US Patent No: 4,963,889

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Method and apparatus for precision attitude determination and kinematic positioning

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Abstract

A technique for resolving whole-cycle ambiguity that is inherent in phase-angle measurements of signals received from multiple satellite-based transmitters in a global positioning system. The relative position of a secondary receiving antenna with respect to a reference antenna is approximately known or approximately initially determined and then measurements from a minimum number of satellites are used to determine an initial set of potential solutions to the relative position of the secondary antenna that fall within a region of uncertainty surrounding the approximate position. Redundant measurements are taken from one or more additional satellites and used to progressively reduce the number of potential solutions to close to one. Even if the number of potential solutions is not reduced to one true solution, the number can be further reduced by using additional measurements taken at different time intervals, at which different satellite geometries prevail. The disclosed technique produces rapid elimination of false solutions and permits realtime computation of relative position in kinetic positioning applications, and of angular orientation in attitude determination applications.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
HUGHES ELECTRONICS CORPORATIONEL SEGUNDO, CA2957
MAGNAVOX ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS COMPANYFORT WAYNE, IN83
MESC ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, INC.FORT WAYNE, IN70

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Hatch, Ronald R Wilmington, CA 39 729

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
AERO SERVICE DIVISION OF WESTERN GEOPHYSICAL COMPANY, A DE CORP (1)
4,894,662 Method and system for determining position on a moving platform, such as a ship, using signals from GPS satellites 258 1986
 
MESC ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, INC. (1)
4,812,991 Method for precision dynamic differential positioning 79 1986
 
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy (1)
4,881,080 Apparatus for and a method of determining compass headings 30 1985

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
HEMISPHERE GNSS INC. (12)
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8,000,381 Unbiased code phase discriminator 2 2008
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8,085,196 Removing biases in dual frequency GNSS receivers using SBAS 1 2009
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8,271,194 Method and system using GNSS phase measurements for relative positioning 0 2009
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8,138,970 GNSS-based tracking of fixed or slow-moving structures 0 2010
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CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (7)
7,113,108 Emergency vehicle control system traffic loop preemption 1 2003
7,116,245 Method and system for beacon/heading emergency vehicle intersection preemption 4 2003
7,327,280 Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption system 24 2004
7,098,806 Traffic preemption system 2 2004
7,265,683 Roadside-based communication system and method 0 2005
7,864,071 Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption system 1 2008
8,120,529 Method and apparatus for autonomous, in-receiver prediction of GNSS ephemerides 0 2008
 
HEMISPHERE GPS LLC (7)
7,835,832 Vehicle control system 8 2007
7,885,745 GNSS control system and method 2 2007
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TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED (6)
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Honeywell Inc. (4)
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CATERPILLAR INC. (3)
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MESC ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, INC. (3)
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Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (2)
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QUALCOMM INCORPORATED (2)
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ASHTECH S.A.S. (1)
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BALL AEROSPACE & TECHNOLOGIES CORP. (1)
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EADS ASTRIUM GMBH (1)
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GARMIN INTERNATIONAL, INC. (1)
6,313,788 Method and apparatus for reliable inter-antenna baseline determination 28 1998
 
Hemipshere GPS, LLC (1)
8,386,129 Raster-based contour swathing for guidance and variable-rate chemical application 0 2010
 
INTERGRINAUTICS CORPORATION (1)
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INTERSTATE ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (1)
5,825,326 Real-time high-accuracy determination of integer ambiguities in a kinematic GPS receiver 26 1996
 
MAGNAVOX ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS COMPANY (1)
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6,140,963 Ambiguity removal and angles-of-arrival estimation for radially polarized conformal arrays 9 1999
 
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY (1)
6,681,180 Determination and control of vehicle sideslip using GPS 11 2002
 
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (1)
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VDO Control Systems, Inc. (1)
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WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION (1)
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Other [Check patent profile for assignment information] (4)
5,983,161 GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method 329 1996
6,275,773 GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method 167 1999
6,487,500 GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method 196 2001
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