Network aided terrestrial triangulation using stars (NATTS)

• US 7,526,381 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/422,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20060276963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 701/222, 701/200, 731/78.R, 332/68, 244/3.15, 244/3.17, 244/3.18
• US Class Current: 701/222
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/02 by astronomical means G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

A first apparatus includes an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky from a terrestrial location, a chronometric component, a communication component configured to transmit data representative of a captured earthbound image of the sky, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component at a time identified by the chronometric component and data representative of the captured earthbound image to be transmitted. A second apparatus includes a computer and a computer readable medium accessible by the computer and including data representative of a master mapping of the sky relative to the Earth and computer-executable instructions for determining a terrestrial location based on data representative of a captured earthbound image of the sky and an identified time at which the earthbound image was captured. A system includes the first and second apparatus.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

(a) an apparatus that is deployed in a generally known geographical region, the deployed apparatus including,

(i) an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky from a terrestrial location,

(ii) a chronometric component that measures time synchronously with standard time,

(iii) a communication component configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of a captured earthbound image of the sky, and

(iv) a controller that is,

(A) arranged in electronic communication with said imaging component, said chronometric component, and said communication component, and

(B) configured to cause,

(I) an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component at a time identified by the chronometric component, and

(II) data representative of the captured earthbound image to be wirelessly transmitted; and

(b) an apparatus for determining a terrestrial location of the deployed apparatus within the generally known geographical region comprising,

(i) a computer, and

(ii) a computer readable medium accessible by said computer and including,

(A) data representative of a master mapping of the sky relative to the surface of the Earth, and

(B) computer-executable instructions for determining a terrestrial location based on,

(I) the data wirelessly transmitted from the deployed apparatus, and

(II) the identified time at which the earthbound image was captured.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of deployed apparatus, each deployed apparatus including

(i) an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky from a terrestrial location,

(ii) a chronometric component that measures time synchronously with standard time,

(iii) a communication component configured to wirelessly transmit data representative of a captured earthbound image of the sky, and

(iv) a controller that is,

(A) arranged in electronic communication with said imaging component, said chronometric component, and said communication component, and

(B) configured to cause,

(I) an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component at a time identified by the chronometric component, and

(II) data representative of the captured earthbound image to be wirelessly transmitted.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of deployed apparatus comprises sensors that are configured for monitoring of military troop movement.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a sensor of at least one deployed apparatus comprises a motion detector.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein a sensor of at least one deployed apparatus comprises a microphone.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein a sensor of at least one deployed apparatus comprises a video camera.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of deployed apparatus captures a plurality of earthbound images at predetermined time intervals.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of deployed apparatus comprise triangulating sensors that are configured to triangulate the position of a transmitter, and wherein the computer-executable instructions determine a terrestrial location of the transmitter based on the triangulation by the triangulating sensors and the terrestrial location of each of the triangulating sensors based on the data wirelessly transmitted from each triangulating sensor and the identified time at which each earthbound image was captured.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of deployed apparatus includes a global positioning system receiver.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause data representative of the identified time that the earthbound image of the sky is captured to be wirelessly transmitted in conjunction with the transmission of the data representative of the captured image.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed apparatus further comprises an internal power supply for powering of said imaging component, said chronometric component, said communication component, and said controller.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microcontroller.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause, in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event, an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component, the time at which the earthbound image was captured to be identified using the chronometric component, and data representative of the captured earthbound image and identified time to be wirelessly transmitted.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause, in response to the expiration of a predetermined period of time, an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component, and data representative of the captured earthbound image to be wirelessly transmitted.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed apparatus further comprises a receiver for receiving wireless communications.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to cause, in response to an instruction wirelessly received in a communication by the receiver, an earthbound image of the sky to be captured using the imaging component, the time at which the earthbound image was captured to be identified using the chronometric component, and data representative of the captured earthbound image and identified time to be wirelessly transmitted.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said imaging component comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the CCD collects electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths below 2000 Angstroms.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the CCD collects electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths above 7000 Angstroms.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said imaging component is configured to process a captured earthbound image of the sky.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing comprises homomorphic filtering.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging component is configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky at night.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed apparatus further comprises an accelerometer.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the deployed apparatus further comprises a compass, wherein the deployed apparatus is mobile and wherein the controller is arranged in electronic communication with said accelerometer and said compass and is configured to cause data representative of movement of the deployed apparatus to be wirelessly transmitted in conjunction with the transmission of the data representative of the captured earthbound image.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the compass is a gyrocompass.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging component is configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky during daylight hours.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to cause a plurality of earthbound images of the sky to be captured using the imaging component at time intervals that are identified by the chronometric component, and is configured to cause data representative of the captured earthbound images to be wirelessly transmitted.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed apparatus is associated with an asset that is deployed within a generally known geographical region.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the asset comprises a sensor.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining a terrestrial location based on the data wireless transmitted from the deployed apparatus and the identified time at which the earthbound image was captured performs a method comprising the steps of:

(a) manipulating the master map of the sky into a model in which the shape of a sphere is disposed above the surface of the Earth;

(b) projecting latitude and longitude lines perpendicularly from the surface of the Earth onto the master mapping of the sky;

(c) comparing the captured earthbound image to said manipulated master mapping of the sky; and

(d) matching said captured earthbound image to said manipulated master mapping of the sky and reading the latitude and longitude values on said manipulated master map of the sky at the point where said captured earthbound image most closely matches said manipulated master map of the sky,

thereby determining the terrestrial location from which the earthbound image was captured by the deployed apparatus.

32. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining a terrestrial location based on the data wireless transmitted from each respective deployed apparatus, and the identified time at which the earthbound image was captured by the respective deployed apparatus, perform a method comprising the steps of:

(a) manipulating the master map of the sky into a model in which the shape of a sphere is disposed above the surface of the Earth;

(b) projecting latitude and longitude lines perpendicularly from the surface of the Earth onto the master mapping of the sky;

(c) comparing each captured earthbound image to said manipulated master mapping of the sky; and

(d) matching each captured earthbound image to said manipulated master mapping of the sky and reading the latitude and longitude values on said manipulated master map of the sky at the point where each captured earthbound image most closely matches said manipulated master map of the sky, thereby determining a terrestrial location corresponding to a each captured earthbound image.