System and method for range and angle determination to an array of radio receivers

Abstract

A system and method for determining the range, angle, and elevation of a target object having a radio transceiver relative to a known location is provided. The system includes a primary radio transceiver located an initially unknown distance from the target object, and at least one auxiliary radio receiver located a known distance and angle relative to a reference bearing from the primary radio transceiver. The system further includes a processing unit in communication with the primary radio transceiver and at least one auxiliary receiver. The processing unit is capable of calculating the range between the primary and the target object and the angle to the target object relative to the reference bearing. The method includes the steps of: (1) acquiring range data between at least a primary radio transceiver of the system and the target object using two way ranging; (2) transmitting the range data to a processing unit that is in communication with the primary radio transceiver and at least one auxiliary radio receiver; (3) calculating the range between the primary radio transceiver and the target object using two way ranging algorithms at the processing unit; (4) acquiring time of arrival data for signals exchanged between the target object and the at least one auxiliary radio receiver; and (5) determining the angle of the target object relative to a reference bearing from the primary radio transceiver of the system by running the time of arrival data from the tracked object through an algorithm.