US4011565A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of determining ionospheric reflection height
Assignee: United States Department of the Air Force
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Filing: 1976-04-19
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Granted: 1977-03-08
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Expires: 1996-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for determining the ionospheric reflection height from doppler measurements made over an oblique radio transmission involving reflection of signals from a boundary. This method makes use of multi-hop reflections. The unknown motion of the reflection boundary is eliminated by taking the doppler-shift ratio for a pair of transmission hops. The height of the reflection boundary may be computed from this ratio for the particular distance that separates transmitter from receiver. The equations used follow from relatively simple geometrical considerations derived from spherical boundaries.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Toman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S3/00; G01S3/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
The method for determining the ionospheric reflection height from doppler measurements over an oblique CW radio transmission being comprised of transmitting from a first predetermined position first and second identical CW signals obliquely toward a radial moving ionospheric boundary, said first and second signals being single-hop and multi-hop, respectively, receiving at a second predetermined position displaced from said first predetermined position said first and second signals, the radial motion of said boundary imparting different rate-of-phase-path changes to the one-hop, multi-hop transmissions causing a separate doppler shift for each at the receiver and determining said ionospheric boundary height from the doppler ratio of each of said received one-hop and multi-hop transmissions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
The method for determining the ionospheric reflection height from doppler measurements over an oblique CW radio transmission being comprised of transmitting from a first predetermined position first and second identical CW signals obliquely toward a radial moving ionospheric boundary, said first and second signals being single-hop and multi-hop, respectively, receiving at a second predetermined position displaced from said first predetermined position said first and second signals, the radial motion of said boundary imparting different rate-of-phase-path changes to the one-hop, multi-hop transmissions causing a separate doppler shift for each at the receiver and determining said ionospheric boundary height from the doppler ratio of each of said received one-hop and multi-hop transmissions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method for determining the ionospheric reflection height as described in claim 1 wherein the doppler ratio is comprised of (dP/dH) n =2 / (dP/dH) n =1 where H equals height and P the total path between transmitting position, reflection boundary and receiving position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method for determining the ionospheric reflection as described in claim 2 further including computing the ionospheric height from the doppler ratio.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3333264A
Cited
US3665466A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-07 | 1980-09-06 | 1981-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-07 | 1984-09-06 | 1985-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-07 | 1988-09-06 | 1989-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |