra-wideband (UWB) type;
reflecting said locating waves by reflector means situated on the object that is to be located;
receiving locating waves by at least two receiver means disposed on the reference object, each transforming the locating waves into a respective received reflected signal in electrical form;
analyzing the received reflected signals by means of a cross-correlation function between said locating signal and each of the received reflected signals, in order to segregate locating waves that have followed a direct path and any interfering locating waves that have followed indirect paths; and
deducing the shortest propagation time corresponding to those of the locating waves that have followed a path without interfering reflection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for locating an object (2) that is to be located relative to a reference object (1), by electrically generating a locating signal (SL) by modulating a carrier signal with pseudo-noise. The modulation is continuous and of the ultra-wideband (UWB) type. Analysis using a cross-correlation function between said locating signal (SL) and received reflected signals (SRR1, SRR2) serves to segregate waves that have followed a direct path and any interfering waves that have followed indirect paths, so as to be able to deduce therefrom the shortest overall propagation time corresponding to those of said locating waves (OL) that have followed direct paths. The invention applies in particular to a rotary wing aircraft, e.g. a helicopter drone.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of locating an object that is to be located relative to a frame of reference associated with a reference object, the method including electrically generating a locating signal by modulating a carrier signal with pseudo-noise, this modulation spreading the spectrum of said locating signal, said locating signal being transmitted in the form of locating waves using at least one wave transmitter, such locating waves being received and transformed into a received reflected signal of electrical form, the received reflected signal being processed so as to determine at least the propagation time of said locating wave, which propagation time is used to calculate a relative position for said objects;
wherein the method comprises the following steps; electrically generating said locating signal and transmitting said locating wave from the reference object, the modulation of said carrier signal with said pseudo-noise being continuous and of the ultra-wideband (UWB) type; reflecting said locating waves by reflector means situated on the object that is to be located; receiving locating waves by at least two receiver means disposed on the reference object, each transforming the locating waves into a respective received reflected signal in electrical form; analyzing the received reflected signals by means of a cross-correlation function between said locating signal and each of the received reflected signals, in order to segregate locating waves that have followed a direct path and any interfering locating waves that have followed indirect paths; and deducing the shortest propagation time corresponding to those of the locating waves that have followed a path without interfering reflection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification