Multi-receiver satellite positioning system method and system for improved performance

• US 20070132636A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gautier, Roberto, Young, Jason, Uehara, Glen, Bucknor, Brian, Klug, Keith
• Application Number:
  US11/300,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132636A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.250
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/26 involving a sensor measurement for aiding acquisition or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system

Abstract

A multi-receiver satellite positioning system (SPS) wireless device (101) and system (100) or method (200) can include a plurality of SPS receivers co-located with each other, and a processor (114). The processor can be coupled to a first SPS receiver (102) and at least a second SPS receiver (104). The processor can be programmed to select (202) a measurement from the first SPS receiver or from at least the second SPS receiver having a desired characteristic, and use (212) the calculated measurement selected for having the desired characteristic for a predetermined application. For example, the processor can select the measurement by comparing (206) a possible error in position (EPE) reported by the first SPS receiver with a possible error in position reported by the at least second SPS receiver and selecting the measurement with the least amount of EPE when accuracy is a desired characteristic.

Claims

1. A multi-receiver satellite positioning system (SPS) radio, comprising:

a plurality of SPS receivers co-located with each other;

a processor coupled to a first SPS receiver and at least a second SPS receiver, wherein the processor is programmed to;

select a measurement from the first SPS receiver or from at least the second SPS receiver having a desired characteristic; and

use the measurement selected for a predetermined application.

2. The radio of claim 1, wherein the processor selects the measurement by comparing a possible error in position (EPE) reported by the first SPS receiver with a possible error in position reported by the at least second SPS receiver and selecting the measurement with the least amount of EPE.

3. The radio of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to use for Location Based Services (LBS) a first position fix obtained among the plurality of SPS receivers.

4. The radio of claim 2, wherein the processor is further programmed to use for initial Location Based Services (LBS) processing a first position fix obtained among the plurality of SPS receivers and then subsequently use the measurement with the least amount of EPE for an LBS application.

5. The radio of claim 1, wherein the desired characteristic is a higher average signal strength from a plurality of SPS satellites.

6. The radio of claim 1, wherein the desired characteristic is a larger number of satellites used in a positioning calculation.

7. The radio of claim 1, wherein the desired characteristic is a higher average signal strength from a plurality of SPS satellites and a larger number of satellites used in a positioning calculation.

8. The radio of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate a position using the first SPS receiver concurrently with a position using at least the second SPS receiver.

9. The radio of claim 1, wherein the radio further comprises a single antenna coupled to the plurality SPS receivers.

10. The radio of claim 1, wherein the radio further comprises a first antenna coupled to the first SPS receiver and a second antenna coupled to at least the second SPS receiver.

11. The radio of claim 1, wherein the desired characteristic is a measurement providing better navigation performance than acquisition performance.

12. The radio of claim 1, wherein the desired characteristic is a measurement providing better acquisition performance than navigation performance.

13. The radio of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to share ephemeris data from a first reporting SPS receiver among the plurality of SPS receivers with at least a second SPS receiver in order to enable the second SPS receiver to achieve a faster time to fix.

14. The radio of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to share almanac data from a first reporting SPS receiver among the plurality of SPS receivers with at least a second SPS receiver.

15. A multimode cellular phone, comprising:

a first mode cellular transceiver having an first SPS receiver associated thereto;

at least a second mode cellular transceiver having at least a second SPS receiver associated thereto;

a processor coupled to the first SPS receiver and at least the second SPS receiver, wherein the processor is programmed to;

select a measurement from the first SPS receiver or from at least the second SPS receiver having a desired characteristic; and

use the measurement selected.

16. A method of improving position accuracy, comprising the steps of:

receiving positional assistance information from a plurality of satellite position system (SPS) satellites at a plurality of co-located SPS receivers;

selecting among calculated measurements from each of the plurality of co-located SPS receivers based on a desired characteristic; and

using a selected calculated measurement having the desired characteristic for a predetermined application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of comparing a possible error in position (EPE) reported by a first SPS receiver with a possible error in position reported by at least second SPS receiver and selecting the measurement with the least amount of EPE for the predetermined application.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of selecting among calculated measurements from each of the plurality of co-located SPS receivers based on a higher average signal strength from the plurality of SPS satellites and a larger number of SPS satellites used in a positioning calculation.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of selecting among calculated measurements from each of the plurality of co-located SPS receivers based on a desired navigation performance or a desired acquisition performance.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of sharing ephemeris data or almanac data from a first reporting SPS receiver among the plurality of SPS receivers with at least a second SPS receiver.