Reference Beacon Signal Encoding for TDOA Bias Error Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current reference beacon systems for TDOA/FDOA measurements struggle with accurately estimating bias errors when the reference beacon transmitter is in motion, as they require separate data paths and complex network associations to provide position and velocity information, which can be error-prone and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Encoding position and motion information, including velocity and acceleration, directly into the reference beacon signal, allowing immediate and unambiguous association with signal transmissions, eliminating the need for separate data paths and enhancing bias error estimation in TDOA/FDOA systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If position and motion information are transmitted via separate data paths from the reference beacon transmitter, then the geolocation processing system can receive position data, but the association between position data and RF signal data becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines position and motion information directly with the RF beacon signal by encoding it into the waveform itself. This merging eliminates the need for separate data paths and network associations, directly resolving the contradiction by making the association between position data and signal data inherent and unambiguous while simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the RF beacon signal itself as an intermediary carrier that transports both the beacon function and position/motion information simultaneously. By encoding position and motion data into the RF waveform, the signal acts as a self-contained intermediary that delivers all necessary information without requiring external data paths, thereby improving reliability and reducing complexity.
2Measurement precision
If position and motion information are encoded directly into the reference beacon signal, then association with signal transmissions becomes immediate and unambiguous, but the signal structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges position and motion information with the RF beacon waveform by encoding it directly into the signal structure. This combination enables immediate and unambiguous association between the transmitted signal and its corresponding position data, improving measurement precision for bias error estimation while the encoding overhead remains manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the RF beacon signal parameters by encoding position and motion information into the waveform characteristics. This parameter change approach allows the signal to carry additional information content without fundamentally altering the beacon's primary function, achieving improved measurement precision with controlled signal complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional separate data paths are used for position information, then the reference beacon signal can remain simple pseudorandom waveform, but the system requires additional network infrastructure and processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines position and motion information encoding directly into the RF beacon signal generation process. This merging eliminates the need for separate data paths and network infrastructure, reducing system infrastructure complexity while the signal generation remains straightforward by simply encoding the available position data into the waveform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the need for separate data paths and network infrastructure by embedding all necessary position and motion information directly into the RF beacon signal. This extraction simplifies the overall system by removing redundant components and processing overhead while maintaining ease of signal generation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for estimating bias errors in a time-difference-of-arrival/frequency-difference-of-arrival (TDOA/FDOA) geolocation system using a reference signal transmitter in which position and/or motion information of the reference signal transmitter is encoded into the reference signal. The motion information may include the velocity and/or acceleration of the reference signal transmitter. The reference signal is received by multiple collection platforms operating in conjunction with a geolocation system and a reference correction processing system. The reference correction processing system receives, via the multiple collection platforms, the position and/or motion information, which is immediately and unambiguously associated with specific reference signal transmissions. The geolocation system estimates the position and/or velocity of the reference signal transmitter using conventional TDOA/FDOA techniques. The estimated position and/or velocity of the reference signal transmitter is compared to the information contained in the reference signal to estimate bias errors.