Systems and methods for direct emitter geolocation
First Claim
1. A method for locating at least one signal wave (SW) emitter of unknown modulation and transmitting from an unknown location using a single moving signal collection platform, comprising:
- collecting a raw data representation of SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment only at the single moving collection platform, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions of unknown modulation from the SW emitter transmitting from an unknown location, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter;
estimating the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and
determining the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of either the modulation or transmitted location of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for locating signal wave (SW) emitter/s using at least one moving signal collection platform. The disclosed systems and methods may be employed in one embodiment to estimate the signal energy transmitted from a grid of locations (such as a map) using collected IQ data (or other raw data representation such as IQ data covariance matrix), and without requiring computation of any intermediate geolocation-observable measurements (such as angle-of-arrival, direction-of-arrival, etc.). In a further embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented in a blind manner (i.e., transmitted emitter signal/s are unknown and processed blindly) to geolocate SW emitters using a single SW signal collection platform (e.g., at relatively large standoff distances in some implementations) without relying on a known signal modulation or operation of multiple simultaneous SW signal collection platforms.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for locating at least one signal wave (SW) emitter of unknown modulation and transmitting from an unknown location using a single moving signal collection platform, comprising:
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collecting a raw data representation of SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment only at the single moving collection platform, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions of unknown modulation from the SW emitter transmitting from an unknown location, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimating the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determining the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of either the modulation or transmitted location of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 27)
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2. A method for locating at least one signal wave (SW) emitter of unknown modulation using a single moving signal collection platform, comprising:
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collecting a raw data representation of SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment only at the single moving collection platform, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions of unknown modulation from the SW emitter, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimating the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determining the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement; where the collected raw data representation of SW signal emissions includes SW emissions from multiple SW emitters of unknown modulation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform;
where the raw data representation includes data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of each of the SW emitters; and
where the method further comprises;decomposing and separating the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters at a single location on the grid; and determining a location of each of the multiple SW emitters on the grid based at least in part on the received signal energy contribution of each SW emitter without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from any of the multiple SW emitters and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurements; where each SW emitter remains stationary on the grid at the same time that the signal collection platform moves relative to the SW emitter and collects the raw data representation of SW signal emissions. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for locating at least one moving signal wave (SW) emitter of unknown modulation using a single moving signal collection platform that is different from the moving SW emitter, comprising:
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collecting a raw data representation of SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment only at the single moving collection platform that is different from the moving SW emitter, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions of unknown modulation from the moving SW emitter, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the moving SW emitter; estimating the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determining the location of the moving SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement; where the method further comprises; estimating the signal energy transmitted from the moving SW emitter at multiple locations on the two or three dimensional grid of locations at respective different times using the collected raw data representation, and determining the multiple locations of the moving SW emitter at the respective different times on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from the estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid as it changes over time. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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9. A signal wave (SW) emitter location system, comprising a single mobile signal collection platform including at least one antenna element coupled to signal processing circuitry and configured to receive SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving;
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
use the at least one antenna element to collect a raw data representation of the SW signal emissions within the SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions from at least one SW emitter of unknown modulation and transmitting from an unknown location, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimate the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determine the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of either the modulation or transmitted location of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 29)
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
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10. A signal wave (SW) emitter location system, comprising a single mobile signal collection platform including at least one antenna element coupled to signal processing circuitry and configured to receive SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving;
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
use the at least one antenna element to collect a raw data representation of the SW signal emissions within the SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions from at least one SW emitter of unknown modulation, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimate the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determine the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement; where the collected raw data representation of SW signal emissions includes SW emissions from multiple SW emitters of unknown modulation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform;
where the raw data representation includes data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of each of the SW emitters; and
where the signal processing circuitry is further configured to;decompose and separate the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters at a single location on the grid, and determine a location of each of the multiple SW emitters on the grid based at least in part on the received signal energy contribution of each SW emitter without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from any of the multiple SW emitters and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurements, where each SW emitter remains stationary on the grid at the same time that the signal collection platform moves relative to the SW emitter and collects the raw data representation of SW signal emissions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
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14. A signal wave (SW) emitter location system, comprising a single mobile signal collection platform including at least one antenna element coupled to signal processing circuitry and configured to receive SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving;
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
use the at least one antenna element to collect a raw data representation of the SW signal emissions within the SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions from at least one moving SW emitter of unknown modulation and that is different from the moving collection platform, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the moving SW emitter; estimate the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the raw data representation collected only at the single moving signal collection platform; and determine the location of the moving SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid without knowledge of the modulation of the SW emissions from the SW emitter and without determining any intermediate geolocation observable measurement; where the signal processing circuitry is further configured to; estimate the signal energy transmitted from a given moving SW emitter at multiple locations on the two or three dimensional grid of locations at respective different times using the collected raw data representation, and determine the multiple locations of the SW emitter at the respective different times on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from the estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid as it changes over time. - View Dependent Claims (30)
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
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17. A method for locating at least one signal wave (SW) emitter using at least a single moving signal collection platform, comprising:
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collecting a raw data representation of SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment at the single moving collection platform, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions from the SW emitter, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimating the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the collected raw data representation; and determining the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid;
where the collected raw data representation of SW signal emissions includes SW emissions from multiple SW emitters;where the raw data representation includes data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of each of the SW emitters; and
where the method further comprises;decomposing and separating the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters at a single location on the grid, and determining a location of each of the multiple SW emitters on the grid based at least in part on the received signal energy contribution of each SW emitter, where each SW emitter remains stationary on the grid at the same time that the signal collection platform moves relative to the SW emitter and collects the raw data representation of SW signal emissions; and where the method further comprises decomposing and separating the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters using at least one of single pass sparse reconstruction that jointly and simultaneously estimates the contribution of each emitter;
iterative serial nulling or cancellation that separately and sequentially estimates the contribution of each emitter;
or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A SW emitter location system, comprising at least one mobile signal collection platform including at least one antenna element coupled to signal processing circuitry and configured to receive SW signal emissions within a SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving;
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
use the at least one antenna element to collect a raw data representation of the SW signal emissions within the SW emissions environment as the signal collection platform is moving, the raw data representation of SW signal emissions including SW emissions from the SW emitter, and the raw data representation including data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of the SW emitter; estimate the signal energy transmitted within the SW emissions environment from a two or three dimensional grid of locations using the collected raw data representation; and determine the location of the SW emitter on the two dimensional or three dimensional grid from an estimated signal energy distribution across the two or three dimensional grid; where the collected raw data representation of SW signal emissions includes SW emissions from multiple SW emitters;
where the raw data representation includes data samples having magnitudes that are characteristic of received signal energy of each of the SW emitters; and
where the signal processing circuitry is further configured to;decompose and separate the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters at a single location on the grid, and determine a location of each of the multiple SW emitters on the grid based at least in part on the received signal energy contribution of each SW emitter, where each SW emitter remains stationary on the grid at the same time that the signal collection platform moves relative to the SW emitter and collects the raw data representation of SW signal emissions; and where the signal processing circuitry is further configured to decompose and separate the received signal energy of the raw data representation into the signal energy contributions for each of the multiple SW emitters using at least one of single pass sparse reconstruction that jointly and simultaneously estimates the contribution of each emitter;
iterative serial nulling or cancellation that separately and sequentially estimates the contribution of each emitter, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
- where the signal processing circuitry is configured to;
Specification