System and method for determining the location of a transmitter using passive reflectors or refractors as proxy receivers
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorBrian Holt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The location of a transmitter can be determined using a proxy receiver, such as a natural landmark or man-made structure, which reflects and/or refracts the signal from a transmitter toward a receiver. A processor is operatively connected to the receiver and determines the location of the transmitter based on a multilateration calculation that includes the Time of Arrival of the transmitted signal at the proxy receiver and the known or calculated location of the proxy receiver as inputs.
Claims22
A system for determining the location of a transmitter comprising:
- a transmitter to be located that transmits a signal;
- a receiver that receives a signal from a transmitter;
- a proxy receiver comprising a natural landmark, earth elevation, or man-made structure that reflects and/or refracts a signal from the transmitter toward the receiver;
- and
- a processor operative with the receiver for determining the location of the proxy receiver based on stored data about the proxy receiver, and for determining the location of the transmitter based on the Time of Arrival and at least one of the Angle of Arrival of the signals received from the proxy receiver and the transmitter.
A method for determining the location of a transmitter comprising the steps of:
- receiving a signal from the transmitter within a receiver;
- receiving the signal from an object acting as a proxy receiver comprising a natural landmark, earth elevation, or man-made structure that has reflected and/or refracted the signal from the transmitter;
- determining the location of the proxy receiver based on stored data about the proxy receiver;
- and
- determining the location of the transmitter based on the Time of Arrival and at least one Angle of Arrival of the signals from the proxy receiver and transmitter.
A method for determining the location of a transmitter comprising the steps of:
- receiving a signal from the transmitter within an omnidirectional antenna located at a receiver;
- receiving the signal into a narrow beam antenna of the receiver that is directed at a known object acting as a proxy receiver comprising a natural landmark, earth elevation, or man-made structure that has reflected and/or refracted the signal from the transmitter;
- and
- determining the location of the transmitter based on the Time of Arrival and at least one Angle of Arrival of the received signals from the proxy receiver and transmitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.