Abstract: A system for selecting an optimal transformation T(G2;G1) between a first ellipsoid E1 (e.g., WGS 84) in a first global coordinate system G1, relative to which the survey measurements are made, and a second ellipsoid E2 (e.g., NAD 27) in a second global coordinate system G2. Location coordinates (x'.sub.m,2,y'.sub.m,2,z'.sub.m,2) for M previously-surveyed locations, numbered m=1, . . . , M (M>1) in the second system, and location coordinates (x'.sub.n,1,y'.sub.n,1,z'.sub.n,1) for N presently-surveyed locations, numbered n=1, . . . , N (M<N), in the first system are provided, where M presently-surveyed locations coincide with the M previously-surveyed locations. The transformation is chose.sub.n so that the images of previously-surveyed locations in the first system under the transformation T are as close as possible to the corresponding [previously-surveyed] locations in the second system. Give.sub.n an ellipsoid and a selected survey plane .tau.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining non-iterative exact solutions for two, three or four location fix coordinates x, y, z and/or time offset b from pseudorange measurements from a plurality of location determination (LD) signals received at a GPS or GLONASS station. If M location fix coordinates are to be determined from N pseudorange measurements, the solution is exact if N=M. If N=M-1, the solution for two of the location fix coordinates lies at a point, on an ellipse or on an hyperbola. If N.gtoreq.M+1, a solution lies at the center of a sphere in M-dimensional space or in the interior of the sphere, according as N=M+1 or N.gtoreq.M+2.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a self-authenticating visual image of a selected view, using a digital image forming means, such as a digital camera, together with a position determining system that provides position information, including location and/or angular orientation and/or time of observation at the time a digital image is formed and/or distance from the camera to a selected object. The digital image of the selected view is presented as an array of pixels with associated pixel values. The position information is incorporated in the digital image by altering selected pixel bit values for a selected authentication pattern P of pixels in a chosen subset CS of the pixel array; and this selected pattern may be determined using the position information. The position information may be encrypted, using an encryption key based on position information, and may be stored separate from, or as part of, the digital image.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the location of a point on a rotating body, using location determination (LD) signals received from as few as one satellite, preferably non-geosynchronous. Where signals from two or more satellites are received, one may be geosynchronous. Pseudoranges are measured from one or more satellites at two or more selected, spaced apart observation times, and the simultaneous rotations of the body and the satellite(s) relative to each other result in different body-satellite constellations for which the initial location coordinates (and, optionally, signal receiver time offset) of the selected point are determined exactly, without approximation or iteration. The selected point may be motionless or may be allowed to move with known coordinate differences between the initial unknown location and the present location at each observation time. Pseudoranges from different satellites, or even from different satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS, LEO, etc.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drying and/or cleaning a workpiece, such as an electronic part, semiconductor wafer, printed circuit board or the like. As the workpiece is withdrawn from a processing liquid, a selected drying liquid, such as hydrofluoroether (HFE) or an HFE azeotrope, that has a very small surface tension, is volatile, and has a density that is greater than the processing liquid density, is sprayed on, dribbled on or otherwise transferred to an exposed surface of the workpiece. The workpiece can be dried in 7-45 seconds, or less, in most situations and can be cleaned using the invention. Drying and/or cleaning can be performed in a single workpiece process, a single workpiece continuous process or a batch process.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing security for a vehicle and for cargo transported on the vehicle. A location determination (LD) system determines vehicle location. A cargo unit carries a transceiver (or transmitter) that transmits a selected signal, either sua sponte or in response to receipt of a polling signal. The selected signal, if received by a receiver on the vehicle, is examined as to signal intensity, signal coding and/or time of receipt. If the received signal violates a selected condition, vehicle location is compared with an approved cargo destination. If the vehicle is not near a cargo destination, or if no selected signal is received at the receiver, an alarm signal is transmitted, which may include the vehicle location and/or the violated condition. If the LD system does not receive adequate LD signals to determine vehicle location, vehicle location coordinates are compared with a coordinate range for a signal obscuring region (SOR).

Abstract: A method for improving the provision of emergency assistance services for an emergency site. An observer of an emergency event contacts an Emergency Assistance Services (EAS) operator, using a telephone to describe the type of emergency event and any special circumstances present. The EAS operator also receives the present location of the observer, using a location determination system that is connected to the telephone used by the observer. The EAS operator is provided with an electronic map showing the location of the observer and the location of at least one available EAS responder for the type of emergency event that has occurred. The EAS operator determines whether a given EAS responder has the equipment and/or trained personnel required to respond to the emergency event and, from a group of EAS responders who do so qualify, selects an EAS responder who is estimated to be able to reach the emergency site in the shortest time.

Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for determining the present location of a mobile user that carries the apparatus inside or outside buildings and structures within a region R. The apparatus includes a radio location determination (LD) signal module that receives radiowaves from at least three radio LD signal sources, such as FM carrier or subcarrier signals, and an outdoor LD signal module that receives outdoor LD signals from at three other satellite-based or ground-based outdoor LD signal sources, such as GPS, GLONASS or Loran-C signal sources. The radio LD signals and outdoor LD signals are used to (1) determine the location of the radio LD module, (2) determine the location of the outdoor LD module and (3) determine an indicium representing signal strength or signal quality for the radio LD signals and for the outdoor LD signals.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a location determination and reporting (LDR) system for clandestinely determining and reporting a missing vehicle present location. The vehicle is equipped with a handheld cellular phone unit and controller that are accepted and held by a cellular phone cradle that can include electrical power and/or a location determination (LD) unit to determines the LD unit present location. The cellular phone unit can operate on one cellular channel or on two distinct cellular channels. When the vehicle is reported missing, the central station interrogates the vehicle LDR system to determine the vehicle present location. A location interrogation signal is transmitted, commanding the LD unit to transmit its present location. The cellular phone does not signal receipt of an incoming call for an initial time period of selected length .DELTA.td, awaiting possible receipt of a location interrogation signal on the first cellular channel.

Abstract: A system for determining exact solutions of the pseudorange equations obtained from measurements of location determination (LD) signals received from N LD signal sources by a mobile LD station. The LD signal sources may be part of a GPS, a GLONASS, LEO or any other satellite-based or ground-based LD system, such as Loran. Squares of differences of the pseudorange equations are subtracted from each other to produce N-1 linear relations between the unknown location coordinates x, y and z and the receiver clock offset b. These linear relations are used in one or more squares of pseudorange equations to produce a quadratic equation in b, or in x, y or z. A physically realistic solution b is found and used to determine the remaining unknown coordinates (x,y,z). No iteration or approximation is required. For N.gtoreq.5, the approach extends to situations where the clock offset varies with time. For N.gtoreq.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for monitoring present location of a person ("confinee") who is to be confined to a designated site, which site can have a diameter as small as a few meters or as large as several kilometers. The present location of the confinee is checked at selected time intervals with time periods ranging from one second to thousands of seconds, as desired. The confinee wears a location-determining ("LD") unit that receives electromagnetic signals that contain information allowing determination of the present location of the LD unit, and thus of the confinee, from three or more non-collinear outdoor LD signal sources and from three or more non-collinear indoor LD signal sources. The indoor LD signal sources may be radiowave transmitters. The outdoor LD signal sources may be transmitters for a Loran, Omega, Decca, Tacan, JTIDS Relnav or PLRS or similar ground-based system, or transmitters for a satellite positioning system, such as GPS or GLONASS.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the attitude or angular orientation of a moving vehicle or other moving body, using either two spaced apart antennas or a single antenna attached to or connected with the vehicle. Where two antennas are used, the spatial locations of each antenna are determined at a first selected time, and the spatial location of one antenna is determined at a second selected time. These three spatial locations determine a plane whose normal vector allows determination of the vehicle attitude at a time determined by the first and/or second selected times. Four or more spatial locations can also be used to determine a plane that indicates vehicle attitude. Where one antenna is used, for example, in a vehicle turn, the antenna spatial locations at three distinct selected times determine a plane that allows determination of the vehicle attitude at a time determined to the first, second and/or third selected times.

Abstract: Methods for estimating the tracking error in estimated time of arrival of a composite incoming signal that contains a known, digital, spread spectrum signal S.sub.d (t) and that may contain one or more multipath signals whose source is the known signal. Some methods use linear, quadratic or other approximations for the measured correlation function AC(.tau.) for the early and late regions of the time shift variable .tau. (separated by a punctual value .tau.=t.sub.P). Other methods require only knowledge of the measured correlation function AC(.tau.) for one or two time shift values in the early region .tau.<t.sub.P.

Abstract: A method for determining J location fix coordinates, such as (x,y,z,b) for J=2-4, for a selected location, such as a mobile station location, with increased accuracy, for a satellite-based or ground-based location determination (LD) system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN. Pseudorange corrections for the pseudorange values measured at the reference station approximately at an observation time t' are used to correct the pseudorange values measured at the selected location. Location fix coordinates are computed from the pseudorange values at the selected location or at the reference station, using an exact, invertible transformation T(t') between the J location fix coordinates and J pseudorange values. Information including the location fix coordinates is transmitted from one station to another with a reduced or minimal number of information bytes and with small dynamic ranges.

Abstract: Methods for determining the present location coordinates of a user moving in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space, with reference to an old map that may be inaccurate. Location coordinates of two or three non-collinear landmarks in two dimensions, or coordinates of three or four non-coplanar landmarks in three-dimensions, are indicated on the old map. Corresponding location coordinates are also estimated using a location determination (LD) system, such as GPS, GLONASS, Loran, Tacan, Decca, Omega, VOR, DME, JTIDS, PLRS or an FM subcarrier system. Location coordinates for two or more physical landmarks can be used to determine coordinates for a landmark representative. The user's location coordinates are also determined or provided using the LD system. A distance or separation vector from the user location to landmark number i (i=1, . . . , N; N=2,3) is computed in the LD system.

Abstract: Apparatus for capturing and authenticating a visual image of a selected view, using a digital image forming means, such as a digital camera, together with a position determining system that provides position information, including location, angular orientation and/or time of observation at the time a digital image is formed by the digital camera. Once captured, the visual or electronic image and accompanying position information cannot be deleted or altered within the digital camera and can be downloaded only by an authorized downloader. The digital image of the selected view is presented as an array of pixels with associated pixel values. The position information may be incorporated in the digital image by altering selected pixel bit values for a selected pattern of pixels in the pixel array, or as any other suitable overlay; and this selected pattern may be determined using the position information.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a self-authenticating visual image of a selected view, using a digital image forming means, such as a digital camera, together with a position determining system that provides position information, including location and/or angular orientation and/or time of observation at the time a digital image is formed. The digital image of the selected view is presented as an array of pixels with associated pixel values. The position information is incorporated in the digital image by altering selected pixel bit values for a selected authentication pattern P of pixels in a chosen subset CS of the pixel array; and this selected pattern may be determined using the position information. The position information may be encrypted, using an encryption key based on position information, and may be stored separate from, or as part of, the digital image.

Abstract: Methods for authentication or validation of the location of a putative source (ps) of a message, using time varying location determination (LD) signals that are received from J sources (J>1) of LD signals G(t;j;ps) that are spaced apart from the putative source. The putative source forms an augmented data signal that includes the original message, one or more segments g?t.sub.k(m),t.sub.k(m+1) ; j; ps!={G(t.sub.r ;j;ps).vertline.t.sub.k(m) .ltoreq.t.sub.r .ltoreq.t.sub.k(m+1) } of the LD signals for a selected time interval, a putative source asserted location L(t".sub.k(m) ;ps) for a time t".sub.k(m) in the selected time interval, and other identifying parameters. The augmented data signal is received by a central station that analyzes the LD signal segments and determines whether the asserted location L(t".sub.k(m) ;ps) is likely to be the true message source location. Part or all of the augmented data signal can be encrypted for transmission.

Abstract: A route exception reporting apparatus is mounted in a mobile shipping vehicle having a predetermined geographic route. The shipping vehicle may be a self-propelled vehicle containing cargo or may also be a separable self-contained shipping container carried on a transportation vehicle. At least a portion of the predetermined route is stored in the apparatus on board the shipping vehicle. The apparatus is provided with a geographic locating means for determining the shipping vehicle location, a comparator means for comparing the shipping vehicle location with at least one point of the predetermined route and a communication means for communicating with a central station. The apparatus is configured to communicate the shipping vehicle location to the central station when the comparator means computes a difference between the shipping vehicle location at a particular point in time and the predetermined route point corresponding with that particular time point which exceeds a predetermined limit.