Patent ID: 9052377
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) system comprising: a space segment with a plurality of satellites; and a ground segment with one or a plurality of ground stations, wherein a satellite of the plurality of satellites is configured to receive a position report from an emergency transmitter in its service area and to forward it to a ground station, wherein the ground segment is configured to store the position of the emergency transmitter received with the last position report in a management system for emergency transmitters, wherein the emergency transmitter is configured to send position reports to the satellite such that the reception of position reports at the satellite is coordinated such that at any time only position reports arrive that differ with regard to their signal parameters such that simultaneous reception is possible, wherein a rescue operation is initiated for the emergency transmitter if no deactivation message has been received from the emergency transmitter and no position report is received from the emergency transmitter within a specified period, wherein a data message with an expected time at which a next position report from the emergency transmitter is to be received at a satellite is transmitted to the emergency transmitter, or a data message with at least one parameter for an algorithm, according to which the individual emergency transmitters can calculate the planned reception times of their messages at the satellite and the signal parameters used for this purpose, is transmitted simultaneously to a multiplicity of emergency transmitters in the service area, and wherein the emergency transmitter is configured to determine the position of the satellite based on the information contained in the received data message and, with the position of the satellite and its own position, is configured to calculate when the next position report is to be sent to the satellite such that said position report is received by the satellite at the expected time.