Portable Ground Based Augmentation System

• US 20150378028A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Friedman, Roger E., Booth, Janet Suzanne
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/08 providing integrity information, e.g. health of satellites or quality of ephemeris data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and apparatus of generating navigation information for an aircraft. Satellite signals are received at a group of reference receivers at a group of locations. A level of accuracy is identified for the group of reference receivers based on satellite data formed from the satellite signals. It is indicated when the group of locations of the group of reference receivers does not meet a desired level of accuracy. Messages are generated using the navigation information from the satellite data when the group of reference receivers has the desired level of accuracy.

Claims

1. A portable augmentation system comprising:

a group of reference receivers that receives satellite signals and identifies raw pseudo-range data and a group of satellite data parameters from the satellite signals, wherein the raw pseudo-range data and the group of satellite data parameters form satellite data; and

a navigation information generator that receives the satellite data from the group of reference receivers and identifies a level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on the satellite data;

indicates when a group of locations of the group of reference receivers does not meet a desired level of accuracy; and

generates messages using navigation information from the satellite data when the group of reference receivers has the desired level of accuracy.

2. The portable augmentation system of claim 1 further comprising:

a transmitter system that transmits the messages to an aircraft, wherein the navigation information generator sends the messages to the aircraft over the transmitter system.

3. The portable augmentation system of claim 1, wherein the group of locations is a first group of locations, the level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on the satellite data is a first level of accuracy for the first group of locations for the group of reference receivers, the satellite data is first satellite data, and further comprising:

subsequent to a portion of the group of reference receivers being moved to a second group of locations that is different than the first group of locations, the navigation information generator identifies a second level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on second satellite data identified from the satellite signals by the group of reference receivers.

4. The portable augmentation system of claim 1, wherein the level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on the satellite data is a first level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers, the satellite data is first satellite data, and further comprising:

subsequent to a portion of the group of reference receivers being one or more of re-powered and re-configured, the navigation information generator identifies a second level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on second satellite data formed from the satellite signals from the group of reference receivers.

5. A method of generating navigation information for an aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving satellite signals at a group of reference receivers at a group of locations;

identifying a level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on satellite data formed from the satellite signals;

indicating when the group of locations of the group of reference receivers does not meet a desired level of accuracy; and

generating messages using the navigation information from the satellite data when the group of reference receivers has the desired level of accuracy.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

sending the messages generated using the navigation information to the aircraft over a transmitter system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the group of locations is a first group of locations, the level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on the satellite data is a first level of accuracy for the first group of locations for the group of reference receivers, the satellite data is first satellite data formed from the satellite signals, and further comprising:

identifying a second level of accuracy for the group of reference receivers based on second satellite data formed from the satellite signals from the group of reference receivers when a portion of the group of reference receivers are one or more of re-powered, re-configured, and moved to a second group of locations that is different than the first group of locations.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a group of reference receivers that receives satellite signals and identifies raw pseudo-range data and a group of satellite data parameters in the satellite signals, wherein the raw pseudo-range data and the group of satellite data parameters form satellite data;

a transmitter system that transmits messages to an aircraft; and

a navigation information generator having a satellite data processor that receives the satellite data from the group of reference receivers, generates the messages with navigation information from the satellite data and configuration data, and sends the messages to the aircraft over the transmitter system;

an operation application that controls operation of the group of reference receivers, the transmitter system, and the navigation information generator; and

a configuration application that receives user input to access.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the satellite data processor generates pseudo-range corrections using the satellite data to form the navigation information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the navigation information generator further comprises:

a self-surveyor that performs a self-survey.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the self-survey identifies a group of locations where the group of reference receivers were placed and indicates whether the group of reference receivers provide a desired level of accuracy at the group of locations.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the configuration data includes values for the messages.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the group of reference receivers receive more than one frequency per satellite.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the group of reference receivers is configured to receive the satellite signals from a plurality of constellations of satellites.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a configuration database, wherein the configuration data is located in the configuration database and the configuration database is located in the navigation information generator.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the configuration application is a first configuration application and further comprising:

a computer system; and

a second configuration application on the computer system that receives the user input at the computer system to access the configuration data used by the navigation information generator to generate the messages.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the configuration application displays a graphical user interface and receives the user input through the graphical user interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a power supply connected to the group of reference receivers, the transmitter system, and the navigation information generator.

19. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a group of cases that are man portable, and that hold the group of reference receivers, the transmitter system, and the navigation information generator.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first reference receiver in the group of reference receivers is placed at a new location that has not been surveyed prior to the first reference receiver being placed at the new location.

21. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the navigation information includes at least one of take off information, landing information, approach information, or missed approach information.