The Boeing Company

Sperry Corporation

Prentis B Drew

Gerald F Ross

Basrur R Rao

Harry M Cronson

Ervin J Nalos

Werner Lerchenmueller

A satellite in geosynchronous orbit includes a source of signal illumination which is directed toward the earth, covering a given area thereof. An airborne vehicle, such as a missile, traveling over the area covered by the signal illumination from the satellite, includes a first antenna for receiving an incident set of signals from the satellite directly, and a second antenna for receiving the same signals from the satellite after they have been reflected from the earth's surface, referred to as a reflected set of signals. The altitude of the airborne vehicle may be ascertained by comparing the relative times at which the two sets of signals are received at the airborne vehicle, while the remaining location information, referred to as ground map information, may be ascertained by first determining range and angle data from the reflected signals and then comparing that data with ground map data stored aboard the airborne vehicle.

System for determining the location of an airborne vehicle to the earth

A collision avoidance system for rapid transit vehicles employing baseband radar principles in which signals with duration in the order of nanoseconds are transmitted down track along a surface wave transmission line. Reflections from a passive target located on the preceding vehicle are processed to establish the distance between the vehicles to within an accuracy previously unachievable.

Collision avoidance system using short pulse signal reflectometry

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Prentis B Drew