Method and a system in positioning, and a device

• US 20050080557A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sirola, Niilo
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for determining the position of a device (1) by taking measurements to determine the range between at least a first positioning station (2) and the device (1) and to determine the range between at least a second positioning station (3) and the device (1). At least one measurement defines a geometric surface for the position of the device (1). Said first positioning station (2) and second positioning station (3) belong to different systems. In the invention, the measurements are used to select a geometric model which comprises, at the most, quadratic surfaces, the selected geometric model is simplified to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces, the measurement results are inserted in the simplified geometric model, and the position of the device (1) is determined by solving the simplified geometric model. The invention also relates to a device (1) and a program in which the method is applied, as well as to a storage means for storing the program.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a device, comprising:

performing measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device, and in which at least one measurement defines a geometric surface for the position of the device, and which first positioning station and second positioning station belong to different systems,

selecting a geometric model on the basis of the measurements, the model comprising, at the most, quadratic surfaces,

simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces,

inserting the measurement results in a simplified geometric model, and determining the position of the device by solving the simplified geometric model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning station used is a satellite of a satellite system, wherein the method comprises using at least two pseudo range measurements between the first positioning station and the device to define a planar surface to represent the position of the device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning station used is a satellite of a satellite system, wherein the method comprises using at least two pseudo range measurements between the first positioning station and the device to define the direction of a planar surface representing the position of the device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second positioning station used is a station of a terrestrial system, wherein the method comprises using a measurement of the range between the second positioning station and the device to define a spherical surface to represent the position of the device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the terrestrial system used is a mobile communication network, wherein the second positioning station is a base station of the mobile communication network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises using the pseudo range measurements between the positioning station and the device to form measurement pairs, determining a difference between the pseudo ranges for the measurement pairs, and using the difference in the pseudo ranges to define a quadratic surface to represent the position of the device.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising selecting a set of first positioning stations and a set of second positioning stations, which belong to one and another system, respectively, and performing pseudo range measurements between each positioning station of the first set and the device, and between each positioning station of the second set and the device, respectively.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising synchronizing the first positioning stations and the second positioning stations with each other, forming each measurement pair of one positioning station of the first set and one positioning station of the second set, and using the same positioning station of the first set in each measurement pair.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein for forming measurement pairs, the method comprises examining to how many positioning stations of the first set there is a pseudo range measurement available, wherein

if more than one pseudo range measurement of the first positioning station are available, as many measurement pairs as possible are formed of the first positioning stations,

if only one pseudo range measurement of the first positioning station is available, as many measurement pairs as possible are formed of said first positioning station and the second positioning stations,

if no pseudo range measurements of the first positioning station are available, as many measurement pairs as possible are formed of the second positioning stations.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising measuring the altitude of the device in relation to the ground level, and using the altitude measurement to determine a planar surface to represent the position of the device, the surface being substantially parallel to the ground surface.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising solving the reduced geometric model by finding at least one point of intersection between the surfaces defined by the measurements.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein if the solution comprises more than one point of intersection, the method comprises using a predetermined criterion to select one point of intersection to define the position of the device.

13. A system for positioning a device, comprising:

means for taking measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device;

means for defining a geometric surface for the position of the device on the basis of at least one measurement, said first positioning station and second positioning station belonging to different systems;

means for selecting a geometric model comprising, at the most, quadratic surfaces on the basis of the measurements;

means for simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces;

means for inserting the measurement results in the simplified geometric model; and

means for solving the simplified geometric model to define the position of the device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first positioning station is a satellite of a satellite system, wherein the system is adapted to use at least two pseudo range measurements between the first positioning station and the device to define a planar surface to represent the position of the device.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first positioning station is a satellite of a satellite system, wherein the system is adapted to use a pseudo range measurement between the first positioning station and the device to define the direction of the planar surface representing the position of the device.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the system is adapted to use the second positioning station is a station of a terrestrial system, wherein a measurement of the range between the second positioning station and the device to define a spherical surface to represent the position of the device.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the terrestrial system comprises a mobile communication network, wherein the second positioning station is a base station of the mobile communication network.

18. The system according to claim 13, comprising means for forming measurement pairs of pseudo range measurements between the positioning station and the device and for determining the difference between the pseudo ranges, wherein the system is adapted to use the difference in the pseudo ranges to define a quadratic surface to represent the position of the device.

19. The system according to claim 13, comprising means for selecting a set of first positioning stations and a set of second positioning stations, which belong to one system and another system, respectively, and means for taking pseudo range measurements between each positioning station of the first set and the device, and between each position station of the second set and the device, respectively.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the first positioning stations and the second positioning stations are in synchronization with each other, wherein each measurement pair consists of one positioning station of the first set and one positioning station of the second set, and that the same positioning station of the first set is used in each measurement pair.

21. The system according to claim 13, comprising means for measuring the altitude of the device in relation to the ground level, wherein the system is adapted to use the altitude measurement to define a planar surface to represent the position of the device, the surface being substantially parallel to the ground surface.

22. A device comprising:

means for taking measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device;

means for defining a geometric surface for the position of the device on the basis of at least one measurement, said first positioning station and second positioning station belonging to different systems;

means for selecting, on the basis of the measurements, a geometric model comprising, at the most, quadratic surfaces;

means for simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces;

means for inserting the measurement results in the simplified geometric model; and

means for solving the simplified geometric model to define the position of the device.

23. The device according to claim 22, comprising means for forming measurement pairs of pseudo range measurements between the positioning station and the device and for determining the difference between the pseudo ranges, wherein the device is adapted to use the difference in the pseudo ranges to define a quadratic surface to represent the position of the device.

24. The device according to claim 22, comprising means for selecting a set of first positioning stations and a set of second positioning stations, which belong to one system and another system, respectively, and means for taking pseudo range measurements between each positioning station of the first set and the device, and between each position station of the second set and the device, respectively.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the first positioning stations and the second positioning stations are in synchronization with each other, wherein each measurement pair consists of one positioning station of the first set and one positioning station of the second set, and that the same positioning station of the first set is used in each measurement pair.

26. The device according to claim 22, comprising means for measuring the altitude of the device in relation to the ground level, wherein the device is adapted to use the altitude measurement to define a planar surface to represent the position of the device, the surface being substantially parallel to the ground surface.

27. A mobile communication device comprising:

means for taking measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device;

means for defining a geometric surface for the position of the device on the basis of at least one measurement, said first positioning station and second positioning station belonging to different systems;

means for selecting, on the basis of the measurements, a geometric model comprising, at the most, quadratic surfaces;

means for simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces;

means for inserting the measurement results in the simplified geometric model; and

means for solving the simplified geometric model to define the position of the device.

28. A program which comprises machine executable program commands for positioning a device, which program comprises program commands for taking measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device, and wherein at least one measurement defines a geometric surface for the position of the device, and said first positioning station and second positioning station belonging to different systems, wherein the program also comprises program commands for

selecting, on the basis of measurements, a geometric model which comprises, at the most, quadratic surfaces,

simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces,

inserting the measurement results in the simplified geometric model, and

determining the position of the device by solving the simplified geometric model.

29. A storage means for storing a program which comprises machine executable program commands for positioning a device, which program comprises program commands for taking measurements to determine at least the range between a first positioning station and the device and to determine at least the range between a second positioning station and the device, and wherein at least one measurement defines a geometric surface for the position of the device, and said first positioning station and second positioning station belonging to different systems, wherein the program stored on the storage means also comprises program commands for

selecting, on the basis of measurements, a geometric model which comprises, at the most, quadratic surfaces,

simplifying the selected geometric model to reduce the number of quadratic surfaces,

inserting the measurement results in the simplified geometric model, and

determining the position of the device by solving the simplified geometric model.