EP0582073A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Remote position determination
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1993-06-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A constellation of satellites (14) which are distributed around the earth serves as a communications infrastructure that supports autonomous position determination and reporting of that position to a remote location. Satellites (14) continuously broadcast (100) acquisition signals. Position determining units (PDUs) (40) are remotely programmed (156, 162) to activate upon the occurrence of an activation event (120). If PDUs can capture (126) an acquisition signal, then they engage in activities which lead to determining their position and they coordinate their communications with the requirements of the communications infrastructure. To determine position, a location pulse may be transmitted (144) on a regular schedule. The location pulse is transported between a fast moving satellite (14) and a PDU (40). The movement of the satellite (14) causes different location pulses to have different propagation delays and Doppler characteristics. By analyzing changes in propagation delays and Doppler characteristics, a procedure (170) determines a position for a PDU (40).
Inventors
- 👤 Kristine P. Maine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 22:23
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S19/00; G01S5/00; G01S5/0009; G01S5/02; G01S5/12; H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18545; H04B7/18547; H04B7/1855; G01S5/0018; G01S5/0036; G01S5/0045; G01S5/0054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for operating a mobile position determining unit (PDU) (40) in cooperation with a communication system (12), said method comprising the steps of: receiving (126) an acquisition signal from said communication system (12); and cooperatively communicating (144, 144') with said communication system (12) to resolve and report a position for said PDU (40), said communicating step being performed in response to receipt (126) of said acquisition signal and through transmissions of messages from said PDU (40) for receipt by said communication system (12).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said communicating step comprises the step of transmitting (144) first and second location signals from said PDU (40) for receipt at said communication system (12), said second location signal being delayed from said first location signal by a predetermined amount of time (136).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 additionally comprising, prior to said receiving step, the step of programming (156, 162) said PDU (40) to become operational upon the occurrence of a predetermined event (120), said programming step comprising the steps of: receiving programming data (156, 162) from said communication system (12); and storing (156, 162), in response to said programming data, data which describe conditions to be met prior to said PDU (40) becoming operational (120).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in Claim 3 additionally comprising the step of: monitoring (148), in response to said predetermined event, an environment proximate said PDU (40); and transmitting (156, 162), from said PDU (40) to said communication system (12), data describing said environment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of: receiving (156, 162) a message from said communication system (12) which instructs said PDU (40) to transmit (156, 162) non-location data to said communication system (12); and transmitting (156, 162), in response to receipt of said message, said non-location data to said communication system (12).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for tracking mobile objects from a remotely located monitoring office (28) using communication services provided by a communication system (12), said method comprising the steps of: physically associating a position determining unit (PDU) (40) with said object; programming said PDU (40) to become operational upon the occurrence of a predetermined event (120); determining (142), in response to said predetermined event (12), a current position for said PDU (40) through cooperative communications between said PDU (40) and said communication system (12); transmitting (100) an acquisition signal from an orbiting satellite (14), said satellite serving as a node in said communication system (12); and receiving (126) said acquisition signal at said PDU (40), said receiving step (126) being performed in response to said predetermined event (120) and prior to said determining step (142).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said determining step (142) comprises the step of transmitting (144), in response to said acquisition signal, a location signal from said PDU (40) for receipt (106) at said communication system (12), said location signal being configured to inform said communication system (12) of the location of said PDU (40).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
117 words
A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said orbiting satellite (14) moves in space relative to said PDU (14), and said determining step (142) comprises the step of transmitting (144), in response to said acquisition signal, first and second location signals from said PDU (40) for receipt (106) at said communication system (12), said second location signal being delayed from said first location signal by a predetermined amount of time to allow said satellite (14) to receive (106) said first and second location signals at two different positions in space and said method for tracking additionally comprising the step of delivering data (108) describing said position through said communication system (12) to said monitoring office (28).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
136 words
An integrated telecommunication system (10) for transporting voice communications and for transporting data communications between a monitoring office (28) and remotely located mobile objects to aid in the location of said objects, said system comprising: a constellation (12) of radio communication stations (14) orbiting the earth; a population of first subscriber units (38) configured to engage in voice communications through said constellation (14); a population of second subscriber units (40) configured to engage in data communications through said constellation (12), each second subscriber unit (40) being configured in cooperation with at least a portion of said satellites (40) to generate data which describe a location of said second subscriber unit (40); and means (60), in data communication with at least a portion of said satellites (14), for transmitting said location data to said monitoring office (28).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
225 words
A system as claimed in Claim 9 wherein each of said second subscriber units (40) comprises: a memory (58); a transceiver (42); and a processor (52) coupled to said memory (58) and said transceiver (42), said processor (52) being configured to retrieve programming data received at said transceiver (42), to store said programming data in said memory (58), and to control operation of said second subscriber units (40) in response to said programming data; and wherein said system, said transceiver (42) of each of said second subscriber units (40) comprises a transmitter (44) and a receiver (46), each of said transmitter (44) and receiver (46) being configured for communication with any one of said radio communication stations (14); each of said second subscriber units (40) additionally comprises a battery (50) selectively coupled to said transmitter (44) and to said receiver (46) thereof; and at least a portion of said programming data instructs said processor (52) to control the coupling of said battery (50) to said transmitter (44) and receiver (46) so that in an inactive mode of operation (110) said battery (50) couples to neither said transmitter (44) nor said receiver (46), in a stand-by operational mode (112, 114) said battery couples to said receiver, and in a call-in operational mode (112, 114) said battery (50) couples to both said receiver (46) and transmitter (44).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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