WO2013112353A1 - Système et procédé de positionnement utilisant la compression spectrale hybride et traitement de signal de corrélation croisée - Google Patents

Système et procédé de positionnement utilisant la compression spectrale hybride et traitement de signal de corrélation croisée Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013112353A1
WO2013112353A1 PCT/US2013/021986 US2013021986W WO2013112353A1 WO 2013112353 A1 WO2013112353 A1 WO 2013112353A1 US 2013021986 W US2013021986 W US 2013021986W WO 2013112353 A1 WO2013112353 A1 WO 2013112353A1
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Prior art keywords
code
observables
sct
signal
gnss
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PCT/US2013/021986
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English (en)
Inventor
Michael B. Mathews
Peter F. Macdoran
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Loctronix Corporation
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Priority claimed from US13/356,281 external-priority patent/US9097783B2/en
Application filed by Loctronix Corporation filed Critical Loctronix Corporation
Publication of WO2013112353A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013112353A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
    • G01S19/38—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
    • G01S19/39—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
    • G01S19/42—Determining position
    • G01S19/48—Determining position by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
    • G01S19/01—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
    • G01S19/03—Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
    • G01S19/10—Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals

Definitions

  • the invention generally relates to a system and method for positioning and navigation of assets and, more particularly, to a system and method for using hybrid spectral compression and cross correlation signal processing using signals of opportunity.
  • GPS global positioning system
  • GNSS Globalstar Satellite System
  • satellite-based navigation systems signals are typically very weak as they reach the positioning receiver. In some cases, like the GPS, this is a key part of its design, but practically it is difficult to operate high power transmitters on orbit. These weak signals make it difficult to operate positioning receivers in obstructed environments, such as indoors, as the obstructions will tend to attenuate the signal power and render it useless for positioning or, at the very least, substantially degrade the overall measurement capability.
  • RTLS real time locating systems
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • TDOA time difference of arrival
  • RSS Received Signal Strength
  • fixed reader fixed reader
  • landmark tagging RTLS offers a variety of positioning capabilities and accuracies.
  • the most advanced and versatile systems tend to use TDOA and can offer positioning accuracy to within a few meters. Some of the systems even claim sub-meter accuracy, though this tends to be in highly controlled environments.
  • RTLS offers a variety of solutions that can be tailored to fit a variety of applications; however, when compared to the relative simplicity and wide availability of GNSS based positioning they all are less than desirable.
  • Almanac means information describing the configuration, current physical state, or predicted future physical state of a reference point or physical state sensor. This information may be internally generated by a reference network processor or be provided by an external source (e.g. GPS receiver for GPS almanac and precision ephemeris). Typically almanac information has a time of applicability and is stored in a format that makes it relatively easy to use for physical state estimation.
  • Almanac correction means corrections to almanac information. These corrections are typically adjustments to one or more elements of an almanac and are more compact in size when compared to a full almanac record thus reducing bandwidth and storage requirements.
  • Configuration data means information that defines the system configuration and relationship to external references.
  • Configuration data includes specifications of reference points, coordinate system transformations, and external time transformation data.
  • the system information may also include security attributes, physical state sensor registrations and specifications o integrity performance criteria.
  • Coordinat system fiducial reference means a known or accepted location in the coordinate system frame of reference that is determined to accuracy better than the accuracy o the system end-user performance requirement.
  • Differential observables means the observables that are formed whenever observables from two or more interceptors are differenced producing a differential measurement that effectively cancels the systematic errors due to the uncertainties in the physical state o an emitter. Note that there are 1 st, 2nd, and higher differenced observables. The preferred embodiment typically uses first differences.
  • Emitter means any object that produces an energy emission.
  • Energy emission means structured or unstructured energy propagated in some transmission medium that can be intercepted and processed.
  • Structured emissions include any emissions whose characteristics are known and are deterministic and predictable in some manner.
  • Unstructured emissions are anything that are not considered structured and typically have random characteristics.
  • Interceptor means any object capable o intercepting at least one energy emission.
  • “Location sensor” means a physical state sensor configured to produce observable* useful to the determination of position.
  • Nevigation processor means a physical state estimator configured to process observables for at least one physical state sensor resulting in an estimate o the physical state of the physical state sensor.
  • Physical state estimation can be implemented by any number of means. The preferred embodiment uses a combination of stochastic estimation methods including least squares, Kalman filtering, and hybrid methods.
  • Position and attitude may be in one, two, or three dimensions.
  • Position is a measurement of linear distance along one or more axes.
  • Attitude is a measurement of an angular rotation about some axis.
  • Clock is the measurement of time.
  • Temporal derivatives are the time derivatives of the primary physical characteristics.
  • Physical state estimate or "PSE” means a computed estimate of physical state derived from observables.
  • Physical state estimator means a system element that processes observables given previously defined configuration data producing a physical state estimate.
  • Physical state sensor means a system element that is used to sense the physical state.
  • the physical state sensor may be an energy interceptor or an emitter depending upon the configuration.
  • Reference point means a system element acting as a point of reference for measuring position of one or more location sensor(s).
  • a reference point element can be either an emitter or a receiver of energy propagated in some transmission medium. They can be placed at known fiducial points within the coordinate system reference frame. Reference points can also be moving, or of external origin such as quasars, satellite signals of opportunity, and any other emitter of energy.
  • the primary characteristic of reference point is that one or more physical characteristics are known prior to estimation of the relative physical state between the reference point and a physical state sensor.
  • Rading signal means a structured energy emission purposefully designed to have appropriate characteristics to be useful in measuring the range between an emitter and an interceptor.
  • Rading signal transmitter or “RST” means an emitter that transmits a ranging signal. This can be a global navigation satellite, a local beacon, or any transmitter that produces a signal that can be exploited as a ranging signal.
  • Reference network processor means a physical state estimator configured to estimate the physical state for at least one reference point with respect to a second reference point and subsequently using the resulting physical state information to update almanac and corrections information and other related configuration data for the system
  • Reference SCT means a spectral compressor and translator that is designated as a reference point in the system.
  • Spectral compressor and translator means a physical state sensor configured as an interceptor that processes intercepted energy emissions using at least one method of spectral compression producing observables that can be used for physical state estimation.
  • Spectral compression means a process of extracting the changing physical characteristics in the form of amplitude, phase and temporal derivatives of the intercepted energy as it propagates through a transmission medium without regard to the preservation of information content potentially modulated within the energy emissions.
  • the process of extraction utilizes at least one or more known physical characteristics of the energy emission and emitter to distill wideband spectral content into a narrowband regime, which preserves the physical characteristics.
  • the distillation of wideband spectral content can be performed without regard to modulated information content, enabling effective process gain that yields high signal to noise ratio for extraction of the physical characteristics.
  • System controller means a system element (typically software) that has the responsibility to coordinate system operations managing configuration, calibration, and coordinating the flow of information to other elements in the system.
  • the system controller implements timing and control functions needed to coordinate other system functions to provide a certain performance and quality of service. Note these functions may be physically implemented in a single controller or distributed/shared amongst a group of controllers depending on specific implementation requirements.
  • Time reference means an external signal that provides external time and frequency information that is useful for synchronizing the system's time and frequency reference.
  • One of the most common external time references is universal time coordinated (UTC) and GPS time, enabling the system time and frequency references to be linked to those specified systems.
  • TTC universal time coordinated
  • 100351 Transmission medium means any medium capable of propagating energy in some form; mediums include free space, liquids, solids and gases.
  • the present invention provides a system and method for determining the physical state and principal position of a physical state sensor relative to known reference points that may include both global navigation satellites (e.g. global positioning system (GPS)) and local beacons such that proper coverage is provided even when the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is not available or otherwise obstructed.
  • GPS global positioning system
  • GNSS global navigation satellite system
  • the invention presents a system and method for a beacon-based local area location system utilizing RF (or other signals) to provide ranging signals to one or more location sensors.
  • An exemplar embodiment of the system of the present invention for providing physical state information within a configured environment includes at least one emitter that emits energy within a transmission medium; at least one interceptor that receives energy propagated through a transmission medium from the emitter, wherein the interceptor is configured to process the received emissions using spectral compression to produce a set of observables suitable for physical state estimation.
  • the system communicates the set of observables to a physical state estimator, which is configured to determine a member of the relative physical state between the interceptor and emitter based on the set of observables received from the interceptor.
  • the system then reports determined member of the relative physical state based on the set of observables received from the interceptor.
  • An exemplar embodiment of the method of the present invention for providing physical state information within a configured environment includes the steps of emitting energy from at least one emitter through a propagation medium; intercepting the energy emission at the interceptor; processing the received energy emission using spectral compression to produce a set of observables associated with the emission; communicating the set of observables to a physical state estimator; receiving configuration data pertaining to the deployment and configuration of the emitter and interceptor within the configured environment; determining a member of the relative physical state between the interceptor and emitter based on the set o observables and the configuration data; and reporting the member o the relative physical state.
  • the resulting alternative embodiments of the present invention overcome the disadvantages associated with current systems and methods and provide a cost effective, simple to implement and rapidly deployable system with a complete stand alone method for physical state estimation using either local area beacons and/or wide area GNSS satellites such as GPS.
  • FIGURE 1 is a logical systems diagram showing the components of the invention including ranging signal transmitters, spectral compressor and translators and the processing components to determine the physical state using intercepted energy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 2 A shows the integration of the invention with existing communication assets in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 213 illustrates the components of the spectral compressor and translator integrated with the physical state determination processor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURES 2C and 2D illustrate the block level components of the spectral compressor and translator integrated with communication assets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURES 2E and 2F show additional block level integration scenarios of the spectral compressor and translator in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 3 shows a logical diagram for a scenario in which the inv ention is combined in a hybrid operation mode with GNSS signals in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 4 A illustrates the detail of the ranging signal transmitter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 413 illustrates the generation of the ranging signal within the RST in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 5 A illustrates the functionality of a spectral compressor and translator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 513 illustrates the functionality of the channel processor component of the SCT in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 6 illustrates a physical state estimator, which converts observed data to physical state elements in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 7 shows the process of federated filtering to generate a reference correction data set in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURES 8 A and 813 illustrate the difference between differential relative and absolute positioning in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 9 illustrates a 3D positioning deployment scenario in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 10 illustrates a deployment scenario in which both RST and GNSS signals are available for hybrid positioning in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 1 1 illustrates an application of the inv ention for search and rescue operations in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 12 is a logical systems diagram showing the components of the invention including an emitter, interceptor and physical state estimator used to determine physical states using intercepted energy in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 1 A illustrates a method for providing physical state information within a configured environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 13B illustrates the energy emission interception and processing methodology for providing physical state information within a configured environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 13C illustrates a method for narrowband data processing using a peak detector in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 1 3 D illustrates a method for narrowband data processing using a phase tracking loop in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 13 E illustrates a method for narrowband data processing using cross correlation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 14 A is a logical system diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment for hybrid spectral compression and cross correlation signal processing within an interceptor as described in FIGURE 12 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 1413 is a logical system diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment for hybrid spectral compression and cross-correlation signal processing wherein carrier and telemetry signal processing channels are added, eliminating the need for external configuration data in accordance with an embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • FIGURE 1 A illustrates a method for acquiring and producing direct sequence spread spectrum observables using a combination of spectral compression and cross- correlation methods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 15B illustrates a method for identifying and associating SCP observables of an intercepted emission with the source emitter using the technique of spectral matching in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 15C illustrates a method for identify and associating SCP observables of an intercepted emission with a source emitter without a priori configuration information in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 16 illustrates a method for extracting carrier observables given the SC code phase observables and basic characteristics of the signal structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 17 illustrates a detailed example of the hybrid spectral compression and cross correlation systems using digital signal processing approach amenable to software defined radio platforms in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGURE 18 is a logical data flowchart of detailing the process flow for applying two or more sequential delay and multiply operations on a given baseband RF signal to produce narrowband data.
  • the present inv ention utilizes a beacon constellation environment, which although low in transmitter power ( ⁇ 1 microwatt), provides signal flux that is 40 to 60 dB more powerful than GNSS signals and thus is able to determine the physical state of a sensor in missions where GNSS is either absent or unreliable in the context of a configured environment or, in other words, an environment in which there is the ability to deploy a beacon constellation in a manner that affords the maximum of flexibility for the system operator.
  • the constellation of beacons uses spread spectrum techniques without the need for time and frequency synchronization while achieving sufficiently stable frequency control to identify a beacon individually by its frequency offset.
  • Such beacon constellations could be in terrestrial, marine, air or space environments.
  • Spectral compression modes are preferably used within the GNSS sensors with high dynamic range digital sampling to tolerate residual interference at altitude.
  • the spectral compression GNSS data are down linked via a communications channel or, alternatively, imbedded within the beacon spectrum. In this manner, the dynamic physical state of these airborne beacons can be determined.
  • Beacons are devices that emit a loosely constrained signal structure that are configured to simplify the overall design to minimize cost of an intercepting device, minimize data cross-link requirements and simplify physical state estimators.
  • the concept of these beacons is not constrained to operate in any one emission modality.
  • these beacons operate in several physical domains such as electromagnetic ( RF, optical or nuclear regions of x-rays and gamma) and acoustical (through water, air or solid materials).
  • the beacon modulation in the preferred embodiment utilizes spread spectrum full carrier suppression to accomplish code division multiple access (CDMA) simultaneous reception of many beacons.
  • CDMA code division multiple access
  • the modulation from all beacons may or may not be phase coherent or time synchronized between the entire beacon constellation.
  • the constellation signal coherence and synchronization state is an issue of the choice to be made by the particular configuration desired and matter related to cost and flexibility of the remote receiver equipment.
  • the preferred design philosophy is a combination of the satellite navigation, architecture of three segments and the spectral compression GNSS reception methodologies.
  • the wideband RF signal structure minimizes the spectral density and the potential for interference with other R F equipment that may be in the area as well as limiting the potential for interference to the system of this invention. This is preferably accomplished by spreading the signals over the maximum band allowed, approximately 20 MHz, by utilizing predefined ranges of ISM bands, for example, centered at 915 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz in accordance with current U.S. regulations.
  • the preferred embodiment provides a local area positioning system and methodology that produces high accuracy positioning (centimeters if required), simplicity of operation and low-cost implementation so as to achieve a ubiquity of utilization. More specifically, the present invention blends three methodologies: radio astronomy space geodesy, spread spectrum communications and the methods of non-linear processing of signals from the GPS.
  • Radio astronomy such as very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) space geodesy, utilizes the concept of an array of incoherent radio sources, typically quasars, to serve as a frame of reference to determine the three dimensional vector separations between two or more radio telescopes.
  • VLBI very long baseline interferometry
  • PRN direct sequence pseudo random noise
  • the methods of non-linear GPS signal utilization provide the basis for a derived methodology known as spectral compression that minimizes expense in terms of custom chip/firmware development and DC power consumption.
  • a typical GPS receiver functions by having a priori knowledge of the PRN code sequence that each satellite used to spread the carrier signal onto which telemetry is modulated. This in turn allows the GPS receiver to extract the navigation message including the time and frequency synchronization state of each satellite in order for the GPS receiver internal processor to derive its position and velocity in an autonomous manner.
  • spectral compression GPS methods derive phase ranging data types from multiple synchronized satellites without any knowledge of the PRN code sequence used to spread the carrier signals.
  • the design of the beacon constellation avoids the need for time and frequency synchronization while still functioning as the frame of reference for physical state determination.
  • the beacons form an incoherent array of low power RF signals of very low spectral density so as to avoid interfering with other systems in the same spectral region, most likely the ISM bands.
  • the incoherent beacon array is usable in the differential relative positioning approach of the VLBI.
  • the beacons and location sensors depend upon crystal reference sources no better than those used in inexpensive digital wristwatches, with a frequency accuracy and stability of approximately 10 parts per million (PPM). In the spectral compression methodology there is no telemetry extraction.
  • beacons are distinguished from one another by their designated frequency offsets relative to PRN sequence chipping rate nominal frequency.
  • the location sensors do not depend upon cross-correlation signal processing of known PRN code sequences to derive pseudo ranging.
  • Spectral compression methods allow the acquisition o ambiguous phase ranging observables derived from a delay and multiply nonlinear processing that recovers the chipping frequencies of each beacon.
  • the PRN code is of maximal length, meaning that it has an auto-correlation function that is zero for all shift values except when shifted by zero or a value equal to the code length given by 2n - 1, where n is the number of shift register stages.
  • the present invention combines the N beacons into the equivalent of a geodetic network adjustment of dimensions n/2 x (n-1) combinations. For example, with six beacons configured to receive or transmit in accordance with the calibration methods described in the present invention, there will be fifteen unique baseline vectors in the network. Network based calculations results in advantages related to data processing, especially when RF multipath contamination is present; for example, multipath contamination will be particular to each of the baseline vectors and not systematic throughout the network.
  • the network adjustment produced as a result of the present invention is effective in deriving the best estimate of the true beacon physical state and provides a figure of merit as to the accuracy of the indiv idual measurements when applied to measurements made by location sensors.
  • These network estimates can be applied to continuously monitor the configuration data integrity, making the system self calibrating and able to monitor for unexpected changes in physical states of beacons relative to the common internal frame of reference.
  • the location sensor physical state may be estimated as part of the network or after application of network adjustments as corrections pursuant to the a priori beacon Almanac information.
  • a centralized processing unit that receives the spectral compression observables for one or more location sensors and reference points enabling physical state estimation of selected location sensors and reference points.
  • Placement of the beacons can be somewhat arbitrary, as they themselves can act as a location sensor, positioning themselves within the network in a post deployment calibration mode. In this embodiment, vertical in addition to horizontal placement of at least one beacon device is used to achieve 3-D positioning. [0088] The location determination system may be underlain on existing communication bands without interference. This embodiment utilizes whatever system exists to augment its capabilities without requiring the existence of a particular communication network.
  • Each beacon transmits a spread spectrum CDMA (code div ision multiple access) modulated signal over multiple channels, which are essentially overlapping but with each beacon hav ing a slightly different chipping frequency for its PRN (pseudo random noise) sequence generator.
  • CDMA code div ision multiple access
  • PRN pseudo random noise
  • Ranging signals within a specified RF band are modulated with a very long period (on the order of 100's of days) tapped feedback shift register sequence, allowing for 100's of simultaneous beacons to operate from a giv en code generation.
  • Each beacon is offset in time within the long sequence so that it only provides its portion of the sequence over an interv al of 1 day.
  • an approximately three second repeating PRN code sequence is used in all beacons, which has a chipping frequency of 10.23 MHz with each beacon started at an arbitrary time. This embodiment exploits the fact that there is a low probability of ever hav ing two identical start events that coincide and remain within 50 usee.
  • the identity of the particular beacon, within the configured environment, is indicated by the PRN sequence chipping frequency.
  • PRN sequence chipping frequency For example, an offset of 125 Hz abov e the nominal 10.23 MI I chipping frequency might correspond with the beacon placed in the northeast corner ceiling location of a large warehouse.
  • a location sensor within the domain of the local positioning system determined by the beacons that will despread the CDMA signals uti lizing techniques of Spectral Compression, which recovers the chipping frequency of the particular beacon being received.
  • Each beacon will use two or three PRN channels with different chipping rates (for example, 10.23 MHz, 1.023 MHz and 0.1023 MHz, corresponding to ambiguity wavelengths of approximately 29 m, 293 m and 2.93 km, respectively) so as to allow the resolution of phase ambiguities of the next highest frequency chipping frequency.
  • Frequency offsets, chipping rates, and channels are all configurable based on the intended application, device environment, and accuracy requirements, and are fully configurable.
  • the location sensor utilize FFT processing to determine the amplitude, frequency, and phase for each of the three channels from each beacon signal received.
  • An alternative embodiment may also extract amplitude, frequency and phase using a series o phased lock loops, one for each beacon on each channel.
  • a single additional 102.3 kHz channel may be sufficient to resolve the 29.3 m ambiguity from the 10.23 MHz channel.
  • the phase noise will be 0.01 radians or 0.6 degrees or 1.6 milli-cycles or 5 meters.
  • a five meter precision obtained from the 102.3 kHz chipping rate channel will reliably resolves the 29.3 meter ambiguity.
  • the 102.3 kHz channel ambiguity will have its 2.93 km ambiguity, however, for a physical space where the separation between the user remote unit is also less than 1.4 km, there is no ambiguity.
  • a third channel of perhaps 1.023 kHz with a 293 km ambiguity and phase precision of 500 meters may be used to resolve the 2.93 km ambiguities from the 102.3 kHz chipping frequency PRN generator.
  • the technology has application for RTLS applications in which location sensors are placed on an asset to be tracked, and further in applications such as bar code scanners in which the scanner unit itself acts as the location sensor, and correlates position to the bar code identification of a given asset.
  • FIGURE 1 shows the logical functions of the present invention without consideration for a specific implementation or deployment scenario.
  • the diagram shows the fundamental blocks and data relationships typical in a preferred implementation of the present inv ention.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present inv ention is described as follows. Beginning with a plurality of ranging signal transmitters (RST) 101 , the system transmits multiple ranging signal transmissions 108 that are simultaneously received by one or more spectral compressor and translators (SCT) 103.
  • the RSTs preferably transmit one or more ranging signals into a surrounding medium, typically free-space by RF signal, perhaps in the ISM bands, although other media are also possible such as by acoustic signal through water, soils, rock or structural materials.
  • These Var e signals preferably have characteristics that can be opt imal ly configured for a particular environment.
  • Each SCT 103 receives signals from multiple RSTs 101 and processes the signals to produce observables 1 10 containing information useful for estimating the SCT's current physical state (for example, position, velocity and time).
  • One or more of these SCTs are designated as a reference SCT 104 whose observables 1 1 1 are used for purposes of system calibration and control.
  • the observables 1 10 from an SCT are passed to a navigation processor 105 together with reference observables 1 1 1 and almanac and corrections data 1 12 through a communications means.
  • the navigation processor 105 uses the observables that may include observables 1 18 and 1 1 1 with the almanac data / corrections 1 12 to determine the physical state estimate 1 1 8, which includes at least one of position, attitude, clock, and temporal derivatives for the epoch(s) specified.
  • Epochs may be the time specified in the observables or past or future epochs if the nav igation processor uses a suitable model for propagating state variables forward or backward in time.
  • the physical state estimate 1 18 may be reported to any interested party as defined by a particular implementation of the system.
  • the system controller 102 serves to coordinate and monitor the functions o the system. It receives observables 1 1 1 from one or more reference SCTs 1 1 1 via a communicat ion signal. This information may include opt ional external time reference 1 16 and optional coordinate system reference data 1 17, which is preferably collected and passed along to functions 106 and 107 for the purposes o producing system configuration and calibration information of past, current, and future physical state and configuration.
  • the system configuration data 1 15 is used by the system controller to configure and adjust the plurality o RSTs 101 via communications signal 1 19.
  • Communication 1 19 between system controller 1 1 1 and RST 101 is optional in environments where the RST 101 ranging signal transmissions 108 are intercepted by at least one reference SCT enabling the system to determine the physical state of RST 101 by means of the reference network processor 107.
  • the reference network processor 107 uses the collected observables and a priori information about the system configuration to compute the physical state of all RSTs 1 01 and reference SCTs 104 in the system relative to each other.
  • These physical states preferably consist of estimates of position, velocity (typically zero), clock and clock terms (bias, rate, etc.) as well as RST transmission characteristics, which are combined to form the almanac and corrections data 1 14.
  • the almanac and corrections data 1 14 for one or more epochs are stored in a database 106, which is preferably configured to provide these data upon demand.
  • the formal of the almanac and corrections data 1 14 enables efficient computation o future states through one or more propagation models.
  • the almanac and corrections data is used both by the system controller 102 and nav igation processors 105 as previously described.
  • the almanac and corrections data 1 14 contains both the estimated state vectors for each RST and reference SCT as well as additional coefficients for a propagation model that enables the almanac and corrections data to be used successfully in the future.
  • the ability to propagate almanac and corrections data into the future is dependent upon the quality o the RST/ reference SCT oscillators, desired precision and propagation model complexity.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention facilitates a reduction in manufacturing cost and complexity of units implementing the SCT function while maximizing flexibility and performance.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is achiev ed through integration of system functionality with wireless data communication functions, which allows sharing of digital signal processing and RF front-end circuits.
  • the SCT function of the present inv ention significantly reduces complexity and thus cost as compared to most wireless data communication receivers.
  • SCT functions as an extension to the communications functions, physical state determination capabilities are added with little additional cost.
  • the integration with wireless data communications occurs naturally by combining sending/receiving data functions into the system controller.
  • FIGURE 2 A shows the integration of the present invention with a meshed wireless data communications network such as Zigbee (802.15.4).
  • An SCT 103 and wireless data transceiver 204 are combined to form an SCT communications unit 201.
  • the unit 201 represents a tag capable of RFI D and physical state sensing.
  • a beacon unit 202 is preferably comprised of an R ST 101, SCT 104, and a wireless data transceiver 204.
  • a plurality of beacon units is deployed over a physical area to provide both positioning ranging signals 108 and communications network infrastructure 205 and 206.
  • the integration of an SCT 104 with the beacon unit enables each beacon unit to act as a reference SCT collecting observables from other beacon units deployed within range.
  • the system facilitates collection of the information necessary to determine its own configuration using the reference network processor 107.
  • the system controller 102, nav igation processor 105, reference network processor 107 and database 106 are combined to form a system control unit 203 that centralizes the complex data processing and management functions.
  • the system control unit 203 is preferably connected to the wireless data network 205 via one or more beacon units through a communication signal 207.
  • beacon units 202 become nodes in wireless data networks 205 and 206.
  • Meshed network deployment effectively simplifies installation of the location system enabling each beacon unit 202 to coordinate with the system control unit 203 via other beacons units without requiring installation of other communication mediums (e.g.
  • the system control unit is physically connected to one or more beacon units via an Ethernet connection, which provides advantages of robustness and reduced cost.
  • the communication signal 207 may be accomplished by connecting a wireless data transceiver 204 directly to the system control unit 203.
  • the present invention can also be used for a variety of data networking applications between communication devices 208 and networked services 209 external to the system. As discussed in further detail below, the communication requirements for the present invention minimize the need for communications resources, leaving the bulk of the bandwidth available for other activities.
  • the system control unit 203 is a gateway for networked services to access devices on the wireless data networks 205 and 206.
  • the wireless data networks 205 and 206 may be secured by data encryption and other security means such that only authorized user is able to access and use the beacon unit 202 and system control unit 203 gateway infrastructure for relaying information between devices and services.
  • FIGURE 213 shows an alternate embodiment of the SCT communications unit 201 where the nav igation processor 105 is integrated directly with the SCT 103 and wireless data transceiver 204 functions.
  • This configuration enables calculation of SCT state vector 1 18 at the unit in situations where almanac and data corrections 1 12 are av ailable from the system.
  • the almanac and data corrections 1 12 are delivered to the SCT communications unit 201 a priori or on demand as requested by the unit 201 .
  • the unit 201 may request observables from one or more reference SCTs to determine a full differential solution.
  • the semi-autonomous configuration described in FIGURE 213 may utilize system control unit determined physical state estimates as needed. For example, this capability may be useful in situations where the navigation processor 105 is unav ailable due to limited power resources.
  • FIGURE 2C shows an alternate embodiment of the SCT communications unit 201 in which a machine to machine interface (MMI) 235 is integrated with core SCT functions 103 and wireless data transceiver functions 204 to provide SCT physical state estimate (PSE) 1 18 and data communications 233 for external devices 234.
  • MMI machine to machine interface
  • PSE physical state estimate
  • This configuration is typical o a location-enabled communications peripheral, where the external device 234 includes custom driver software enabling it to access physical state determination and communications functions of the SCT communications unit 201.
  • This configuration represents a low-cost implementation with respect to SCT communications unit complexity.
  • the observables 1 1 1 are processed by the system control unit 203, which returns the resultant physical state estimate 1 18. This information is relayed by the SCT communications unit 201 to the external device 234 via the MMI 235.
  • FIGURE 2D shows an alternative embodiment of the SCT communications unit 201 where both a nav igation processor 105 and an M M I 235 are integrated with the core SCT functions 103 and wireless data transceiver functions 204 to provide a semi-autonomous positioning capability. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2B, this embodiment is capable o determining the SCT physical state estimate (PSE) 1 18 in situations where the systems control unit 203 delivers appropriate almanac data and corrections 1 12. As with FIGURE 2C, the SCT communications unit 201 provides PSE 1 18 and data communications 233 to an external device 234.
  • PSE physical state estimate
  • FIGURE 2E shows an alternative embodiment of the SCT communications unit 201 with an external device 234 where the nav igation processor 105 is hosted by the external device.
  • the external device has sufficient processing capabil ity to perform the nav igation processing function enabling the SCT communications unit 201 to be substantially simplified, incorporating SCT functions 103, wireless data transceiver functions 204 and M I functions 235, thus requiring less power.
  • the system control unit 203 provides almanac and corrections data 1 12, and/or processing of the observables 1 1 1 to produce the PSE 1 18 as requested by the external device 234 in cases where the device opts to disable its own nav igation processor 105 function.
  • FIGURE 2F shows an alternative embodiment of the beacon unit 202 where a G SS sensor capability may be provided using a separate GNSS sensor function 240.
  • a separate G S C/A code correlating receiver may be integrated with a beacon unit, prov iding an immediate source of t im ing and geodetic positioning in format ion about the unit, tying the local time and coordinate system to universal time coordinated (UTC) and the world geodetic system 1984 (WGS-84).
  • the GPS integrated beacon unit has value as a WGS-84 reference point and in facilitating deployment of the present inv ention over larger outdoor areas, where performance can be significantly improved by using the present invention concurrently with GPS.
  • [001 1 1 I ntegrating the present inv ention with a wireless data communications network provides flexibility to configure more optimal implementations for specific applications.
  • a beacon unit is configured without integration of an SCT or a wireless data transceiver.
  • This simplified beacon transmits a ranging signal in accordance with configuration data loaded prior to its use.
  • These beacons can be deployed at known points for the purposes of augmenting the positioning performance when additional communications infrastructure is not required.
  • This simplified beacon embodiment is substantially less expensive to produce than a more fully integrated alternative.
  • FIGURE 3 shows a logical function block diagram where GNSS sensing is incorporated with the present invention.
  • the functions of the present invention previously referenced as 102, 103, 105, 106, and 107 are extended to support reception, processing, and management of additional observables and almanac data needed to process GNSS ranging signals.
  • the SCT 103 receives both the G SS 303 and RST 101 ranging signals simultaneously on two separate channels each configured to support the specific characteristics of the ranging signal type (either RST or GNSS such as GPS).
  • the SCT generates observables 1 10 and tags the data with channel configuration data such that the information can be readily processed by the navigation processor 105.
  • the navigation processor is preferably extended to support simultaneous processing of both RST and GNSS observable data. Observables may be processed in the local coordinate system or some earth-fixed coordinate system such as WGS-84. As with the non-GNSS supported implementation, the navigation processor produces one or more physical state estimates 1 18 for each of the SCT observable sets.
  • the system management functions including components 102, 106, and 107 in FIGURE 3 are extended to manage GNSS constellation information such as satellite orbits, clock information, status, etc.
  • the GNSS constellation and observables 301 information are collected by the GNSS reference receiver 302 or provided by some external source (not shown) and submitted through a communications signal 304 to the system controller, which formats these data for internal use and stores it in the database 106.
  • the almanac and data correction 1 12 provided to the nav igation processor is extended to include information about the G SS constellation and current G SS observable corrections in addition to the RST almanac and corrections information already provided.
  • both the GNSS observables and the beacon constellation information may be used by the reference network processor 107 to further refine the placement of the beacons and ultimately improve system precision and accuracy.
  • ranging signal structures that can be used to implement the present invention
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention focuses on selecting signals that meet the following criteria: (1) include necessary precision requirements; (2) can be easily generated; (3) can be configured to transmit in a variety of R F or acoustic regimes; (4) are resistant to multipath and noise; and (5) possess low interference characteristics compared to other RST ranging signals in the energy emission region.
  • CDMA direct sequence code division multiple access
  • PRN pseudo random noise
  • beacon transmissions incorporate code orthogonality so that significant inter-modulation products will not occur in the delay and multiply function of the spectral compressor.
  • the code properties are available from the GPS gold codes but are typically limited by the 32 or 34 code sets.
  • alternative code modulation approaches are possible such as how the GPS design of the P( Y ) channel is structured using a very long code sequence of 267 days, which has a 10.23 MHz chipping rate. In the P(Y) channel example, seven-day segments of this very long code are assigned to each satellite of the constellation with the entire satellite constellation resetting the phase of the code sequence to its starting condition at midnight each Saturday.
  • This P( Y ) code has the properties of code orthogonality such that the auto-correlation of the code is zero everywhere except when the code shift is zero or by multiples of 267 days.
  • any long code with minimal auto-correlation, including the P( Y ) code generation can be configured, after which segments are assigned to each of the beacons.
  • beacons can be operated at random start times and the cross correlation between these beacons is essentially zero.
  • PRN pseudo random noise
  • FIGURE 4 A shows a logical function block diagram of the ranging signal transmitter (RST) 101, which embodies the signal generation functions described above.
  • the RST uses a multi-channel ranging signal generator 406 to generate the specific ranging signal in accordance with the desired characteristics. This signal is then used to modulate 404 an intermediate frequency generated by a signal synthesizer 405. Depending upon the configuration, the resultant signal is filtered by 408 (either allowing the upper band, lower band, or both to pass) and passed through to a digital to analog converter 410. The resultant analog signal is up- converted 41 1 to the R.F. band using the frequency generated by signal synthesizer 409. The up- converted R.F.
  • the RST controller manages the particular configuration 403 of the RST module. Each o the module functions is preferably programmable, which provides the advantage of enhanced flexibility.
  • An RST may be programmed to transmit a variety of different ranging signal structures at various RF frequencies. This logical structure for the ranging signal transmitter has many possible variants depending upon the particular implementation design and desired optimizations.
  • the preferred embodiment for the RST is to balance cost, precision and flexibility.
  • FIGURE 4B shows the logical function blocks for a multi-channel ranging signal generator 406.
  • the generator has two programmable channels 432 and 436 that drive a digital quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulator modulating the I.F. signal generated by the digital signal synthesizer 433.
  • QPSK phase shift keying
  • the output of the modulator is the digital spread spectrum ranging signal 438 centered at the I.F. frequency.
  • Each channel (432 and 436) preferably contains a digital chipping clock 434 that is programmable in frequency and phase that drives the PRN sequence generator 435.
  • the PRN sequence generator can be programmed for variety of different maximal length code sequences and offsets within the sequence.
  • the first channel 432 is preferably chosen as the coarse channel and the second channel 436 as the precision channel.
  • Channels 433, 434 and 436 are tied to a common external oscillator reference to ensure phase coherence.
  • the controller 430 manages the generator configuration and provides a simplified interface 431 for configuring the function.
  • FIGURES 5 A and 5B illustrate internal functions of the SCT 103 described previously, which is the preferred embodiment for processing ranging signals into the observables needed to determine physical state.
  • the SCT processes direct sequence spread spectrum ranging signals such as the RST 101 ranging signals and ranging signals transmitted by GNSS satellites (e.g. GPS C/A and P( Y ) L 1 /L2 transmissions) simultaneously.
  • the method shown in the illustrated example utilizes spectral compression techniques that allow suitably constructed ranging signals to be compressed into observables (e.g., amplitude, frequency, phase and time reference) without requiring complex cross-correlation signal processing methods that are common in typical spread-spectrum communication systems.
  • the spectral compression method allows for simultaneous compression of all ranging signals with common characteristics into a set of observables.
  • the SCT can preferably implement multiple channels enabling compression of multiple types of ranging signals in the same or different bands simultaneously.
  • the function is capable of receiving and processing both RST and GNSS ranging signals simultaneously without loss of continuity as an SCT transitions from one environment to another.
  • spectral compression is the preferred embodiment for processing intercepted emissions
  • alternative embodiment of the present invention can use similar methods of cross correlation, such as GPS, to produce code -phase observables for beacons and GNSS satellites.
  • code -phase observables for beacons and GNSS satellites.
  • Using the types of sensors necessary to produce such code -phase observables would be more complicated and expensive to implement; however, in certain applications, such alternative methodology may be desirable if, for example, needs require that the sensor be able to decode information embedded within the ranging signal transmission.
  • FIGURE 5A suitably constructed ranging signals or any suitable energy emission are intercepted by the spectral compressor translator (SCT) at an RF antenna 504 that is connected to the SCT front-end 501 that is composed of a low noise amplifier ( LNA ) 503 and an RF-down conversion stage 502.
  • SCT spectral compressor translator
  • LNA low noise amplifier
  • multiple front- end(s) 501 may be implemented to support multiple bands.
  • an SCT may be configured to support one RST/1SM band centered at 915 MHz and the GPS L 1 band centered at 1575.42 MHz or the L2 band centered at 1227.6 MHz.
  • the output of front-end(s) 501 is an analog signal that is input to an analog to digital (ADC ) stage 505 that provides a digital intermediate frequency (I.F.) output. As discussed in greater detail below, it is preferred that the ADC have sufficient dynamic range to accommodate multiple beacons of widely different signal levels.
  • the digitized I.F. signal 506 is passed to one or more SCT channel processors 507, which produce observables 5 13 for physical state (e.g., navigation) processing. Both the RF front-end(s) 501 and SCT channel processor(s) 507 are controlled and synchronized by the SCT controller 508.
  • This SCT controller communicates via control messages 509 to the RF controller 501 , and to the SCT channel processor(s) 507 via channel configuration messages 5 10.
  • Multiple SCT channel processors may be used to fully capture all av ailable positioning observables provided by the ranging signals.
  • an SCT configured to operate in both the ISM band and G S L I may operate five SCT channel processors assigned to one of the following ranging channels: ISM RST coarse channel, I SM RST precision channel. GPS L I C/A channel. GPS L I P( Y ) channel and GPS L2 P( Y ) channel. Each of these channels produces observables if the assigned ranging signal is present.
  • FIGURE 5B describes the preferred functionality of the SCT channel processor 507.
  • the SCT channel processor is controlled by the channel data acquisition and control function 524, which receives clock information 530.
  • the digital I F signal 506 is first processed thru an anti-al ias filter 52 1 to remove spurious or out of band signals.
  • the filtered signal output from 52 1 is sent thru a delay and multiply process 522.
  • the delay and multiply 522 splits the filtered digital I F signal 506 into two components, one which is in-phase and the other delayed by an interval equivalent to one-half of the beacon's spread spectrum modulation chipping rate (for example, 49 nsec for the precision 10.23 MHz channel and 5 microseconds for the 0.1 MHz coarse channel).
  • the delayed signal is mixed (multiplied) with the in-phase version 52 1 signal, which recovers the chipping frequencies of all the beacons 101. These recovered signals are passed thru a filter baseband down- converter 523 where they are temporarily held in a buffer 525.
  • the buffered data are processed with a fast Fourier transform 526, and peaks corresponding to the identified beacon signals are identified via a peak detector 527.
  • the observables from each beacon signal 529 consists of an amplitude, frequency and phase as well as time of observation.
  • Spectral compression of G PS signals operate because each satellite broadcasts a unique PRN code so that cross correlation product of each PRN sequence is essentially zero. Because the Earth is rotating and the satellites are in twelve hour period orbits, there is a Doppler shift along the line of sight of the receiver. From a crude knowledge of time and the GPS orbits it is possible to predict what Doppler shift is associated with each individual satellite. Codeless operation, for example as taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,797,677, allows for the recovery of the chipping frequency of each of the satellites by means of a delay and multiply operation on the wideband signal from all the satellites. Using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) processing, each resulting spectral line is then associated with a specific satellite.
  • FFT fast Fourier transform
  • the present invention provides a signal detection method that is available compared to a pre-detection wideband signal capture buffer and transfer for cross correlation detection that is the VLBI approach or a pre-detection cross correlation processing of typical spread spectrum systems.
  • the digital properties of PRN sequences are those hav ing no autocorrelation matches except when the codes are nearly matched (within one hal a chip time). For example, if the chipping rate is 10.23 MHz, the codes are necessarily al igned within 49 nanoseconds to create an interference situation.
  • the same PRN sequences may be transmitted by all the beacons provided that they do not share the same PRN sequence starting epoch and chipping frequency. Neither of these conditions will likely be achieved with arbitrary starting conditions and low cost free running reference oscillators.
  • each of the spread spectrum beacons are preferably de-spread into a spectral line at the beacon chipping frequency.
  • each beacon contains its own frequency offset value either above or below the nominal 10.23 MHz value.
  • the offset magnitude is governed by the precision of the frequency reference available in the beacons. For example, using a reference oscillator with an accuracy o 2PPM, the frequency is expected to be within +/- 20 I Iz at 10.23 MHz. Given that adjacent beacon channels can be in error by a similar amount with perhaps an opposite sign so an additional guard band is required for each beacon.
  • a channel spacing of 50 1 Iz could be considered adequate separation given that adjacent beacon channels could move in opposite algebraic senses and then the beacons would be separated by only 10 I Iz.
  • the frequency offset pattern is set by the value (50 Hz x N) where N is odd.
  • spectral compression provides the means to derive physical state information needed to enable rapid correlation lock o the correlation channels without searching.
  • Giv en the use o very long code sequences and re -use o the same sequences offset in time
  • the spectral compression method described in this inv ention minimizes the need to implement complicated searching techniques.
  • the present inv ention takes advantage of improved signal to noise ratio and access to carrier phase and frequency data, which in certain applications (e.g. precision aircraft landing systems) may be desirable capabilities.
  • correlation tracking capabi lities the costs o the receiver sensor are increased significantly and may limit its use when compared to an implementation using only spectral compression.
  • the av oidance of high precision time and frequency systems to achieve phase coherence of the receiving elements is achieved with the present invention preferably by causing all SCTs to observe all beacons during the same relativ e interv al.
  • the FFT time series yields one spectral line for each beacon signal received.
  • the specific phase and frequency offsets of all the beacons are common-mode cancelled in this single differenced data processing in favor of a single offset of phase and phase rate (frequency offset) of the SCT relative to the reference SCT.
  • the specific phase and frequency offsets of all the beacons are common-mode cancelled in this single differenced data processing in favor of a single offset of phase and phase rate (frequency offset) of the SCT relative to the reference SCT.
  • the physical state relative to the reference SCT physical state.
  • FIGURE 6 illustrates an embodiment of the navigation processor, which processes the observ ables produced by the SCT and produces physical state estimates.
  • the method o this embodiment includes a control feedback loop in which solutions from one epoch feed the next.
  • a priori state information 61 1 is used to initialize the SCT state vector 601 , prov iding the best estimate of the physical state parameters for the SCT.
  • the SCT state vector 601 is preferably also initialized by the SCT dynamic model 602, which contains information about time v arying state parameters such as time and frequency bias rate, and by the output estimated state 606 from the previous epoch as calculated by the stabil ized Kalman filter 605.
  • the updated state vector 601 is reported as the physical state estimate 1 18, which is in turn used to initialize the SCT dynamic model 602 and the RST observ ation model 604.
  • the RST observ ation model 604 creates the state transition terms required for the Kalman filter, and also creates the residuals 610 or difference between observed and calculated values that are filtered in the Kalman filter 605.
  • the RST observ ation model 604 controls whether data is processed in a differential sense with SCT observables 1 10 being differenced with a reference SCT observ able 1 1 1 , or if SCT observ ables 1 10 are corrected by combining them with the correction factors 1 12 determined by a reference network.
  • the processing proceeds in a hybrid approach in the Kalman filter 605 with residuals 610 being calculated in the equivalent GNSS observation model 603.
  • the SCT observables 1 10 contain both RST data and GNSS satellite data, and the SCT observables are used in the GNSS observation model 603.
  • FIGURE 7 illustrates an embodiment of the reference network that produces update reference point (e.g. beacons or GNSS satellites) almanacs and correction data for use by the system in subsequent physical state estimation for other SCTs.
  • the inputs to the reference network process are a priori system configuration information 705, which is the best notion of the state of the system.
  • Actual SCT observables 1 13, and almanac data 112 are used to propagate the physical state elements. These are all preferably used to initialize a zone processing filter 700, which determines the physical state including position of beacons and generate almanac and data correction 1 14 data for the entire network of beacons within the given zone.
  • zones may be defined so that a group several RSTs and reference SCTs are located within proximity of each other. Zone based configuration and management enhances configuration flexibility and reduces processing overhead in reference network processing.
  • a single navigation processor 105 or multiple navigation processors produce physical state estimate updates for all SCTs. Multiple processors may be combined in a federated filtering sense, in which multiple navigation processors 105 concurrently process data sets that have intersecting data sets. These multiple estimates are combined by a filter combiner 702, which creates the composite estimate.
  • the filter combiner 702 itself may be a Kalman or other state estimation filter, or may be based on a statistical combining process.
  • the reference network processor may also be responsible for calibrating the network, essentially by determining the physical state for all reference points, and reporting these in the updated state 706.
  • Calibration correction terms are preferably formatted and stored in a database by the almanac corrections formatter 703 and are available for use elsewhere in the system.
  • calibration of zones can be accomplished by selectively changing the operating mode of the RST beacon.
  • the RST beacon transmits the ranging signal; however, from time to time, it may terminate its transmission so that it can receive signals using the integrated reference SCT.
  • the RST beacon listens for other transmitting beacons in the zone. Within each zone, multiple beacons may periodically listen to other beacons within the constellation so as to generate additional observables that add strength to the estimates produced by the reference network filter.
  • the reference network filter processes these data in order to update the current almanac state configuration for each beacon.
  • beacons would be deployed such that it is possible to simultaneously calibrate and operate the system without adversely affecting performance, or required accuracy.
  • a sustained period of initial calibration may be required when deploying the system for the first time and adding new zones.
  • a calibration pattern may be used where multiple RST beacons are cycled from transmit to receive modes such that multiple independent measurements can be made such that systematic errors are reduced.
  • the system is monitored and continually calibrated using an on-the-fly technique to update oscillator state coefficients and confirm placement of the beacons. Monitoring also provides useful data to determine the overall health and accuracy of the system.
  • FIGURE 8 illustrates two methods of determining the physical state for an SCT given an a priori set of almanac and corrections information and observables from a reference SCT.
  • observables from a reference SCT 805 are used to calculate real-time correction 807 that when applied to correct the estimated physical state to be the actual state as defined by the almanac for the reference SCT 805.
  • the correction vector is used to calculate a physical state correction for each RST 801, 802, 803, which is then used to correct the physical state estimation process for SCT-B 804.
  • An alternative but equivalent form using differential estimation is shown in FIGURE 8B.
  • the observables produced by reference SCT 820 are differenced with the observables produced by SCT-B 821 , which is used to calculate the relative physical state 822. Adding the relative physical state to the reference physical state for SCT 820 produces the physical state for SCTB 821.
  • FIGURE 9 shows an illustrative example of three-dimensional positioning in which SCT units are located by intercepting emissions from RSTs placed in a non-coplanar configuration.
  • a reference SCT 904 intercepts emissions from RSTs 901 , 902 and 905, which are in the same horizontal plane. Additionally, emissions are intercepted by SCT 904 from RST 906, which is located in a plane below the reference SCT 904. Additionally, a second SCT 903 intercepts emissions from the four RSTs 901 , 902, 905 and 906.
  • the beacons are not necessarily in the same plane as the SCT sensors allows for vertical and horizontal positioning of the SCT units 903 and 904, resulting in a three dimensional position given the preferred geometry.
  • FIGURE 10 illustrates one possible deployment scenario of the present invention using both locally deployed RSTs together with G SS satellites to provide physical state estimation in both GNSS obstructed and unobstructed cases comprising three operating environments: an obstructed GNSS environment, a semi-obstructed GNSS environment and an unobstructed GNSS environment with fringe coverage.
  • FIGURE 10 illustrates the seamless transition from an outdoor wide-area solution using GNSS to a total local-area system where GNSS satellite signals are totally obstructed. Though simplified to a 2-D illustration for purposes of the present disclosure, this illustration of the implementation of an embodiment o the present invention is equally applicable to a 3-D deployment.
  • the physical state contains two position state parameters: horizontal displacement and vertical displacement.
  • SCT-A 1007 operates in the obstructed environment deriving physical state estimates using intercepted emissions from RSTs 1005, 1006 and 1008 in the manner previously described herein.
  • GNSS satellite signal 1002 are either absorbed or reflected by the structure 1013 such that the signal level at SCT 1007 is too weak to provide useful observables.
  • a GN SS reference receiver 1003 is deployed on structure 1013 for the purposes of collecting constellation and observable corrections that are stored in the database (not shown) for subsequent use by navigation processors (not shown).
  • the next situation in FIGURE 10 is the semi-obstructed GNSS environment where SCT 1009 receives signals from GN SS and RSTs. I n this example, not enough satellites are visible (only two) to derive physical state estimates; satellite 1001 ranging signals are blocked from view by the structure 1013.
  • SCT 1009 intercepts emissions from RSTs 1006, 1008 and 1010 for positioning and with the addition of the two visible GN SS satellites. This significantly improves the accuracy and precision of the physical state estimation.
  • the satellite constellation information collected by the GNSS reference receiver 1003 provides satellite orbit information used to estimate the physical state using GNSS observables. Accordingly, this embodiment of the present invention provides advantages associated with augmentation of GNSS coverage in semi-obstructed environments.
  • the unobstructed GNSS environment in FIGURE 10 is represented by SCT 101 1.
  • GNSS provides adequate coverage (represented here by three satellites, although additional satellites may be present) to estimate the physical state. Only a single RST 1010 is visible, which is not enough to produce a useable physical state estimate by itself.
  • the SCT 101 1 collects observable data from the GNSS and RST and utilizes a wireless network (not shown) to process the observables into a physical state estimate.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention provides for integration of an SCT communications unit with a barcode scanner.
  • a barcode associated with an object is scanned, the time and position is maintained as a record of the last known place and time the object was observed.
  • this application of the present inv ention enables 3-D indoor tracking of items without the expense of actually tagging the object with its own SCT communications unit.
  • Position tagged barcode scans offer an Var e approach to implementing a full RFID tracking and positioning system where the size and/or cost of the tracked asset does not justify the additional expense.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention provides for integration of an SCT with a passive RFID tag reader.
  • an RFID tag reader detects a passive RFID tag
  • the location of the reader at the time of this detection is associated with the scanned RFID data stream to provide approximate location of the RFID tag.
  • a further refined estimate of the RFID tag position can be determined by combining information about relative power of the measured tag data with the location and attitude of the tag reader.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention provides for advantages in logistics in intermodal transport, engineering and construction. Such applications benefit from real-time tracking and management of assets moving in and out of obstructed environments.
  • a Zigbee or GNSS solution integrated as taught in the present invention enables broad use of the technology in locating and communicating with assets throughout a localized area in three dimensions.
  • the present invention is also uniquely suited for this application given its inherent capability for self-configuration and calibration.
  • An SCT communications unit no larger than a cell-phone may be used to quickly survey multiple points faster than is possible with theodolite technology or GNSS alone. Further, working in a similar fashion to a laser level, an SCT communications unit can determine horizontal and vertical alignment of any structural component to the sub-centimeter level relative to any desired reference point.
  • a similar cell-phone sized device may provide real-time tracking of people and assets throughout the entire construction site, including to places where a GNSS based solution is unreliable or totally unavailable.
  • the system With integrated telemetry, the system becomes a powerful tool for coordination and monitoring of site activities.
  • sites of virtually any shape and size can be easily covered and managed centrally without the on-going expense of a wide-area wireless solution (for example a GSM/GPS solution).
  • an SCT communications unit integrated with either Zigbee or WiFi may provide real-time monitoring of patients and assets.
  • Supervisory and patient services staff need the capability to locate doctors, nurses, patients and mobile equipment within the hospital facilities. Patients with severe mental illness pose a serious challenge if they move outside a geo-fence, and alarms could be activated in such situations to restrict the patient's further travel and provide the location of the patient for retrieval by staff. Patients on gurneys can also be easily located-critically important if they spend significant time outside of assigned areas, such as during emergency management or in situations when patients exceed hospital bed capacity.
  • the SCT communications unit can notify managers when patients leave the healthcare facility boundaries without authorization or discharge. This is particularly useful for Alzheimer patient tracking.
  • another embodiment for healthcare applications would be to equip selected staff members with a portable RFID reader equipped with an SCT such that the approximate location of passive tags can be determined through ad-hoc sampling.
  • the staff members would proceed through normal activity, where the SCT equipped reader would regularly poll for passive RFID tags, any received responses would be tagged with the current time and location as calculated by the present invention.
  • the present invention enables high-precision location commerce applications both in obstructed areas and where G SS typically provides services (e.g. outdoors).
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention is to equip consumer communication devices such as cell phones and other mobile devices with SCT functions such that location can be determined both in large geographic regions as well as in localized areas such as a shopping mall.
  • the SC T equipped communication device can be used to identi fy the location of an indiv idual enabling the delivery of location specific content relevant to the individual's precise location.
  • the present invention performs both wide area positioning and local area positioning simultaneously, yielding accuracy and positioning information where GNSS alone is unable to function.
  • this alternative embodiment of the present invention allows the indiv idual to be pinpointed with meter level accuracy indoors and outdoors. Further, the present invention can smoothly transition from local area positioning to wide area GNSS without loss of coverage. For example, given a store that has deployed an array of RST beacon units for the purposes of position, information regarding the selection of goods and services in the immediate vicinity can be delivered to an indiv idual with an SCT equipped cell-phone; this information may include advertisements, product information, coupons, purchase statistics, and ratings. Further, in this embodiment, the communications network already supported in the device can be used to transport the location relevant content.
  • the present inv ention with its integrated communications infrastructure may provide a telemetry network and accurate tracking of first responders, vehicles, supplies, and other key mobile assets.
  • the SCT communications unit is integrated with Zigbee and P25 VI I F to form a robust local area and wide area location and communications management solution.
  • This embodiment enables real-time monitoring of rescue workers as they enter buildings during search and recovery and to provide for regional monitoring when out of doors (via GNSS). Alarms could be triggered in the event of the absence of a first responder's lack of movement, which may be indicative of an emergency situation.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention may be utilized for search and rescue operations.
  • two SCT communication units may be deployed into an airborne environment (either free flyers or one flyer and one towed package).
  • Each SCT communication unit is configured to process GNSS signals simultaneously with RST ranging signals.
  • a beacon unit is deployed with a victim that to be located. The beacon unit transmits an RST ranging signal that may be received overhead. In certain situations, the victim may be deep within a forested environment, buried in the snow, or in some obstructed environment that prevents normal use of GNSS sensors.
  • the ground segment consists of a pair of UAV controllers o these airborne platforms and a Zigbee two-way communications subsystem that controls airborne operations and retrieves the SCT observables from the UAVs.
  • the ground segment also has a conventional GNSS receiver that allows the acquisition of GNSS orbits and time.
  • a ground processor receives Zigbee downlinks, determines the dynamic inter SCT communication units baseline vector separation, beacon delta phase and derives the intersected hyperboloids that gives the beacon's ground location which is associated with the victim under debris (i.e., an avalanche or collapsed building).
  • UAVs may be very small type model aircraft, which could be considered as expendable assets, depending upon circumstances.
  • a minimum of two UAVs flying in the area of interest are enough to be able to find the beacon with several meter accuracy after a few minutes o flying above the general region o interest.
  • a hand-held SCT-type receiver as described in the present invention can be operated in a total power detection mode, which will provide meter level accuracy guidance for digging and effecting the actual rescue operations.
  • FIGURE 1 1 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the present inv ention is utilized for search and rescue operations.
  • an RST signal emitter 1 104 is placed with an asset or person to be tracked and located in case search or rescue is requit ed.
  • the RST beacon produces ranging signals 1 101 that are intercepted by SCT units 1 102 and 1 103 located on unmanned aerial vehicles or other Hying platforms. Utilizing the techniques described previously herein, range measurements 1106 and 1 107 are determined between the flight platforms 1 102 and 1 103 and the asset to be located 1 104.
  • the UAVs 1102 and 1 103 also simultaneously receive data from a GNSS satellite constellation 1101, which can be used to determine an autonomous location at the time that they intercept the RST ranging signals 1 101.
  • Each range measurement combined with location of the observing SCT produces a hyperbolic arc of possible location of the emitter.
  • the location o the UAV 1 102 is known from G SS data 1 101, and a range 1106 is determined between the UAV 1102 and the emitter 1 104, it is possible to say that the emitter is located on a hyperbolic arc of position 1 108.
  • Simultaneous observation of a second such arch 1 109 can be used to determine the location of the emitter 1104 that lies on one of the two possible intersections of these arcs 1 108 and 1 109.
  • one of these two intersection points can generally be discarded as out of plane, and the asset located.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention involves tug and barge towing operations at-sea and during approach to locks.
  • the beacon allows phase-stabilized GNSS sensors on tug, at lock entrance and at multiple points on barge(s).
  • the tug would provide the beacon reference signal (perhaps in the 2.4 GHz ISM band) to phase-lock the barge GNSS sensors.
  • the tug also has a 915 MHz ISM band receiver to receive the primary reference signal from the lock, if it was available.
  • the lock also has a GNSS receiver driven by the lock reference source that is being broadcast to the tug and others vessels as required. GNSS sensor data is also acquired using the same ashore reference oscillator.
  • the lock reference signal at 915 MHz would be used to phase-lock the tug GNSS sensor and then the tug reference beacon at 2.4 GHz, which phase-locks the multiple GNSS sensors on the barges.
  • the tug internal reference is the source to phase-locked array of GNSS sensors on the barges. All GNSS sensor data, from ashore, the barges and the tug, are collected and processed at the tug. This phase coherent array is processed in real-time with an accuracy of better than 30 cm and in the Earth-centered Earth-fixed coordinate system of the WGS 84. Aboard the tug, position and velocity situational awareness information can be available at the tug's bridge control. The low cost architecture allows the formation of an affordable system that is unachievable by other means. On-orbit operations-Mother Satellite with Orbiter Daughter Satellite
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention involves relative positioning in space of a daughter satellite, which is co-orbiting with another main satellite at altitudes where GNSS signals are unavailable.
  • Small nano-powered beacons are placed on the mother satellite at known locations of opportunity. These known beacon locations form the frame of reference for positioning of sub-satellites. All of these beacons are time synchronized and phase-coherent relative to the mother satellite internal time and frequency reference source.
  • the daughter satellite moves around in the vicinity of the mother satellite.
  • the observables are the phase ranges from the various beacon signals arriving at the daughter satellite. The observables would be linked back to the mother satellite for processing.
  • the GDOP parameter will be a significant issue because as the daughter will tend to view these multiple beacons as a point source at a distance of approximately twenty times the maximum separation between the beacons on the mother satellite.
  • the 3-D position of the daughter satellite relative to the mother can be estimated with a precision of a approximately 20 cm at a 100 m separation between these satellites.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention may be utilized for low cost land surveying systems.
  • a common beacon is used to phase-lock all GNSS sensors, which cross-link their SCT data to a central processor.
  • the central processor has satellite orbits and GNSS time.
  • Pseudo range and carrier phase data types provide millimeter precisions over kilometer scale operations. Systematic errors due to multipath contamination will be limiting error sources for this method and can be mitigated by special GNSS antennas.
  • the atmospheric errors from the troposphere and the ionosphere will be common-mode self canceling errors.
  • Survey system designs are possible that can reduce multi-instrument system cost by 70% to 90% relative to currently available instruments. Precision Takeoff /Landing for Shipboard Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention may be utilized for positioning during takeoff and landing of rotary wing aircraft operating in shipboard environments.
  • Conventional GPS based tracking systems contain significant limitations for such applications due to the inability of a conventional GPS receiver to decode the 50 bps navigation data stream, and due to the potential for interference from other shipboard navigation and communication systems.
  • the technology of the present invention mitigates these concerns by placing RST beacons on the ship super structure, and SCT receivers on the aircraft.
  • the system and method do not require decoding of a data stream to determine beacon position for operation, and frequency of operation can be adjusted to minimize interference with other systems.
  • the rapid update rate of the present invention handles the relevant dynamics of both the ship and the aircraft.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention may be utilized for augmenting aircraft precision approach and landing operations.
  • a local RST network is placed around the runways of a landing strip.
  • SCTs aboard the aircraft recover beacon data and utilize this data to augment positioning from GNSS or other means.
  • the data can be processed in a combined solution, and there is no interference between the RST beacon system and GNSS systems because the RST frequencies are adjustable.
  • This application can be applied to land based aircraft landing strips and to shipboard applications such as fighter aircraft deployment from a Navy aircraft carrier.
  • the high update rate available with the RST beacon and SCT receiver handles the extreme dynamics of such an aircraft.
  • Yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention is to provide a rapid deployment and recovery capability for aircraft without reliance upon GNSS signals.
  • the embodiment would function without reliance upon GNSS signals being available to support air operations.
  • a reference SCT at the airstrip provides RST beacon calibration data, which is up- linked to the aircraft.
  • the aircraft receives the ground-based beacons and the reference site calibration data and processes an estimate of the position and velocity of the aircraft relative to the ground based system from several beacons surrounds the airstrip.
  • each aircraft has its own navigation processor and remains in an emission silent mode.
  • the system horizontal positioning accuracy will be limited by the RST beacon position calibrations at approximately 10 cm. Because these RST beacons will tend to be co- planar, the horizontal dilution of precision (HDOP) will be good at near unity; however, the vertical DOP for the aircraft will be in the domain of a factor of 10 to 20. Because the system has high precision of a few centimeters, the aircraft vertical precision estimate to be within a meter over a broad domain of altitudes as the aircraft approaches the airstrip. Placement of one or more RST beacons out of plane with the rest of the beacons will improve precision in the vertical estimates.
  • HDOP horizontal dilution of precision
  • an acoustic RST could be activated with an acoustic mode SCT that would provide altimeti ic accuracy o a few cm and with low probability of detection that will allow the aircraft to flare for touchdown.
  • the aircraft can also carry three beacon receivers to provide an attitude determination capability. These attitude receiver antennas would be located on the underside of the aircraft probably at each wingtip and at the aft end of the fuselage.
  • the aircraft processor would compute the phase differential arrival from each beacon and be capable of determining the aircraft attitude with an accuracy of a few degrees depending upon the specific aircraft geometry relative to the ground beacons.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention may be utilized for airport ground tracking and monitoring systems.
  • the present invention will function inside of buildings such as hangers, and in obstructed areas where GNSS navigation alone will be unreliable.
  • buildings such as hangers, and in obstructed areas where GNSS navigation alone will be unreliable.
  • GNSS navigation alone will be unreliable.
  • This application provides aiding data of position and time to such receivers, and thus enhances runway incursion detection and collision avoidance alerting. Further, this application enables centralized monitoring and secure data base dev elopment of tracked assets.
  • the signals transmitted by the RST can be used to authenticate the location of an SCT by processing the observed data captured by the SCT together with Reference SCT observables to determine if the SCT is at the a priori known location of the SC T.
  • the observables collected by the SCT to be authenticated contain useful information unique to the location (the location signature) that can be authenticated by observing the current state of the RST array via the Reference SCT and the observed errors in the location signature.
  • Delay and multiple (D&M) processor squares the signal & noise so that SNR D&M - -20 dB.
  • the beacon with a PR N chipping rate of 1.023 MHz, 293 m wavelength. The 1 milli-cycle precision will provide a 30 m Coarse channel phase ranging precision.
  • KTB noise power (1.38 x 10-23 W/Hz-K)(300 Kelvin)(20 x 106 Hz) - 82 x 10- 15 - - 130 dBW - - 1 00 dBm.
  • the FFT phase noise estimate is the reciprocal of the voltage SN R, so the phase noise ⁇ 2 ⁇ 10-2 radians - 1.2 degrees ⁇ 3.2 mil li-cycle.
  • the beacon with a PRN chipping rate of 10.23 MHz, 29.3 m wavelength.
  • the 3.2 milli-cycle precision will prov ide a 9 cm precision channel phase ranging precision.
  • the beacon power requirements will be dominated by the digital circuitry and not the very low power of the 0.1 micro-Watt beacon transmitted.
  • the beacon will require approximately 40 mW assuming 1.8 V logic.
  • the power source could also be batteries with a solar recharge if in an outdoor situation or powered from conventional building power with a battery backup to prov ide for continuous operations.
  • the beacon identification will be by its frequency offset from the nominal 1.023 MHz coarse channel chipping rate with multiples of 5 1 Iz spacing offsets between beacons.
  • the processor would have a total search interv al of +/- 250 Hz centered at 1.023 MHz. Once a particular beacon chipping rate was identified, the processor would refer to the registry data base to determine to what person or asset the identified tag had been assigned.
  • the beacon identification will be by its frequency offset from the nominal 10.23 MHz Precision channel chipping rate with multiples of 50 Hz spacing offsets between beacons.
  • the processor would have a total search interval o +/'- 2500 Hz centered at 10.2 MHz. Once a particular beacon chipping rate was identified, the processor would refer to the registry data base to determine to what location, person, or asset the identified beacon had been assigned.
  • an RF implementation with each beacon transmitting multiple phase coherent channels of direct sequence spread spectrum signals is described.
  • each beacon transmitting multiple phase coherent channels of direct sequence spread spectrum signals.
  • the phase noise will be 0.05 radians or 2.8 degrees or 7.9 milli-cycles or 24 meters.
  • phase range precision is 2.4 meters.
  • phase range precision is 24 cm.
  • phase range precision is 2 cm.
  • Beacon locations can be expressed in the WSG 84 coordinate system to maintain a consistent frame of reference with the GNSS.
  • the resulting physical state estimates could express the positions in the GNSS frame as if they had clear lines of sight to the GNSS satellites.
  • application is in reference to an area defined 100 m by 100 m (10,000 square meters, 1 10,000 square feet).
  • the maximum horizontal distance that a location sensor could be away from a beacon is approximately 141 meters.
  • a 3 cm precision requires 0.1 % o a cycle (0.36 degrees) phase measurement precision or 6.3 milliradians.
  • Six milliiadian phase precision requires FFT amplitude SNR of 160 or 44 dB signal power.
  • test cases may be described.
  • Test case ISTAC 2002 Codeless GNSS Land Surveyor
  • the receiver self noise assuming a 1.5 d noise figure low noise amplifier will be: KTB noise power - (1.38 x 10-23 W/Hz-K)(120 Kelvin)(2 x 106 Hz) - 3.3 x 10-15 - - 145 dBW - - 1 15 dBm.
  • 10020 1 FFT processor with 40 second time series has 0.025 Hz bin width, effective Process Gain, Gp - 2 MHz / 0.025 Hz - 79 dB.
  • the 1 nano-W beacon might be within 10 m of the remote receiver.
  • a beacon at 141 m will present - 1 14 dBm while a beacon 10 m away will present -91 dBm.
  • the receiver With 12 bits of analog to digital conversion the receiver will have 72 dB of dynami range and allows a 49 dB of margin to accommodate other relatively higher power in-band signals that could shift the noise floor.
  • An advantage o using a spread spectrum approach for beacons is to radiate the least amount of power, reducing DC power requirements for beacons that may be battery powered for operations over long periods of time.
  • the spread spectrum utilization affords a high level of immunity to strong in-band signals that would otherwise present substantial interference with a conv entional signaling modality.
  • FIGURE 12 illustrates the canonical form of the preferred embodiment of the present inv ention detailing the essential relationships between the systems basic elements.
  • At least one or more emitters 1201 are known to the system, which emit energy that propagates through a transmission medium 1206. These emissions are intercepted by at least one interceptor 1202 and processed by at least one of the methods of spectral compression by the spectral compressor 1205.
  • the resultant observables 1207 from at least one interceptor are communicated by some communication means to a physical state estimator 1203.
  • Configuration data 1208 and the observables 1207 are processed by the physical state estimator to determine one or more members of the relativ e physical state estimate 1209 between at least one emitter 1201 and interceptor 1202.
  • Observables 1207 from multiple emitters may be used for simultaneous estimates of multiple members of the relative physical state which may include position in the X, Y, and/or Z axis, orientation about some axis, clock bias, and potentially any time derivatives.
  • Determining an absolute physical state estimate 1209 requires designation of at least one emitter or interceptor as a reference point that has some aspect of its physical state known prior to estimation of the relative physical state. Determination of the absolute physical state 1209 is the addition of relative physical state to the a priori physical states defined by the reference points.
  • One or more references points defined within the configuration data 1208 can be treated collectively to form a local reference frame for positioning and timing information. Preferably all physical state estimates 1209 are reported within this reference frame. Further, reference points can be associated 1210 and 121 1 with a coordinate system fiducial reference 1204 within the configuration data 1208. Through these associations, estimates determined in the internal reference frame can be translated to an external reference frame.
  • a plurality of beacons are first calibrated such that the combination of configuration data and system calibration data enables the beacons to be established as reference points for physical state estimation of a location sensor (e.g., an interceptor 1202).
  • the location of these reference points are then determined in the external WGS-84 reference frame. This can be accomplished in any number of ways through survey, or through direct measurement with location sensors supporting reception of GNSS ranging signal emissions.
  • a transformation matrix can be specified that translates from the internal reference frame to the external WGS-84 frame.
  • three non-colinear reference points associated with external fiducial points are used to establish a three-dimensional transformation.
  • the resultant estimate o physical state for a location sensor can be reported in the external reference frame.
  • Reporting of time epoch in internal and external time frames such as universal time coordinated (UTC) may be accomplished in the same manner using the time at reference points with respect to the external time frame.
  • UTC universal time coordinated
  • Some emitters may be known to the system but not controlled by the system and considered external.
  • GPS satellites, quasars, communications satellites, television stations and autonomous beacons are all examples o reference points whose existence can be known and monitored but not managed by the system.
  • FIGURE 13A shows the generalized method o physical state determination in configured environments using spectral compression.
  • At least one emitter emits wideband energy 1305 into a propagation medium.
  • These emissions are intercepted and processed at 1302 by at least one interceptor, which produces observables 1306.
  • the processing 1302 applies at least one method of spectral compression.
  • Observables 1306 from at least one interceptor are processed at 1303 to determine the estimated relative physical state 1307 between at least one emitter and the interceptor.
  • FIGURE 1313 illustrates in more detail the intercept and process element 1302 of FIGURE 13 A.
  • Wideband energy emissions 1305 are intercepted at 131 1 resulting in the intercepted wideband emissions 13 14 that are operated on by some non- linear operation 1312, which produces narrowband data 1315 containing the changing physical characteristics needed to perform physical state estimation. Further processing is performed at 1313, which extracts these useful changing physical characteristics.
  • observables 1306 for the interceptor for at least one epoch The observables may contain at least one or more of the changing physical characteristics between the interceptor and at least one emitter.
  • each distinct non-linear operation implementation forms a channel for which multiple wideband interceptions may be observed in 1306.
  • Specific non- linear operations on the intercepted wideband emissions 13 14 in 13 12 for the interceptor may include but are not limited to: squaring where 1 14 is multiplied by itself; delay and multiply where 13 14 is multiplied by a delay version of itself and the amount of delay is determined by one of the known or suspected physical characteristics of the wideband energy emission (e.g.
  • bandwidth synthesis where 1314 is sampled in two different bands o a specific bandwidth and frequency offset such that when multiplied together they produce a single resultant narrow band data, where the frequency offset, bandw idth are a function of the physical characteristics of the wideband energy emission; differentiation, where 1314 is differenced with itself producing the approximate first derivative; and decimation, where 1314 sample rate is reduced resulting in a narrowband output that is a fraction o the wideband energy emission.
  • additional derivatives can be produced by further differencing the previous derivative of 1314.
  • the decimated output may utilize aliasing or down conversion and low-pass filtering to l imit the narrowband data to the band of interest that contains the desired physical characteristics.
  • FIGURE 13C shows one embodiment of the narrowband data processing element 1313 in FIGURE 13B.
  • Narrowband data 1315 is operated on by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) resulting in the frequency space transform of 1315 (amplitude, frequency, and phase).
  • FFT fast Fourier transform
  • a peak detector which preferably extracts the amplitude, frequency and phase for peak values that meet certain requirements as specified by the configuration data 1309.
  • peaks are selected that meet certain threshold value (e.g. 5 amplitude signal to noise ratio) and frequency range (e.g. must be between - 10 and 50 Hz.).
  • the selected peaks for each channel are grouped to form observables 1306, which contains the frequency, amplitude, and phase values for at least one epoch.
  • FIGURE 13D shows an alternative embodiment o the narrowband data processing element 1313 in FIGURE 1313.
  • Narrowband data 13 15 is processed by at least one or more phase tracking loops 1322, which are configured to track signals corresponding to the expected frequencies contained within the narrowband data.
  • Each tracking loop 1322 outputs frequency, phase and an estimate of signal to noise ratio, together forming a set of observables 1306 for at least one epoch.
  • phase tracking loops can be implemented depending on the requirements of the particular application. Often, the tracking loop will be implemented with some sort of rate aiding capability enabling a very narrow post-detection bandwidth that can increase integration time resulting in better signal to noise ratio and measurement precision.
  • FIGURE 13 E shows yet another alternative embodiment of the narrowband data processing element 1313 in FIGURE 13B.
  • Narrowband data 13 1 5 from at least two interceptors are selected in 1331 forming narrowband data 1335 from the first interceptor and narrowband data 1336 data from the second interceptor.
  • Narrowband data 1336 is delayed in time with respect to 1335 by an amount specified by configuration data and/or an amount determined the physical states of the emitters, the first interceptor and the second interceptor.
  • the resultant narrowband data is then cross correlated producing correlation data 1337, which indicates the maximum and minimum correlation values as a function of lime.
  • These data are then processed by 1334 detecting the maximum correlation peaks, which results in extraction of changing physical characteristics between the first and second interceptor.
  • 1334 can be implemented in a number of ways but the most common methods are to employ delay locked loops or FFT/correlation peak detection similar to that in FIGURE 13C. Observables produce in 1334 are typically frequency, phase, and signal to noise ratio.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention for high-accuracy and robustness is to combine spectral compression with cross-correlation.
  • Spectral compression enables correlation lock without search of the frequency space for the differential carrier frequency offset since it can be determined directly using spectral compression observables.
  • Methods and systems for hybrid spectral compression and correlation are described below with reference to FIGURES 14- 17.
  • FIGURE 14 A illustrates an alternative embodiment of an interceptor using spectral compression combined with a cross correlation signal processing and a priori configuration data.
  • I lybrid spectral compression and cross-correlation enable direct resolution of the code phase ambiguity by means of a one-time cross-correlation.
  • Configuration data provides the means to associate cross correlation observables with the observables produced by spectral compression.
  • This embodiment of the present invention is applicable to RF spread spectrum emissions where a pseudorandom sequence is used to modulate a signal and data spreading the information over larger bandwidths.
  • An example of RF spread spectrum emissions is code division multiple access (CDMA) signals employing bi-phase shift key ing (BPSK) or quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation.
  • CDMA code division multiple access
  • BPSK bi-phase shift key ing
  • QPSK quadrature phase shift keying
  • the inherent utility of this embodiment is to provide a simple way to determine the whole number of code phase chips using cross correlation to resolve the ambiguous phase observables produced by spectral compression techniques.
  • this technique makes possible a multi-channel receiver that can acquire all the GNSS signal emissions in view using spectral compression and then through a one-time cross correlation, resolve the code phase ambiguity, thus enabling the generation of traditional code phase observables typical of GNSS receivers without the requirement of the traditional multichannel tracking loop methods.
  • the intercepted emission 1206 is intercepted by front-end 1410, which transforms the signal into a baseband regime suitable for signal processing by spectral compression and other means.
  • the front end down converts the signal to baseband or I F, which can be digitally converted using an ADC for DSP or processed by analog means.
  • the front-end down converts the intercepted spread spectrum emissions to baseband and digitally samples the signals using complex quadrature processing techniques.
  • the baseband spread spectrum signals 1420 are subsequently processed by Spectral Compressor 1205 and Cross Correlator 141 1.
  • the Spectral Compressor 1205 use the same spectral compression techniques described for FIGURE 12, where one or more methods of spectral compression utilizing a nonlinear operation are implemented to produce one or more observables 1421 , comprising amplitude, frequency and phase information of the intercepted spread spectrum emissions.
  • SSE Signal State Estimator
  • Configuration Data 1208 which comprises state information for the reference points producing the RF signal emissions and an approximate physical state for the interceptor
  • the SSE uses a model for the signal that generates a replica that enables the determination of physical characteristics, amplitude, frequency, phase, and temporal derivatives for the spread spectrum code chipping clock (code clock).
  • code clock provides the means to identify the emission (e.g. GNSS)
  • the carrier frequency offset can be immediately determined given that the code and carrier frequencies are typically a fixed ratio that is known a priori.
  • the SSE produces observables 1423, which are associated with one or more signal emitters. These observables are then used by Cross Correlator 141 1 to construct a spread spectrum code replica clocked at or near the frequency of the intercepted emission of interest. Using this code replica, the Cross Correlator determines the whole code phase offset of the intercepted emission relative to an internal time epoch. This cross correlation is typically done by accumulating a sufficient number of samples to determine an unambiguous point of correlation, which can vary depending upon the type of code sequence used to generate the spread spectrum emission.
  • the whole number of code chips 1422 are passed to the SSE, which combines this information with the ambiguous phase observables produced by Spectral Compressor 1205 to produce an unambiguous code phase observable comprising the whole number of code chips and fractional phase. These data are then used to update Observables 1423, which are essentially equivalent to observables defined in FIGURE 12 with the added information of unambiguous code phase.
  • This alternative embodiment of the present invention requires the use of configuration data to associate the spectral compression observables with at least one or more spread spectrum emitters.
  • This approach makes it possible to collect unambiguous observables without the need to implement tracking loops (e.g. a Costas Loop in a GPS receiver). This allows the receiver to operate in high dynamic regimes as extensive searching for the spread spectrum emission in a 2-D space of code and frequency offset is essentially avoided.
  • the spectral compression observables make it possible to determine a precision frequency offset estimate needed to successfully demodulate a particular spread spectrum emission continuously over time. Further, the cross correlation function need only be used once during initial signal acquisition to resolve code phase ambiguity. Once this is determined, only spectral compression observables are needed to produce the full set of observables, as any changes in the whole number of code phase cycles can be readily determined by continuous monitoring of the SCP observables.
  • An alternative embodiment of the present invention is to reduce the function of the signal state estimator 1412 to perform only emitter identification without additional filtering and smoothing of observables .
  • the outputs 1421, 1422 are used directly without processing by the SSE.
  • the hybrid spectral compression and cross correlator embodiment of the present invention has particular utility. I n these regimes, the dynamics can cause more than 30 kHz of carrier frequency offset due to Doppler frequency shifts making signal acquisition more complicated using traditional code correlation methods.
  • the introduction of the spectral compressor with the cross correlator eliminates the frequency search, preferably allowing acquisition of the classic code phase observables in four to five seconds from a cold -start condition.
  • this alternative embodiment of the present inv ention can be readily implemented in a lightweight software defined radio (SDR) form factor making it suitable for operations in multi-use radios.
  • SDR software defined radio
  • this approach provides significant simplification of the receiver that enables reduction size, weight and power requirements.
  • FIGURE 1413 is yet another alternative embodiment of the present inv ention, similar to FIGURE 14 A but with the addition of one or more signal processing channels that makes it possible to extract telemetry and carrier observables from one or more intercepted emissions.
  • Association of cross-correlation and spectral compression observables are accomplished by evaluating the carrier phase observables at each identified spread spectrum code and carrier frequency offset determined by the cross correlation and spectral compression observables.
  • This embodiment has the added benefit of providing a means to extract configuration data directly from the intercepted spread spectrum emissions as well as producing higher resolution carrier signal observables, which can provide significant value for precision positioning and navigation and other science applications including space weather (e.g.
  • the spectral compressor enables the collection of carrier frequency and telemetry observables without the need of conventional tracking loops to determine and maintain code lock.
  • this alternative embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to produce the conventional high-quality GNSS observations for one or more intercepted signal emissions without the equivalent complexity offering rapid, deterministic signal acquisition.
  • Spread spectrum emissions 1206 are converted using a front end to a baseband regime suitable for processing by Spectral Compressor 1205 and Cross Correlator 141 1.
  • the Signal State Estimator 14 12 uses the observables 142 1 to determine the approximate code clock frequency offset and then configures the Cross Correlator 141 1 to search for one or more correlated emissions.
  • a particular spread spectrum transmission system e.g. GPS, GLO ASS. CDMA cellular
  • the SCP observables contain information for one or more emissions that form a two-dimensional search space: a first axis is the quantity M observed code frequency offsets in SCP observables 1421 and a second axis is quantity N known possible spread spectrum code sequences. This comprises a search space o M times N combinations.
  • the Cross Correlator 141 1 produces observables 1422 comprising the intercepted spread spectrum code sequence identifier and whole code phase. This information is passed to the Signal State Estimator 1412, which then provides updated spreading code observables for all intercepted emissions to one or more Signal Processing Channels 1416 to measure the carrier frequency offset. Each Signal Processing Channel 1416 is assigned a code frequency offset and one intercepted spread spectrum sequence. The resulting Carrier Observables 1426 are provided to the Signal State Estimator 1412, which then determines if a match is made. The processing continues until observables 1421 are matched with cross correlation observables 1422 (comprising whole code phase and spread spectrum sequence identifier).
  • the signal processing channels 1416 are also useful in providing carrier observables, which may include carrier phase (whole and fractional parts), carrier frequency offset, carrier amplitude and telemetry data.
  • carrier observables which may include carrier phase (whole and fractional parts), carrier frequency offset, carrier amplitude and telemetry data.
  • additional functions to track changes in code phase such as a Costas tracking loop are not necessary, for example, in the preferred embodiment of the present inv ention.
  • a Costas tracking loop can be implemented as part of the Signal Processing Channel 1416 if additional tracking information is needed or as a crosscheck and v alidation to the output of the Spectral Compressor 1205. Depending on the output data rate and dynamics of the system, this alternate embodiment can have additional benefits.
  • the Signal Processing Channels 1416 is implemented by first removing the spreading code in block 1413, which recovers baseband carrier signal and modulated telemetry 1424 with a carrier frequency offset resulting from Doppler shift or interceptor oscillator bias.
  • the carrier frequency offset is then removed in block 1414, resulting in a narrowband baseband sample stream 1425 comprising carrier phase information, telemetry, transmission path effects and other physical characteristics.
  • This band limited raw sample stream is then processed by Data/Carrier Recovery block 1415 producing Carrier Observables 1426 as discussed previously.
  • the Raw Sample Stream 1425 is useful to provide additional information such as ionospheric scintillation.
  • the raw sample stream can be down sampled and stored at a relatively low data rate and limited to the bandwidth of interest.
  • the bandwidths can vary between 50 Hz and 1 KHz depending on transmission path observables of interest. Higher bandwidths require higher intercepted emission SN R to produce usable results. Lower bandwidths achieve higher SN R benefiting from longer signal integration time.
  • the cross correlation, search and match functionality provided by the Cross Correlator 141 1 , Signal State Estimator 1412 and Signal Processing Channels 1416 can be implemented in a single block or other distribution.
  • the particular implementation o these functions, whether combined or distributed, will be present in this embodiment of a hybrid spectral compressor and cross correlator interceptor.
  • FIGURES 1 A, 15B and 15C show the generalized method of processing intercepted wideband emissions using the combined spectral compression and correlation processing techniques of the present invention.
  • This method is an alternative embodiment that produces Observables 1306 and addit ional in format ion providing for the whole code phase and the spread spectrum sequence/emitter source identification suitable for determining physical state.
  • This alternative method starts with the intercepted wideband emissions 1314 as shown in FIGURE 13B after the wideband energy emissions have been intercepted, 131 1.
  • FIGURE 15A illustrates an alternative method for block 1302 described in FIGURES 1 3 A and 1 313.
  • Cross Correlation signal processing methods are added and integrated with spectral compression observables thus resolving the ambiguous code phase.
  • the Intercepted Wideband Emissions 1314 are processed by using spectral compression methods at block 1501 , which is the combined Non-Linear Operation 13 12 and Process Narrowband Data 1313 as shown in FIGURE 1 313.
  • Block 1501 produces the equivalent observables 1306 as in FIGURE 13B, where the observables comprise multiple amplitude, frequency and phase observables including temporal derivatives for the intercepted emissions of interest.
  • the method described in FIGURE 15 A deviates from what is described in FIGURE 13 , chiefly through the addition of blocks for identifying emissions 1503 and Cross Correlation of the wideband emissions 1505.
  • a pseudorandom sequence is used to modulate a signal containing information content modulated on some carrier.
  • the pseudorandom sequence is typically a code of known structure that can be generated both by the emitter and the interceptor.
  • CDMA systems such as GNSS (including but not limited to GPS. GLONASS. Galileo. Compass), WLAN WiFi, 3G cellular CDMA and W-CDMA systems are al l examples of systems with wideband emissions that would be suitable for processing using the methods described herein.
  • the Observables 1306 provide the critical frequency information needed to determine oscillator offsets and potentially identify the emissions when multiple emissions are intercepted as is the case in GNSS.
  • the method proceeds in processing the Observables 1306 by determining whether the emissions have been identified in block 1502. In the case where emissions have not been previously identified, the method proceeds to identify the emissions in block 1 03.
  • the preferred methods for identifying the emissions are shown in FIGURE 13B and FIGURE 13C addressing the cases where suitable a priori information is available and unavailable. Depending on the particular appl ication, either or both of the identification methods may be used and will be discussed subsequently.
  • the output of the Identify Emissions 1503 assigns an identifier to one or intercepted emissions contained within the observables 1306. This identifier subsequently enables additional processing in that it is now possible to determine how the signal was originally constructed; more specifically, which spreading code was used to modulate the emission. Proceeding, block 1504 determines i the whole spreading code phase has been measured.
  • the code phase is a measurement of the whole and fractional chips within a code at a particular epoch.
  • the Observables 1306 provide ambiguous fractional code phase information, the offset within one chip.
  • Cross Correlate Intercepted Wideband Emissions determines the whole number of code chips needed to align the internal code replica with the intercepted wideband emission 13 14 spreading code at a particular epoch.
  • Determining the source identifier in 1503 or producing whole code phase observables in 1 505 can be performed in reverse order or simultaneously depending on the particular implementation and source identification methods used. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, both of these operations are performed nearly simultaneously using the same buffered data such that only one sample set of wideband energy emissions is needed to determine both the code phase and its source. This makes it possible to execute both steps in a minimum amount of time, chiefly limited by processing resources. In the case where source identification is not accomplished prior to Cross Correlation in 1505, it is possible to perform cross correlation with an additional step of searching the set of possible codes and comparing the correlation results accordingly. Correlation results meeting certain threshold requirements will indicate the presence of a source of emission using the particular code sequence. This information can be stored temporarily in a table indicating the presence of certain source emissions but not yet associated with the observables in 1306. This table can be then subsequently used in the source identification method described in FIGURE 15C.
  • the methods for cross correlating the signal with an internal replica based on the signal source identifier as determined by 1503 can be accomplished in a variety of ways depending on the particular implementation.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention is to buffer the intercepted wideband emissions for one or more whole code cycles and perform a convolution of the buffered emissions with the internal code replica shifting in quarter or half chip steps.
  • the result is a set of amplitudes of the correlation values for each step within the code.
  • a simple search of this result set for the maximal amplitude indicates the spreading code offset at the epoch where the wide band energy emissions were sampled. This technique is readily implemented in modern digital signal processing systems.
  • Correlating in at least half chip steps provides the ability to determine the alignment of the whole code phase boundaries so that it can be combined with the fractional code phase as determined by Observables 1306. Thus, it is not required that the correlator produce high resolution fractional code phase measurements as the data is readily available by spectral compression.
  • This method as described with reference to FIGURE 15A is substantively different from traditional spread spectrum receiver designs in that the Observables 1306 provide a direct measurement of the spreading code clocking frequency without the need to search frequency space to determine the local oscillator. As a result, use of a Costas Loop or similar correlation tracking method is not required. In an alternative method, both the spectral compression and Costas loop correlation tracking methods can be combined for validation and cross checking as systems resources are available and appropriate.
  • the hybrid spectral compression correlation method can have a distinct adv antage as it is a relatively straightforward process to track signals in high dynamics and the emission group phase as observed by the spreading code clock phase will tend to have different or less impact resulting from challenging transmission paths.
  • the hybrid method enables the interceptor to continue to intercept and process wideband emissions where traditional code correlation systems may lose code lock due to an inability to maintain carrier phase tracking.
  • FIGURE 15B shows the method for identifying observables 1306 with the source emitter when configuration information 151 1 , describing the approximate emitter physical state and interceptor physical state, is av ailable.
  • This technique works well in situations where configuration information exists about the emitter and interceptor physical state and emissions have deterministic frequency offsets relative to a nominal code clock frequency. Using this a priori information, it is possible to produce a synthetic spectrum, particularly in the case of the multiple emissions, where the frequency offsets between emissions are a function of Doppler shift or intent ional frequency offsets.
  • Block 1510, Match Frequency Offsets matches the synthetic spectrum with the observed frequency spectrum contained in Observables 1306 to determine the local oscillator offset and associate the frequency of each observed emission with a source emitter identifier.
  • FIGURE 15C illustrates an alternative method for identifying Observables 1306 with a source emitter when configuration information is not av ailable.
  • this method de-spreads the intercepted emission and measures the frequency offset of the recovered carrier, and compares with the expected frequency offset determined by multiplying the SCP code clock frequency offset by the carrier / code clock frequency ratio.
  • the code sequence is associated (thus identified) with a SCP frequency observable when the expected carrier frequency offset matches the observed carrier frequency offset.
  • This alternative method of the present invention has the benefit of being able to produce useable code clock observables without requiring a priori knowledge o the emitter and interceptor physical states.
  • the method matches the observed spreading code clock frequency offset contained within the Observables 1306 with the observed carrier signal frequency offset given the a priori carrier/code clock frequency ratio information. Since the code sequence / source emitter identifier for the spreading code is not known, one or more codes may need to be tried in despreading the emission before a signal match can be made.
  • the cross correlation method 1505 described with reference to FIGURE 15 A will produce a temporary table spreading code identifiers and associated code phase offsets that provides the needed a priori spreading code configuration information 1521 for this method to proceed.
  • the code sequence for the source emitter is generated and offset by the specified the code phase as measured by 1505 and 1306 observables in FIGURE 15 A.
  • this internal code sequence replica 1520 despreads the wideband energy emission resulting in the despread carrier signal and data modulation.
  • Block 1522 implements one or more methods to detect the carrier signal frequency offset which is a combination of physical configuration, Doppler shift, and interceptor oscillator bias. A match occurs when the observed carrier signal frequency offset is nearly equivalent to the observed code clock frequency offset in 1306 multiplied by the carrier/code clock frequency ratio 1523, within the limits of the measurement precision and uncertainty. I f a match is not found, the process continues with the next entry in the table until all possible spreading codes are evaluated.
  • the number code sequence chips buffered would be increased to provide higher SNR.
  • the number of chips buffered is a multiple of the spreading code sequence length. 100251 1 I n the case where Doppler shift and frequency offsets do not differ substantially enough to determine unique code phase frequency offsets 1306, then the observed code frequency offset in 1306 are assumed to be equivalent for the affected intercepted emissions and the method described in the previous paragraph associates the same code clock frequency offset for each source emissions identified within the temporary table described above. For example, in 3G CDMA systems multiple signals may share the same frequency space and have the same code clock frequency. In this case it is not possible to determine unique observables for each emissions using spectral compressions Observables 1306 alone.
  • the addition of the code correlation method makes it possible to use the observed aggregate code clock frequency to determine the local oscillator offset and then despread the CDMA signals using traditional Costas Loops for code tracking.
  • the Costas Loop produces the whole and fractional code phase observables.
  • the detection methods for determining the carrier frequency offset may include FFT and peak detection, low pass filter and threshold detection, or phase locked loop.
  • the particular method used depends upon the type of dynamics expected for the system.
  • the FFT of the detection method can be very effective for systems with minimal Carrier Doppler shift, where the frequency space is small.
  • the phase lock loop and filter and threshold detection methods ay be a more efficient implementation approaches when Doppler shifts are large and the frequency space can be more effectively covered by focusing only on the specific frequency offset as predicted by the Observables 1306 multiplied by the carrier/code clock frequency ratio 1523.
  • the interceptor can produce carrier observables as described in FIGURE 16.
  • the method despreads the intercepted previously identified spread spectrum emission, removes the carrier frequency offset as determined by the SCP Observables and applies one or more carrier data processing methods to produce one or more observables collectively known as carrier observables.
  • the signal is despread in 1601 and carrier frequency offset removed in block 1602 given Observables 1306 and the Carrier/Code Clock Frequency Ratio 1525.
  • additional narrowband baseband data processing may include Carrier Phase Tracking 1603, Telemetry Extraction 1604, or archiving of a band limited sample stream 1605 for subsequent post-processing.
  • Collectively, these baseband data processing options produce a set of carrier observables 1505. These observables 1505 can then be used for additional processing such as physical state estimation.
  • the band limit applied to the baseband sample stream is dependent upon the particular application and available archiving storage. Contained within the sample stream are additional observables relating to transmission path, source emitter and interceptor physical state information. For example, when applied to GNSS these observables may provide information relating to ionosphere TEC, ionospheric scintillation, tropospheric delay and other data used for space weather remote sensing. In the case of GPS, cutoff frequencies can range between 50 Hz and 1 kHz depending upon available signal-to-noise ratio and application requirements.
  • FIGURE 17 shows an illustrative example of a Hybrid Spectral Compression and Cross Correlation receiver suitable for use in intercepting GNSS CDMA signals such as the C/A GPS.
  • This alternative embodiment uses complex quadrature signal processing techniques to produce high resolution code and carrier observables and extraction of telemetry data encoded within the signal.
  • This example covers the core signal reception and signal processing functions needed to produce both Code Observables 1734 and Carrier Observables 1750.
  • observables 1734 and 1750 can be used as input for a physical state estimator to produce position, velocity, and time information o the hybrid receiver.
  • This alternative embodiment of the present invention suitable for implementation in a SDR.
  • the hybrid receiver exploits the relative simplicity of the spectral compression in combination with the sensitivity of a full CDMA code correlation receiver which is intercepting wideband BPSK spread spectrum signals 1701.
  • a code correlation receiver When a code correlation receiver is operated in an environment where the receiver must be autonomous or functional in situations of virtually no external information, the initialization of the receiver is described as being in a cold-start condition. In such a condition, an almanac of potential emitter signals may be unavailable or aged beyond rel iability. In addition, the receiver may have no credible a priori positional information or any detailed knowledge of the dynamics of the receiver or the state o the internal time and frequency reference o the receiver. In such a circumstance, the spectral compression subsystem provides a valuable contribution as a receiver configuration state-prompting mechanism without the necessity of a feedback mechanism. The spectral compression observables provides functional robustness against the inability to acquire GNSS signals in cold-start conditions or when receiving GNSS signals propagated through turbulent transmission media or when the receiver is in unknown dynamic conditions.
  • FIGURE 17 shows both in- phase and quadrature processing paths; for simplicity, however, only the in-pha.se elements are discussed given the equivalence of the quadrature elements.
  • the I and Q processing paths are established by the local oscillator, LOl, 1705 operating at 1575.42 MHz whose input is provided by the receiver's internal reference oscillator 1706, operating at 4.092 MHz.
  • the 1.01 frequency is precisely a factor of 385 times the reference oscillator frequency of 1706, which provides the sampling signal for the analog-to-digital converters, ADC, 1707.
  • the local oscillator, LO 1. 1705 frequency is selected so as to place the analog center of the wideband signals 1701 at or very near 0 Hz that defines the baseband region being input to the ADC 1707.
  • the A DC samples with 8 to 12 bits of digital of resolution to enable 48 dB to 72 dB of dynamic range in order to achieve tolerance to in-band interference and to capture the entire C/A channel modulation width.
  • the output of the A DC 1714 is the digitized baseband intercepted spread spectrum BPSK emissions.
  • These digitized baseband signals are preferably shared with three subsystems: the spectral compressor (blocks 1713, 1715, 1717, 1720 and 1722); the C/A code cross correlator for whole code phase determination (blocks 1733 and 1732); and the BPSK spreading code demodulator/ carrier signal processor (blocks 1740, 1742, 1743, 1746, 1747, 1748, and 1749) generate the precision observables of L-band carrier amplitude, frequency and phase.
  • the spectral compressor blocks 1713, 1715, 1717, 1720 and 1722
  • the C/A code cross correlator for whole code phase determination blocks 1733 and 1732
  • the BPSK spreading code demodulator/ carrier signal processor blocks 1740, 1742, 1743, 1746, 1747, 1748, and 1749
  • Block 1713 is a digital delay equivalent to one -half the PRN chipping period of the C/A code of 489 ns or two ADC samples.
  • the delayed sample stream is multiplied in 1715 with the original sample stream.
  • the output of 1715 is down converted using multiplier 1717 and digital local oscillator (DLO 1) 1718 by 1.023 MHz centering the observables of interest (the recovered code clock) at near 0 Hz.
  • DLO 1 digital local oscillator
  • blocks 1717 and 1718 would be implemented using a CORDIC and phase counter for efficiency.
  • blocks 1713, 1715, 1717, and 1719 The effect of blocks 1713, 1715, 1717, and 1719 is to compress all of the arriving C/A signals, perhaps a dozen or more, each of 2 MI I bandwidth, into a spectral width determined by the most negative to the most positive Doppler shift imposed by the receiver to GPS satellite range rate, all of which are centered near 0 Hz.
  • this physics bandwidth is ⁇ 2.7 Hz.
  • the physics bandwidth would typically be less than ⁇ 27 Hz for a receiver aboard a satellite.
  • the baseband signals are detected initially using a F FT 1720 to identify and measure initial frequency offsets.
  • a phase lock loop (PLL) 1722 is assigned to each detected spectral line found in the FFT 1720.
  • PLL phase lock loop
  • an F F T is performed to determine if new signals are available and to determine frequency offset change rates to improve PLL tracking.
  • the PLL tracking mode allows flexibility where the spectral line is undergoing rapid changes in Doppler frequency for which the F F T mode experiences straddling between F FT bins with its degraded SNR effects. In high dynamic systems where the Doppler frequency rate is significant, a rate-aided PLL is recommended.
  • a iding data can be observed by the F FT or calculated using GPS almanac and receiver state information.
  • the output of the F FT and PLL 1721 and 1723 are the amplitude, frequency, and phase observables for each intercepted C/A spread spectrum signal.
  • the phase values are ambiguous at 293 m and can be connected across many observations to produce range change observables with sub-meter accuracy. Precision Doppler observables can then be generated with no ambiguity that will allow subsequent positioning, velocity and timing estimation.
  • This family of spectral lines is specifically the chipping frequency that is to be applied when generating a code replica in order to acquire a particular GPS satellite by matching a particular PRN sequence and code chipping rate.
  • the effects of the receiver's reference oscillator offset and any Doppler shift are explicitly accounted.
  • This critical information of combined oscillator offset and possible receiver Doppler shift has been derived without knowledge of which C/A signals were present in the received baseband sample stream 1714 or their code sequences or carrier tracking or telemetry decoding.
  • the internal clock will in general have an arbitrary starting epoch.
  • the Signal State Estimator ( SSL ) 1733 uses the observations 1721 , 1723, and 1735 to associate P N I D and whole code phase observations from Cross Correlator 1732 with the spectral compressor observables. As discussed previously, matching these observables can be accomplished by multiple methods: 1) GPS almanac and approximate receiver physical state or 2) matching of code clock and carrier frequency offset observables contained in 1720 and 1750.
  • Buffer 1733 stores at least one whole code cycle of the C/A (4092 samples), which is then operated by the Cross Correlator 1732 to determine the whole code phase offset of one or more received C/A signals.
  • the method of the preferred embodiment is to perform a convolution of an internal C/A code replica with the buffered received signals. Correlation is considered achieved when a particular maximum meets the correlation criteria (e.g. signal threshold). If a definitive maximum or minimum is not found for a specific signal additional whole C/A code cycles may need to be buffered to increase integration time: for example 1 C/A code cycle is 1 msec integration time and 5 C/A code cycles are 5 msec of integration time.
  • Weak GPS signals can require significant integration time greater than 20 msec, which also requires managing telemetry bit shifts if done coherently.
  • the choice of which cross correlations to perform depends on the search space, which can be as much as 32 different codes for C/A GPS if no GPS almanac is available and satellite identification was not performed previously using SCP observables 1721. Given the sampling clock rate of 4.092 MHz, minimum resolution of the correlation is one quarter chip, which is more than sufficient to resolve the ambiguous code phase in observables 1721 and 1723.
  • the spreading code demodulator/carrier signal processor blocks 1740, 1742, 1743, 1746, 1747, 1748 and 1749 produce precision carrier observables 1750.
  • One set of these blocks (comprising both in-phase and quadrature) is required to track each intercepted C/A signal of interest. As many as twelve sets of these block is required to continuously track all C/A signals in view for terrestrial applications, as many as 18 sets may be required for orbital applications.
  • the intercepted signals are demodulated using a selected C/A code sequence generated by a Code Generator 1746 clocked by a Code Clock Generator 1747.
  • the code offset and code clock frequency offset our determined by the SSE results 1734.
  • the resulting demodulated carrier and telemetry 1741 are down converted to baseband by removing the carrier Doppler shift also determined by the SSE results 1734.
  • the baseband data is then low pass filtered 1743, limiting the bandwidth to the specific information of interest. In most cases the bandwidth is limited to 100 Hz or less for extracting telemetry and tracking the carrier.
  • Block 1749 performs data/carrier recovery for bandwidth limited complex quadrature data 1744.
  • the present invention has application in providing an alternative means to acquire long code signal acquisition in GNSS.
  • Long codes are often used with GNSS systems in that the infrequent repeat interval improves SNR and eliminates any ambiguity resulting in higher performance.
  • PPS GPS Precise Positioning Service
  • the present invention can achieve code lock without first acquiring correlation lock on the C/A channel.
  • Direct acquisition provides the benefit of allowing acquisition of the P( Y ) channel in situations where the C/A channel is unavailable or jammed.
  • the essential receiver elements have been discussed previously and the illustrative receiver system in FIGURE 17 can be readily adapted to process P( Y ) spread spectrum signals by increasing the baseband digital sample rate to 40.92 MHz and configuring the cross correlator and code generation blocks to generate P( Y ) code. In situations where the PPS is encrypted using the Y code, the correlator and code generation blocks will require cryptographic keys to produce the appropriate code values.
  • Direct long code acquisition of the present invention employs the methods of hybrid spectral compression and cross correlation disclosed above and adds physical state estimation and successive approximation to produce time and location information ever increasing measurement precision and accuracy that ultimately yields correlation of the long code.
  • the method starts with a priori configuration information including a G S almanac describing the position, velocity and oscillator state of the GPS satellites and time at the intercepting receiver good to then a few seconds of GPS time (wrist watch accuracy).
  • the first step is to acquire the spectral compression observables for the GPS P( Y ) channel.
  • the intercepting receiver is configured to form delay and multiply tuned to recover the 10.23 MHz chipping rate.
  • the recovered code clock amplitude and phase values for each of the visible satellites are identified using the GPS almanac.
  • the next step is to use code clock frequency observables (containing Doppler frequency information) to determine the approximate position, velocity, epoch time and receiver clock state of the receiver to better than 1.5 km and epoch time uncertainty to better than 100 msec. Achieving this measurement accuracy within a particular observation interval depends upon geometry and the relative dynamics. For terrestrial applications an observation interv al of approximately 90 seconds and good PDOP ( ⁇ 3) with a minimum of four different satellites should be sufficient to achieve this accuracy. Using the approximate location and epoch time, it is possible to localize the P(Y) code search space to about 1 million chips, where the uncertainty is due primarily to the uncertainty in epoch time.
  • code clock frequency observables containing Doppler frequency information
  • the cross correlator begins the search for correlation.
  • the search continues until a maximum or minimum are found.
  • the length of the buffer to use in the search is dependent upon the required correlation lock threshold certainty. Longer buffers will slow the search process but produce more definitive results.
  • down sampling the buffered sample stream to 10.23 MHz will have the benefit of reducing the actual number of convolutions to perform. For example, a 1 msec integration time will require 10,230 buffered samples to accumulate for each correlation; searching all 1 million possible correlations using a 1 GHz DSP could be accomplished in less than 15 seconds assuming (1 clock per add). Longer or shorter integration time scales linearly.
  • the higher sample rate data can be used to determine the fractional chip correlation offset.
  • the fractional code phase can also be further refined using the spectral compression observables using the methods discussed previously.
  • the initial correlation lock determined by the first correlation of the highest elevation satellite allows for immediate improvement in epoch time certainty by resolving the 0.1 microsecond ambiguity interval contained within the previously observed code clock phase data. Worst-case, time estimate improve to an uncertainty of a 10 microseconds that drastically reduces the search space for all subsequent satellite P( Y ) channel correlations.
  • the epoch time estimate is updated by combining the initial correlation with spectral compression code clock phase (discussed previously in reference to FIGURES 1 A, 15B and 15C)
  • the cross correlation processing proceeds with the next highest SN satellite, now with a search space less than 100 chips given time better than 10 microseconds and 1.5km position uncertainty.
  • FIGURE 1 8 shows another alternative nonlinear operation for block 13 12 in FIGURE 13B that applies two or more sequential delay and multiply operations 1 803. . . 1 804 on a given baseband RF signal 1 801 , resulting in narrowband data 1 802.
  • Each delay and multiply operation ay be suitably tuned given choice of delays to target spectral content of interest.
  • This technique is useful for processing polyphase signals such as QPSK, where each step of the cascaded operation reduces the number of possible phase states by a factor of two. For example, a QPSK signal has four possible phase states. The first step in a two-stage cascaded delay and multiply operation reduces the QPSK signal to a BPSK signal with two possible phase states.
  • the second step reduces the resulting signal to a mono phase state that will produce strong spectral line content for the recovered carrier. While this technique is not useful for recovering modulated data content, it provides a useful and effective means for recovering ampl itude, frequency and phase information relating to the relative physics between the signal emitter and interceptor. Certain types o squaring can be applied sequentially as well using the presently described method, where the delay values are all chosen to be zero. For very strong signals, simple squaring may produce useful observables but for signals that are weak; specifying delay values greater than zero will have the beneficial effect of randomizing the noise, producing higher signal-to-noise ratio observables for a given post detection bandwidth.

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Abstract

La présente invention concerne un système et un procédé pour le positionnement et la navigation utilisant la compression spectrale hybride et le traitement de signal de corrélation croisée pour des signaux d'opportunité, pouvant comprendre un Système Mondial de Navigation par Satellite (GNSS) ainsi que d'autres émissions d'énergie à large bande dans des environnements GNSS obstrués. Des exemples de ces signaux d'opportunité comprennent, mais ne sont pas limités à GPS, GLONASS, Accès Multiple par Division de Code Cellulaire (CDMA) des signaux de communication, et Wi-Fi 802.11. La combinaison de compression spectrale et de corrélation croisée à spectre étalé permet l'extraction de variables observables code et support, sans qu'il soit nécessaire de mettre en œuvre les boucles de suivi (par exemple boucle de suivi de Costas) couramment utilisées dans les récepteurs GNSS. Pour des applications où la dynamique et le support de transmission peuvent rendre difficile le suivi en continu de la phase de support, l'approche hybride de la présente invention présente une utilité significative.
PCT/US2013/021986 2012-01-23 2013-01-17 Système et procédé de positionnement utilisant la compression spectrale hybride et traitement de signal de corrélation croisée WO2013112353A1 (fr)

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