초록 ▼

A method of locating an underwater based system, the method including determining the underwater based system's geo-location, encoding the underwater based system's geo-location for RF transmission, encoding the underwater based system's geo-location for acoustic transmission, and transmitting RF an

A method of locating an underwater based system, the method including determining the underwater based system's geo-location, encoding the underwater based system's geo-location for RF transmission, encoding the underwater based system's geo-location for acoustic transmission, and transmitting RF and acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location to a receiving station. A locator for locating an underwater based system including a buoy, a global positioning system having an antenna and a receiver, an RF transmission system including an antenna and a transmitter, an underwater acoustic transducer, and a locator control unit adapted to determine the underwater based system's geo-location, encode the underwater based system's geo-location for RF transmission, encode the underwater based system's geo-location for acoustic transmission, and transmit RF and underwater acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of locating a plurality of water based systems, the method comprising: each water based system determining its geo-location;each water based system encoding its geo-location for radio frequency transmission;each water based system encoding its geo-location for acoustic transmission;each

1. A method of locating a plurality of water based systems, the method comprising: each water based system determining its geo-location;each water based system encoding its geo-location for radio frequency transmission;each water based system encoding its geo-location for acoustic transmission;each water based system transmitting radio frequency and acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location at a predetermined time, wherein the pre-determined times for each of the plurality of water based systems are selected using a time-division multiple access scheme using a synchronized time;repeating the determining, encoding, updating, and transmitting steps after pre-determined intervals;receiving the radio frequency and/or acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location for each of the plurality of water based systems by a receiving station;decoding each of the plurality of water based systems' geo-location;retrieving each of the plurality of water based systems,wherein the step of determining each water based system's geo-location uses a global positioning system comprising an antenna and a receiver,wherein the synchronized time is based on information received through the global positioning system, andwherein the pre-determined intervals increase over time. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each water based system is a torpedo and the determining, encoding, and transmitting steps are completed after each torpedo's end of run, respectively. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: each water based system transmitting an acoustic beacon signal. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency and acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location are one-way transmissions. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-division multiple access time slot for each of the plurality of water based systems is fixed for the transmission. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of the time-division time slot associated with each radio frequency transmission is configured to contain the entire transmission plus a propagation time to a receiver. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of the time-division time slot associated with each acoustic transmission is configured to contain the entire transmission plus a time for reflections of acoustic energy to dissipate. 8. A method of locating a plurality of water based systems, the method comprising: each water based system determining its geo-location;each water based system encoding its geo-location for radio frequency transmission;each water based system encoding its geo-location for acoustic transmission;each water based system transmitting radio frequency and acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location at a predetermined time, wherein the pre-determined times for each of the plurality of water based systems are selected using a time-division multiple access scheme using a synchronized time;receiving the radio frequency and/or acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location for each of the plurality of water based systems by a receiving station;decoding each of the plurality of water based systems' geo-location;retrieving each of the plurality of water based systems,wherein the geo-location for each of the plurality of water based systems is further encoded with error detecting and/or correcting codes. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein a receiving station further verifies the geo-location in order validate transmissions and/or encoded geo-location. 10. A locator system for locating a plurality of water based systems comprising: a plurality of water based systems, each water based system including: a buoy connected to its water based system including: a global positioning system module having an antenna and a receiver; anda radio frequency transmission system including an antenna and a transmitter;an underwater acoustic transducer; anda locator control system comprising a processor which is adapted to communicate with the global positioning system module, the radio frequency transmission system, and the acoustic transducer, the locator control system being configured to: determine its geo-location;encode its geo-location for radio frequency transmission;encode its geo-location for acoustic transmission; andtransmit radio frequency and underwater acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location at a predetermined time, wherein the pre-determined times for each of the plurality of water based systems are selected using a time-division multiple access configuration using a synchronized time, andwherein the radio frequency transmission time division multiple access configuration is different than the acoustic transmission time division multiple access configuration, anda receiver configured to receive the radio frequency and/or acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location for each of the plurality of water based systems and to decode each of the plurality of water based water based systems' geo-locations. 11. The locator of claim 10, wherein the locator control system is further configured to encrypt the water based system's geo-location before radio frequency or acoustic transmission occurs. 12. The locator of claim 10, wherein the locator control system is further configured to: transmit an acoustic beacon signal at a predetermined time. 13. The locator of claim 10, wherein the synchronized time is based on information received through the global positioning system. 14. A method of locating a plurality of water based systems, the method comprising: each water based system determining its geo-location;each water based system encoding its geo-location for radio frequency transmission;each water based system encoding its geo-location for acoustic transmission;each water based system transmitting radio frequency and acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location at a predetermined time, wherein the pre-determined times for each of the plurality of water based systems are selected using a time-division multiple access scheme using a synchronized time;receiving the radio frequency and/or acoustic signals containing the encoded geo-location for each of the plurality of water based systems by a receiving station;decoding each of the plurality of water based systems' geo-location;retrieving each of the plurality of water based systems,wherein the time-division multiple access time slot for each of the plurality of water based systems is selected randomly for the transmission. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the number of time slots are larger than the number of the plurality of water based systems to minimize the occurrence of a simultaneous transmission.