Position determining apparatus and position determining method using the

Abstract

A position determining apparatus comprising a transmitter and a receiver connected to the transmitter through a cable with a predetermined length. The transmitter has a transmission antenna which emits an electromagnetic wave pulse, generated by a short pulse signal. The receiver includes a plurality of receiving antennas for receiving the electromagnetic wave pulse, the receiving antennas being positioned along a circular path. A distance detector calculates the relative positions of the transmitter and the receiver based on the propagation time of the electromagnetic wave pulse received by each of the receiving antennas. The propagation time is calculated with reference to the signal supplied through the cable. The transmitter has a pulse signal generator for generating said short pulse signal and a delay circuit for delaying the short pulse signal supplied to the transmission antenna by the time required for the short pulse signal to propagate through the cable. If the propagation times of the electromagnetic wave pulses received by the respective receiving antennas are equal, then the receiver is orthogonal to the line of sight between the transmitter and the center of receiver.