IP Library Granted Patent US 10,813,073
Granted Patent B2
US 10,813,073 · App. 16/550,369 · Granted Oct 20, 2020

Determining emitter locations

Inventors: Timothy James O'Shea (Arlington, VA); Robert W. McGwier (Elliston, VA); Nicholas Aaron McCarthy (Arlington, VA)
Assignee: HawkEye 360, Inc.
H04W64/00G01S5/02G01S5/0252H04W24/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,813,073
App. No.
16/550,369
Granted
Oct 20, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

First information corresponding to a radio signal received at a first sensing device from a candidate location is obtained. Second information corresponding to a radio signal received at a second sensing device from the candidate location is obtained. A first relationship between the first sensing device and the candidate location and a second relationship between the second sensing device and the candidate location are determined. A first inverse and a second inverse of respectively the first and second relationships are obtained. A first estimate of the radio signal at the first sensing device is determined from the first information and the first inverse. A second estimate of the radio signal at the second sensing device is determined from the second information and the second inverse. Energy emitted from the candidate location is measured based on the first estimate and the second estimate.

Claims (95)

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, from each sensing device of a plurality of sensing devices having a known path of travel, information corresponding to radio signals received at respective sensing devices from one or more terrestrial emitter devices;

determining, using the information obtained from the plurality of sensing devices, a particular radio signal from a target emitter device;

selecting a particular terrestrial location as a candidate location for the target emitter device;

for each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices:

determining a relationship between the candidate location and the sensing device, using the information corresponding to the particular radio signal obtained from the sensing device and the known path of travel of the sensing device, and

computing an estimate of the particular radio signal using the determined relationship; and

determining an estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location using estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a relationship between the candidate location and each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices comprises:

determining a time-varying delay corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location; and

determining a time-varying Doppler offset corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location,

wherein at least one of the time-varying delay or the time-varying Doppler offset is determined based on the known path of travel of the sensing device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a first inverse of the time-varying delay and a second inverse of the time-varying Doppler offset; and

computing the estimate of the particular radio signal using one or more of the first inverse or the second inverse.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the first inverse or the second inverse comprises:

determining a time-varying position of the sensing device based on the known path of travel of the sensing device; and

obtaining at least one of the first inverse or the second inverse using information about the candidate location and the time-varying position of the sensing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location comprises:

selecting the estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices in pairs;

measuring a distance metric between each pair of the estimates of the particular radio signal, wherein the distance metric is based on a coherent reception of the particular radio signal at the sensing devices corresponding to each pair; and

determining the estimate of energy as a function of distance metrics measured for the pairs of the estimates of the particular radio signal.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the coherent reception of the particular radio signal is based on a clock in each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices being synchronized with one another.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices is communicably coupled to a receiving station, and

wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises obtaining, at the receiving station, information corresponding to at least one radio signal from the at least one sensing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises:

receiving, at sensor coupled to a first sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices, a radio signal;

processing, by the first sensing device, information corresponding to the radio signal;

receiving, at the first sensing device from one or more other sensing devices of the plurality of sensing devices, information corresponding to respective radio signals received at the one or more other sensing devices, wherein the first sensing device is communicably coupled to the one or more other sensing devices; and

processing, by the first sensing device, the information received from the one or more other sensing devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices includes one of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite, a Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) satellite, a nano satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a terrestrial vehicle, a spacecraft or a mobile platform.

10. A system comprising:

a plurality of sensing devices; and

storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, from each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices having a known path of travel, information corresponding to radio signals received at respective sensing devices from one or more terrestrial emitter devices;

determining, using the information obtained from the plurality of sensing devices, a particular radio signal from a target emitter device;

selecting a particular terrestrial location as a candidate location for the target emitter device;

for each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices:

determining a relationship between the candidate location and the sensing device, using the information corresponding to the particular radio signal obtained from the sensing device and the known path of travel of the sensing device, and

computing an estimate of the particular radio signal using the determined relationship; and

determining an estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location using estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein determining a relationship between the candidate location and each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices comprises:

determining a time-varying delay corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location; and

determining a time-varying Doppler offset corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location,

wherein at least one of the time-varying delay or the time-varying Doppler offset is determined based on the known path of travel of the sensing device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a first inverse of the time-varying delay and a second inverse of the time-varying Doppler offset; and

computing the estimate of the particular radio signal using one or more of the first inverse or the second inverse.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the first inverse or the second inverse comprises:

determining a time-varying position of the sensing device based on the known path of travel of the sensing device; and

obtaining at least one of the first inverse or the second inverse using information about the candidate location and the time-varying position of the sensing device.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein determining the estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location comprises:

selecting the estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices in pairs;

measuring a distance metric between each pair of the estimates of the particular radio signal, wherein the distance metric is based on a coherent reception of the particular radio signal at the sensing devices corresponding to each pair; and

determining the estimate of energy as a function of distance metrics measured for the pairs of the estimates of the particular radio signal.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the coherent reception of the particular radio signal is based on a clock in each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices being synchronized with one another.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices is communicably coupled to a receiving station, and

wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises obtaining, at the receiving station, information corresponding to at least one radio signal from the at least one sensing device.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises:

receiving, at sensor coupled to a first sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices, a radio signal;

processing, by the first sensing device, information corresponding to the radio signal;

receiving, at the first sensing device from one or more other sensing devices of the plurality of sensing devices, information corresponding to respective radio signals received at the one or more other sensing devices, wherein the first sensing device is communicably coupled to the one or more other sensing devices; and

processing, by the first sensing device, the information received from the one or more other sensing devices.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices includes one of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite, a Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) satellite, a nano satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a terrestrial vehicle, a spacecraft or a mobile platform.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, from each sensing device of a plurality of sensing devices having a known path of travel, information corresponding to radio signals received at respective sensing devices from one or more terrestrial emitter devices;

determining, using the information obtained from the plurality of sensing devices, a particular radio signal from a target emitter device;

selecting a particular terrestrial location as a candidate location for the target emitter device;

for each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices:

determining a relationship between the candidate location and the sensing device, using the information corresponding to the particular radio signal obtained from the sensing device and the known path of travel of the sensing device, and

computing an estimate of the particular radio signal using the determined relationship; and

determining an estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location using estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein determining a relationship between the candidate location and each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices comprises:

determining a time-varying delay corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location; and

determining a time-varying Doppler offset corresponding to the particular radio signal received at the sensing device from the candidate location,

wherein at least one of the time-varying delay or the time-varying Doppler offset is determined based on the known path of travel of the sensing device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a first inverse of the time-varying delay and a second inverse of the time-varying Doppler offset; and

computing the estimate of the particular radio signal using one or more of the first inverse or the second inverse.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21 , wherein determining the first inverse or the second inverse comprises:

determining a time-varying position of the sensing device based on the known path of travel of the sensing device; and

obtaining at least one of the first inverse or the second inverse using information about the candidate location and the time-varying position of the sensing device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein determining the estimate of energy emitted from the candidate location comprises:

selecting the estimates of the particular radio signal computed for the plurality of sensing devices in pairs;

measuring a distance metric between each pair of the estimates of the particular radio signal, wherein the distance metric is based on a coherent reception of the particular radio signal at the sensing devices corresponding to each pair; and

determining the estimate of energy as a function of distance metrics measured for the pairs of the estimates of the particular radio signal.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23 , wherein the coherent reception of the particular radio signal is based on a clock in each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices being synchronized with one another.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices is communicably coupled to a receiving station, and

wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises obtaining, at the receiving station, information corresponding to at least one radio signal from the at least one sensing device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein obtaining the information corresponding to the radio signals comprises:

receiving, at sensor coupled to a first sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices, a radio signal;

processing, by the first sensing device, information corresponding to the radio signal;

receiving, at the first sensing device from one or more other sensing devices of the plurality of sensing devices, information corresponding to respective radio signals received at the one or more other sensing devices, wherein the first sensing device is communicably coupled to the one or more other sensing devices; and

processing, by the first sensing device, the information received from the one or more other sensing devices.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19 , wherein at least one sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices includes one of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite, a Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) satellite, a nano satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a terrestrial vehicle, a spacecraft or a mobile platform.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2025
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.; HAWKEYE 360 FEDERAL, INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 073286/0564 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2025
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.; HAWKEYE 360 FEDERAL, INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 073286/0540 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2024
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066950/0626 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2022
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 059424/0450 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 28, 2020
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052048/0943 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 28, 2020
From: HAWKEYE 360, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 052048/0979 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2019
From: O'SHEA, TIMOTHY JAMES; MCGWIER, ROBERT W.; MCCARTHY, NICHOLAS AARON
To: HAWKEYE 360, INC.
Reel/Frame 050165/0130 →