SATPS dynamic surveying from a moving platform

• US 5,644,318 A
• Filed: 02/02/1996
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Michael D., Janky, James M., Tankhilevich, Boris G., Denninger, Valentine L., Jones, James Edwin Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/595,818
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 342/358, 342/457, 364/449
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile

Abstract

The mobile station designed for the mobile differential dynamic surveying and targeting is disclosed. The mobile station includes a targeting device for acquiring the coordinates and the image of the designated remote target object. The mobile station further includes a SATPS based differential position-angular determination system capable of determining the coordinates of the mobile station and the angular coordinates of the normal vector to the mobile station. The mobile station receives the differential corrections from the differential station and transmits the data and image information to the third station.

Claims

1. A system for dynamic surveying from a moving platform comprising:

a mobile station for performing a dynamic survey, said mobile station comprising;

a targeting means communicatively connected to said moving platform for targeting a designated object and for determining the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object;

a position-angular determination means communicatively coupled to said moving platform for determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform and angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of a normal vector to said moving platform;

a first communication means communicatively connected to said moving platform for receiving the differential corrections from a SATPS differential station;

wherein said differential station broadcasts the differential corrections;

a computer means coupled to said first communication means for continuously processing data including;

(a) the differential corrections, (b) the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform, (c) the angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of the normal vector to said moving platform, and (d) the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object in order to obtain the coordinates (X2, Y2, Y2) of said designated object;

and

a first communication link between said mobile station and said differential station.

2. The system of claim 1 further including:

a second communication means communicatively connected to said moving platform; and

a second communication link between said mobile station and a third station for transmitting the dam from said mobile station to said third station.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a blimp.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a helicopter.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a plane.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a remotely piloted vehicle.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a rocket powered missile.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said moving platform comprises:

a ship.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said targeting means further comprises:

a rangefinder means coupled to said moving platform for determining the value R of the distance from an observer to said designated object.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said targeting means further comprises:

a rangefinder means connected to said moving platform for determining the value R of the distance from an observer to said designated object; and

a viewing means for receiving an image of said designated object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said viewing means further comprises:

a telescope.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said viewing means further comprises:

a videocamera.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said third station is a TV station, and wherein said second communication link transmits the image of said designated object from said moving platform to said TV station.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said viewing means further comprises:

an infra-red camera.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said viewing means further comprises:

a display means for displaying a visual image of said designated object.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said rangefinder means further comprises:

a laser range-finder.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said rangefinder means further comprises:

an optical range-finder.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said rangefinder means further comprises:

an acoustic range-finder.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein said rangefinder means further comprises:

a radar range-finder.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein said computer means further includes:

a digital map database for mapping said designated object on said digital map database.

21. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link comprises:

a radiowave frequency band.

22. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

an infrared frequency band.

23. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

a microwave frequency band.

24. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

the ISM (industrial scientific medical) unlicensed operation band, and

wherein the ISM band range is selected from a class of frequency range consisting of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz; and

wherein the user can own the both ends of the ISM communication system.

25. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

a real time circuit switched communication link.

26. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

a 1.8 GHz band, wherein said 1.8 GHz band supports the personal communications services (PCS).

27. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

a Low Earth Orbiting Satellites (LEOS), wherein said LEOS is used to store and to forward digital packet data.

28. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link is selected from a class of radiowave communication means consisting of a cellular telephone communication means, a wireless messaging services, a wireless application services, a wireless WAN/LAN station, and an Earth-satellite-Earth communication module that uses at least one satellite to relay a radiowave signal.

29. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) including a modem, and wherein said modem is selected from a class consisting of a DSP (digital signal processor) modem, and a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) modem.

30. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication link includes:

a digital cellular telephone communication means, and wherein said digital cellular telephone communication means includes a means of modulation of digital data over a radiolink selected from a class consisting of a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, and a code division multiple access (CDMA) system.

31. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link comprises:

a radiowave frequency band.

32. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

an infrared frequency band.

33. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

a microwave frequency band.

34. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

the ISM (industrial scientific medical) unlicensed operation band, and

wherein the ISM band range is selected from a class of frequency range consisting of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz; and

wherein the user can own the both ends of the ISM communication system.

35. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

a real time circuit switched communication link.

36. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

a 1.8 GHz band, wherein said 1.8 GHz band supports the personal communications services (PCS).

37. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

a Low Earth Orbiting Satellites (LEOS), wherein said LEOS is used to store and to forward digital packet data.

38. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link is selected from a class of radiowave communication means consisting of a cellular telephone communication means, a wireless messaging services, a wireless application services, a wireless WAN/LAN station, and an Earth-satellite-Earth communication module that uses at least one satellite to relay a radiowave signal.

39. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

an Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) including a modem, and

wherein said modem is selected from a class consisting of a DSP (digital signal processor) modem, and a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) modem.

40. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link includes:

a digital cellular telephone communication means, and wherein said digital cellular telephone communication means includes a means of modulation of digital data over a radiolink selected from a class consisting of a time division multiple access (TDMA) system, and a code division multiple access (CDMA) system.

41. The system of claim 2, wherein said second communication link comprises:

a TV frequency band.

42. The system of claim 2, wherein said position-angular determination means communicatively connected to said targeting means for determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform and angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

), of the normal vector to said moving platform further includes;

at least three SATPS signal antennas for providing at least three satellite signals having different phases;

and

a processing means connected to each said SATPS antenna for processing said three SATPS satellite signals having different phases, and for determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform and angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of the normal vector to said moving platform.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said at least three SATPS signal antennas includes a co-planar system of said at least three SATPS antennas.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said at least three SATPS signal antennas includes an out-of plane system of said at least three SATPS antennas.

45. A system for dynamic surveying comprising:

a mobile station for performing a dynamic survey, said mobile station comprising;

a moving platform;

a targeting means communicatively connected to said moving platform for targeting a designated object and for determining the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object;

a position-angular determination means communicatively coupled to said moving platform for determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform and angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of a normal vector to said moving platform;

a first communication means communicatively connected to said moving platform for receiving the differential corrections from a SATPS differential station;

wherein said differential station broadcasts the differential corrections;

a computer means coupled to said first communication means for continuously processing data including;

(a) the differential corrections, (b) the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform, (c) the angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of the normal vector to said moving platform, and (d) the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object in order to obtain the coordinates (X2, Y2, Y2) of said designated object;

and

a first communication link between said mobile station and said differential station.

46. A system for dynamic targeting a predetermined location with coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) from a moving platform, said system comprising:

a position determination means communicatively coupled to said moving platform for determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform;

a first communication link between said moving platform and a SATPS differential station;

a first communication means communicatively connected to said moving platform for receiving the differential corrections from said SATPS differential station;

wherein said differential station broadcasts the differential corrections;

a computer means coupled to said first communication means for continuously processing data including coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) of said predetermined location and coordinates of said moving platform (X1, Y1, Z1) in order to determine in real time the value R of the distance and the angular orientation coordinates (θ

1, φ

1) of the sighting line between said moving platform and said predetermined location; and

a targeting means communicatively connected to said moving platform for targeting said predetermined location with coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) using the value of the distance R and the angular coordinates (θ

1, φ

1) of the sighting line between said moving platform and said predetermined location.

47. A method for dynamic surveying from a moving platform, said method comprises the steps of:

targeting a designated object and determining the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object using a targeting means;

determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform and angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of a normal vector to said moving platform using a position-angular determination means;

receiving differential corrections from a SATPS differential station utilizing a communication means;

wherein said differential station broadcasts the differential corrections; and

processing the data including the differential corrections, the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform, the angular orientation coordinates (θ

, φ

) of the normal vector to said moving platform, and the value R of the distance between said moving platform and said designated object in order to obtain the coordinates (X2, Y2, Y2) of said designated object using a computer means.

48. The method of claim 47 further including the step of:

receiving the image of said designated object using a viewing means.

49. The method of claim 48 further including the step of:

mapping the received images of said designated object with the coordinates of the designated object on the electronic map using a computer means.

50. The method of claim 48 further including the step of:

transmitting the coordinates and the image of said designated object from said mobile station to a third station using a second communication link between said mobile station and said third station.

51. The method of claim 49 further including the step of:

transmitting the electronic map including the coordinates and the image of said designated object from said mobile station to a third station using a second communication link between said mobile station and said third station.

52. A method for dynamic targeting a predetermined location with coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) from a moving platform, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the location coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of said moving platform using a position determination means;

receiving the differential corrections from a SATPS differential station employing a first communication means;

continuously processing data including coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) of said predetermined location and coordinates of said moving platform (X1, Y1, Z1) using a computer means in order to determine in real time the value R of the distance and the angular orientation coordinates (θ

1, φ

1) of the sighting line between said moving platform and said predetermined location; and

targeting said predetermined location with coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) employing a targeting means that uses the value of the distance R and the angular coordinates (θ

1, φ

1) of the sighting line between said moving platform and said predetermined location.