Platform position location and control

a platform position and control technology, applied in direction finders, instruments, aircraft traffic control, etc., can solve the problems of often degraded performance of aircraft location systems, and achieve the effect of reducing the number of required ground sites, and simplifying implementation

Active Publication Date: 2006-11-16
THE BOEING CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables accurate aircraft positioning and collision avoidance without external signals, reducing infrastructure costs and ensuring continuous position determination and collision monitoring within airspace.

Problems solved by technology

Use of such measurements is common, e.g., aircraft location systems often experience degraded performance because they rely on angle measurements as well as range measurements to minimize the number of required ground sites.

Method used

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  • Platform position location and control
  • Platform position location and control
  • Platform position location and control

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0027] In the following description of the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Overview

[0028] There are typically over 3000 commercial aircraft operating over the United States during normal daily operating hours. Within any given volume of airspace, there can be several (n) aircraft, each having a speed and direction. Each of these n aircraft, or mobile platforms, possesses a time history for its position p(t) and velocity v(t) vectors. A fixed site, typically located on the ground, is designated as a platform (platform 0) with a position vector and a velocity vector (of zero velocity when the platform is located on the ground) at all times. Each platform routine...

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining and tracking the geodetic position of a mobile platform (i.e., aircraft). The apparatus comprises a ground controller assigned to a geographic space (i.e., an airspace) and at least one mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) communicating with the ground controller on a bi-directional communications link, wherein each mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) transmits a mobile platform (i.e., an aircraft) signal comprising at least a time of transmission of the mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) signal; the ground controller transmits a ground signal comprising at least a time of transmission of the ground signal and a location of the ground controller; each mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) performs time-of-arrival (TOA) measurements on the mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) signals received by that mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) and also performs TOA measurements on the ground signal received by that mobile platform (i.e., aircraft); the ground controller performs TOA measurements on each of the mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) signals received by the ground controller; each mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) determines a range (i.e., an air range) between that mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) and other mobile platforms (i.e., aircraft) and a ground range between that mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) and the ground controller; each mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) determines its geodetic position based on at least the ranges (i.e., air ranges) and ground range for that mobile platform (i.e., aircraft) and the position of the ground controller.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to wireless communications systems, and particularly to wireless communications systems using aircraft to determine aircraft position and for monitoring aircraft position. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Locating mobile platforms is vital for many applications and consequently attracts much attention. Radio positioning or use of radio waves to locate mobile platforms includes both non-cooperative techniques (e.g., radar) and cooperative techniques wherein mobile platforms receive only, transmit only, or both receive and transmit (e.g., GPS, Teletrac, or EPLRS, respectively). [0005] All of these techniques rely on radio wave propagation time between transmitter and receiver. Most systems based on these techniques employ reference sites with fixed, known geolocations as a basis for locating mobile platforms although some systems use mobile reference platforms with location...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G01S3/02
CPCG01S5/0289G08G5/0043G08G5/0013G01S5/14
InventorSWENSEN, MARVIN D.HIMES, JOHN G.
OwnerTHE BOEING CO