INDOOR SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20120007776A1
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Galileo Satellite Navigation Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Galileo Satellite Navigation Ltd.
• Inventors: ARIEL, Eliyahu, ZIVHON, Ran
• Application Number:
  US13/176,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007776A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters

Abstract

A navigation system for an enclosed area, the navigation system comprising: a) at least one satellite signal receiving station, positioned outside the enclosed area, to receive satellite signals transmitted by a constellation of satellites and to determine time synchronization information relative to the transmitted signals; b) at least one local transmitting station, positioned within the enclosed area, to transmit a local signal compatible with the transmitted satellite signals; and c) a communication channel to communicate self-alignment information between each station and at least one other station; wherein each local transmitting station uses the self-alignment information to generate the local signal; and wherein the at least one local signal provides navigation information useable by a satellite navigation receiver.

Claims

1. A navigation system for an enclosed area, the navigation system comprising:

a) at least one satellite signal receiving station, positioned outside the enclosed area, to receive satellite signals transmitted by a constellation of satellites and to determine time synchronization information relative to the transmitted signals;

b) at least one local transmitting station, positioned within the enclosed area, to transmit a local signal compatible with the transmitted satellite signals; and

c) a communication channel to communicate self-alignment information between each station and at least one other station;

wherein each local transmitting station uses the self-alignment information to generate the local signal;

and wherein the at least one local signal provides navigation information useable by a satellite navigation receiver.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the satellite signal receiving station further includes a transmitter to transmit a local signal compatible with the transmitted satellite signals.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the self-alignment information includes information about local signal power levels.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the local signal comprises a simulation of at least three transmitted satellite signals.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the local signal comprises a simulation of four transmitted satellite signals.

6. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the self-alignment information further communicates an identity of the multiple transmitted satellite signals.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of said local transmitting stations, and wherein each station is operative to select channels different than the channels transmitted by adjacent stations.

8. The navigation system according to claim 7, wherein each pair of adjacent stations are positioned apart by a respective separation distance, and wherein the transmission range of the local signals is greater than half the separation distance and less than the separation distance.

9. The navigation system according to claim 8, wherein the local signal transmission range is approximately 0.7 of the separation distance.

10. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises two satellite signal receiving stations positioned outside the enclosed area, and wherein the self-alignment information includes time synchronization information from two stations to each local transmitting station;

wherein the local signal transmitted by each local transmitting station provides substantially accurate positioning information for a two dimensional area.

11. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises three satellite signal receiving stations positioned outside the enclosed area, and wherein the self-alignment information includes time synchronization information from three stations to each local transmitting station;

wherein the local signal transmitted by each local transmitting station provides substantially accurate positioning information for a three dimensional space.

12. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein each at least one satellite signal receiving station comprises a receiving antenna to receive satellite navigation signals, a transmitting antenna to transmit the local signal, and a processor to perform self-alignment algorithms.

13. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel is wireless.

14. The navigation system according to claim 13, wherein the communication channel comprises unused satellite navigation channels.

15. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a wired connection between adjacent stations.

16. A method of providing satellite signal information in an enclosed area, the method comprising:

a) deploying a plurality of local transmitters in the enclosed area; and

b) transmitting local signals compatible with transmitted satellite signals;

wherein the local signals provide navigation information useable by a satellite navigation receiver.

17. The method of providing satellite signal information according to claim 16, further including exchanging self-alignment information with the local transmitters.

18. The method of providing satellite signal information according to claim 16, wherein the local signals provide information from a plurality of satellites.