Method and apparatus for identifying, locating, tracking, or communicating with remote objects

• US 5,920,278 A
• Filed: 05/28/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Greg Gibbons
• Original Assignee: Gregory D. Gibbons
• Inventors: Long, Roy A., Gibbons, Gregory D., Tyler, G. Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US08/865,423
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 342/33, 342/31, 342/34, 342/35, 342/36, 342/40, 342/57, 342/58, 342/189, 342/194, 342/195, 342/352, 342/107, 342/108, 342/115, 342/125, 342/135, 342/139, 342/140, 342/145, 342/357 , 342/367, 342/456, 342/463, 370/324, 370/350, 375/354, 375/355, 375/356
• US Class Current: 342/33
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/08 using synchronised clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A broadband transmitter element, located at a remote object, transmits a broadband signal at a prescribed transmission time. A broadband receiver element, located at a base platform spaced from the remote object, receives electromagnetic radiation during a reception search window. The broadband receiver element stores information characterizing the broadband signal. A synchronizer synchronizes the broadband transmitter element with the broadband receiver element for timing the transmission and reception. A processing device derives an estimated time of flight for the broadband signal to travel from the remote object to the base platform, and a correlation detector, located at the base platform, identifies the remote object and the arrival time of the broadband signal by correlating the stored information with signals received during the reception search window.

Claims

1. Apparatus for communicating broadband signals from a remote object to a base platform, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the apparatus comprising:

a first transmitter device, located at the remote object, said first transmitter device including

a first waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a first broadband signal, such characterization including a prescribed signal transmission time,

a first broadband transmitter element configured to radiate the first broadband signal in accordance with said stored information,

a first synchronizable clock that maintains a first time reference, and

a first time-setting device for setting said first synchronizable clock;

a first receiver device located at the base platform at a first location, the first receiver device including

a second waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a second broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

a first broadband receiver element configured to receive and process electromagnetic radiation, and produce a first output signal,

a second synchronizable clock that maintains a second time reference,

a second time-setting device for setting the second synchronizable clock, and

a first digital signal processing correlator configured to correlate the first output signal with the second broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, the first digital signal processing correlator outputs a first correlation output; and

a first processing device that computes, based upon the first correlation output, a first apparent arrival time of the radiated first broadband signal received by the first broadband receiver element relative to the second time reference.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the first broadband receiver element includes

an analog module that conditions the received electromagnetic radiation to produce a conditioned signal, and

an A/D converter that digitizes the conditioned signal to produce a digital signal; and

the first digital signal processing correlator includes

a digital signal processor that performs digital signal processing of said digital signal, to produce a processed digitized signal, and

a correlation detector that correlates the processed digitized signal to produce the first correlation output.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, the apparatus further comprises a computer for protecting the received, first broadband signal from interference.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the computer executes a pre-clipper function.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the computer identifies time intervals in which the received, first broadband signal contains short duration energy that exceeds a prescribed threshold, and wherein the computer reduces the signal amplitude of the processed digitized signal during such time intervals.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the computer estimates the narrow band energy level of the received, first broadband signal in a neighborhood time span of such time intervals and interpolate values from the neighborhood time span for the conditioned signal during such time intervals.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the computer determines whether there is insufficient short duration energy to warrant interpolation, and if so, applies a windowing algorithm to reduce the signal amplitude of said time intervals, to minimize noise in the processed digitized signal.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, and further comprising means for converting the processed digitized signal to the frequency domain, to produce a frequency-domain digitized signal.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, and further comprising:

means for determining a broadband noise amplitude for identifying any frequencies in the frequency-domain digitized signal at which the amplitude of the frequency-domain digitized signal exceeds the broadband noise amplitude by at least a prescribed threshold factor; and

means for producing a corrected-frequency digitized signal by substituting a lesser amplitude value for any amplitude value of the frequency-domain digitized signal that exceeds the broadband noise amplitude.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the lesser amplitude value that is substituted by the means for producing is zero.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the lesser amplitude value that is substituted by the means for producing is one for all frequencies in a band of the received, first broadband signal and zero for all frequencies not in the band of the broadband signal.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the means for producing substitutes the spectrum of the received, first broadband signal for all of the amplitude values, except where already replaced with the lesser amplitude value.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, and further comprising means for converting the corrected-frequency digitized signal into the time domain and for removing short impulsive broadband interference to produce a corrected time-domain signal.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the computer removes strong impulses from the conditioned digitized signal.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the receiver device further comprises means for converting the conditioned digitized signal into the frequency domain, to form a frequency-domain digital signal; and

the computer removes narrowband interference from the frequency-domain digital signal.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the receiver device further comprises means for converting the conditioned digitized signal into the frequency domain, to form a frequency-domain digital signal and means for converting the frequency-domain digital signal into the time domain, to form a time-domain signal; and

the computer removes residual impulses from the time-domain signal, to produce a corrected time-domain signal.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first time-setting device uses signals from at least one G.P.S. satellite to set said first synchronizable clock.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the second time-setting device uses signals from at least one G.P.S. satellite to set said second synchronizable clock.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a waveform characterization device to generate the information in the first waveform storage device and the information in the second waveform storage device, the waveform characterization device containing a random number generator and using both a random number seed and a synchronized time reference to generate said information for storage in the first waveform storage device and the second waveform storage device, wherein both the first synchronizable clock device and the second synchronizable clock device are capable of providing the synchronized time reference.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein:

when the random number seed used to generate the information for the first waveform storage device is the same as the random number seed used to generate the information for the second waveform storage device, and when the first time reference maintained by the first synchronizable clock is synchronized with the second time reference maintained by the second synchronizable clock, then the first waveform storage device contains identical information to that of the second waveform storage device and the first broadband receiver element thus can correctly receive the first broadband signal radiated by the first broadband transmitter element; and

when the first broadband receiver element correctly receives the radiated, first broadband signal, the first processing device can compute a first observed range from the first broadband receiver element to the first broadband transmitter element according to the first apparent arrival time and the prescribed signal transmission time contained in the second waveform storage device.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 20, and further comprising:

a second receiver device located at a distance from the first receiver device at a second location, the second receiver device including

a third waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a third broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

a second broadband receiver element that receives the electromagnetic radiation, and produces a second output signal,

a third synchronizable clock that maintains a third time reference,

a third time-setting device for setting the third synchronizable clock, and

a second digital signal processing correlator configured to correlate the second output signal with the third broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the third waveform storage device, the second digital signal processing correlator outputs a second correlation output; and

a second processing device that computes, based upon the second correlation output, a second apparent arrival time of the radiated, first broadband signal received by the second broadband receiver element with respect to the third time reference;

wherein the waveform characterization device also generates the information in the third waveform storage device, the waveform characterization device uses the random number seed and the third synchronizable clock to generate said information in the third waveform storage device;

wherein when the random number seed used to generate the information for the third waveform storage device is identical to the random number seed used to generate the information for the first and second waveform storage devices, and when the third time reference maintained by the third synchronizable clock device is synchronized with the first and second time references maintained by the first and second synchronizable clocks, then the first waveform storage device and the third waveform storage device store identical information, and the second broadband receiver element thus can correctly receive the first broadband signal radiated by the first broadband transmitter element;

wherein when the second broadband receiver element correctly receives the radiated, first broadband signal, the second processing device computes a second observed range from the second broadband receiver element to the first broadband transmitter element according to the second apparent arrival time and the prescribed signal transmission time contained in the third waveform storage device; and

wherein said first observed range and said second observed range, together with knowledge of the first location and second location when the first broadband signal is radiated, are used to accurately determine a position of the first broadband transmitter element with respect to the first broadband receiver element or the second broadband receiver element.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 20, and further comprising:

a first broadband antenna electrically connected to the first broadband transmitter element;

a second broadband antenna electrically connected to the first broadband receiver element and located at a second location;

a second broadband receiver element that is integrated in the first receiver device, wherein the second broadband receiver element receives electromagnetic radiation, and produces a second output signal; and

a third broadband antenna electrically connected to the second broadband receiver element and located at a second location;

said first digital signal processing correlator includes a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel correlates the first output signal with the second broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, to provide the first correlation output, and wherein the second channel correlates the second output signal with the second broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, to provide a second correlation output;

the first processing device computes, based upon the second correlation output, a second apparent arrival time of the radiated, first broadband signal received by the second broadband receiver element relative to the second time reference;

wherein the correlation of the first output signal is synchronous with the correlation of the second output signal;

wherein the first correlation output contains a first peak; and

wherein the second correlation output contains a second peak, which is separated from the first peak by a time difference that corresponds to the difference between a first range from the first broadband antenna to the second broadband antenna and a second range from the first broadband antenna to the third broadband antenna.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22, the first processing device determines the direction of the first broadband antenna relative to an axis intersecting the first location and the second location, based on knowledge of the first and second locations of the second broadband antenna and the third broadband antenna and the difference of the first apparent arrival time and the second apparent arrival time.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a first broadband antenna electrically connected to the first broadband transmitter element, for radiating a first copy of the first broadband signal;

a second broadband antenna electrically connected to the first broadband transmitter element, for radiating a second copy of the first broadband signal, wherein the second broadband antenna is separated from the first broadband antenna by a prescribed separation distance; and

a third broadband antenna electrically connected to the first broadband receiver element, that is capable of receiving the radiated first copy of the first broadband signal and the radiated second copy of the first broadband signal;

wherein the first receiver device is configured to compute, based upon a difference in apparent arrival times of the radiated first copy and second copy of the first broadband signal, originating at the respective first and second broadband antennas, together with the prescribed separation distance of the first and second broadband antennas, an angle between an axis joining the first and second broadband antennas and a transmission path of the radiated first copy or second copy of the first broadband signal to the first receiver device.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, and further comprising:

a first cable electrically connecting the first broadband transmitter to the first broadband antenna;

a second cable electrically connecting the first broadband transmitter to the second broadband antenna, wherein the first cable and the second cable are of substantially equal lengths, similar material, and similar cross sectional area, and wherein a substantially identical delay is imparted by each cable to its associated antenna.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the received first copy of the first broadband signal is delayed from the received second copy of the first broadband signal by a prescribed time delay, wherein the prescribed time delay is stored as information in the second waveform storage device, and wherein the first receiver device is configured to use the prescribed time delay to compute the angle.

27. The apparatus as defined in claim 26, and further comprising a delay device connected to one of said cables, for effecting the prescribed time delay.

28. The apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein:

the first transmitter device produces both the first copy of the first broadband signal and the second copy of the first broadband signal, the second copy of the first broadband signal being delayed from the first copy of the first broadband signal by the prescribed time delay; and

the apparatus further comprises a switch that selects between the first broadband antenna and the second broadband antenna, such that the first copy of the first broadband signal is transmitted over the first broadband antenna and the second copy of the first broadband signal is transmitted over the second broadband antenna.

29. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising:

a first broadband antenna electrically connected to the first transmitter device; and

second, third, and fourth broadband antennas, each electrically connected to the first receiver device, wherein the second, third, and fourth broadband antennas are not co-linear, such that when the second, third, and fourth broadband antennas receive a distinct copy of the radiated, first broadband signal, an angle of arrival of the radiated, first signal relative to a plane intersecting the second, third, and fourth broadband antennas, can be computed unambiguously in two dimensions.

30. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a first broadband antenna electrically connected to the first transmitter device; and

second, third, fourth, and fifth broadband antennas, each electrically connected to the first receiver device, no three of four of said second, third, fourth, and fifth broadband antennas being co-linear, wherein each of the second, third, and fourth broadband antennas receives a distinct copy of the radiated, first broadband signal, such that an angle of arrival of the radiated, first signal, relative to a plane intersecting the second, third, fourth, and fifth broadband antennas, can be computed unambiguously in three dimensions.

31. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first broadband signal which is characterized by the information stored in the first waveform storage device, includes a prescribed plurality of fundamental pulses.

32. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first broadband signal, which is characterized by the information stored in the first waveform storage device, includes a plurality of fundamental pulses of prescribed phase.

33. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first broadband signal, which is characterized by the information stored in the first waveform storage device, includes a plurality of fundamental pulses, with prescribed time durations between successive pulses.

34. Apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein each fundamental pulse of the first broadband signal includes several cycles of a prescribed frequency.

35. Apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein each fundamental pulse of the first broadband signal has a prescribed, substantially Gaussian envelope.

36. Apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein the first broadband transmitter element of the first transmitter device includes:

a local oscillator that generates a local oscillator signal having a prescribed frequency;

a device that produces a prescribed burst of square wave pulses; and

a mixer that mixes the local oscillator signal with the burst of square wave pulses, to produce the first broadband signal.

37. Apparatus as defined in claim 36, wherein the device that produces a prescribed burst of square wave pulses includes a shift register.

38. Apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein the plurality of fundamental pulses of the first broadband signal include a plurality of pulse doublets, each doublet including a first fundamental pulse having a first phase, followed immediately by a second fundamental pulse having a second phase, different from the first phase.

39. Apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein the first broadband transmitter element of the transmitter device includes a resonant transmission line and a fast-acting switch that is conditioned intermittently to excite the resonant transmission line.

40. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first broadband signal, which is characterized by the information stored in the first waveform storage device, includes a series of fundamental pulses having prescribed, differing amplitudes.

41. Apparatus as defined in claim 40, wherein the first broadband transmitter element of the first transmitter device includes an arbitrary waveform generator.

42. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first broadband transmitter element of the first transmitter device is configured to combine the first broadband signal with information message bits according to a prescribed coding scheme, for radiation and receipt by the first receiver device, and wherein the first receiver device additionally comprises a device for recovering the information message bits according to the prescribed coding scheme.

43. The apparatus as defined in claim 42, wherein the transmitter device is configured as an omni-directional beacon.

44. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising:

a second transmitter device substantially identical to the first transmitter device, wherein the first waveform storage device of the first transmitter device and the first waveform storage device of the second transmitter device each store different information characterizing the two different broadband signals to be radiated by the respective first and second transmitter devices; and

a second receiver device substantially identical to the first receiver device, wherein the second waveform storage device of the first receiver device contains the same information as the first waveform storage device of the first transmitter device and the second waveform storage device of the second receiver device contains the same information as the first waveform storage device of the second transmitter device;

wherein the first transmitter device and the first receiver device can communicate with each other, and the second transmitter device and the second receiver device can communicate with each other, simultaneously.

45. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, the apparatus further comprising means for protecting the received, first broadband signal from interference.

46. The apparatus as defined in claim 45, wherein the means for protecting the received, first broadband signal from interference comprises electronic hardware.

47. The apparatus as defined in claim 46, wherein the electronic hardware comprises a filter.

48. The apparatus as defined in claim 46, wherein the electronic hardware comprises a limiter.

49. The apparatus as defined in claim 46, wherein the electronic hardware comprises an automatic gain control circuit that conditions a signal level of the received, first broadband signal received at the broadband receiver element to remain within a prescribed dynamic range.

50. The apparatus as defined in claim 45, wherein the means for protecting the received, first broadband signal comprises a combination of electronic hardware and computer software.

51. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including:

a plurality of first receiver devices, each of which includes

(1) a locator device and a synchronizer device that determines the spatial location of the receiver device, and provides a sychronized local time reference, and

(2) a communication device configured to communicate a processor message between the receiver devices; and

a central processor device that receives from each of the plurality of receiver devices a processor message containing the apparent arrival time of the broadband signal at that receiver device and the location of that receiver device at the time the broadband signal was received at that receiver device, and thereby determines the location and clock error of the transmitter device.

52. Apparatus for determining an azimuth of a remote object from a base platform using broadband signals, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter device, located at the remote object, said transmitter device including

a first waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a plurality of first broadband signals, such characterization including a prescribed signal transmission time for each first broadband signal,

a plurality of broadband transmitter antennas arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry, and

a broadband transmitter element configured to simultaneously radiate a one of the plurality of first broadband signals over each of said plurality of broadband transmitter antennas, in accordance with said stored information;

a receiver device located at the base platform, the receiver device including

a second waveform storage device that stores information characterizing one or more of a plurality of second broadband signals, including the prescribed signal transmission time for each of the one or more of the plurality of second broadband signal,

a broadband receiver antenna that is capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of first broadband signals radiated over said plurality of broadband transmitter antennas,

a broadband receiver element configured to receive and process the electromagnetic radiation from said broadband receiver antenna, thereby producing a first output signal, and

a digital signal processing correlator configured to correlate the output signal with the one or more of the plurality of second broadband signals characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, the digital signal processing correlator outputs a correlation output that is used to derive a time of arrival of each of the one or more of the plurality of first broadband signals that is radiated by the plurality of broadband transmitter antennas; and

a processing device that computes said azimuth based upon the prescribed geometry and the time of arrival differences of each of the one or more of the plurality of first broadband signals as determined by said correlation detector.

53. The apparatus as defined in claim 52, wherein said plurality of broadband transmitter antennas comprises at least three broadband transmitter antennas.

54. The apparatus as defined in claim 53, wherein the apparatus is configured as an aircraft landing system.

55. Apparatus for determining the azimuth of a remote object from a base platform using broadband signals, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter device, located at the remote object, said transmitter device including

a first waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a broadband signal, such characterization including a prescribed signal transmission time,

a broadband transmitter antenna, and

a broadband transmitter element configured to radiate the broadband signal over said broadband transmitter antenna, in accordance with said stored information,

a receiver device located at the base platform, the first receiver device including

a second waveform storage device that stores information characterizing the broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

a plurality of broadband receiver antennas, arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry, that are capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the broadband signal radiated from said broadband transmitter antenna,

a broadband receiver element configured to receive and process the electromagnetic radiation from each of said plurality of broadband receiver antennas, thereby producing a conditioned signal, and

a multi-channel correlation detector configured to synchronously correlate the conditioned signal with the broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, the multi-channel correlation detector outputs a correlation output that is used to derive a time of arrival of the radiated broadband signal at each of the plurality of broadband receiver antennas; and

a processing device that computes said azimuth based upon the prescribed geometry and the time of arrival differences of the broadband signal being received at each of the plurality of broadband receiver antennas as determined by said multi-channel correlation detector.

56. The apparatus as defined in claim 55, wherein the processing device comprises a clock, and it measures the time of arrival differences of the broadband signal received at each of the plurality of broadband receiver elements based upon said clock.

57. The apparatus as defined in claim 55, wherein the broadband receiver element receives and processes the electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of broadband receiver antennas.

58. An apparatus as defined in claim 55, wherein the derivation of the time of arrival of the broadband signals at each of the broadband receiver antennas uses the measured amplitude samples of the received broadband signal, together with information indicative of the prescribed broadband signal envelope, to accurately derive the time of arrival of the broadband signal at each receiver device.

59. Apparatus for determining a location and a clock error of a remote object from a plurality of base platforms using broadband signals, the remote object being spaced from the plurality of base platforms, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter device, located at the remote object, said transmitter device including

a first waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a broadband signal, such characterization including a prescribed signal transmission time,

a broadband transmitter antenna, and

a broadband transmitter element configured to radiate the broadband signal over said broadband transmitter antenna, in accordance with said stored information,

a receiver device located at each of the plurality of base platforms, each receiver device including,

a second waveform storage device that stores information characterizing the broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

a broadband receiver antenna that receives electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the broadband signal radiated from said broadband transmitter antenna, and

a broadband receiver element that receives and processes the electromagnetic radiation from the broadband receiver antenna, thereby producing a conditioned signal;

a correlation detector configured to synchronously correlate the conditioned signal with the broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, the correlation detector outputs a correlation output,

a first processing device, responsive to the correlation output, for deriving a time of arrival of the radiated broadband signal at the broadband receiver antenna and a location of the broadband receiver antenna at the time of arrival; and

a communication device for sending the time of arrival and the location of the broadband receiver antenna at the time of arrival; and

a second processing device that computes said location and said clock error based upon the locations of the broadband receiver antenna and the time of arrival of the broadband signal being received at the plurality of broadband receiver antennas.

60. A method for communicating a prescribed broadband signal from a remote object to a first base platform, the remote object being spaced from the first base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting the prescribed broadband signal from the remote object by

storing information that characterizes the prescribed broadband signal, including a prescribed signal transmission time,

maintaining a first settable time reference, and

radiating the prescribed broadband signal in accordance with the stored information and the first time reference;

receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at the first base platform by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

receiving and processing electromagnetic radiation, to produce a first output signal,

maintaining a second settable time reference, and

correlating the first output signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored at the first base platform, and producing a first correlation output; and

computing, based upon the first correlation output, a first apparent arrival time of the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal relative to the second time reference.

61. The method as defined in claim 60, for additionally communicating the prescribed broadband signal from the remote object to a second base platform, the remote object being spaced from the second base platform, the method further comprising:

receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at the second base platform by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

receiving and processing electromagnetic radiation, to produce a second output signal,

maintaining a third settable time reference, and

correlating the second output signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored at the second base platform, and producing a second correlation output;

computing, based upon the second correlation output, a second apparent arrival time of the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal relative to the third time reference;

deriving a first observed range from the first base platform to the remote object based upon said first apparent arrival time;

deriving a second observed range from the second base platform to the remote object based upon said second apparent arrival time; and

using the first observed range and the second observed range to accurately determine a position of the remote object with respect to the first base platform or the second base platform.

62. A method for determining an azimuth of a remote object from a base platform using broadband signals, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting multiple copies of a prescribed broadband signal at the remote object, including

storing information in a first waveform storage device that characterizes the prescribed broadband signal, including a prescribed signal transmission time,

providing a plurality of broadband transmitter antennas arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry,

radiating the multiple copies of the prescribed broadband signal simultaneously over said plurality of broadband transmitter antennas;

receiving the radiated multiple copies of the prescribed broadband signal at the base platform, including

storing information in a second waveform storage device that characterizes the prescribed broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

providing a broadband receiver antenna that receives electromagnetic radiation from the plurality of broadband transmission antennas,

receiving and processing the electromagnetic radiation from said broadband receiver antenna, to produce a conditioned signal for each of said radiated multiple copies of the prescribed broadband signal, and

correlating the conditioned signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, to produce a correlation output that can be used to compute the time of arrival for each of the multiple copies of the prescribed broadband signal with respect to said second time reference; and

computing the azimuth based upon the prescribed geometry and the time difference of arrival of the multiple copies of the prescribed broadband signal transmitted from the plurality of broadband transmitter antennas.

63. The method as defined in claim 62, wherein:

correlating produces a separate time of arrival for each multiple copy of the prescribed broadband signal transmitted by the broadband transmitter antennas, and received by the broadband receiving antenna; and

correlation utilizes a common clock to determine the difference in the time of arrival for each multiple copy of the prescribed broadband signal.

64. A method for determining the azimuth of a remote object from a base platform using a prescribed broadband signal, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting the prescribed broadband signal at the remote object by

storing information in a first waveform storage device that characterizes the prescribed broadband signal, including a prescribed signal transmission time,

providing a broadband transmitter antenna, and

radiating the prescribed broadband signal over said broadband transmitter antenna;

receiving the transmitted prescribed broadband signal at the base platform by

storing information in a second waveform storage device that characterizes the prescribed broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

providing a plurality of broadband receiver antennas, arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry, that receive and filter electromagnetic radiation,

receiving and processing the electromagnetic radiation received from each of said broadband receiver antennas, to produce a separate conditioned signal for each broadband receiver antenna, and

correlating each conditioned signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored in the second waveform storage device, to produce a plurality of correlation outputs;

computing, based upon the plurality of correlation outputs, the arrival time of the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at each of the plurality of broadband receiver antennas; and

calculating the azimuth based upon the prescribed geometry and the computed arrival time of the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at each of the plurality of broadband receiver antennas.

65. A method for determining an estimated position of a remote object and a time error between a first time reference at a remote object and a second time reference at a base platform, using a prescribed broadband signal, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting the prescribed broadband signal from the remote object by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal in a first waveform storage device, the stored information including a prescribed signal transmission time,

producing the prescribed broadband signal in accordance with the stored information in the first waveform storage device, and

providing a broadband transmitter antenna to radiate the produced, prescribed broadband signal;

receiving the transmitted prescribed broadband signal at the base platform by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal in a second waveform storage device, the stored information including the prescribed signal transmission time,

providing a plurality of broadband receiver antennas, arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry, each configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from said broadband transmitter antenna, to produce a plurality of receiver antenna signals,

receiving and filtering the plurality of receiver antenna signals, to produce a corresponding plurality of conditioned signals, and

correlating the conditioned signal corresponding to each broadband receiver antenna with the prescribed broadband signal as characterized by the information stored in the second waveform storage device, to produce a plurality of correlation outputs based upon each correlation;

computing, based upon the plurality of correlation outputs, a plurality of arrival times of the transmitted broadband signal relative to the second time reference; and

deriving an estimated position of the remote object and the time error based upon the prescribed geometry and the plurality of arrival times.

66. A method for communicating a prescribed broadband signal from a remote object to a base platform, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting the prescribed broadband signal, formed from a plurality of fundamental pulses, at the remote object by

deriving a first set of pseudo-random information characterizing the plurality of fundamental pulses, including the number of fundamental pulses and the timing between each successive fundamental pulse, and

radiating from a broadband transmitter element the prescribed broadband signal in accordance with the derived information; and

receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at the base platform by

deriving a second set of pseudo-random information, identical to the first set of pseudo-random information, characterizing the prescribed broadband signal,

receiving and filtering electromagnetic radiation, to produce a conditioned signal, and

correlating the conditioned signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the second set of pseudo-random information, to produce a correlation output.

67. The method as defined in claim 66, and further comprising:

maintaining a first time reference at the remote object, to assist in transmitting the prescribed broadband signal;

maintaining a second time reference at the base platform, to assist in receiving the prescribed broadband signal; and

computing, based on the correlation output, a first apparent arrival time of the radiated prescribed broadband signal relative to the second time reference.

68. The method as defined in claim 66, wherein the first set of pseudo-random information further characterizes the phase of each fundamental pulse.

69. A method for communicating a prescribed broadband signal from a remote object to a base platform, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the method comprising:

transmitting the prescribed broadband signal from the base receiver device by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal, and

radiating the prescribed broadband signal in accordance with the stored information;

receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal at the base platform by

storing information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal,

receiving and filtering electromagnetic radiation, to produce a conditioned signal, and

correlating the conditioned signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored at the base platform, to produce a correlation output; and

protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference.

70. The method as defined in claim 69, wherein the protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference utilizes electronic hardware.

71. The method as defined in claim 70, wherein receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal further comprises:

digitizing the conditioned signal to produce a digitized signal; and

digital signal processing the digitized signal to produce a conditioned digitized signal, wherein correlation includes correlating the conditioned digitized signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored at the base platform.

72. The method as defined in claim 71, wherein the protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference utilizes computer software.

73. The method as defined in claim 71, wherein protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference comprises:

identifying time intervals in which the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal contains short duration energy that exceeds a prescribed threshold; and

reducing the signal amplitude of the conditioned digitized signal during such time intervals.

74. The method as defined in claim 73, wherein the protecting the prescribed broadband signal from interference further comprises:

estimating the narrow band energy level of the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal in the neighborhood of such time intervals; and

substituting interpolated values of the neighborhood intervals for the conditioned signal during such time intervals.

75. The method as defined in claim 73, wherein the protecting the prescribed broadband signal from interference further comprises:

determining whether there is insufficient short duration energy to warrant interpolation; and

if there is insufficient short duration energy to warrant interpolation, applying a windowing algorithm to portions of the received, prescribed broadband signal that are not in the prescribed time intervals.

76. The method as defined in claim 71, wherein the receiving the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal further comprises converting the conditioned digitized signal to the frequency domain, to produce a frequency-domain digitized signal.

77. The method as defined in claim 76, wherein the protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference further comprises:

processing the frequency-domain digitized signal to determine a broadband amplitude for each frequency;

identifying any frequencies of the frequency-domain digitized signal in which the amplitude of the frequency-domain digitized signal exceeds the broadband amplitude by at least a prescribed threshold factor; and

substituting a different amplitude value for each frequency of the frequency-domain digital signal identified as exceeding the broadband amplitude, to produce a corrected-frequency digitized signal.

78. The method as defined in claim 77, wherein the different amplitude value that is substituted in substituting is zero.

79. The method as defined in claim 77, wherein the different amplitude value that is substituted in substituting is one for all frequencies in the band of the prescribed broadband signal and is zero for all frequencies not in the band of the prescribed broadband signal.

80. The method as defined in claim 77, wherein all amplitude valves are the frequency amplitudes of the prescribed broadband signal.

81. The method as defined in claim 80, wherein the substituted values are zero for those frequencies at which the amplitude exceeds the prescribed threshold factor.

82. The method as defined in claim 76, wherein the protecting the transmitted, prescribed broadband signal from interference further comprises:

converting the frequency-domain digitized signal into the time-domain, to produce a time-domain signal; and

processing the time-domain signal to remove residual impulses, to produce a corrected time-domain signal.

83. Apparatus for deriving an estimated position of a remote object and a time error between a first synchronizable clock positioned at the remote object, and a second synchronizable clock positioned at a base platform, the remote object being spaced from the base platform, the apparatus comprising:

a transmitter device, located at the remote object, said transmitter device including

a first waveform storage device that stores information characterizing a prescribed broadband signal, such characterization including a prescribed signal transmission time,

the first sychronizable clock maintains a first time reference,

a broadband transmitter element configured to produce the prescribed broadband signal in accordance with said stored information and said first time reference, and

a broadband transmitter antenna configured to radiate the prescribed broadband signal produced by said broadband transmitter element;

a receiver device, located at the base platform, the receiver device including

a second waveform storage device that stores information characterizing the prescribed broadband signal, including the prescribed signal transmission time,

a plurality of broadband receiver antennas, arranged in an array of a prescribed geometry, each broadband receiver antenna being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from said broadband transmitter antenna, thereby producing a plurality of receiver antenna signals,

a broadband receiver element configured to receive and filter the plurality of receiver antenna signals and to produce a conditioned signal for each receiver antenna signal,

the second synchronizable clock maintains a second time reference, and

a digital signal processing correlator configured to correlate each conditioned signal with the prescribed broadband signal characterized by the information stored within the second waveform storage device, the correlation detector outputting a plurality of correlation outputs; and

a processing device, responsive to the plurality of correlation outputs and the prescribed array geometry, that computes the arrival time of the radiated, prescribed broadband signal received at each broadband receiver antenna element relative to the second time reference, wherein the processing device additionally computes an estimated position of the remote object and time error between the first time reference and the second time reference.

84. The apparatus as defined in claim 83, and further comprising a time-setting device that conditions the second synchronizable clock to adjust the time error.

85. An apparatus as defined in claim 83, further including:

a plurality of first receiver devices, each of which includes

(1) a locator device that determines the spatial location of the receiver device, and

(2) a communication device configured to communicate a processor message between the receiver devices; and

a central processor device that receives from each of the plurality of receiver devices a processor message containing the apparent arrival time of the broadband signal at that receiver device and the location of that receiver device at the time the broadband signal was received at that receiver device, and thereby determines the location and clock error of the transmitter device.