Precision location methods and systems
First Claim
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1. A system for locating an object, comprising:
- a transmitter for transmitting a location signal, x(t);
a plurality of repositionable receivers, where n is the number of receivers, for positioning about a region in which the transmitter is located, each repositionable receiver including a transceiver for receiving the location signal and for transmitting data representative of the received location signal, Rn(t), as it is received by the nth respective receiver; and
a base station including a transceiver for receiving the representative data transmitted by at least a plurality of the repositionable receivers and a processor for collectively processing the representative data based on a plurality of potential transmitter locations, including reflector locations, to identify at least one of the potential transmitter locations as a likely transmitter location,wherein said processor is configured to collectively process the representative data by;
creating a matrix of range rephased signals, R′
n(t), for the plurality of location signals received at the respective repositionable receivers for each of the plurality of potential transmitter locations such that R′
n(t)=Rn(t+{circumflex over (t)}n), where {circumflex over (t)}n is the signal delay expected if the transmitter were in fact located at a potential location; and
identifying at least one potential location of the plurality of potential locations as the likely transmitter location, based on the range rephased signals in the matrix being closest to frequency independent and therefore varying only by a complex scalar factor associated with each respective receiver.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described herein for determining the location of a transmitter by jointly and collectively processing the full sampled signal data from a plurality of receivers to form a single solution.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for locating an object, comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting a location signal, x(t); a plurality of repositionable receivers, where n is the number of receivers, for positioning about a region in which the transmitter is located, each repositionable receiver including a transceiver for receiving the location signal and for transmitting data representative of the received location signal, Rn(t), as it is received by the nth respective receiver; and a base station including a transceiver for receiving the representative data transmitted by at least a plurality of the repositionable receivers and a processor for collectively processing the representative data based on a plurality of potential transmitter locations, including reflector locations, to identify at least one of the potential transmitter locations as a likely transmitter location, wherein said processor is configured to collectively process the representative data by; creating a matrix of range rephased signals, R′
n(t), for the plurality of location signals received at the respective repositionable receivers for each of the plurality of potential transmitter locations such that R′
n(t)=Rn(t+{circumflex over (t)}n), where {circumflex over (t)}n is the signal delay expected if the transmitter were in fact located at a potential location; andidentifying at least one potential location of the plurality of potential locations as the likely transmitter location, based on the range rephased signals in the matrix being closest to frequency independent and therefore varying only by a complex scalar factor associated with each respective receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19)
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13. A method for locating objects, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a location signal, x(t), using a transmitter; receiving the signal using a plurality of receivers positioned about the transmitter, where n is the number of receivers; generating by each of the plurality of receivers signal data representing the signal, Rn(t), received by each of the n respective receivers; transmitting by the plurality of receivers the signal data to a processor; and receiving and collectively processing the signal data based on a plurality of potential transmitter locations, including reflector locations, to identify at least one of the potential transmitter locations as a likely transmitter location, wherein processing the signal data comprises; creating a matrix of range rephased signals, R′
n(t), for the plurality of location signals received at the respective repositionable receivers for each of the plurality of potential transmitter locations such that R′
n(t)=Rn(t+{circumflex over (t)}n), where {circumflex over (t)}n is the signal delay expected if the transmitter were in fact located at a potential location; andidentifying at least one potential location of the plurality of potential locations as the likely transmitter location, based on the range rephased signals in the matrix being closest to frequency independent and therefore varying only by a complex scalar factor associated with each respective receiver. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoding computer readable instructions, which, upon execution by a processor cause the processor to carry out a method comprising:
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receiving signal data Rn(t) corresponding to a location signal received by each of a plurality of mobile receivers, wherein the location signal originated from a transmitter, and n is the number of the respective mobile receiver; and collectively processing the signal data based on a plurality of potential transmitter locations, including reflector locations, to identify at least one of the potential transmitter locations as a likely transmitter location, wherein processing the signal data comprises; creating a matrix of range rephased signals, R′
n(t), for the plurality of location signals received at the respective mobile receivers for each of the plurality of potential transmitter locations such that R′
n(t)=Rn(t+{circumflex over (t)}n), where {circumflex over (t)}n is the signal delay expected if the transmitter were in fact located at a potential location; andidentifying at least one potential location of the plurality of potential locations as the likely transmitter location, based on the range rephased signals in the matrix being closest to frequency independent and therefore varying only by a complex scalar factor associated with each respective mobile receiver.
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18. A system for locating an object, comprising:
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a plurality of transmitters, where n is the number of transmitters, for positioning about a region in which a receiver is located, each mobile transmitter including a transceiver for transmitting a location signal x(t); a mobile receiver for receiving the plurality of location signals; and a processor for collectively processing data representative of signals Rn(t) received by the receiver from the nth mobile transmitter based on a plurality of potential receiver locations to identify at least one of the potential receiver locations as a likely receiver location, wherein said processor is configured to collectively process the representative data by; creating a matrix of range rephased signals, R′
n(t), for the plurality of location signals received from the respective transmitters for each of the plurality of potential receiver locations such that R′
n(t)=R′
n(t+{circumflex over (t)}n), where {circumflex over (t)}n is the signal delay expected if the receiver were in fact located at a potential location; andidentifying at least one potential location of the plurality of potential locations as the likely receiver location, based on the range rephased signals in the matrix being closest to frequency independent and therefore varying only by a complex scalar factor associated with each respective transmitter.
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Specification