A method for rapid signal acquisition in a satellite communications system

The signal acquisition process of the present invention enables a radio to rapidly acquire a pilot signal from a satellite after the radio has been out of contact with the satellite for a length of time. The radio first acquires a satellite pilot signal and determines its position in relation to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author CARTER, STEPHEN, S
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 06.08.1999
Edition7
Subjects
ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES
ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
ELECTRICITY
LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES
MEASURING
PHYSICS
RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING
RADIO NAVIGATION
TESTING
TRANSMISSION
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Summary:The signal acquisition process of the present invention enables a radio to rapidly acquire a pilot signal from a satellite after the radio has been out of contact with the satellite for a length of time. The radio first acquires a satellite pilot signal and determines its position in relation to the earth. If the radio is now shut off or loses track of the pilot signal for some other reason, the radio keeps track of the length of time that it has been out of contact with the satellite. This length of time enables the radio to estimate the extent of possible position changes and, therefore, which satellites might be in view and their relative positions to the radio. This allows the radio to make assumptions about variables such as the Doppler shift of the signal that reduces the uncertainty inherent in the acquisition process and the size of the window that must be searched.
Bibliography:Application Number: HK19980113760