CORRECTING GPS THROUGH SECONDARY SENSORS AND SIGNAL STRENGTH

• US 20100164787A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Novik, Lev, Khosravy, Moe
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.640
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS

Abstract

Systems and methods that mitigate errors in positioning systems, by employing signal strength(s) of signal sources (e.g., towers adjacent to a mobile unit.) Such mitigation system verifies whether the mobile unit receiving GPS data is in static position (e.g., not moving) or is moving (e.g., dynamic position), and evaluates accuracy of the GPS reporting (e.g., discarding GPS data in static position and trusting GPS data in dynamic position.)

Claims

1. A computer implemented system comprising the following computer executable components:

a mobile unit with GPS capabilities; and

an error mitigation system for GPS data associated with the mobile unit, the error mitigation system evaluates signal strength from a signal source(s) to infer a motion of the mobile unit and accept or discard the GPS data based on the motion.

2. The computer implemented system of claim 1, the error mitigation system further comprising a detection component that detects signals from the signal source(s).

3. The computer implemented system of claim 2 further comprising a comparator component that determines differences in signal strength at different times.

4. The computer implemented system of claim 2 further comprising a shadow mapping and log that records GPS shadows.

5. The computer implemented system of claim 2 further comprising data stores that maintain parameters affecting signal strength.

6. The computer implemented system of claim 2 further comprising an inference component that infers position of the mobile unit.

7. The computer implemented system of claim 2 further comprising a location detection component.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 2, rejection of the GPS data based on verification of a static position for the mobile unit.

9. The computer implemented system of claim 2, acceptance of the GPS data based on verification of a dynamic position for the mobile unit.

10. A computer implemented method comprising the following computer executable acts:

acquiring GPS data by a mobile unit;

evaluating signal strength from a signal source transmitting to the mobile unit via an error mitigation system; and

accepting or rejecting the GPS data based on the signal strength evaluated by the error mitigation system.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising inferring motion for the mobile unit and accepting the GPS data.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising inferring static position for the mobile unit and discarding the GPS data.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising comparing signal strengths from same signal source at different times via a comparator component.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 11 further comprising corroborating motion of the mobile unit with a motion analyzer associated with the mobile unit.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising determining whether a difference in the signal strengths is within predetermined threshold.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising employing heuristics via an artificial intelligence component to infer motion of the mobile unit.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising retrieving parameters from a server that affect the signal strength.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising determining motion of the mobile unit via one of a speedometer or accelerometer, or altimeter or a combination thereof.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising implementing the signal strength as a bar indication.

20. A computer implemented system comprising the following computer executable components:

means for inferring motion of a mobile unit based on signal strength from a signal source; and

means for mitigating GPS errors associated with motion of the mobile unit based on the signal strengths.