Method and apparatus for providing an integrated communications, navigation and surveillance satellite system
First Claim
1. A communications and surveillance system comprising:
- a plurality of satellites in communication with one another, each of said satellites being capable of bi-directional communication, broadcasting position locating information, and of relaying surveillance signals; and
at least one mobile user device capable of communication with said satellites, operable to receive said broadcast position locating information and determine its position using said position locating information, and operable to broadcast a surveillance signal to at least one of said satellites that is independent of received broadcast position locating information,wherein the system is operable to use said surveillance signal to monitor a position of said user device and is operable to inform the user device of its position as determined based upon said surveillance signals received by said satellites; and
wherein said user device simultaneously broadcasts two surveillance signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated communications, navigation and surveillance system includes a plurality of satellites in communication with one another and broadcasting navigation signals. The satellites are capable of bi-directional communication and of receiving and relaying surveillance signals. A user segment includes at least one mobile user device operable to communicate with the satellites and to broadcast a surveillance signal to the satellites. The user device is also operable to compute its position based upon received navigation signals. The system uses the surveillance signal broadcast by the user device to monitor a position of the user device. The position of the user device determined by the system and by the user device can be shared to provide backup surveillance and backup navigation capabilities.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A communications and surveillance system comprising:
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a plurality of satellites in communication with one another, each of said satellites being capable of bi-directional communication, broadcasting position locating information, and of relaying surveillance signals; and at least one mobile user device capable of communication with said satellites, operable to receive said broadcast position locating information and determine its position using said position locating information, and operable to broadcast a surveillance signal to at least one of said satellites that is independent of received broadcast position locating information, wherein the system is operable to use said surveillance signal to monitor a position of said user device and is operable to inform the user device of its position as determined based upon said surveillance signals received by said satellites; and wherein said user device simultaneously broadcasts two surveillance signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An integrated communication, navigation and surveillance system comprising:
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a plurality of satellites broadcasting navigation signals and operable to receive surveillance signals; a user device operable to selectively send a surveillance signal, to engage in two-way communication with said satellites, and to determine a position of said user device based upon received navigation signals, said surveillance signal sent by said user device being independent of received navigation signals; and a processing apparatus operable to determine a position of said user device based upon said surveillance signal sent by said user device, wherein the system is operable to communicate to said user device a position of said user device based upon said surveillance signal sent by said user device and said user device is operable to communicate to the system a position of said user device based upon received navigation signals, the system thereby providing both backup navigation capabilities and backup surveillance capabilities using signals that are independent of one another, wherein at least one of said satellites determines a time interval between an arrival time of said surveillance signal and a time of transmission of said surveillance signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining and monitoring a position of a mobile user device with an integrated communication, navigation and surveillance system, the method comprising:
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(a) broadcasting navigation signals from a plurality of satellites; (b) receiving some of said navigation signals with a user device; (c) ascertaining a position of said user device based upon received navigation signals and communicating to the system a position of said user device based upon said navigation signals; (d) selectively broadcasting a surveillance signal from said user device that is independent of received navigation signals; (e) ascertaining a position of said user device based upon a received surveillance signal and communicating to said user device a position of said user device based upon said surveillance signal; wherein (d) includes both negotiating a reporting interval with the system and selectively broadcasting said surveillance signal from said user device based upon said reporting interval. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification