Terminal For Satellite Navigation System

• US 20090119002A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Astrium GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Astrium GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Krueger, Jan M.W., Trautenberg, Hans L.
• Application Number:
  US12/064,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A terminal for satellite navigation services includes a first receiver for receiving navigation messages emitted by satellites; an output interface for the output of navigation information; and an activating unit.

In response to a command signal contained in a navigation message, the activating unit changes an operating condition of the terminal.

Claims

1. A terminal for satellite navigation services, said terminal comprising:

a first receiver for receiving navigation messages emitted by satellites;

an output interface for outputting navigation information; and

an activating unit which changes an operating state of the terminal, in response to a command signal contained in a navigation message.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a second receiver device for receiving information data.

3. Terminal according to claim 2, wherein the second receiver device is an element of a communication device which is constructed such that it can actively queries information data from outside the terminal.

4. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein, the activating device can emit information data by way of the output interface.

5. The terminal according to claim 1, further having a user input module, wherein, after a change of the operating condition of the terminal, the activating device changes back into the normal operation only in response to a signal of the user input module.

6. The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing transmitted information data together with the navigation messages.

7. The terminal according to claim 6, wherein the activating unit manages the storing of the information data into the memory.

8. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the activating unit responds only to defined command signals, as a function of the speed of the terminal determined by the terminal.

9. A satellite navigation system comprising a plurality of satellites that emit navigation messages,

at least one terminal and a ground station which is in contact with the satellites, wherein the at least one terminal comprises:

a first receiver for receiving navigation messages emitted by satellites;

an output interface for outputting navigation information; and

an activating unit which changes an operating state of the terminal, in response to a command signal contained in a navigation message.

10. The satellite navigation system according to claim 9, wherein:

the ground station has a selecting device that selects satellites which momentarily service a geographic region on the ground;

the navigation message of at least some of these satellites contains a command signal that can change the operating condition of a terminal in this region.

11. A method of changing an operating state of a terminal in a satellite navigation system, said method comprising:

generating a command signal;

transmitting the command signal to at least one satellite of the satellite navigation system;

incorporating the command signal into a navigation message of the satellite;

transmitting the navigation message containing the command signal to the terminal; and

changing the operating condition of the terminal in response to the command signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising selecting at least one satellite based on a target group to be reached.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of changing the operating condition of the terminal includes emitting information data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the emission of information data includes emission of information data instead of navigation data.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the emission of information data includes the mission of information data in addition to the navigation data.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of changing the operating condition of the terminal includes receiving information data.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising actively fetching the information data from an information data source.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising resuming normal operation of the terminal after a change of the operating condition of the terminal, when the user has acknowledged the change of the operating condition.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

checking speed of the terminal; and

changing the operating state as a function of said speed.

20. A method of operating a satellite navigation system, comprising:

a satellite of said navigation system omitting a navigation message, wherein, in addition to the pure navigation data, said message includes at least one command signal for changing the operating condition of a terminal of said navigation system.