Title: Signal source position-determining process

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Abstract: A signal source position is determined using an angle-measuring, interferter system employing a longitudinal antenna array having a baseline length greater than the signal wavelength. The long, multi-lambda (n.lambda.) baseline produces ambiguous phase measurement ( ). Thus, the true angular position or bearing could correspond either to .phi., or .phi..+-.360.degree., or .phi..+-.2.sup.. 360.degree., -.phi..+-.(n-1)360.degree., or .phi.-n .360.degree.. Ambiguities are resolved by the longitudinal array angular motion relative to the signal source and by phase tracking the signal during the relative movement. To determine the true signal position, (2n) different software solutions for signal position are set up to process the 2n different angular data produced by each phase measurement (.phi.). The "Lobe Tracking" procedure (there are n-number of data lobes in a (n.lambda.) array) which is achieved by phase tracking provides the means of matching the n-different angular data produced by the phase measurement (.phi.) to the n-different solutions set-up. From the n-different solutions set-up for signal position, only one will converge to the true signal position and the rest will diverge. The convergence or divergence depends on matching the vehicles position translation to the angular position change relative to the signal source. The solution elimination process is set up by certain solution conveyance criteria. Also the elimination process is enhanced by solution rejection based on unacceptability of angular data or lobe. Since lobe tracking matches the angular data produced by the measurement to the solution, unacceptability of data constitutes rejection of the solution.


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