Method and system for long distance navigation and communication

• US 3,384,891 A
• Filed: 02/11/1965
• Issued: 05/21/1968
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anderson, Roy E.
• Original Assignee: Anderson, Roy E.
• Inventors: Anderson, Roy E.
• Application Number:
  US04/431,897
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.64
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 7/02 by radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence

Claims

1. A METHOD FOR LOCATING THE POSITION OF A CRAFT WITH RESPECT TO THE EARTH COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PLACING A VEHICLE PROVIDED WITH A RECEIVER AND TRANSMITTED IN A PATH ABOVE THE EARTH WHICH MAY BE ACCURATELY DETERMINED, TRANSMITTING RANGING-SIGNALS BY LINE-OF-SIGHT COMMUNICATION FROM A GROUND STATION LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH TO THE VEHICLE AT A KNOWN POSITION THEREOF, RECEIVEING THE RANGING-SIGNALS AND AUTOMATICALLY RETRANSMITTING THE RECEIVED SIGNALS SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE GROUND STATION AND BY LINE-OFSIGHT COMMUNICATION TO A CRAFT WHOSE POSITION IS TO BE LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO THE EARTH, RECEIVING THE RETRANSMITTED RANGING-SIGNALS AT THE GROUND STATION AND AT THE CRAFT AND AUTOMATICALLY RETRANSMITTING THE RECEIVED SIGNALS FROM THE CRAFT BACK TO THE VEHICLE, RECEIVING THE CRAFT-RETRANSMITTED RANGING-SIGNALS AT THE VEHICLE AND AUTOMATICALLY RETRANSMITTING SUCH SIGNALS FROM THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE GROUND STATION, MEASURING THE TIME INTERVAL AT THE GROUND STATION BETWEEN THE RECEPTION OF THE VEHICLE'"'"''"'"'S TWO RETRANSMISSIONS OF THE RANGING-SIGNALS WHEREBY THE RANGE FROM THE KNOWN POSITION OF THE VEHICLE TO THE CRAFT MAY BE DETERMINED, REPEATING THE STEP OF TRANSMITTING RANGING-SIGNALS FROM THE GROUND STATION TO THE VEHICLE AT A TIME SUBSEQUENT TO THE EARLIER TRANSMISSION SUCH THAT THE VEHICLE IS AT A SECOND KNOWN POSITION CONSIDERABLY REMOVED FROM THE EALIER KNOWN POSITION AND REPEATING THE STEPS OF RECEIVING AND RETRANSMITTING THE SUBSEQUENT TRANSMISSION AT THE VEHICLE AND CRAFT WHEREBY A MEASUREMENT OF THE TIME INTERVAL AT THE GROUND STATION BETWEEN RECEPTION OF THE VEHICLE'"'"''"'"'S TWO RETRANSMISSIONS OF THE SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSMITTED RANGING-SIGNALS DETERMINES THE RANGE FROM THE SECOND KNOWN POSITION OF THE VEHICLE TO THE CRAFT, AND LOCATING THE POSITION OF THE CRAFT BY EMPLOYING THE TWO DETERMINED RANGES FROM THE TWO KNOWN POSITIONS OF THE VEHICLE TO THE CRAFT TO DESCRIBE TWO CIRCLES OF POSITION THAT INTERSET AT TWO POINTS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE CRAFT'"'"''"'"'S POSITION.