METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROPAGATING GNSS ASSISTANCE DATA AMONG COMMUNICATION DEVICES IN A GNSS GROUP

• US 20110205110A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Garrett, David, Lundgren, David Albert, Murray, David, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Buer, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.42
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/27 creating, predicting or correcting ephemeris or almanac data within the receiver

Abstract

A communication device within a GNSS group propagates GNSS assistance data to one or more other communication devices in the GNSS group utilizing direct device-to-device connections. The GNSS assistance data comprises ephemeris received from one or more GNSS satellites and/or predicted ephemeris. As a source device, the communication device generates, and/or acquires from other resources such as a remote location server, the predicted ephemeris. As a destination device, the communication device receives existing GNSS assistance data from a source device and/or other communication devices in the GNSS group. A GNSS position for the communication device and corresponding time information are used to refresh the received GNSS assistance data. In instances where the communication device further acts as a relay device, the refreshed GNSS assistance data is relayed to other communication devices over wired and/or wireless direct device-to-device connections utilizing appropriate communication technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth low energy.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a communication device that is within a Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) group that comprises a plurality of communication devices;

propagating GNSS assistance data from said communication device to one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices utilizing one or more corresponding direct device-to-device connections that are established between said communication device and said one or more other communication devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said GNSS assistance data comprises ephemeris received from one or more GNSS satellites and/or predicted ephemeris.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising generating said predicted ephemeris by said communication device.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising acquiring said ephemeris and/or predicted ephemeris from a remote location server.

5. The method according to claim 2, comprising receiving said GNSS assistance data from another communication device of said plurality of communication devices.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising calculating a GNSS position for said communication device utilizing said GNSS assistance data.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising refreshing said GNSS assistance data by adding said calculated GNSS position for said communication device and corresponding time information.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising communicating said refreshed GNSS assistance data to said one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices over said corresponding device-to-device connections.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said corresponding device-to-device connections comprise wired and/or wireless device-to-device connections between said communication device and said one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising utilizing two or more different communication technologies for said corresponding device-to-device connections.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said GNSS group comprises a GNSS spreading group.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein said GNSS group comprises a GNSS spreading group.

12. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a communication device that is operable within a Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) group that comprises a plurality of communication devices, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to propagate GNSS assistance data from said communication device to one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices utilizing one or more corresponding direct device-to-device connections that are established between said communication device and said one or more other communication devices.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said GNSS assistance data comprises ephemeris received from one or more GNSS satellites and/or predicted ephemeris.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to generate said predicted ephemeris by said communication device.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to acquire said ephemeris and/or predicted ephemeris from a remote location server.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive said GNSS assistance data from another communication device of said plurality of communication devices.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to calculate a GNSS position for said communication device utilizing said GNSS assistance data.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to refresh said GNSS assistance data by adding said calculated GNSS position for said communication device and corresponding time information.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to communicate said refreshed GNSS assistance data to said one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices over said corresponding device-to-device connections.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said corresponding device-to-device connections comprise wired and/or wireless device-to-device connections between said communication device and said one or more other communication devices of said plurality of communication devices.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to utilize two or more different communication technologies for said corresponding device-to-device connections.