Patent EA-002029-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and device for emitting a time signal
Inventor: HUBER FELIX
IPC: G04R20/02
Filed: 1998-09-17
Abstract: 1. A process for transmitting a time signal, whereby - to achieve global reception of the time signal, the transmission occurs with a certain frequency or several frequencies froth an aerospace vehicle (2) moving relative to a point on the earth's surface, the said aerospace vehicle (2) moving in ad orbit (19) with a large orbit inclination, - the time signal rotates in the form of a beam at the transmitter (6) in a predeterminable orbit and - the rotating transmission beam contains angular information which is used to determine the direction of the transmitter (6). 2. A process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the actual local time for the overflown position is transmitted as a time signal. 3. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the time signal (14) is emitted statically or dynamically. 4. A process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the beam rotates in discrete values of time or constantly in time. 5. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitter (6) uses sub-carrier frequencies. 6. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that separate antennas with phase control or rotating antennas are used for transmitting the time signal (14). 7. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the earth's surface is divided into suitable numbered zones (17). 8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that supplementary information is transmitted in addition to the time signal (14). 9. A process according to Claim 8, characterized in that the supplementary information includes the ephemeris of the transmitter, the flight direction, the coordinates and/or the times of the next overflight of the transmitter (6). 10. A process according is Claim 1, characterized in that the transmitter (6) independently carries out an ionospheric correction or has it transmitted by a control station (10.2). 11. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal of the transmitter (6) is straddled by a frequency or phase modulation. 12. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that modulation or encoding of the time signal (14) of the transmitter (6) is carried out separately. 13. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the encoding and transmission is carried out synchronously. 14. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a synchronous shift occurs in the transmission frequency. 15. A process according to Claim 14, characterized in that an enhancement in temporal discrimination results from the shift frequency. 16. A process according to either of Claims 16 and 17, characterise in that further temporal resolution of the time signal (14) is produced from the shift phase relationship. 17. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitted data packets contain inserted synchronisation signals. 18. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that during overflight above a national time transmitter on earth, an automatic adjustment of a clock on board the aerospace vehicle (2) is carried out. 19. A process for receiving a time signal, whereby - the receiver determines independently its geographic position on the earth and from that the actual local time, whereby the receiver determines its geographic position from the time signal radiated with one or more frequencies by a transmitter, the doppler shift and/or the distance to the transmitter from the propagation time scatter of the time signal, and - the receiver determines the radiation angle from the time signal radiated as a rotating beam. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised is that the receiver (8) independently determines its geographic position and from that carries out a mapping to a particular geographic, preferably numbered, zone (17). 20. A process according to Claim 19, characterized in that a doppler shift in the reception frequency is analysed to determine the position of the receiver (8). 21. A receiving device according to Claim 19, characterized in that is clock (9), preferably a wristwatch, receives the time signal. 22. A process according to Claim 19, characterized in that the earth's surface is divided into suitable numbered zones (17). 23. A process according to Claim 19, characterized in that the distance between transmitter (6) and receiver (8) is determined by the receiver by means of a difference in propagation time through the ionosphere of the signals transmitted with different frequencies.