Meteor scatter burst communication system

• US 4,685,149 A
• Filed: 02/20/1981
• Issued: 08/04/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1977
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Dale K., Dickerson, Bobby V., Leader, Raymond E., Donich, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Application Number:
  US06/236,353
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 455/56, 455/2, 455/52, 455/57, 455/53, 455/54, 455/64, 455/69, 455/88, 455/49, 343/18 R, 343/18 D, 343/18 E, 340/825.03, 340/825.04, 340/825.07, 340/825.08, 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 340/825.54, 340/311.1, 340/313
• US Class Current: 455/524
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/22 Scatter propagation systems , e.g. ionospheric, tropospheric or meteor scatter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The specification discloses a meteor burst communication system including at least two spaced apart master stations, in association with a plurality of groups of remote stations spaced at locations remote from the master stations, with each group being associated with one of the master stations. Each of the master stations incudes a radio transmitter for transmitting probing digital radio signals having address portions which are directed from the master station for reflection from meteor trails to the remote stations associated with the master station. Circuitry is provided to vary the length of the address portions transmitted by the master station in dependence upon desired signal-to-noise and timing considerations. Each of the remote stations includes a radio receiver for receiving the reflected probing digital radio signals from the master stations. Each of the remote stations also includes at least one sensor of physical characteristics such as snow depth, rain fall or the like. The remote stations further include a predetermined unique digital address sequence stored therein and include circuitry to compare the received address portions from the master station with the stored digital address sequence. The remote stations each include a transmitter for transmitting digital data representative of the output of the associated sensor to the master station via reflection from a meteor vapor trail, if the received address portion compares with the stored digital address sequence in accordance with predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A method of meteor burst radio communication, comprising the steps of:

generating a first polling code which polls a group of remote stations;

transmitting said polling code;

receiving, by means of signals reflected from meteor trails, said transmitted first polling code at a plurality of said remote stations of said group;

transmitting response signals from at least some of said remote stations receiving said transmitted first polling code; and

receiving said response signals, selecting a subset of said group of remote stations depending upon which said response signals have been received, namely, said subset including at least one of the remote stations of said group from which a response signal has not been received, and generating for transmission a second polling code, which polls those remote stations in said subset.

2. A method of radio wave communication under highly variable radio communication conditions, comprising the steps of:

generating a first polling sequence comprising a series of probes, each probe including a specific binary code of a predetermined number of bits;

transmitting each probe in said polling sequence for a predetermined period of time;

receiving, by means of signals reflected from meteor trails, said transmitted probes at a plurality of remote stations;

transmitting respective response signals from each of the receiving remote stations polled by the binary code included in said each probe; and

receiving said respective response signals, selecting a group of specific remote stations in dependence upon the identification of those remote stations responding, and generating a new polling sequence for polling said specific remote stations, comprising a new series of probes, each being a specific binary code of a number of bits different from that in each of said probes of the first polling sequence, to thereby define said specific remote stations in said group.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said number of bits in the probes of said new polling sequence is reduced, to increase the number of remote stations polled.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said number of bits in the probes of said new polling sequence is increased, to reduce the number of remote stations polled.

5. A meteor burst radio communication system comprising:

a plurality of remote stations and

a master station including;

means for generating a first polling code which polls a group of said remote stations and

means for transmitting said polling codes,

said remote stations including;

means for receiving, by means of signals reflected from meteor trails, said transmitted first polling code at a plurality of said remote stations of said group and

means for transmitting response signals from at least some of said remote stations receiving said transmitted first polling code,

said master station further including means for receiving said response signals, selecting a subset of said group of remote stations depending upon which said response signals have been received, namely, said subset including at least one of the remote stations of said group from which a response signal has not been received, and generating for transmission a second polling code, which polls those remote stations in said subset.