초록 ▼

Novel transmit-only geo-location techniques which can operate synergistically with existing or newly designed satellite or ground-based wireless communications networks using micro-miniature emergency geo-location beacons to provide personal security are described. A combination of physical measurem

Novel transmit-only geo-location techniques which can operate synergistically with existing or newly designed satellite or ground-based wireless communications networks using micro-miniature emergency geo-location beacons to provide personal security are described. A combination of physical measurement parameters (Doppler shifts and/or time intervals obtained from clock or signal correlation data) allows geo-location with a reduced number of satellite or wireless receive nodes, thus reducing the cost or increasing the coverage of the system as compared to current geo-location systems. In addition, several of these techniques allow geo-location to be performed on optical and infra-red radiation sources, which can enable tracking of any emitter by existing or newly designed surveillance satellites, including commercial and military aircraft, and hostile missiles or other optically active targets. Intermittent single burst coded signals radiated by the emitting source, which for personal security applications can be extremely small and easily carried in a concealed fashion, can be detected at one or more satellites or receive nodes and relayed to a central monitoring station, or operations center, where signals are processed and the location of the source is determined. Existing communications channels can be used to relay the location from the central monitoring station to appropriate rescue or interdiction personnel.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A micro-miniature personal emergency geo-location transmitter unit beacon system of size less than 70 cubic centimeters comprising:antenna means for radiation transmission or emission to provide intermittent single burst coded signals for geo-location purposes, said cod

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A micro-miniature personal emergency geo-location transmitter unit beacon system of size less than 70 cubic centimeters comprising:antenna means for radiation transmission or emission to provide intermittent single burst coded signals for geo-location purposes, said coded signals including data indicating the identity of a user of said transmitter unit beacon system, said antenna means providing power densities at locations of one or more nodes of satellite or ground communication networks sufficient for said coded signals to be detected for the purpose of determining the location of said beacon;energy means to supply power to said transmitter unit beacon system and to provide broadcast power of at least five watts average to allow detection of a transmitted beacon system signal by said satellite or ground communication networks, said energy means comprising miniaturized batteries of at least 50 watt-hour per pound capacity;communications processing means, comprising a local oscillator or radiation source, modulation circuitry receiving a carrier signal from said source, an amplifier receiving the modulated carrier signal from said modulation circuitry, and said antenna with impedance-matching circuitry receiving said modulated carrier signal from said amplifier to radiate a modulated carrier coded signal for geo-location containing the identity of said user of said beacon;a central processor unit (CPU) means to control activation, operation and test of said beacon and provide transfer of said user identification data to said communications processing means;satellite or ground communication networks means, comprising networks nodes solely for cellular telephone or wireless data communications applications, to detect said beacon system coded signals by acquiring the same single burst transmission from said transmitter unit beacon at a multiplicity of said satellite or ground site communication networks nodes within line of sight of said beacon system, and route said beacon system coded signals to an operations center;an operations center, comprising means to determine a location of said beacon system from said single burst coded signals detected by said multiplicity of satellites or ground sites, including least squares minimization matrix methods, and means to track and report the location of said beacons that are activated, wherein; d transmitter unit beacon system is modified to operate as a transponder device, wherein said local oscillator or radiation source and said modulation circuitry to produce a modulated carrier coded signal for geo-location is removed, and said transponder device operates to amplify and re-transmit said intermittent single burst coded signals produced by an un-modified transmitter unit beacon system, which can be placed in a distant location from that of said transponder device which is carried by the user.