Abstract: A network of localizers determines relative locations in three-dimensional space to within 1 cm by cooperatively measuring propagation times of pseudorandom sequences of electromagnetic impulses. Ranging transmissions may include encoded digital information to increase accuracy. The propagation time is determined from a correlator circuit which provides an analog pseudo-autocorrelation function sampled at discrete time bins. The correlator has a number of integrators, each integrator providing a signal proportional to the time integral of the product of the expected pulse sequence delayed by one of the discrete time bins, and the non-delayed received antenna signal. With the impulses organized as doublets the sampled correlator output can vary considerably in shape depending on where the autocorrelation function peak falls in relation to the nearest bin. Using pattern recognition the time of arrival of the received signal can be determined to within a time much smaller than the separation between bins.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 22, 1994
Date of Patent:
May 5, 1998
Assignee:
Aether Wire & Location
Inventors:
Robert Alan Fleming, Cherie Elaine Kushner