Patent ID: 8264409
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. An electromagnetic radiation source locating system comprising: a first vehicle; a first electromagnetic radiation receiving device configured to detect a radiant energy transmission; a first directional antenna operably coupled to the first electromagnetic radiation receiving device; a first support operably coupled to the first electromagnetic radiation receiving device for orienting the first directional antenna in a direction toward the radiant energy transmission; a first position detector in communication with a controller and configured to detect a position of the first directional antenna relative to a reference coordinate system; a first orientation detector in communication with the controller and configured to detect an orientation of the first directional antenna and provide a first directional signal indicative thereof to the controller; a second vehicle; a second electromagnetic radiation receiving device configured to detect the radiant energy transmission; a second directional antenna operably coupled to the second electromagnetic radiation receiving device; a second support operably coupled to the second electromagnetic radiation receiving device for orienting the second directional antenna in a direction toward the radiant energy transmission; a second position detector configured to detect the position of the second directional antenna relative to the reference coordinate system; a second orientation detector in communication with the controller and configured to detect the orientation of the second directional antenna and provide a second directional signal indicative thereof to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to determine a second directional vector to the radiant energy transmission source, the controller including a spatial processor configured to calculate the location of the radiant energy transmission source based upon at least two different directional vectors; a first range sensor adapted to direct a first light source along a first one of said at least two directional vectors and providing a first distance signal which is communicated to the controller; and a second range sensor for directing a second light source along a second one of said at least two directional vectors and providing a second distance signal to the controller.