US 6,188,356 B1 · Radio monitoring method and apparatus

Abstract

A radio monitoring method which can estimate the position of an objective radio wave source with a high degree of accuracy by taking an influence of the geography or objects on the ground into consideration. According to the method, radio wave hologram observation is performed at individual sensor stations to acquire radio wave reconstructed images, and the reconstructed images are compared with results of a computer simulation prepared in advance to determine a candidate position of the radio wave source. The computer simulation is repeated while the position of the radio wave source is successively varied in the proximity of the candidate position to finally determine the position of the radio wave source. Map information is used in the computer simulation to simulate radio wave propagation with an influence of the geography and objects on the ground into consideration. After the position of the radio wave source is determined, an observation point may be set to or in the proximity of the position, and a radio wave photograph observation car may be moved to the observation point to acquire a radio wave photograph through radio wave hologram observation. The radio wave source can be identified from an image on the radio wave photograph.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A wide area radio monitoring method for monitoring a radio wave from a radio wave source in an area, comprising the steps of:

disposing one or more sensor stations;
calculating, for each of a plurality of points in the area, incoming directions of the radio wave at each of said sensor stations when it is assumed that a radio wave source is present at the point by a computer simulation in which map information is utilized;
observing the incoming directions of the radio wave from said radio wave source at said sensor stations separately for individual propagation paths;
comparing the observed incoming directions of the radio wave with results of the computer simulation to find, from within the results of the computer simulation, that result which indicates incoming directions having highest similarity to the observed incoming directions of the radio wave and discriminating a corresponding point to the found out result as a candidate position;
and
performing a computer simulation while a position of said radio wave source is successively adjusted on an assumption that said radio wave source is present around the candidate position to determine the position of said radio wave source.

3 more elements

A wide area radio monitoring apparatus for monitoring a radio wave from a radio wave source in an area, comprising:

a simulation apparatus for executing a computer simulation of radio wave propagation based on map information;
one or more sensor stations for observing incoming directions of the radio wave from said radio wave source;
and
direction finding trace chart production means for causing said simulation apparatus to execute a computer simulation while a position of said radio wave source is successively varied so that the incoming directions at said sensor stations by the computer simulation may have highest similarity to the incoming directions at said sensor stations by the observation to determine the position of said radio wave source and tracing propagation paths of the radio wave by the computer simulation by said simulation apparatus.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Radio monitoring method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Radio monitoring method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18