Method and system for determining a position of a transceiver in a communications network

• US 6,313,790 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shuman, Bruce E., Chang, Donald C. D., Yung, Kar W., Nunan, William J., Cheng, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/780,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20010009405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.16, 342/357.01, 342/352, 342/353
• US Class Current: 342/357.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A method and system for determining a position of an orbiting transceiver in a communications network includes at least a first and second transceiver at a first and second known location, respectively, on Earth. The first and second transceivers are adapted to transmit and receive communications signals to and from the orbiting transceiver. A processor coupled to one of the first and second transceivers determines a first and second range measurement between each of the first and second transceivers and the orbiting transceiver, respectively, as well as corresponding first and second range rates representative of a time rate of change of the first and second range measurements. The processor then determines a circle of intersection representative of the set of possible positions for the orbiting transceiver based on the first range measurement and the first range rate wherein the circle of intersection includes a specific orientation in space, a specific radius and a center in a specific, three-dimensional position relative to the known position of the first transceiver. An angular position of the orbiting transceiver is then determined along the circle of intersection based on the known position of the second transceiver and the second range measurement. Finally, the position of the orbiting transceiver is determined based on the circle of intersection and the angular position.

Claims

1. A system for determining a position of an orbiting transceiver in a communications network, the system comprising:

a primary transceiver at a primary ranging node at a known location;

at least first and second secondary transceivers at secondary ranging nodes at a first and second known location,

wherein said primary and secondary transceivers are operative to transmit and receive communications signals to and from the orbiting transceiver and operative to communicate with each other by relaying messages through the orbiting transceiver, and

wherein said primary transceiver is operative to receive ranging codes broadcast by the orbiting transceiver after receipt from said primary transceiver and reply codes originating at said secondary transceivers and relayed through said orbiting transceiver, and

wherein said reply codes uniquely identify the secondary transceiver that is replying and the particular ranging code broadcast by the orbiting transceiver to which the secondary transceiver is replying, and

a processor located at said primary ranging node and operative to distinguish between the received ranging codes and reply codes, identify the position of the secondary transceiver that is replying, compute the time difference between the arrival time of the reply code and the time of transmission of the ranging code from the primary transceiver that elicited the reply, and operative to determine a first and second range measurement between each of the primary transceiver and the secondary transceiver that is replying and the orbiting transceiver, respectively, determine a first and second range rate corresponding to a time rate of change of the first and second range measurements, respectively, determine a circle of intersection representative of the set of possible positions for the orbiting transceiver based on the first range measurement and the first range rate, wherein the circle of intersection includes a specific orientation in space, a specific radius, and a center in a specific, three dimensional position relative to the known position of the primary transceiver, determine an angular position of the orbiting transceiver along the circle of intersection based on the known position of the at least one secondary ranging transceiver and the second range measurement, and determine the position of the orbiting transceiver based on the circle of intersection and the angular position, wherein the processor, in determining the first and second range measurements, is further operative to determine the first and second range measurements utilizing two-way ranging.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the orbiting transceiver is not stationary with respect to Earth.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the orbiting transceiver is stationary with respect to Earth.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the secondary ranging node is a stationary automobile.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein the secondary ranging node is a stationary telephone.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein the secondary ranging node is a stationary aircraft.

7. The system as in claim 1 including a single clock at the primary ranging node.

8. A method for determining a position of an orbiting transceiver in a communications network including at least a primary transceiver at a primary ranging node at a known location and at least one secondary transceiver at a secondary ranging node at a known location, the primary and secondary transceivers adapted to transmit and receive communication signals to and from the orbiting transceiver, the method comprising:

transmitting ranging codes from said primary transceiver to said orbiting transceiver;

broadcasting the ranging codes from the orbiting transceiver after receipt from said primary transceiver to said at least one secondary transceiver;

relaying reply codes originating at said at least one secondary transceiver through said orbiting transceiver to said primary transceiver, wherein said reply code uniquely identifies the secondary transceiver that is replying and the particular ranging code broadcast by the orbiting transceiver to which the secondary transceiver is replying, and

determining a first and second range measurement between each of the primary transceiver and said at least one secondary transceiver and the orbiting transceiver, respectively;

determining a first and second range rate corresponding to a time rate of change of the first and second range measurements, respectively;

determining a circle of intersection representative of the set of possible positions for the orbiting transceiver based on the first range measurement and the first range rate, the circle of intersection having a specific orientation in space, a specific radius and a center in a specific, three dimensional position relative to the known position of the primary transceiver;

determining an angular position of the orbiting transceiver along the circle of intersection based on the known position of said at least one secondary transceiver and the second range measurement; and

determining the position of the orbiting transceiver based on the circle of intersection and the angular position,

wherein the first and second range measurements are determined utilizing two-way ranging.