초록 ▼

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon-based positioning system and method. In one example embodiment, a system includes at least three balloons, with each balloon including a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM). Each PDM is configured for determining a

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon-based positioning system and method. In one example embodiment, a system includes at least three balloons, with each balloon including a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM). Each PDM is configured for determining a position of the respective balloon and each PBM is configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon. The balloon-positioning data includes the determined position of the respective balloon and a corresponding time of broadcast.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system comprising: at least three balloons, each balloon comprising a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM);each PDM being configured for determining a position of the respective balloon;one balloon of the at least three balloons being a first balloon, the P

1. A system comprising: at least three balloons, each balloon comprising a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM);each PDM being configured for determining a position of the respective balloon;one balloon of the at least three balloons being a first balloon, the PDM of the first balloon being a first PDM, and the first PDM being configured for determining a position of the first balloon based on a ground-station and a celestial object; andeach PBM being configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the balloon-positioning data comprising (i) the determined position of the respective balloon and (ii) a corresponding time of broadcast of the balloon signal. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining the position of the first balloon based on the ground-based station and the celestial object comprises: identifying the ground-based station;determining a measurement between the first balloon and the identified ground-based station;identifying the celestial object; anddetermining an orientation of the first balloon based on the identified celestial object,wherein the determining the position of the first balloon based on the ground-based station and the celestial object comprises determining a position of the first balloon based on the determined measurement and the determined orientation. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein broadcasting the balloon signal comprises broadcasting the balloon signal on a single channel frequency. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein one balloon of the at least three balloons is a second balloon, and the PDM of the second balloon is a second PDM, the second PDM being configured for determining a position of the second balloon, wherein determining a position of the second balloon comprises: determining a relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon; anddetermining a position of the second balloon based on the position of the first balloon and the determined relative position of the second balloon. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein determining the relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon comprises: determining the relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon using an optical communication link between the first and second balloons. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein one balloon of the at least three balloons is a third balloon, and the PDM of the third balloon is a third PDM, the third PDM being configured for determining a position of the third balloon, wherein determining a position of the third balloon comprises: receiving at least three satellite signals, each satellite signal from a respective one of at least three satellites, wherein each satellite signal includes satellite-positioning data, anddetermining a position of the third balloon based on the satellite-positioning data of the at least three satellite signals. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein broadcasting the balloon signal comprises broadcasting the balloon signal on a single channel frequency. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured for (i) receiving each of the broadcast balloon signals; and (ii) using the received broadcast balloon signals to determine a position of the receiver. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the receiver comprises a ground-based receiver. 10. A system comprising: at least three balloons, each balloon comprising a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM);each PDM comprising a GPS receiver, each PDM being configured for (i) receiving at least three satellite signals, each satellite signal from a respective one of at least three satellites, each satellite signal including satellite-positioning data of the respective satellite, and (ii) determining a position of the respective balloon based on the satellite-positioning data of the at least three satellites.each PBM being configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the balloon-positioning data comprising (i) the determined position of the respective balloon and (ii) a corresponding time of broadcast of the balloon signal. 11. The system of claim 10, where receiving at least three satellite signals comprises, receiving each of the at least three satellite signals on at least two channel frequencies. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein broadcasting the balloon signal comprises broadcasting the balloon signal on a single channel frequency A, wherein the at least two channel frequencies are channel frequencies B and C, and wherein the channel frequency A is different from both channel frequencies B and C. 13. The system of claim 10, further comprising the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured for (i) receiving each of the broadcast balloon signals; and (ii) using the received broadcast balloon signals to determine a position of the receiver. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiver comprises a ground-based receiver. 15. A system comprising: at least three balloons, each balloon comprising a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM);each PDM being configured for determining a position of the respective balloon;each PBM being configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the balloon-positioning data comprising (i) the determined position of the respective balloon and (ii) a corresponding time of broadcast of the balloon signal. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein broadcasting the balloon signal comprises broadcasting the balloon signal on a single channel frequency. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein each PDM comprises a GPS receiver, and wherein determining the position of the respective balloon comprises: (i) the respective GPS receiver receiving at least three satellite signals, each satellite signal from a respective one of at least three satellites, wherein each satellite signal includes satellite-positioning data, and (ii) determining the position of the respective balloon based on the satellite-positioning data. 18. The system of claim 17, where receiving at least three satellite signals comprises, receiving each of the at least three satellite signals on at least two channel frequencies. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein broadcasting the balloon signal comprises broadcasting the balloon signal on a single channel frequency A, wherein the at least two channel frequencies are channel frequencies B and C, and wherein the channel frequency A is different from both channel frequencies B and C. 20. The system of claim 15, wherein one balloon of the at least three balloons is a first balloon, and the PDM of the first balloon is a first PDM, the first PDM being configured for determining a position of the first balloon based on a ground-station and a celestial object. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the determining the position of the first balloon based on the ground-based station and the celestial object comprises: identifying the ground-based station;determining a measurement between the first balloon and the identified ground-based station;identifying the celestial object; anddetermining an orientation of the first balloon based on the identified celestial object,wherein the determining the position of the first balloon based on the ground-based station and the celestial object comprises determining a position of the first balloon based on the determined measurement and the determined orientation. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein one balloon of the at least three balloons is a second balloon, and the PDM of the second balloon is a second PDM, the second PDM being configured for determining a position of the second balloon, wherein determining a position of the second balloon comprises: determining a relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon; anddetermining a position of the second balloon based on the position of the first balloon and the determined relative position of the second balloon. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein determining the relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon comprises: determining the relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon using an optical communication link between the first and second balloons. 24. The system of claim 15, wherein one balloon of the at least three balloons is a first balloon, and the PDM of the first balloon is a first PDM, the first PDM being configured for determining a position of the first balloon based on at least three ground-based stations. 25. The system of claim 15, further comprising the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured for (i) receiving each of the broadcast balloon signals; and (ii) using the received broadcast balloon signals to determine a position of the receiver. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the receiver comprises a ground-based receiver. 27. A method comprising: determining a first position of a first balloon in a balloon network;determining a second position of a second balloon in the balloon network;determining a third position of a third balloon in the balloon network;broadcasting a first balloon signal to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the first balloon signal including the determined first position and a corresponding time of broadcast of the first balloon signal;broadcasting a second balloon signal to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the second balloon signal including the determined second position and a corresponding time of broadcast of the second balloon signal; andbroadcasting a third balloon signal to facilitate a receiver determining a position of the receiver, the third balloon signal including the determined third position and a corresponding time of broadcast of the third balloon signal. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining the first position of the first balloon comprises determining the first position of the first balloon based on at least three satellite signals, each satellite signal from a respective one of at least three satellites. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining the first position of the first balloon comprises determining the first position of the first balloon based on ground-station and a celestial object. 30. The method of claim 27, further comprising: determining a relative position of the second balloon with respect to the first balloon;wherein the determining the second position of the second balloon comprises determining the second position of the second balloon based on the determined position of the first balloon and the determined relative position of the second balloon. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein broadcasting the first balloon signal comprises broadcasting the first balloon signal on a single channel frequency, broadcasting the second balloon signal comprises broadcasting the second balloon signal on a single channel frequency, and broadcasting the third balloon signal comprises broadcasting the third balloon signal on a single channel frequency. 32. The method of claim 27, further comprising; receiving each of the broadcast balloon signals; andusing the received broadcast balloon signals to determine a position of a receiver. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the receiver comprises a ground-based receiver.