System and method for locating a source of a signal

• US 6,828,937 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Silberstein, Robert P., Reich, Stanley Morton, Hilgeman, Theodore William
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/264,497
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 342/457, 342/463, 342/465, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for locating a source of a signal includes detecting, at a plurality of locations, a near-field signal. The method also includes processing the near-field signal. The method further includes locating a source for the near-field signal based on the processed near-field signal detected at a plurality of locations.

Claims

1. A method for location a source of a signal, comprising:

detecting, at a plurality of locations, a near-field signal;

processing the near-field signal;

determining a location of a plurality of signal detectors; and

locating a source for the near-field signal based on the processed near-field signal detected at a plurality of locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 Hertz to 15 kiloHertz.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 Hertz to 60 Hertz.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing a magnetic field component of the near-field signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the plurality of signal detectors in a pattern that approximates a three-dimensional surface around the source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the plurality of signal detectors comprises using a plurality of Global Positioning System signals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a type of device that is the source of the near-field signal.

8. A system for locating a source of a near-field signal, comprising:

a plurality of signal detectors each operable to detect a near-field signal and communicate the near-field signal to a processor, wherein the plurality of signal detectors are further operable to locate the plurality of signal detectors; and

the processor operable to receive the near-field signals from the plurality of signal detectors, process the near-field signals, and locate a source for the near-field signals.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 Hertz to 15 kiloHertz.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 Hertz to 60 Hertz.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of signal detectors detect a magnetic field component of the near-field signal.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of signal detectors are arranged in a pattern that approximates a three-dimensional surface around the source.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of signal detectors are operable to use a plurality of Global Positioning System signals to locate the plurality of signal detectors.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of signal detectors are further operable to time the detection of the near-field signal.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to identify a type of device that is the source of the near-field signal.

16. A system for processing a near-field signal, comprising:

a processor operable to receive a communication from each of a plurality of signal detectors, the communication comprising a near-field signal received at one of the plurality of signal detectors, a location of one of the plurality of signal detectors, and a detection time for the near-field signal at one of the plurality of signal detectors;

the processor further operable to process the at least one communication from each of the plurality of signal detectors; and

the processor further operable to locate a source for the near-field signal based on the at least one processed communication from each of the plurality of signal detectors.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 Hertz to 15 kiloHertz.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the near-field signal comprises a signal in the range of 50 to 60 Hertz.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor processes a magnetic field component of the near-field signal.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to identify a type of device that is the source of the near-field signal.