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Determining a time of arrival of a sent signal

  • US 20030174086A1
  • Filed: 12/20/2002
  • Published: 09/18/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for determining a time of arrival (tn) of a transmitted signal ({S}), the apparatus comprising:

  • at least two transponder units (20, 30), each comprising a first receiver (22, 32) for receiving the transmitted signal ({S}), a time-processing unit (24, 34) coupled to the first receiver (22, 32) for generating, in response to receipt of the transmitted signal ({S}) by the first receiver (22, 32), a first time-count value (δ

    n), and for scheduling transmission of a time-processed signal ( {{tilde over (S)}n}), which is based on the transmitted signal ({S}), in dependence on the time-count value (δ

    n), and a transmitter (26, 36) for transmitting the time-processed signal ({{tilde over (S)}n}) from a transmission location (L′

    n); and

    , an evaluation unit (40) comprising a second receiver (42, 52) for receiving the time-processed signal ({{tilde over (S)}n}) after a determinable time-delay value (τ

    n), a timer unit (44, 54) coupled to the second receiver (42, 52) for generating, in response to receipt of the time-processed signal ({{tilde over (S)}n}) by the second receiver (42, 52), a second time-count value (Δ

    Tn), a controller (46) for generating a time reference (T0) for the timer unit (44, 54), and a processing unit (48) for deriving the time of arrival (tn) based on the time reference (T0) from the first time-count value (δ

    n), the time-delay value (τ

    n), and the second time-count value (Δ

    Tn).

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