Patent US5021792A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5021792A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for determining direction or attitude using GPS satellite signals
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1990-01-12
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Granted: 1991-06-04
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Expires: 2010-01-12
Abstract
Abstract A system for determining spatial orientation based on the carrier phase of signals received from a set of GPS satellites. The system comprises an antenna array including a number of antennas coupled to GPS radio receivers, a mechanism for reconfiguring the positions of the antennas within the array and a signal processing module for processing the data collected by the antennas and the receivers. The mechanism for reconfiguring the antenna array is adapted for exchanging the positions of one pair of antennas and for rearranging the antennas from collinear into non-collinear patterns. Phase measurements are taken by the antennas and their associated receivers, both before and after antenna exchange and after antenna rearrangement in order to provide the data necessary to determine direction or attitude.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick Y. Hwang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:30
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S19/00; G01S19/38; G01S19/39; G01S19/53; G01S19/54; G01S19/55; H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for determining attitude using GPS satellites and an antenna array including a plurality of antennas in which the positions of the antennas within the array may be selectively reconfigured, comprising the steps of: arranging said antennas in a collinear pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances; receiving and phase sampling signals from a plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas within said array while maintaining continuous phase tracking; receiving and phase sampling signals from said plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; rearranging said antennas in a non-collinear pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances while maintaining continuous phase tracking; receiving and phase sampling signals from said plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; and calculating the attitude of said antenna array based on the phase of said GPS signals received and sampled in the previous steps.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for determining attitude using GPS satellites and an antenna array including a plurality of antennas in which the positions of the antennas within the array may be selectively reconfigured, comprising the steps of: arranging said antennas in a collinear pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances; receiving and phase sampling signals from a plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas within said array while maintaining continuous phase tracking; receiving and phase sampling signals from said plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; rearranging said antennas in a non-collinear pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances while maintaining continuous phase tracking; receiving and phase sampling signals from said plurality of GPS satellites with each of said antennas; and calculating the attitude of said antenna array based on the phase of said GPS signals received and sampled in the previous steps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 in which said plurality of GPS satellites includes four separate satellites and wherein receiver clock timing errors are eliminated from the attitude calculations by double differencing phase measurements between separate antennas and separate satellites.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 in which said antenna array includes three separate antennas which are equally spaced apart in said collinear pattern and one of which is orthogonally positioned with respect to the others in said non-collinear pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1, in which the step of calculating the attitude of said antenna array includes the steps of computing a set of double difference phase integer ambiguities between separate antennas and computing the coordinates of baseline and orthogonal vectors using further phase measurements and said phase integer ambiguities.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for determining attitude using signals from a set of GPS satellites, comprising: a plurality of antennas configurable into an array for receiving said signals at spaced apart locations; means for exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas within said array and also rearranging the positions of said antennas within said array from collinear to non-collinear patterns; means for sampling the phase of said signals received by said antennas from said GPS satellites at the positions of each of said antennas before an antenna exchange, after an antenna exchange and after an antenna rearrangement and for tracking the phase of said signals from said GPS antennas during antenna exchange and rearrangement; and means for calculating the attitude of said antenna array based on the measured phase of said signals.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for determining attitude using signals from a set of GPS satellites, comprising: a plurality of antennas configurable into an array for receiving said signals at spaced apart locations; means for exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas within said array and also rearranging the positions of said antennas within said array from collinear to non-collinear patterns; means for sampling the phase of said signals received by said antennas from said GPS satellites at the positions of each of said antennas before an antenna exchange, after an antenna exchange and after an antenna rearrangement and for tracking the phase of said signals from said GPS antennas during antenna exchange and rearrangement; and means for calculating the attitude of said antenna array based on the measured phase of said signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said set of GPS satellites includes four separate satellites and wherein receiver clock timing errors are eliminated from attitude calculations performed by said means for calculating by double differencing phase measurements between separate antennas and separate satellites.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said antenna array includes three separate antennas which are equally spaced apart when arranged in said collinear pattern and one of which is orthogonally positioned with respect to the others when arranged in said non-collinear pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 5, in which said set of GPS satellites includes three separate satellites and wherein one set of receiver clock timing errors are eliminated by synchronizing the receiver functions associated with the antennas to a common clock signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for determining direction and attitude using a set of GPS satellites and a system including an array of three or more antennas, one or more GPS radio receivers coupled to said antennas, and a computing means for processing the information acquired by said antennas and receivers, said method comprising the steps of: configuring said array of antennas in a first predetermined pattern in which said antennas are spaced-apart by known distances; sampling the phase of the GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas while continuously tracking the phase of the GPS signals; sampling the phase of the GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; and reconfiguring said array of antennas in a second different predetermined pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances while continuously tracking the phase of said signals; sampling the phase of said GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; and computing the direction and attitude of said antenna array using said computing means.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for determining direction and attitude using a set of GPS satellites and a system including an array of three or more antennas, one or more GPS radio receivers coupled to said antennas, and a computing means for processing the information acquired by said antennas and receivers, said method comprising the steps of: configuring said array of antennas in a first predetermined pattern in which said antennas are spaced-apart by known distances; sampling the phase of the GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas while continuously tracking the phase of the GPS signals; sampling the phase of the GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; and reconfiguring said array of antennas in a second different predetermined pattern in which said antennas are spaced apart by known distances while continuously tracking the phase of said signals; sampling the phase of said GPS signals from said GPS satellites using said antennas and receivers; and computing the direction and attitude of said antenna array using said computing means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the antennas within said first predetermined pattern are collinear.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 9 in which said set of GPS satellites includes four separate satellites and wherein receiver clock timing errors are eliminated from the directional computations by double differencing phase measurements between separate antennas and separate satellites.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 9 in which said set of GPS satellites includes three separate satellites and wherein one set of receiver clock timing errors are eliminated by synchronizing the receiver functions associated with the antennas to a common clock signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for determining direction using phase information derived from the signals provided by a set of GPS satellites, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of antennas configurable into an antenna array in which the antennas are spaced apart by known distances: one or more radio receivers coupled to said antennas which are adapted for sampling and continuously tracking the phase of said GPS signals as received by said antennas at their individual locations: means for exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas and rearranging said array into collinear and non-collinear patterns; and means for processing data from said receivers and calculating the direction and attitude of said array based on the measured phase of said GPS signals from said satellites.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for determining direction using phase information derived from the signals provided by a set of GPS satellites, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of antennas configurable into an antenna array in which the antennas are spaced apart by known distances: one or more radio receivers coupled to said antennas which are adapted for sampling and continuously tracking the phase of said GPS signals as received by said antennas at their individual locations: means for exchanging the positions of a pair of said antennas and rearranging said array into collinear and non-collinear patterns; and means for processing data from said receivers and calculating the direction and attitude of said array based on the measured phase of said GPS signals from said satellites.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 13 in which said set of GPS satellites includes four separate satellites and wherein receiver clock timing errors are eliminated from attitude calculations performed by said microprocessor means by double differencing phase measurements between separate antennas and separate satellites.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 13 in which said antenna array includes three separate antennas which are equally spaced apart when arranged in said collinear pattern and one of which is orthogonally positioned with respect to the others when arranged in said non-collinear pattern.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-03 | 1994-12-03 | 1995-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-03 | 1998-12-03 | 1999-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-03 | 2002-12-03 | 2003-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |