Transponder-responder system
First Claim
1. A transponder-responder system comprising a home station and at least one remote station, said home station having means for transmitting a periodic interrogation pulse via a directional antenna and means for varying the rotational position of said antenna,said remote station comprising means for receiving said interrogation pulse, means for transmitting an encoded signal is response to the receipt of said interrogation pulse, and means for varying the encoding of said encoded signal, andsaid home station further comprising means for receiving said encoded signal, means for decoding said encoded signal, means for determining the elapsed time between the transmission of the last interrogation pulse and the receipt of said encoded signal, means for determining the rotational position of the directional antenna and means for storing two encoded signals from two remote stations, said storing means further comprising a receiving register for storing the rotational position of said antenna, the decoded signal and said elapsed time upon the receipt of said encoded signal, the output of each receiving register being connected to the input of a holding register, the output from each holding register being connected to the input of a display register and means for displaying the contents of each display register, and upon receipt of two successive encoded signals by the home station, means for automatically loading the display registers with information pertinent to the first received encoded signal and for automatically loading the holding registers with information pertinent to the second received encoded signal.
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Abstract
A transponder-responder system is provided which comprises a home station and at least one remote station. A transmitter at the home station periodically generates interrogation pulses by means of a directional sweep antenna across a search area. Each remote station includes a receiver and transmitter. Upon receipt of an interrogation pulse by the remote station receiver and while enabled, the remote station transmitter transmits a digitally encoded response signal which is received by a receiver at the home station. Upon receipt of the response signal by the home station receiver, timing circuitry at the home station determines the distance between the home and remote station by measuring the elapsed time between the transmission of the last interrogation pulse and the receipt of the response signal. Additionally, the home station includes circuitry which determines the rotational position of the sweep antenna and circuitry which decodes the response signal.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A transponder-responder system comprising a home station and at least one remote station, said home station having means for transmitting a periodic interrogation pulse via a directional antenna and means for varying the rotational position of said antenna,
said remote station comprising means for receiving said interrogation pulse, means for transmitting an encoded signal is response to the receipt of said interrogation pulse, and means for varying the encoding of said encoded signal, and said home station further comprising means for receiving said encoded signal, means for decoding said encoded signal, means for determining the elapsed time between the transmission of the last interrogation pulse and the receipt of said encoded signal, means for determining the rotational position of the directional antenna and means for storing two encoded signals from two remote stations, said storing means further comprising a receiving register for storing the rotational position of said antenna, the decoded signal and said elapsed time upon the receipt of said encoded signal, the output of each receiving register being connected to the input of a holding register, the output from each holding register being connected to the input of a display register and means for displaying the contents of each display register, and upon receipt of two successive encoded signals by the home station, means for automatically loading the display registers with information pertinent to the first received encoded signal and for automatically loading the holding registers with information pertinent to the second received encoded signal.
Specification