Method of determining the position of geostationary satellites by transit time measurements of satellite navigation signals

• US 20020149514A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astrium GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Astrium GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Fichter, Walter, Hartrampf, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 6,683,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A method of determining the position of geostationary satellites by means of signals of at least one navigation satellite. A determination is made of data concerning the transit times of the signals from the at least one navigation satellite to the geostationary satellite by a device of the geostationary satellite, and a determination is made of navigation data of the at least one navigation satellite by an independent navigation device. A determination is made of data concerning the system time of the at least one navigation satellite by an independent navigation device, and a data exchange occurs between the geostationary satellite and the navigation device in order to determine position data of the geostationary satellite from the transit times, the navigation data as well as the system time of the at least one navigation satellite.

Claims

1. A method of determining the position of geostationary satellites by means of signals of at least one navigation satellite, comprising the steps of:

determining data concerning the transit times of the signals from the at least one navigation satellite to the geostationary satellite by a device of the geostationary satellite,

determining navigation data of the at least one navigation satellite by a navigation device which is independent of the at least one navigation satellite as well as of the geostationary satellite,

determining data concerning the system time of the at least one navigation satellite by a navigation device which is independent of the at least one navigation satellite as well as of the geostationary satellite,

providing data exchange between the geostationary satellite and the navigation device for the determination of position data of the geostationary satellite from the transit times, the navigation data as well as the system time of the at least one navigation satellite.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving signals of the at least one navigation satellite by a navigation device which has at least one navigation receiver, and by means of the navigation device,

determining the navigation data and data concerning the system time of the at least one navigation satellite from the received signals.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

extracting navigation data and data concerning the system time of the at least one navigation satellite in a data bank by means of the navigation device.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the navigation data and of the data concerning the system time to the geostationary satellites by means of a transmission device which is connected with the navigation device in the sense of a data exchange, and

determining position data of the geostationary satellite on the basis of the transit time data, the navigation data as well as the data concerning the system time within the geostationary satellite.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the data concerning the transit time to the navigation device by means of a transmission device of the geostationary satellite,

determining position data of the geostationary satellite on the basis of the transit time data, the navigation data as well as the data concerning the system time within the navigation device, and

transmitting the determined position data to the geostationary satellite takes place by means of a transmission device which is connected with the navigation device in the sense of a data exchange.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of unambiguously determining the transit time data while taking into account an estimated position of the geostationary satellite.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining date concerning the transit times by means of a delay lock loop (DLL).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting data concerning the system time from the navigation device to the geostationary satellite, and

determining the transmit time data while taking into account the data concerning the system time.

9. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the navigation data and of the data concerning the system time to the geostationary satellites by means of a transmission device which is connected with the navigation device in the sense of a data exchange, and

determining position data of the geostationary satellite on the basis of the transit time data, the navigation data as well as the data concerning the system time within the geostationary satellite.

10. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the data concerning the transit time to the navigation device by means of a transmission device of the geostationary satellite,

determining position data of the geostationary satellite on the basis of the transit time data, the navigation data as well as the data concerning the system time within the navigation device, and

transmitting the determined position data to the geostationary satellite takes place by means of a transmission device which is connected with the navigation device in the sense of a data exchange.

11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of unambiguously determining the transit time data while taking into account an estimated position of the geostationary satellite.

12. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of unambiguously determining the transit time data while taking into account an estimated position of the geostationary satellite.

13. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of unambiguously determining the transit time data while taking into account an estimated position of the geostationary satellite.

14. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of unambiguously determining the transit time data while taking into account an estimated position of the geostationary satellite.

15. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of determining date concerning the transit times by means of a delay lock loop (DLL).

16. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of determining date concerning the transit times by means of a delay lock loop (DLL).

17. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of determining date concerning the transit times by means of a delay lock loop (DLL).

18. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of determining date concerning the transit times by means of a delay lock loop (DLL).

19. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting data concerning the system time from the navigation device to the geostationary satellite, and

determining the transmit time data while taking into account the data concerning the system time.

20. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting data concerning the system time from the navigation device to the geostationary satellite, and

determining the transmit time data while taking into account the data concerning the system time.