Using antennas separated in flight direction to avoid effect of emitter clock drift in geolocation
First Claim
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1. An apparatus adapted to be carried on an airborne platform for determining the location of a land-based radio frequency (RF) emitter, comprising:
- first and second antennas for receiving RF signaling from the RF emitter;
an antenna mount configured to support said antennas for travel on the airborne platform at a predetermined distance from one another in a flight direction of the airborne platform;
a sampling portion coupled to said antennas and responsive to the received RF signaling to produce signal samples for both of said antennas, said sampling portion configured to produce, while said antennas travel on the airborne platform in said flight direction, first and second said signal samples for said first and second antennas, respectively, at first and second sampling times, respectively, wherein said first and second sampling times are temporally adjacent one another in a sampling sequence implemented by said sampling portion, and wherein said first and second antennas respectively occupy a same spatial location at said first and second sampling times; and
a processing portion coupled to said sampling portion for processing said signal samples to determine the location of the RF emitter.
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Abstract
The location of a land-based radio frequency (RF) emitter is determined from an airborne platform. RF signaling is received from the RF emitter via first and second antennas. In response to the received RF signaling, signal samples for both antennas are produced and processed to determine the location of the RF emitter.
16 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus adapted to be carried on an airborne platform for determining the location of a land-based radio frequency (RF) emitter, comprising:
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first and second antennas for receiving RF signaling from the RF emitter; an antenna mount configured to support said antennas for travel on the airborne platform at a predetermined distance from one another in a flight direction of the airborne platform; a sampling portion coupled to said antennas and responsive to the received RF signaling to produce signal samples for both of said antennas, said sampling portion configured to produce, while said antennas travel on the airborne platform in said flight direction, first and second said signal samples for said first and second antennas, respectively, at first and second sampling times, respectively, wherein said first and second sampling times are temporally adjacent one another in a sampling sequence implemented by said sampling portion, and wherein said first and second antennas respectively occupy a same spatial location at said first and second sampling times; and a processing portion coupled to said sampling portion for processing said signal samples to determine the location of the RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18)
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9. An aircraft adapted to determine the location of a land-based RF emitter, comprising:
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first and second antennas supported at a predetermined distance from one another in a flight direction of said aircraft for receiving RF signaling from the RF emitter; a sampling portion coupled to said antennas and responsive to the received RF signaling to produce signal samples for both of said antennas, said sampling portion configured to produce, while said antennas travel with said aircraft in said flight direction, first and second said signal samples for said first and second antennas, respectively, at first and second sampling times, respectively, wherein said first and second sampling times are temporally adjacent one another in a sampling sequence implemented by said sampling portion, and wherein said first and second antennas respectively occupy a same spatial location at said first and second sampling times; and a processing portion coupled to said sampling portion for processing said signal samples to determine the location of the RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of determining the location of a land-based RF emitter from an airborne platform, comprising:
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receiving RF signaling from the RF emitter via first and second antennas maintained at a predetermined distance from one another in a flight direction of the airborne platform; in response to the received RF signaling, producing signal samples for both of said antennas, including producing first and second said signal samples for said first and second antennas, respectively, at first and second sampling times, respectively, wherein said first and second sampling times are temporally adjacent one another in a sampling sequence implemented by said sampling portion and wherein said first and second antennas respectively occupy a same spatial location at said first and second sampling times; and processing said signal samples to determine the location of the RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification