Collage of Maritime Transport and Technology – Nautical Department

Hyperbolic Navigation

Hyperbola

A hyperbola is the locus of all points in a flat plane that have a constant difference of
distance from two fixed points. For instance, in Figure 1.40; the point C is 150
kilometers from A and 190 from B;

Therefore 40 km. The point D is 100 km from A and 140 from B; so for this point also
the difference is 40 km. The same holds for the points E, F, G, and J. If a curve is
drawn through all the points that fulfill this condition, the result is the hyperbola for a
40-km difference of distance from A and B. Other hyperbolas
Could be drawn for other differences. It is obvious that a hyperbola can be described
through any point of the plane. . In Figure 1.40 AB is called the baseline; the
extensions of it are the baseline .the extension of it are the baseline extensions, and
the perpendicular across the center of the baseline is the centerline. The centerline and
the baseline extensions are also hyper-bolas.

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Collage of Maritime Transport and Technology – Nautical Department

Line of constant time difference produced from transmitter stations emitting pulses
simultaneously.

If follow that other hyperbola may be plotted for other time difference for time
differences in steps of 1000 µsec

Hyperbolic Navigation System

• A navigation system that produces hyperbolic lines of position (LOPs) through

the measurement of the difference in times of reception (or phase difference)
of radio signals from two or more synchronized transmitters at fixed points.
Such systems require the use of a receiver which measures the time difference
(or phase difference) between arriving radio signals. Assuming the velocity of
signal propagation is relatively constant across a given coverage area, the
difference in the times of arrival (or phase) is constant on a hyperbola having
the two transmitting stations as foci (see illustration). Therefore, the receiver
measuring time or phase difference between arriving signals must be located
somewhere along the hyperbolic line of position corresponding to that time or
phase difference. If a third transmitting station is available, the receiver can
measure a second time or phase difference and obtain another hyperbolic line
of position. The intersection of the lines of position provides a navigational fix

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(see illustration). User receivers typically convert this navigational fix to

latitude and longitude for operator convenience.