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US3704465A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Angular position determining system compensated for doppler

Assignee: BAE Systems Aerospace Inc
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Filing: 1970-08-28
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Granted: 1972-11-28
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Expires: 1990-08-28
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed are systems for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location. One such system employs a novel array of antenna units at the reference location. The units are uniquely excited by a pulse type signal in two opposite predetermined sequences to produce a pair of radiated pulse trains. A target located in the field of this array is illuminated by these radiated pulse trains each of which has a phase distribution proportional to the angular position of the target with respect to the array and opposite in sense to that of the other. Furthermore, the frequency of each pulse train undergoes a doppler shift due to the radial velocity, if any, of the target with respect to the array and therefore the ambiguity due to such shifts can be compensated for by detecting the phase distribution of each pulse train and processing the information obtained. In this manner an indication of the target''s true angular position, free from doppler ambiguities, can be provided either at the reference location alone, the target alone, or at both the reference location and the target.

Inventors

  • 👤 Raymond J Masak
  • 👤 Herbert F Baurle

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 13:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/02; G01S1/08; G01S1/38; G01S1/40; G01S11/00; G01S11/02; G01S11/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 294 words
A system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, comprising; an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first selected phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other; means for receiving the pair of pulse trains which have illuminated the target; and means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of each of said received pulse trains and for providing a pair of output indications, each representative of one of said detected phase distributions and doppler components, whereby the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location is represented by the relationship between said pair of indications.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 294 words
A system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, comprising; an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first selected phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other; means for receiving the pair of pulse trains which have illuminated the target; and means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of each of said received pulse trains and for providing a pair of output indications, each representative of one of said detected phase distributions and doppler components, whereby the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location is represented by the relationship between said pair of indications.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 55 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said angular position determining system further comprises means for processing said pair of output indications to provide a final output indication representative of said true angular position, compensated for the ambiguity in angular position due to said doppler components and substantially free from the effects of multipath.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 47 words
A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said receiving, detecting, and processing means are located at said reference location and wherein said target includes means for retransmitting said pair of radiated pulse trains to said reference location thereby providing said output indication at said reference location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said receiving, detecting, and processing means are located at said reference location and wherein said pair of radiated pulse trains are reflected by said target to said reference location thereby providing said output indication at said reference location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said receiving, detecting, and processing means are located at said target, thereby providing said target with an indication of its angular position with respect to said reference location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 400 words
An aircraft landing system which determines the true angular position of an aircraft with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the aircraft with respect to the reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to a first unit of said array; delay means for coupling said first pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first predetermined phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be raDiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to a second unit of said array; delay means for coupling said second pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby an aircraft located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of first and second pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said aircraft with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other; means for receiving the pair of first and second pulse trains which have illuminated the target; means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of said received first and second pulse trains, by forming a pair of first and second electrical signals each having a waveshape substantially equivalent to the field intensity characteristic which would be formed at said aircraft by a predetermined scanning beam illuminating said aircraft, and for providing a pair of output indications each representative of the phase distribution and doppler component of a corresponding one of said pulse trains; and means for processing said output indications to provide a final output indication representative of the true angular position of said aircraft with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location, compensated for the ambiguities in position due to said doppler components and substantially free from the effects of multipath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 400 words
An aircraft landing system which determines the true angular position of an aircraft with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the aircraft with respect to the reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to a first unit of said array; delay means for coupling said first pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first predetermined phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be raDiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to a second unit of said array; delay means for coupling said second pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby an aircraft located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of first and second pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said aircraft with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other; means for receiving the pair of first and second pulse trains which have illuminated the target; means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of said received first and second pulse trains, by forming a pair of first and second electrical signals each having a waveshape substantially equivalent to the field intensity characteristic which would be formed at said aircraft by a predetermined scanning beam illuminating said aircraft, and for providing a pair of output indications each representative of the phase distribution and doppler component of a corresponding one of said pulse trains; and means for processing said output indications to provide a final output indication representative of the true angular position of said aircraft with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location, compensated for the ambiguities in position due to said doppler components and substantially free from the effects of multipath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 197 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determinig the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first selected phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; and means for supplying a second pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 197 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determinig the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and with a first selected phase relationship to cause a first corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; and means for supplying a second pulse type signal to selected units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 230 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to a first unit of said array; delay means for coupling said first pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and having a first predetermined phase relationship to cause a first pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to a second unit of said array; and delay means for coupling said second pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target in relation to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 230 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location comprising: an array of antenna units at said reference location; means for supplying a first pulse type signal to a first unit of said array; delay means for coupling said first pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a first predetermined sequence and having a first predetermined phase relationship to cause a first pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit; means for supplying a second pulse type signal to a second unit of said array; and delay means for coupling said second pulse type signal to selected remaining units of said array in a second predetermined sequence, opposite in order of units to said first predetermined sequence, and with a second selected phase relationship to cause a second corresponding pulse type signal to be radiated from each unit during a time interval unique to that unit, whereby a target located in the field of said array is illuminated by a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target in relation to said array and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 176 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determing the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, wherein said target is illuminated with a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said reference location and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other comprising: means for receiving the pair of pulse trains which have illuminated the target; and means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of each of said received pulse trains and for providing a pair of output indications, each representative of one of said detected phase distributions and doppler components, whereby the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location is represented by the relationship between said pair of indications.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 176 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determing the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, wherein said target is illuminated with a pair of pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said reference location and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other comprising: means for receiving the pair of pulse trains which have illuminated the target; and means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of each of said received pulse trains and for providing a pair of output indications, each representative of one of said detected phase distributions and doppler components, whereby the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location is represented by the relationship between said pair of indications.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 54 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said angular position determining system further comprises means for processing said pair of output indications to provide a final output indication representative of said true angular position, compensated for the ambiguity in angular position due to said doppler components and substantially free from the effects of multipath.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 240 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, wherein said target is illuminated with a pair of first and second pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said reference location and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other, comprising: means for receiving the pair of first and second pulse trains which have illuminated the target; means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of said received first and second pulse trains, by forming a pair of first and second electrical signals each having a waveshape substantially equivalent to the field intensity characteristic which would be formed at said target by a predetermined scanning beam illuminating said target, and for providing a pair of output indications each representative of the phase distribution and doppler component of a corresponding one of said pulse trains; and means for processing said output indications to provide a final output indication representative of the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location and compensated for the ambiguity in angular position due to said doppler components.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 240 words
Apparatus usable in a system for determining the true angular position of a target with respect to a reference location which system compensates for doppler ambiguities due to the relative motion of the target with respect to the reference location, wherein said target is illuminated with a pair of first and second pulse trains each having a phase distribution opposite in sense to that of the other and proportional to the angular position of said target with respect to said reference location and each having a doppler component approximately equal to the doppler component of the other, comprising: means for receiving the pair of first and second pulse trains which have illuminated the target; means for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of said received first and second pulse trains, by forming a pair of first and second electrical signals each having a waveshape substantially equivalent to the field intensity characteristic which would be formed at said target by a predetermined scanning beam illuminating said target, and for providing a pair of output indications each representative of the phase distribution and doppler component of a corresponding one of said pulse trains; and means for processing said output indications to provide a final output indication representative of the true angular position of said target with respect to said array and therefore with respect to said reference location and compensated for the ambiguity in angular position due to said doppler components.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 56 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said detecting means comprises a plurality of matched filters, each matched to the phase distribution due to a selected angular position, and together providing said first and second electrical signals from the particular filters matched to the phase distribution which correspond to said first and second received pulse trains.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said detecting means comprises a pair of Fourier transformers, each for detecting the phase distribution and doppler component of one of said pulse trains and each for developing an output indication in real time which is representative of said phase distribution and doppler component.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 55 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said detecting means comprises means including a pair of frequency lock loops for combining the pulses of said received pulse trains to form said pair of electrical signals, each signal having a center frequency representative of the phase distribution and doppler component of one of said pulse trains.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3234554A Cited
US3518669A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-11-28 1976-05-29 1976-11-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-11-28 1980-05-29 1980-11-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-11-28 1984-05-29 1984-11-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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