Multiple satellite locating system
First Claim
1. A system for determining the location of a first transmitter on the Earth'"'"'s surface;
- the system comprising;
at least two satellites in spaced-apart geosynchronous orbits;
each such satellite having an antenna which produces a rotating beam, said beam being substantially longer in a first cross-sectional plane than in a second orthogonal cross-sectional plane;
each such satellite also having a receiver responsive to the signal of said first transmitter and a second transmitter for re-transmitting a signal representative of said received first transmitter signal;
the rotating antenna beam of said satellites scanning overlapping patterns in a region of the Earth'"'"'s surface in which said first transmitter is positioned;
means for receiving said re-transmitted signals of said second transmitter and calculating the precise location of said first transmitter by determining the intersection point of the peak signal strength of the signal received by each of said satellite receivers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A locating system employs a multiple satellite configuration employing rotating scanning patterns for generating peak signal data which can be used to calculate the position of a signal source within a scanned region. One preferred embodiment utilizes two spaced satellites in high earth geosynchronous orbit and simultaneous narrow antenna beam rotation patterns to scan a substantial portion of the earth'"'"'s surface. The invention is particularly advantageous for locating stolen vehicles and for tracking inventory. The system may also be used for determining altitude of a signal source that may, for example, be located on an aircraft in flight.
An alternative embodiment employs a peak-detecting ground-based receiver and satellite or other scanning devices which generate and transmit a signal to the receiver indicating the precise current position of the antenna of each satellite. The ground-based receiver is equipped with a computer for calculating its own position by repeatedly correlating the time of peak signal detection and the data from the received satellite signals. Such an alternative embodiment would enable precise self-position determination without the use of a command center.
52 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for determining the location of a first transmitter on the Earth'"'"'s surface;
- the system comprising;
at least two satellites in spaced-apart geosynchronous orbits; each such satellite having an antenna which produces a rotating beam, said beam being substantially longer in a first cross-sectional plane than in a second orthogonal cross-sectional plane; each such satellite also having a receiver responsive to the signal of said first transmitter and a second transmitter for re-transmitting a signal representative of said received first transmitter signal; the rotating antenna beam of said satellites scanning overlapping patterns in a region of the Earth'"'"'s surface in which said first transmitter is positioned; means for receiving said re-transmitted signals of said second transmitter and calculating the precise location of said first transmitter by determining the intersection point of the peak signal strength of the signal received by each of said satellite receivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- the system comprising;
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11. A system for determining the precise location of a source of energy in a selected region of the Earth'"'"'s surface;
- the system comprising;
at least two geosynchronous satellite-based receivers responsive to said source of energy; means, also based on said satellites, for simultaneously scanning overlapping respective line patterns in said region;
for and means calculating of said precise location by determining the point of intersection of said respective line patterns corresponding to peak energy detection by said respective receivers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- the system comprising;
Specification