Systems and methods for transmitting global positioning system information

• US 20040198449A1
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Henry, Dunn, Doug, Forrester, Tim
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/246 involving long acquisition integration times, extended snapshots of signals or methods specifically directed towards weak signal acquisition

Abstract

A wireless communication system includes a location assist system that is configured to interface with a network, such as the Internet, or a server, such as an HTTP server, to obtain GPS information. The GPS information can then be used to provide wireless devices within the wireless communication system with GPS assistance information that allows the wireless devices to quickly and efficiently acquire GPS satellites signals.

Claims

1. A base station, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive GPS satellite information from a plurality of GPS satellites;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the GPS satellite information; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the GPS satellite information to a GPS enabled device.

2. The base station of claim 1, wherein the base station is further configured to also receive the GPS satellite information from a position determination entity.

3. The base station of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to periodically prime the GPS enabled device with GPS assist information.

4. The base station of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to non-periodically prime the GPS enabled device with GPS assist information.

5. The base station of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to broadcast the GPS assist information using the transmitter.

6. The base station of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to multicast the GPS assist information.

7. The base station of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to use a control channel to transmit the GPS assist information.

8. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a registration request form the GPS enabled device, and wherein the base station is configured to transmit the GPS assist information to the GPS enabled device using the transmitter in response to the received registration request.

9. The base station of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the GPS assist information in the GPS frequency band.

10. A GPS device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive GPS assist information provided by a base station in a wireless communication system; and

a GPS processor configured to use the GPS assist information to acquire a plurality of GPS satellites.

11. The GPS device of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to receive GPS assist information that is broadcast by the base station.

12. The GPS device of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to receive GPS assist information that is multicast by the base station.

13. The GPS enabled device of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the GPS assist information over a control channel.

14. The GPS enabled device of claim 10, further comprising a GPS receiver configured to receive GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites.

15. The GPS enabled device of claim 10, where in the receiver is further configured to receive GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites.

16. A position determination entity, comprising:

a network interface configured to interface the position determination entity with a network, the position determination entity configured to receive GPS satellite information through the network interface;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the received GPS satellite information; and

a switching center interface configured to interface the position determination entity with a switching center, the position determination entity further configured to forward the GPS assist information to a GPS enabled device via the switching center.

17. The position determination entity of claim 16, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with the Internet.

18. The position determination entity of claim 16, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with an Intranet.

19. The position determination entity of claim 16, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with the World Wide Web.

20. The position determination entity of claim 16, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with wide area network, a local area network, or a metropolitan area network.

21. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a switching center configured to control communications for a plurality of GPS enabled communication devices;

a base station interfaced with the switching center, the base station configured to transmit wireless communication signals to and receive wireless communication signals from the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices; and

a position determination entity, comprising;

a network interface configured to interface the position determination entity with a network, the position determination entity configured to receive GPS satellite information through the network interface;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the received GPS satellite information; and

a switching center interface configured to interface the position determination entity with a switching center, the position determination entity further configured to forward the GPS assist information to the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices via the switching center.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with the Internet.

23. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with an Intranet.

24. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with the World Wide Web.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the position determination entity with wide area network, a local area network, or a metropolitan area network.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the base station comprises:

a receiver configured to receive GPS satellite information from a plurality of GPS satellites;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the GPS satellite information; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the GPS assist information generated by the processor, or received from the position determination entity through the switching center, to the plurality of GPS enabled devices.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the base station is configured to periodically prime the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices with GPS assist information.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the base station is configured to non-periodically prime the plurality of GPS enabled communication device with GPS assist information.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the base station is configured to broadcast the GPS assist information using the transmitter.

30. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the base station is configured to multicast GPS assist information using the transmitter.

31. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the transmitter is configured to use a control channel to transmit the GPS assist information.

32. The wireless communication system of claim 26, further wherein the base station comprises a receiver configured to receive a registration request from one of the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices, and wherein the base station is configured to transmit the GPS assist information to GPS enabled communication device using the transmitter in response to the received registration request.

33. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the GPS assist information in the GPS frequency band.

34. A location assist system, comprising:

a network interface configured to interface the location assist system with a network, the location assist system configured to receive GPS satellite information through the network interface;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the received GPS satellite information; and

a wireless communication system interface configured to interface the location assist system with a wireless communication system, the location assist system further configured to forward the GPS assist information to a GPS enabled device via the wireless communication system.

35. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with the Internet.

36. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with an Intranet.

37. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with the World Wide Web.

38. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with wide area network, a local area network, or a metropolitan area network.

39. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with a PDE.

40. The location assist system of claim 34, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with a PTTP server.

41. A system, comprising:

a wireless communication system configured to transmit wireless communication signals to and receive wireless communication signals from a plurality of GPS enabled communication devices; and

a location assist system, comprising;

a network interface configured to interface the location assist system with a network, the location assist system configured to receive GPS satellite information through the network interface;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the received GPS satellite information; and

a wireless communication system interface configured to interface the location assist system with the wireless communication system, the location assist system further configured to forward the GPS assist information to the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices via the wireless communication system.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with the Internet.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with an Intranet.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with the World Wide Web.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the network interface is configured to interface the location assist system with wide area network, a local area network, or a metropolitan area network.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the base station comprises:

a receiver configured to receive GPS satellite information from a plurality of GPS satellites;

a processor configured to generate GPS assist information based on the GPS satellite information; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the GPS assist information generated by the processor or received from the location assist system to the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the GPS satellite information from the plurality of GPS satellites.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the base station is configured to periodically prime the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices with GPS assist information.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the base station is configured to non-periodically prime the plurality of GPS enabled communication device with GPS assist information.

50. The system of claim 46, wherein the base station is configured to broadcast GPS assist information using the transmitter.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein the base station is configured to multicast GPS assist information.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein the transmitter is configured to use a control channel to transmit GPS assist information.

53. The system of claim 46, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a registration request from one of the plurality of GPS enabled communication devices, and wherein the base station is configured to transmit the GPS assist information to the GPS enabled communication device using the transmitter in response to the received registration request.

54. The system of claim 46, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the GPS assist information in the GPS frequency band.

55. The system of claim 41, further comprising a position determination entity.

56. A method for position assistance in a wireless communication system, comprising:

downloading GPS satellite information through a network interface;

generating GPS assistance information from the GPS satellite information; and

forwarding the GPS assistance information to a GPS enabled device through a network portion of a wireless communication system.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising accessing a World Wide Web site and downloading the GPS satellite information from the World Wide Web Site.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising accessing a HTTP server and downloading the GPS satellite information from the HTTP server.

59. The method of claim 56, further comprising accessing a FTP server and downloading the GPS satellite information form the FTP server.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising interfacing with the Internet through the network interface.

61. The method of claim 56, further comprising interfacing with an Intranet through the network interface.

62. The method of claim 56, further comprising interfacing with the World Wide Web through the network interface.

63. The method of claim 56, further comprising interfacing with a WAN, LAN, or MAN through the network interface.