System for determining position of an emitter
US6861982B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 1, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 27, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S5/0244
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The position of a non-cooperating emitter is determined by detecting a signal from the emitter at three or more receiver communication devices positioned at different locations. The receiver communication devices determine respective detection times of the emitted signal in respective local time reference frames. To establish a common time reference frame for the emitted signal detections, each receiver communication device exchanges time synchronization signals with a reference communication device. Since any of the receiver communication devices and the reference communication device may be mobile, the signal exchange allows each receiver communication device to accurately determine the signal propagation time between itself and the reference communication device and factor the signal propagation time into an accurate adjustment of the local time reference frame. Using trilateration, the position of the emitter is determined from known positions of the receiver communication devices and the emitted signal detection times from the receiver communication devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.