Patent ID: 6229477
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A method for determining a position of an orbiting transceiver in a communications network including at least a first and second transceiver at a first and second known location, respectively, on Earth, the first and second transceivers adapted to transmit and receive communications signals to and from the orbiting transceiver, the method comprising:determining a first and second range measurement between each of the first and second transceivers and the orbiting transceiver, respectively;determining a first and second range rate corresponding to a time rate of change of the first and second range measurements, respectively;determining a circle of intersection representative of the set of possible positions for the orbiting transceiver based on the first range measurement and the first range rate, the circle of intersection having a specific orientation in space, a specific radius and a center in a specific, three dimensional position relative to the known position of the first transceiver;determining an angular position of the orbiting transceiver along the circle of intersection based on the known position of the second transceiver and the second range measurement; anddetermining the position of the orbiting transceiver based on the circle of intersection and the angular position.