US3378837A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Precision tracking system
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1963-10-14
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Granted: 1968-04-16
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Expires: 1983-10-14
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Ross E Graves
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S11/00; G01S11/02; G01S13/00; G01S13/66; G04; G04G; G04G7/00; G04G7/02; G04G9/00; G04G9/0005; G04G9/0011; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/46; G01S2013/466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF STATIONS REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER AND HAVING SEPARATE LOCAL CLOCK MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SYNCHRONIZED WITH EACH OTHER, A SATELLITE HAVING AT LEAST TWO TRANSPONDERS FOR TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO OF SAID STATIONS REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER BUT WITHIN LINE OF SIGHT TO SAID SATELLITE, MEANS AT A FIRST STATION FOR TRANSMITTING A CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL TO ONE OF SAID SATELLITE TRANSPONDERS FOR RETRANSMISSION TO SAID SECOND STATION, MEANS AT SAID SECOND STATION FOR RETRANSMITTING SAID CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL TO THE OTHER OF SAID SATELLITE TRANSPONDERS FOR RETRANSMISSION TO SAID FIRST STATION, AND MEANS AT SAID FIRST STATION FOR MEASURING THE TOTAL TRANSIT TIME BY COMPARING THE TIME OF TRANSMISSION OF THE CODED REFERENCE SIGNAL WITH THE TIME OF ARRIVAL OF SAID CODED REFERENCE SIGNAL, MEANS AT SAID FIRST STATION FOR ADVANCING THE TIME OF SAID CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO ONE HALF THE TOTAL TRANSIT TIME, MEANS AT SAID SECOND STATION FOR GENERATING AN ERROR SIGNAL BY COMPARING THE TIME OF SAID LOCAL CLOCK MEANS WITH THE TIME RECEIVED ON SAID ADVANCED REFERENCE SIGNAL, AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIME OF SAID LOCAL CLOCK MEANS WITH SAID ERROR SIGNAL.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF STATIONS REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER AND HAVING SEPARATE LOCAL CLOCK MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SYNCHRONIZED WITH EACH OTHER, A SATELLITE HAVING AT LEAST TWO TRANSPONDERS FOR TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO OF SAID STATIONS REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER BUT WITHIN LINE OF SIGHT TO SAID SATELLITE, MEANS AT A FIRST STATION FOR TRANSMITTING A CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL TO ONE OF SAID SATELLITE TRANSPONDERS FOR RETRANSMISSION TO SAID SECOND STATION, MEANS AT SAID SECOND STATION FOR RETRANSMITTING SAID CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL TO THE OTHER OF SAID SATELLITE TRANSPONDERS FOR RETRANSMISSION TO SAID FIRST STATION, AND MEANS AT SAID FIRST STATION FOR MEASURING THE TOTAL TRANSIT TIME BY COMPARING THE TIME OF TRANSMISSION OF THE CODED REFERENCE SIGNAL WITH THE TIME OF ARRIVAL OF SAID CODED REFERENCE SIGNAL, MEANS AT SAID FIRST STATION FOR ADVANCING THE TIME OF SAID CODED TIME REFERENCE SIGNAL AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO ONE HALF THE TOTAL TRANSIT TIME, MEANS AT SAID SECOND STATION FOR GENERATING AN ERROR SIGNAL BY COMPARING THE TIME OF SAID LOCAL CLOCK MEANS WITH THE TIME RECEIVED ON SAID ADVANCED REFERENCE SIGNAL, AND MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIME OF SAID LOCAL CLOCK MEANS WITH SAID ERROR SIGNAL.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3150370A
Cited
US3222672A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1971-04-16 | 1971-10-16 | 1972-04-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1975-04-16 | 1975-10-16 | 1976-04-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1979-04-16 | 1979-10-16 | 1980-04-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |