# US 10,871,546 B2 · System and method for calibrating a transmitting unit, and watercraft comprising a system for calibrating a transmitting unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,546 B2 - Document ID: US10871546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/047,252 - Filed: 2018-07-27 - Published: 2019-02-28 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-02 - Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH - Inventors: Klaus Kittmann; Simon Burns - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871546B2 ## CPC - G01S 5/0284: {Relative positioning} - G01S 1/022: {Means for monitoring or calibrating} - G01S 5/021: {Calibration, monitoring or correction (G01S5/0252 takes precedence)} - G01S 7/40: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 13/913: {for landing purposes} - G01S 13/74: Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems - G01S 13/876: {Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver (G01S13/874 takes precedence)} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system for calibrating a transmitting unit includes an arrangement of at least four transmitting units. A first transmitting unit has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit. The first transmitting unit is designed to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, each of which is designed to receive the first transmission signal and, thereafter, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit. The first transmitting unit is designed to determine its relative position data with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned and to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for calibrating a transmitting unit, the system comprising: an arrangement of at least four transmitting units, wherein a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, wherein each of the three remaining transmitting units is configured to receive the first transmission signal and, after receiving the first transmission signal, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation, and wherein a second transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units is configured to emit a second transmission signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to receive the second transmission signal and, after receiving the second transmission signal, to return a second response signal to the second transmitting unit, and wherein the second transmitting unit is configured to check the calibration of the transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the second response signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine the relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of a propagation time measurement of the first transmission signal and of the first response signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the second transmitting unit has stored position data with respect to a position of the second transmitting unit, and wherein the calibration of the transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit is effected on the basis of a comparison of the propagation time of the second transmission signal and of the second response signal with the stored position data with respect to the position of the second transmitting unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3, wherein the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal are in each case radar signals, and/or wherein the first response signal and the second response signal are in each case radar signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal are in each case radar signals, and/or wherein the first response signal and the second response signal are in each case radar signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal are in each case beacon signals in the form of radio signals, and wherein the first response signals and the second response signals are in each beacon signals in the form of radio signals. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the calibration of the first transmitting unit comprises a setting of a time parameter and/or of a frequency parameter of the first transmitting unit. ### Claim 8 A system for calibrating a transmitting unit, the system comprising: an arrangement of at least four transmitting units, wherein a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, wherein each of the three remaining transmitting units is configured to receive the first transmission signal and, after receiving the first transmission signal, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation, and wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to ascertain a malfunction of the system if a first response signal of at least one of the three remaining transmitting units fails to appear. ### Claim 9 A system for calibrating a transmitting unit, the system comprising: an arrangement of at least four transmitting units, wherein a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, wherein each of the three remaining transmitting units is configured to receive the first transmission signal and, after receiving the first transmission signal, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation, and wherein each transmitting unit of the arrangement of at least four transmitting units is configured to receive a radar signal of an object that is moving relative to the arrangement and as a consequence to emit a response signal to the moving object, such that a relative position of the moving object with respect to the arrangement of at least four transmitting units is determinable. ### Claim 10 A system for calibrating a transmitting unit, the system comprising: an arrangement of at least four transmitting units, wherein a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, wherein each of the three remaining transmitting units is configured to receive the first transmission signal and, after receiving the first transmission signal, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation, and wherein the arrangement comprises a total of eight transmitting units, at least six transmitting units of which are arranged substantially in one plane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10, wherein two transmitting units of the total of eight transmitting units are arranged at a distance from the plane. ### Claim 12 A watercraft comprising a system for calibrating a transmitting unit, the system comprising: an arrangement of at least four transmitting units, wherein a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units has stored position data with respect to a setpoint position of the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units, wherein each of the three remaining transmitting units is configured to receive the first transmission signal and, after receiving the first transmission signal, to return a first response signal to the first transmitting unit, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to determine relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned, wherein the first transmitting unit is configured to detect a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and to carry out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation, and wherein the arrangement of at least four transmitting units delimits a landing region for an aircraft. ### Claim 13 A method for calibrating a transmitting unit, the method comprising: arranging at least four transmitting units in an installation environment; storing position data with respect to a setpoint position of a first transmitting unit of the at least four transmitting units; emitting a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining transmitting units; receiving the emitted first transmission signal by each of the three remaining transmitting units and subsequently returning a first response signal to the first transmitting unit by each of the three remaining transmitting units; determining relative position data of the first transmitting unit with respect to the three remaining transmitting units on the basis of the first response signals returned; detecting a deviation between the stored position data and the relative position data determined and carrying out a calibration of a transmission parameter of the first transmitting unit on the basis of the detected deviation; and ascertaining a malfunction of the system by the first transmitting unit if a first response signal of at least one of the three remaining transmitting units fails to appear.