US3754260A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Loran-c third cycle identification through the use of omega
Assignee: VIZ MANUFACTURING COMPANY Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-02
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Granted: 1973-08-21
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Expires: 1991-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A tracking method and system for tracking the position of a remote target such as a weather balloon is disclosed which utilizes both Loran-C and Omega navigation techniques. The LoranC receiver at the tracking station is locked on to an indeterminate cycle, e.g., one of the third cycle + OR - 2 cycle, of the received Loran pulses from the weather balloon to provide ambiguous Loran position data. Second ambiguous position data is derived from Omega signals also received from the remote target. The ambiguous Loran position data is employed to resolve the ambiguity of the Omega position data, after which the resolved Omega position data is employed to obtain precise Loran position data from the ambiguous Loran position data. The Loran receiver is then set to lock on to the proper cycle corresponding to the corrected Loran position data.
Inventors
- 👤 M Poppe
- 👤 J Beukers
- 👤 J Meranda
- 👤 C Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:18
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/02; G01S1/08; G01S1/20; G01S1/24; G01S1/245
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for determining the position of an object at a tracking station remote from said object, said method comprising the steps of receiving at said tracking station a first ambiguous position signal from said object, computing first ambiguous position data from said first ambiguous position signal, receiving at said tracking station a second ambiguous position signal from said object, computing second ambiguous position data from said second ambiguous position signal, resolving the ambiguity of said first ambiguous position data in accordance with said second ambiguous position data to obtain first unambiguous position data, thereafter resolving the ambiguity of said second ambiguous position data in accordance with said first unambiguous position data to obtain unambiguous second position data, and thereafter computing accurate latitude-longitude position data of said object in accordance with said unambiguous second position data.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for determining the position of an object at a tracking station remote from said object, said method comprising the steps of receiving at said tracking station a first ambiguous position signal from said object, computing first ambiguous position data from said first ambiguous position signal, receiving at said tracking station a second ambiguous position signal from said object, computing second ambiguous position data from said second ambiguous position signal, resolving the ambiguity of said first ambiguous position data in accordance with said second ambiguous position data to obtain first unambiguous position data, thereafter resolving the ambiguity of said second ambiguous position data in accordance with said first unambiguous position data to obtain unambiguous second position data, and thereafter computing accurate latitude-longitude position data of said object in accordance with said unambiguous second position data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, in which said first ambiguous position signals include Omega signals, and said second ambiguous position signals include Loran-C signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 2 in which said second position signal receiving step includes the step of determining the time differences between indeterminate cycles of succeeding ones of said Loran-C pulse signals, said second ambiguous position data computing step including the step of computing Loran latitude-longitude data corresponding to said thus determined time differences.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 3, in which said second ambiguous position signal receiving step comprises the step of locking on to an indeterminate cycle at the leading edge of each of said Loran-C pulse signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 4, in which said locking on step comprises the step of locking on to one of the third cycle plus or minus two cycles in each of said Loran-C pulse signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 5, in which said locking on step further comprises the step of scanning said received Loran-C pulse signals, and terminating said scanning step upon the detection of a predetermined level of Loran-C signal energy with respect to a reference level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2, in which said first ambiguous position data resolving step includes the step of computing Omega latitude-longitude data from said ambiguous Loran latitude-longitude data, said thus-computed Omega latitude-longitude data comprising said first unambiguous position data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7, in which said second ambiguous position data resolving step includes the step of computing new Loran time difference values from said computed Omega latitude-longitude data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 8, in which said second ambiguous position signal receiving step comprises the step of locking on to an indeterminate cycle at the leading edge of each of said Loran-C pulse signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 9, in which said locking on step comprises the step of locking on to one of the third cycle plUs or minus two cycles in each of said Loran-C pulse signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 8, in which said accurate position data computing step includes the step of setting the Loran-C receiver to lock on to said new Loran time difference values.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3070796A
Cited
US3689926A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-20 | 1977-02-19 | 1977-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-20 | 1981-02-19 | 1981-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-20 | 1985-02-19 | 1985-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |