Method and device for determining a position

• US 6,583,761 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Geometrie Concern Verwaltungs - und BeteiligungsGmbH
• Original Assignee: Geometrie Concern Verwaltungs - und BeteiligungsGmbH
• Inventors: Angermeier, Rüdiger, Schraud, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/913,914
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 342/417, 342/465, 342/463, 342/445, 342/458, 342/126
• US Class Current: 342/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/30 derived directly from separate directional systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders

Abstract

A system and method is provided for determining the position of a transmitter/receiver device (13) arranged anywhere in a space in relation to at least two transmitter/receiver devices (11, 12) arranged at defined positions in the space with regard to each other. At least three transmitter/receiver devices (11, 12, 13), which each have an antenna device with a number of antenna units (20, 26, 27) distributed in a defined manner on a spherical surface (17) and a signal generating device, of which two transmitter/receiver devices (11, 12) are at least temporarily fixed in a local co-ordinate space (16). The other transmitter/receiver device (13) is movable relative to these devices.

Claims

1. A method of position determination in a space, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a local co-ordinate space through the arrangement of at least two transmitter/receiver devices with a number of antenna units arranged with a defined distribution on a spherical surface of the transmitter/receiver devices, in a space, in such a way that the transmitter/receiver devices are in defined relative positions at known horizontal distance h and vertical distance v;

emitting a signal S1 via the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device and receiving of the signal S1 via the antenna units of the second transmitter/receiver device and determining the distance vector A, between the first transmitter/receiver device and the second transmitter/receiver device through a determination of the antenna unit of the second transmitter/receiver device with the maximum receiving strength of the signal S1 and emission of a signal S2 via the antenna units of the second transmitter/receiver as well as a determination of the distance vector A, between the second and the first transmitter/receiver device through a determination of the antenna unit of the first transmitter/receiver device with maximum receiving strength of the signal S2;

determining the position of a third transmitter/receiver device arranged anywhere in the local co-ordinate space through emission of a signal S3 via the antenna units of the third transmitter/receiver device and receiving of the signal S3 via the antenna units of the first and second transmitter/receiver devices and determining the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device and the second transmitter/receiver device with maximum receiving strength of the signal S3, determining the direction vectors B₁ and B₂ as well as determining the intersection of the direction vectors for determining the position of the third transmitter/receiver device.

2. A transmitter receiver device for a system of position determination in a space that is independent of an external inertial system according to claim 1, comprising:

at least three transmitter/receiver devices each having an antenna system with a number of antenna units arranged with a defined distribution on a spherical surface and a signal generating unit, two of said at least three transmitter/receiver devices being at least temporarily fixed in a local co-ordinate space and the other of said at least three transmitter/receiver device being movable relative to the devices.

3. A transmitter/receiver device for a system for position determination in a space according to claim 2, the device comprising:

a carrier device for the arrangement of a number of equally spaced antenna units on a spherical surface;

a signal generating device; and

a processor unit, whereby the signal generating device produces signals in dependence on the processor unit.

4. The transmitter/receiver device according to claim 3, wherein said processor unit is used to identify an antenna unit of the transmitter/receiver device by comparing the receiving strength of the signals S1, S2 S3 received by the antenna units.

5. A system comprising:

a local co-ordinate space defined through the arrangement of a first transmitter/receiver device and a second first transmitter/receiver device, each with a number of antenna units arranged with a defined distribution on a spherical surface of the transmitter/receiver device, in a space with the transmitter/receiver devices at defined relative positions at known horizontal distance and vertical distance;

a first transmitter/receiver device signal sent via the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device, the first transmitter/receiver device signal being received via the antenna units of the second transmitter/receiver device;

a processor for determining a distance vector between the first transmitter/receiver device and the second transmitter/receiver device through a determination of the antenna unit of the second transmitter/receiver device with the maximum receiving strength of the first transmitter/receiver device signal;

a second transmitter/receiver signal sent via the antenna units of the second transmitter/receiver device, the second transmitter/receiver device signal being received via the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device;

the processor determining the distance vector between the second transmitter/receiver device and the first transmitter/receiver device through determining the antenna unit of the first transmitter/receiver device with maximum receiving strength of the second transmitter/receiver signal;

a third transmitter/receiver signal sent via antenna units of a third transmitter/receiver device and the third transmitter/receiver signal being received by the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device and the antenna units of the second transmitter/receiver device;

the processor determining the position of the third transmitter/receiver device arranged anywhere in the local co-ordinate space by determining the antenna units of the first transmitter/receiver device and the second transmitter/receiver device with maximum receiving strength of the third transmitter/receiver signal and determining a first direction vector from the first transmitter/receiver device to the third transmitter/receiver device and a second direction vector from the second transmitter/receiver device to the third transmitter/receiver device and determining an intersection of the first direction vector and the second direction vector to determine the position of the third transmitter/receiver device.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein each of said first transmitter/receiver device, said second transmitter/receiver device and said third transmitter/receiver device have an antenna system with a number of antenna units arranged with a defined distribution on a spherical surface and a signal generating unit, said third transmitter/receiver device being movable relative to said first transmitter/receiver device and said second transmitter/receiver device.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein each of said first transmitter/receiver device, said second transmitter/receiver device and said third transmitter/receiver device each comprise:

a carrier device for the arrangement of a number of equally spaced antenna units on a spherical surface;

a signal generating device; and

a processor unit, whereby the signal generating device produces signals in dependence on the processor unit.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein said processor unit is used to identify an antenna unit of the antenna device by comparing the receiving strength of the first transmitter/receiver signal, the second transmitter/receiver signal and the third transmitter/receiver signal received by the antenna units.

9. A system with a local co-ordinate space defined through the arrangement of a fixed first transmitter/receiver device and a fixed second first transmitter/receiver device, each with a number of antenna units arranged with a defined distribution on a spherical surface of the transmitter/receiver device, in a space with the transmitter/receiver devices at defined relative positions at known horizontal distance and vertical distance and a third transmitter/receiver device that has a position to be determined, each transmitter/receiver device comprising:

a carrier device for the arrangement of a number of equally spaced antenna units on a spherical surface;

a signal generating device; and

a processor unit, whereby the signal generating device produces signals in dependence on the processor unit.