System for Positioning a Terrestrial User

• US 20100182192A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astrium Sas (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Astrium Sas (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Laine, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,106,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/356
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1014 Navigation satellites
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1085 Swarms and constellations
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/242 Orbits and trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/02 Details of the space or ground control segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations

Abstract

According to the invention, navigation satellites (1) are at least partially managed by at least three management satellites (3.1 to 3.3) positioned on high orbits inclined in relation to the equator (E). Said high orbits intersect the equatorial plane along intersecting diametrical straight lines (5.1 to 5.3), such that the two outer intersecting diametrical lines (5.2, 5.3) form therebetween an angle of longitude (2Θ) that is at least equal to 90°.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A system for positioning a terrestrial user, said system comprising:

a first plurality of navigation satellites (1) placed in medium altitude orbits (2); and

a second plurality of management satellites (3) placed in high orbits (3), able to at least partially manage said navigation satellites (I) and to communicate with the Earth (T), wherein;

said second plurality comprises a set of at least three management satellites (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) each placed in a high orbit, whose plane is inclined with respect to the plane (PE) of the terrestrial equator (E) and cuts the latter along a diametral straight intersection line (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) with respect to the Earth (T); and

the two external diametral straight intersection lines (5.2, 5.3) make between themselves an angle of longitude (20) at least equal to 90°

.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plane determined by the management satellites (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) of said set is constantly outside the set of medium altitude orbits (2) of said first plurality.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said angle of longitude (20) is at most equal to 160°

.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inclinations (i) of the planes of the high orbits of the management satellites (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) of said set are identical.

11. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the high orbits of the management satellites of said set are geosynchronous.

12. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sinusoidal apparent heights (h) of said three management satellites (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), viewed from the Earth (T), are out of phase by a number of hours equal to 24/n, n being the number of management satellites of said set.