Method and system for locating direction of transmission source based on wave therefrom

• US 5,334,984 A
• Filed: 07/28/1992
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Keiso Company
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Keiso Company
• Inventors: Akaba, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/920,513
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 342/453, 342/13, 342/148, 342/149
• US Class Current: 342/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/10 Means for reducing or compensating for quadrantal, site, or like errors
• 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 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems

Abstract

A direction finding method and system for locating the direction of a transmission source based on an electromagnetic wave which is transmitted from the transmission source and is received by an antenna means at a receiving end apparatus. The transmission source transmits an angle-modulated wave. Meanwhile, the receiving end apparatus receives the transmitted wave, converts into electrical signals a beat frequency signal which is caused by direct and reflected waves contained in the received wave, and time-averaging the electrical signals, thus minimizing a angle error due to a multipass interference.

Claims

1. A direction finding method for locating the direction of a transmission source based on an electromagnetic wave which is transmitted from the transmission source and is received by an antenna means at a receiving end apparatus, said method comprising:

(a) at the transmission source, transmitting an angle-modulated wave which is a communication wave selected from a group consisting of a frequency modulated wave, a phase modulated wave, a chirp modulated wave, a frequency hopping wave, and a wave modulated by a phase shift keying; and

(b) at the receiving end apparatus receiving the transmitted wave, converting a beat frequency signal formed from a combination consisting of a direct wave and a reflected wave contained in the received wave, into intermediate signals, and time-averaging the intermediate signals, whereby an angle error due to a multipath interference is minimized by substantially eliminating multipath signal components so that the direction of the transmission source can be determined by using a monopulse method at the receiving end apparatus,

wherein a time averaged of the signals converted from the beat frequency signal is substantially 0 and modulation is unaltered by the direction of the transmission source with respect to the receiving end apparatus.

2. A direction finding method according to claim 1, in which the wave transmitted from the transmission source is received by at least two antennas at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of the transmission source can be located by using the amplitude comparison monopulse method.

3. A direction finding method according to claim 1, in which the wave transmitted from the transmission source is received by a dual-mode spiral antenna at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of the transmission source is located by using the monopulse method.

4. A direction finding method according to claim 1, in which the wave transmitted from the transmission source is received by at least two antennas at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of the transmission source can be located by using the amplitude/phase comparison monopulse method.

5. A direction finding method according to claim 1, in which the wave transmitted from the transmission source is received by at least two antennas at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of the transmission source is located by using the phase comparison monopulse method.

11. A direction finding system according to claim 1, in which said antenna means includes at least two pairs of antennas crossed one another perpendicularly, whereby mutually perpendicular two-dimensional directions of said transmission source can be located.

6. A direction finding system for locating the direction of a transmission source based on an electromagnetic wave which is transmitted from the transmission source and is received by an antenna means at a receiving end apparatus, said system comprising:

(a) said transmission source including means for transmitting an angle-modulated electromagnetic wave which is a wave selected from a group consisting of a frequency modulated wave, a phase modulated communication wave, a chirp modulated wave, a frequency hopping wave, and a wave modulated by a phase shift keying, said angle-modulated electromagnetic wave being constituted to carry directional information and communication information;

(b) said antenna means disposed at the receiving end apparatus for receiving the transmitted wave arranged so that the direction of the transmission source can be determined by using a monopulse method at the receiving end apparatus;

(c) a signal conversion means disposed at the receiving end apparatus for converting into intermediate signals a beat frequency signal formed from a combination consisting of a direct wave and a reflected wave contained in the wave received by said antenna means; and

(d) an averaging circuit for time-averaging the intermediate signals, whereby an angle error due to a multipath interference is minimized based on an output from said averaging circuit so as to substantially eliminate multipath signal components wherein a time averaged value of the signals converted from the beat frequency signal is substantially 0.

7. A direction finding system according to claim 6, in which said antenna means includes at least two antennas at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of said transmission source is located by using the amplitude comparison monopulse method.

8. A direction finding system according to claim 6, in which the antenna means includes a dual-mode spiral antenna at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of said transmission source is located by using the monopulse method.

9. A direction finding system according to claim 6, in which said antenna means includes at least two antenna at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of said transmission source is located by using the amplitude/phase comparison monopulse method.

10. A direction finding system according to claim 6, in which said antenna means includes at least two antenna at the receiving end apparatus, where the direction of said transmission source is located by using the phase comparison monopulse method.

12. A direction finding system according to claim 6, in which said antenna means includes at least two pairs of antennas crossing one another perpendicularly, whereby mutually perpendicular two-dimensional directions of said transmission source can be located.