Patent GB-765573-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to radio navigation systems
Inventor: O'BRIEN WILLIAM JOSEPH
IPC: G01S1/30
Filed: 1954-03-08
Abstract: 765,573. Radio navigation. DECCA RECORD CO., Ltd. March 7, 1955 [March 8, 1954], No. 6751/54. Class 40(7) In a hyperbolic radio navigation system of the type in which a position line is defined by the focus of constant phase difference between two comparison signals of equal frequency which are derived respectively at a mobile receiver (1) from signals of equal frequency nF transmitted sequentially from spaced stations A and B, or (2) from harmonically related signals of frequency nF and mF transmitted simultaneously from spaced stations A and B, the received A and B signals are applied to share both respective A and B local oscillators having corresponding frequencies whose outputs are applied (1) to a phase meter giving an accurate but ambiguous indication and (2) through frequency dividers (division factors both equal to n or equal to n and m respectively), to a second phase meter giving a less accurate but unambiguous indication; alternatively at least one of the local oscillators may operate at frequency F, at harmonic output thereof being phase-locked by one of the received signals. In the first type, Figs. 6 and 7, signals of frequency (n + 1) F are also transmitted sequentially from A and B and are combined separately at the receiver with respective outputs from the A and B oscillators giving two beat signals each of frequency F which are applied to "notch" (i.e. synchronize or lock); the frequency dividers. In. the second type the normal transmission is periodically interrupted and during such interruptions frequencies mF, nF and (n Œ 1) F are transmitted simultaneously first from A and then from B, the three frequencies being combined at the receiver to give a resultant waveform, Fig. 2, having a peaky component of recurrence frequency F which is applied through switches to " notch " the A and B frequency dividers. Means are also described for producing a third phase indication of intermediate accuracy and for radiating signals from other spaced stations to provide a fix. First embodiment, first type, Figs. 6 and 7. Three spaced stations A, B and C each transmit sequentially phase locked frequencies 9F, 10F and 12F according to the time schedule shown in Fig. 6 which is such that no two stations transmit the same frequency at the same time. At the receiver, Fig. 7, the received signals of frequency 9F, 12F and 10F are selected 'by tuned amplifiers 20, 21 and 22 and three continuously-running oscillators (A)24, (B)27 and (C)28 each of frequency 9F are phase locked to the 9F signals received from stations A, B and C respectively by means of phase discriminator 23 and switches 25, 26. The output from each oscillator, e.g. (A)24, is applied in series through two frequency dividers, e.g. (A1) 29 and (A2)32 each having a division factor of three. Divider 29 is "notched" by the 3F signal obtained by heterodyning in mixer 35 the 12F signal from station A with a 9F output from oscillator A and divider 32 is "notched" by the signal of frequency F obtained by heterodyning in mixer 38 the 10F signal from station output from oscillator A, divider 30(B1), A with a 9F output from oscillator A, divider 30(B1), 33(B2) and 31(C1), 34(C2) are "notched" in a similar manner by signals received and derived from stations w and C respectively, the required inputs to and outputs from mixers 35 and 38 being selected by switches 36, 37, 39 and 40 which together with switches 25 and 26 are synchronized with the transmission switching cycle, e.g. by utilizing the blank periods in the transmission cycle. Thus indicators 41 and 42 give fine and coarse readings corresponding to the station pair A, Band indicators 43 and 44 give fine and coarse readings corresponding to the station pair B, C. A pulse generator 45 recurrence frequency F is provided for testing the receiver. A similar type of system is described in the Provisional Specification as applied to a pair of stations A and B each transmitting sequentially for equal periods frequencies of F = n' f, F1 = (n<SP>3</SP> Œ n<SP>2</SP>) f, F2 = (n<SP>3</SP> Œ n) f, F' = (n<SP>3</SP> Œ 1) f where n = 3 and f = 4-9 k/cs, the transmissions from the two stations being displaced in time by one period. Each local oscillator A and B operates at frequency F and the output from each oscillator is applied in series through three frequency dividers each having a division factor of n so that the frequency of the output from the last divider is f kc/s. The three frequency dividers are " notched " by beat signals of frequency n<SP>2</SP>f, nf and f obtained sequentially by heterodyning an output from the oscillator with the frequencies F1, F2 and F3 received from the corresponding station. The fine indication is obtained by comparing the outputs from the two oscillators and the coarse indication is obtained by comparing the outputs from the third frequency dividers. The Provisional Figure (not shown) illustrates a simpler embodiment in which frequencies F = n<SP>2</SP>f, F1 = (n<SP>2</SP> Œ n) f and F2 = (n<SP>2</SP> Œ 1)f are transmitted from each station, only two frequency dividers being required in each receiver channel. Second embodiment, second type, Figs. 8 and 10. This is described as applied to producing fine, intermediate and coarse phase difference indications relating to a single pair of stations A and B. As shown in Fig. 10 the transmission cycle comprises four periods. During the first and third periods frequencies 6F and 8F are transmitted simultaneously from stations A and B respectively, during the second period frequencies 6F, 8F and 9F are transmitted simultaneously from station A only and during the fourth period frequencies 6F, 8F and 9F are transmitted simultaneously from station B only. At the receiver, Fig. 8, the received 6F, 9F and 8F signals are selected by timed amplifiers 46, 47 and 48. During the first and third periods a 6F oscillator 51 is phase locked to the 6F signal from station A by means of a phase discriminator 50 and the 8F signal from station B is applied to a phase discriminator 52 together with the 8th harmonic (selected by amplifier 53) of pips of recurrence frequency F derived at 55 from an oscillator 54 (frequency F) which is so controlled by the output of discriminator 52 that the 8F output from amplifier 53 is phase locked to the 8F signals from station B. The continuous outputs from oscillator 51 and amplifier 53 are applied respectively to frequency dividers 56 and 59 (division factors 6 and 8 respectively) and the resultant outputs of frequency F are applied to the coarse phase meter 58 (comparison frequency = F). A signal of frequency F for "notching " the divider 56 is produced by applying the signals 6F, 9F and 8F received simultaneously from the station A during the second period to a coincidence detector 62 which produces a waveform, Fig. 2 having a peaky component of frequency F which is applied to divider 56 through amplifier 63 and switch S1; similarly switch S2 is operative during the fourth period to "notch" divider 59. During the second and fourth periods phase discriminators 50 and 52 are rendered inoperative by switches S3 and S4. Switches S1, S2, S3 and S4 are controlled by a switch 61 which is synchronized with the transmission switching by momentarily shifting the phase of the 6F transmitted from station A synchronously with the transmission switching to produce in phase discriminator 50 a transient signal which controls the operation of switch 61. A fine phase indication (comparison frequency = 24F) is obtained by applying to phase meter 70 a 24th harmonic of the F output from divider 56 and a 3rd harmonic of the 8F output from amplifier 53 and an intermediate phase indication based on effective 8F transmissions from the two stations (comparison frequency = 2F) is obtained by applying to phase meter 72 a second harmonic of the F output from dividers 56 and the beat frequency 2F between outputs from oscillator 51 and amplifier 53. A signal for testing the receiver is produced by applying an output from oscillator 54 (frequency F) through phase shifter 75 to pip generator 76. Third embodiment, second type, Figs. 9 and 11. This is described as applied to a system of the type described in Specification 620,479 in which a master station M and three spaced slave stations P, R and G transmit frequencies of 96, 80, 128 and 144 kc/s. respectively, such frequencies being the 6th, 5th, 8th and 9th harmonics of a 16 kc/s. fundamental frequency. In accordance with the present invention, the normal simultaneous transmissions are interrupted periodically and each station in turn transmits simultaneously for a halfsecond period frequencies of 80, 96, 128, 144, 143 and 140 kc/s. as indicated in Fig. 11. At the receiver, Fig. 9, the received signals are selected by tuned amplifiers 80...85. During normal transmission oscillators 88, 89, 91 and 93 are locked in frequency and phase to the signals received from stations M, P, R and G respectively by means of phase discriminators 87, 90, 92 and 94 and outputs from master oscillator 88 are frequency multiplied at 122, 123 and 124 and compared with multiplied outputs from oscillators 89, 91 and 93 in phase meters 136, 133 and 130 (comparison frequencies 480, 384 and 288 k/cs. respectively) to give fine but ambiguous indications. An output from each oscillator 88, 89, 91 and 93 is also applied through a corresponding frequency divider 95, 100, 203 and 107 such that in each case the resultant frequency is 16 kc/s. and this is further divided by 16 in corresponding divider 98, 102, 105, 109, 113 (comparison frequency 16 kc/s.) and the coarse indications being obtained by comparing the output from dividers 102, 105, 109 in phase meters 114, 115 and 116 (comparison frequency 1 kc/s.). During the multiple transmission from the master station M, the combined signals, Fig. 3 (not shouwn