System for orienting and positioning an electromagnetic receiver

1. System ( 3 , 4 ) for orienting an electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ), in a location ( 1 ) where the signals from satellite navigation systems cannot be received, relative to an emission beacon ( 4 ) that is disposed around said location ( 1 ), outside of said location,

wherein said emission beacon ( 4 ) comprises:

at least two emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) that are mutually orthogonal and are capable of emitting electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), and

means ( 7 ) for sequentially supplying power to said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ),

wherein the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) is associated with means ( 30 ) for processing the electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 . 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ) that are emitted by the emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) and received by said electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ), said processing means ( 30 ) being capable of:

correlating the difference between the angles that are formed by said electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), at the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ), with the direction of said receiver ( 20 ) relative to the emission beacon ( 4 ), and

determining the orientation of the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) relative to the emission beacon ( 4 ) on the basis of said correlation.

2. System according to claim 1 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are arranged so that, during each sequential power supply phase, each emitting current loop ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) is successively supplied with power so as to emit an electromagnetic wave ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), the other emitting current loops being disposed in an open circuit.

3. System according to claim 1 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are provided with at least one switching circuit that is arranged to sequentially switch each of said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ).

4. System according to claim 1 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are arranged so that, during each sequential power supply phase, the successive power supply of said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) occurs at a predetermined rate as a function of a possible displacement of said electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ).

5. System according to claim 1 , wherein the emission wavelength of each emitting current loop ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) is at least decametric.

6. System according to claim 1 , wherein the number of emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) of the emission beacon ( 4 ) is two.

7. System according to claim 1 , wherein the number of emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) of the emission beacon ( 4 ) is three.

8. System ( 3 , 4 ) for orienting an electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ), in a location ( 1 ) where the signals from satellite naviation systems cannot be received relative to an emission beacon ( 4 ) that is disposed around said location ( 1 ), outside of said location,

wherein said emission beacon ( 4 ) comprises:

at least two emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) that are mutually orthogonal and are capable of emitting electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), and

means ( 7 ) for sequentially supplying power to said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ).

wherein the system is designed to position ( 3 , 4 ) said electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) in a location ( 1 ), wherein:

said system comprises at least one additional emission beacon ( 4 A, 4 B), comprising:

at least two emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) that are mutually orthogonal and are capable of emitting electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), and

means ( 7 ) for sequentially supplying power to said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ),

the set of emission beacons ( 4 , 4 A, 4 B) being distributed around the location ( 1 ), and outside of said location,

the electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ) that are emitted by each emission beacon ( 4 , 4 A, 4 B) comprising information relating to the terrestrial position of said emission beacon ( 4 ), and

said processing means ( 30 ) are capable of:

correlating, for each emission beacon ( 4 , 4 A, 4 B), the difference between the angles that are formed by the electromagnetic waves ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), at the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ), with the direction of said electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) relative to the corresponding emission beacon ( 4 ),

determining the orientation of the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) relative to each emission beacon ( 4 , 4 A, 4 B) on the basis of said correlation, and

determining the position of the electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ) in the location ( 1 ) on the basis of said orientations and the terrestrial position of each emission beacon ( 4 , 4 A, 4 B).

9. Emission beacon ( 4 ) designed to equip an orientation system ( 3 , 4 ; 3 , 4 , 4 A, 4 B) according to claim 1 .

10. System according to claim 8 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are arranged so that, during each sequential power supply phase, each emitting current loop ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) is successively supplied with power so as to emit an electromagnetic wave ( 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 , 5 . 3 ), the other emitting current loops being disposed in an open circuit.

11. System according to claim 8 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are provided with at least one switching circuit that is arranged to sequentially switch each of said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ).

12. System according to claim 8 , wherein the sequential power supply means ( 7 ) are arranged so that, during each sequential power supply phase, the successive power supply of said emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) occurs at a predetermined rate as a function of a possible displacement of said electromagnetic receiver ( 20 ).

13. System according to claim 8 , wherein the emission wavelength of each emitting current loop ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) is at least decametric.

14. System according to claim 8 , wherein the number of emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) of the emission beacon ( 4 ) is two.

15. System according to claim 8 , wherein the number of emitting current loops ( 6 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 6 . 3 ) of the emission beacon ( 4 ) is three.

16. Emission beacon ( 4 ) designed to equip an orientation system ( 3 , 4 ; 3 , 4 , 4 A, 4 B) according to claim 8 .