Integrated radio direction finding and GPS receiver tracking system

Claim 3

The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of coupling a transceiver device to an object to be located further includes coupling a plurality of transceiver devices to a respective plurality of objects to be located.

Claim 4

The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said step of transmitting a signal from said transceiver device further includes transmitting a different signal from each of said plurality of transceiver devices such that each of said respective plurality of objects to be located has a unique signal associated therewith.

Claim 5

The method as recited in claim 1 further including the step of: determining the velocity of said object with respect to said tracking unit by measuring the Doppler shift of said signal transmitted by said transceiver device and received by said tracking unit.

Claim 6

The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of receiving said signal transmitted by said transceiver device at a tracking unit further includes receiving said signal transmitted by said transceiver device at a plurality of tracking units, each of said plurality of tracking units further adapted to determine the range and bearing of said object therefrom.

Claim 7

The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of receiving said signal transmitted by said transceiver device at a tracking unit further includes receiving said signal at a tracking unit disposed on a vehicle.

Claim 8

The method as recited in claim 6 wherein said step of receiving said signal at a tracking unit disposed on a vehicle further includes receiving said signal at a plurality of tracking units disposed on a respective plurality of vehicles.

Claim 9

The method as recited in claim 6 wherein said step of determining from said signal received at said tracking unit the range and bearing of said object from said tracking unit, further includes determining said range and bearing of said object from said tracking unit at a plurality of locations as said tracking unit is moved by said vehicle.

Claim 10

The method as recited in claim 8 further including receiving said signal at a plurality of tracking units at a plurality of respective locations as said plurality of tracking units are moved by said respective plurality of vehicles to a respective plurality of locations.

Claim 11

The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting said range and bearing of said object from said tracking unit and said position information of said tracking unit from said tracking unit to a base station further includes transmitting said range and bearing of said object from said tracking unit and said position information of said tracking unit from said tracking unit to at least one of a plurality of base stations.

Claim 12

The method as recited in claim 1 further including the step of: transmitting said calculated position of said object from said base station to a desired location.

Claim 13

An object locating system comprising: a transceiver device attached to an object to be located, said transceiver device transmitting a signal therefrom to a tracking unit, when said transceiver device is activated by the tracking unit; said tracking unit having an activator to activate said transceiver device such that said transceiver device transmits said signal, said tracking unit receiving said signal transmitted by said transceiver device, said tracking unit including a tracking component for determining the range and bearing of said transceiver device from said tracking unit, said tracking unit further including a transmitter integral therewith, a position determining system attached to said tracking unit, said position determining system generating position information for the location of said tracking unit, and a base station communicatively coupled to said tracking unit, said base station receiving said range and bearing of said transceiver device using the transmitter of said tracking unit and said position information for the location of said tracking unit when such information is transmitted from said transmitter of said tracking unit, said base station further including a position processor for calculating the position of said object to be located using said received range and bearing of said transceiver device from said tracking unit and said position information for the location of said tracking unit.

Claim 14

An object locating system comprising: a transceiver device attached to an object to be located, said transceiver device transmitting a signal therefrom to a tracking unit, when said transceiver device is activated by the tracking unit; said tracking unit having an activator to activate said transceiver device such that said transceiver device transmits said signal, said tracking unit receiving said signal transmitted by said transceiver device, said tracking unit including a tracking component for determining the range and bearing of said transceiver device from said tracking unit, said tracking unit further including a transmitter integral therewith, a position determining system attached to said tracking unit, said position determining system generating position information for the location of said tracking unit, and a base station communicatively coupled to said tracking unit, said base station receiving said range and bearing of said transceiver device using the transmitter of said tracking unit and said position information for the location of said tracking unit when such information is transmitted from said transmitter of said tracking unit, said base station further including a position processor for calculating the position of said object to be located using said received range and bearing of said transceiver device from said tracking unit and said position information for the location of said tracking unit.

Claim 15

The object locating system of claim 12 further including a plurality of transceiver devices coupled to a respective plurality of objects to be located.

Claim 16

The object locating system of claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of transceiver devices transmits a different signal therefrom such that each of said respective plurality of objects has a unique signal associated therewith.

Claim 17

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said tracking unit is further includes a Doppler calculator for determining the velocity of said object with respect to said tracking unit by measuring the Doppler shift of said signal transmitted by said transceiver device and received by said tracking unit.

Claim 18

The object locating system of claim 12 further including a plurality of tracking units adapted to receive said signal transmitted by said transceiver device, each of said plurality of tracking units further including a tracking component determining the range and bearing of said object therefrom, each of said tracking units communicatively coupled to said base station.

Claim 19

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said tracking unit is disposed on a vehicle.

Claim 20

The object locating system of claim 16 wherein said plurality of tracking units are disposed on a respective plurality of vehicles.

Claim 21

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said tracking unit is a hand-held portable unit.

Claim 22

The object locating system of claim 12 further including a plurality of base stations.

Claim 23

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said position determining system is selected from the class of satellite-based radio navigation systems consisting of the Global Positioning System and the Global Orbiting Navigation System.

Claim 24

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said position determining system is selected from the class of ground-based radio navigation systems consisting of LORAN, Shoran, Decca, and TACAN.

Claim 25

The object locating system of claim 12 wherein said base station further includes a base station transmitter for transmitting said calculated position of said object to a desired location.