Local-area position navigation system with fixed pseudolite reference transmitters

• US 5,686,924 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Woo, Arthur N., Trimble, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US08/453,261
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 364/449
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type

Abstract

Several fixed-location pseudolites transmit coordinates of their respective positions to a local area navigation receiver. The respective position and range information to each pseudolite are used to compute the position of the receiver. The pseudolites transmit on frequencies exempt from licensing requirements at power levels under one watt and use spread spectrum communication and pseudo random number codes similar to the global positioning system operated by the United States Government.

Claims

1. A local area navigation system, comprising:

a plurality of fixed-location pseudolites with carrier transmitters for transmitting a modulated carrier signal representative of respective physical positions of each pseudolite; and

a mobile navigation receiver connected to receive modulated carrier signals from a combination of orbiting navigation satellites and the plurality of fixed location pseudolites, and connected to demodulate from each said modulated carrier signal and derive range information to each to determine a position for the navigation receiver;

wherein, each of said pseudolites includes a position information modulator connected to provide spread-spectrum coded coordinate information that describes a fixed position of the pseudolite and that supplements or substitutes information obtained from said orbiting navigation satellites.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of pseudolites includes spread-spectrum radio transmitters for transmitting said modulated carrier signals at frequencies and power levels selected to avoid particular government use regulations; and

each of the plurality of pseudolites provides ephemeris information in its transmission regarding the fixed position of the pseudolite.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of pseudolites includes laser transmitters for transmitting said modulated carrier signals as beams of monochromatic laser light directed at expected locations of the mobile navigation receiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of pseudolites includes infrared transmitters that transmit said modulated carrier signals in beams of infrared light which are directed at expected locations of the receiver.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a survey unit connected to at least one pseudolite for automatically providing said pseudolite with its own position solution information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the survey unit includes global position system receiver connected to provide said position information from ranging signals received from orbiting satellite microwave transmissions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the navigation receiver includes downconversion means for the reception of microwave transmissions from orbiting GPS satellites, regional radio beacon transmissions of differential-correction data, and said modulated carrier signal transmissions from the pseudolites, and further includes navigation computer means for computing the position of the receiver from a combination of range signals received from both the pseudolites and said orbiting satellites after differential correction.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the navigation receiver includes a dual-frequency downconversion for the reception of both microwave transmissions from orbiting GPS satellites on a first frequency and the reception of said modulated carrier signals from the pseudolites on a second radio frequency, and further includes navigation computer means for computing the position of the receiver from a combination of range signals received from both the pseudolites and said orbiting satellites.

9. A system for transferring cargo from a moving vessel to a stationary dock and vice versa, comprising:

a plurality of fixed-location pseudolites fixed to a stationary dock with carrier transmitters for sending out a first plurality of modulated carrier signals which represent the respective physical positions of each fixed-position pseudolite; and

a plurality of relative-location pseudolites fixed to a floating vessel proximate to said dock with carrier transmitters for sending out a second plurality of modulated carrier signals which represent the respective physical positions of each relative-position pseudolite with reference to said floating vessel; and

a navigation receiver for receiving individual ones of said first and second modulated carrier signals and for demodulating from each signal a range information to each pseudolite and including navigation computer means for determining the position of the receiver from a triangulation of said range information with reference to either said dock fixed to the earth or said floating ship.

10. A system for transferring items between a mobile vehicle and a station, comprising:

a plurality of fixed-location pseudolites fixed to a station with carrier transmitters for sending out a first plurality of modulated carrier signals which represent the respective physical positions of each fixed-position pseudolite; and

a plurality of relative-location pseudolites fixed to a vehicle proximate to said station with carrier transmitters for sending out a second plurality of modulated carrier signals which represent the respective physical positions of each relative-position pseudolite with reference to said vehicle; and

a navigation receiver for receiving individual ones of said first and second modulated carrier signals and for demodulating from each signal a range information to each pseudolite and including navigation computer means for determining the position of the receiver from a triangulation of said range information with reference to either said station fixed to the earth or said vehicle.

11. A weapons system for guiding a smart weapon to a target with a known position, comprising:

a plurality of pseudolites deployed in the vicinity of a target with a known position and including respective carrier transmitters for sending out a plurality of modulated carrier signals which represent the respective physical positions of each pseudolite; and

a navigation receiver mounted aboard a smart weapon directed against said target and for receiving individual ones of said modulated carrier signals and for demodulating from each signal a range information to each pseudolite and including navigation computer means for determining the position of the receiver from a triangulation of said range information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

plurality of pseudolites report their positions in terms of relative coordinates that are independent of earth coordinates and related only to said known position of said target.