Aircraft acoustic position and orientation detection method and apparatus

A method for determining position of an aircraft with respect to a position on the ground, comprising:

• transmitting a signal from each of at least three spaced apart positions proximate the position to the aircraft;
• detecting each of the transmitted signals at a sensor on the aircraft, the sensor configured to determine angle of direction of each coded signal from its respective position of transmission;
• and
• determining the position of the aircraft from the determined angles.

An apparatus for determining a position of an aircraft with respect to a location on the ground comprising:

• at least one acoustic transmitter on the aircraft;
• an array of acoustic sensors arranged in a selected pattern proximate the location on the ground;
• means for determining at least one of (i) a time difference of arrival of the acoustic signal between each of the acoustic sensors and a reference acoustic sensor and (ii) an arrival time of the acoustic signal at each of the spaced apart acoustic sensors;
• and
• means for determining the position using the determined time differences of arrival or the arrival time.

An apparatus for determining position of an aircraft with respect to a position on the ground, comprising:

• at least three spaced apart acoustic transmitters proximate the position to the aircraft, each acoustic transmitter driven by a single frequency signal different in frequency than the signal used to drive other of the plurality of transmitters;
• a directionally sensitive acoustic sensor on the aircraft, the sensor configured to determine angle of direction of each coded signal from its respective position of transmission;
• and
• means for determining the position of the aircraft from the determined angles.

An apparatus for determining position of an aircraft with respect to a position on the ground, comprising:

• an acoustic receiver on the aircraft;
• an array of spaced apart acoustic transmitters proximate the position on the ground;
• means for summing the signals detected by the acoustic receiver from each of the spaced apart transmitters;
• means for time domain beamforming the signals from the spaced apart transmitters;
• and
• means for determining the location of the aircraft when an assumed position in a scan of possible positions results in the time domain beamformed signals most closely matches the summed detected signal.