Integrated positioning system and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus to determine the location and navigational movement of a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprisinga system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a receiver/processor associated with said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a first receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a second receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data from at least three of said satellites at any given time, a processor coupled to said first receiver and said second receiver to calculate the location of said unit from said pulsed location data and said distinct time and position data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for utilizing two positioning and navigation systems in a single unit which may be used within sight of earth-orbiting GNSS satellites as well as behind a line-of-sight barrier obstructing the earth-orbiting satellites. A mobile receiver/processor includes a GNSS receiver which receives and develops navigation and position information from the signals transmitted by the system of earth-orbiting satellites. The receiver/processor also includes a TM-UWB receiver capable of receiving transmissions from a group of at least three ground-based beacons stationed at precise known locations, each of which independently transmits a distinct TM-UWB signal, including location information. The receiver/processor is provided with programmable memory which holds coordinates of the space where the receiver/processor will be moveable which is behind the line-of-sight barrier. A first antenna exterior to a line-of-sight barrier behind which the receiver/processor will be operated collects signals from the earth-orbiting satellites and passes the collected signals through the line-of-sight barrier to a second antenna which rebroadcasts the collected signals to the receiver/processor when it is in line-of-sight of the second antenna.
62 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus to determine the location and navigational movement of a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprising
a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a receiver/processor associated with said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a first receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a second receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data from at least three of said satellites at any given time, a processor coupled to said first receiver and said second receiver to calculate the location of said unit from said pulsed location data and said distinct time and position data.
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11. A system for providing location and navigation data to a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprising
a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, a multiplicity of at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a first antenna for receiving said distinct time and position data from at least three of said satellites, said first antenna disposed within line of sight of said satellites, a second antenna disposed separated by a barrier from line of sight of said satellites, said second antenna coupled to said first antenna, said second antenna repeatingly broadcasting said time and position data received by said first antenna, a receiver/processor associated with said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a GNSS receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data repeated by said second antenna, a processor coupled to said receiver and said GNSS receiver to calculate the location of said unit from said pulsed location data or from said distinct time and position data.
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14. A system for providing location and navigation data to a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprising
a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, a multiplicity of at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a receiver/processor associated with said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a first receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a GNSS receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data transmitted by at least three of said earth-orbiting satellites, a processor coupled to said first receiver and said GNSS receiver to calculate the location of said unit from said pulsed location data and said distinct time and position data, a memory element coupled to said processor to receive and store parameters of a defined space, said receiver/processor interrogates said memory element to determine whether said receiver/processor is within said defined space, said receiver/processor disregarding said GNSS receiver when said receiver/processor is within said defined space.
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17. A method of determining location and navigation information about a mobile unit having a receiver/processor associated therewith, the mobile unit moveable without and within line of sight of a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting signals with distinct location and time data, comprising the steps of
receiving signals by the receiver/processor from the system of earth-orbiting satellites, receiving signals by said receiver/processor from at least three ground-based beacons, each beacon transmitting distinct location data by pulsed transmissions, interrogating a database of coordinates to determine when said signals from said system of earth-orbiting satellites should be disregarded, calculating the location of said mobile unit from said signals received from said system of earth-orbiting satellites or from said at least three ground-based beacons.
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25. A system for providing location and navigation data to a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprising
a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, a multiplicity of at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a first antenna for receiving said distinct time and position data from at least three of said satellites, said first antenna disposed within line of sight of said satellites, a second antenna disposed separated by a barrier from line of sight of said satellites, said second antenna coupled to said first antenna, said second antenna repeatingly broadcasting said time and position data received by said first antenna, a receiver/processor carried on said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a GNSS receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data repeated by said second antenna, a processor coupled to said receiver and said GNSS receiver calculating the location of said unit from said pulsed location data or from said distinct time and position data.
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26. A system for providing location and navigation data to a unit on or near the surface of the earth comprising
a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting distinct time and position data identifiable with said satellite, a multiplicity of at least three beacons, each beacon located at a known geographical location, each beacon transmitting pulsed location data distinct for said beacon, a receiver/processor carried on said unit, said receiver/processor comprising a first receiver for receiving said pulsed location data from at least three of said multiplicity of beacons, a GNSS receiver for receiving and analyzing said distinct time and position data transmitted by at least three of said earth-orbiting satellites, a processor coupled to said first receiver and said GNSS receiver calculating the location of said unit from said pulsed location data and said distinct time and position data, a memory element coupled to said processor to receive and store parameters of a defined space, said receiver/processor interrogating said memory element to determine whether said receiver/processor is within said defined space, said receiver/processor disregarding said GNSS receiver when said receiver/processor is within said defined space .
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27. A method of determining location and navigation information about a mobile unit having a receiver/processor carried thereon, the mobile unit moveable without and within line of sight of a system of earth-orbiting satellites, each satellite transmitting signals with distinct location and time data, comprising the steps of
receiving signals by the receiver/processor from the system of earth-orbiting satellites, receiving signals by said receiver/processor from at least three ground-based beacons, each beacon transmitting distinct location data by pulsed transmissions, interrogating a database of coordinates to determine when said signals from said system of earth-orbiting satellites should be disregarded, calculating the location of said mobile unit from said signals received from said system of earth-orbiting satellites or from said at least three ground-based beacons.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeLightwaves Systems, Inc.
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Original AssigneeLightwaves Systems, Inc.
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InventorsSnyder, David M., Baych, Leslie D., Melick, Bruce D.
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Primary Examiner(s)Blum, Theodore M.
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Application NumberUS09/686,181Time in Patent Office1,252 DaysField of Search342/357.14, 342/357.06, 342/386, 701/215US Class Current342/357.29CPC Class CodesG01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating ele...G01S 19/48 by combining or switching b...G01S 5/01 Determining conditions whic...G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distan...
