GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM RECEIVER CONVERGENCE SELECTION

• US 20160231429A1
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Eric, Seeger, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method

Abstract

A method of implementing convergence selection of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a GNSS receiver which is coupled with a mobile machine is shut down. The GNSS receiver is in a converged state at shut down. A movement sensor is monitored to determine if net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with the mobile machine exceeds a threshold net movement parameter while the GNSS receiver is shut down. Upon power up of the GNSS receiver, a shorter convergence algorithm is initiated in response to determining that the threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded and a longer convergence algorithm is initiated in response to determining that the threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

Claims

1. A method of implementing convergence selection of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, said method comprising:

shutting down a GNSS receiver which is coupled with a mobile machine, wherein said GNSS receiver is in a converged state at shut down;

monitoring a movement sensor to determine if net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine exceeds a threshold net movement parameter while said GNSS receiver is shut down; and

upon power up of said GNSS receiver, initiating a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded and initiating a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile machine is equipped with a telematics box and further comprising:

monitoring said movement sensor which is disposed outside of said telematics box.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile machine is equipped with a telematics box and further comprising:

monitoring said movement sensor which comprises a component of said telematics box.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring an accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring an image capture device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring whether a transmission of said mobile machine has been engaged.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring whether a steering wheel of said mobile machine has been turned.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a message to said movement sensor during the shut down which causes said movement sensor to record movement of said mobile machine while said GNSS receiver is shut down.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

upon power up of said GNSS receiver, generating a message to said movement sensor for movement data indicating whether said mobile machine has moved while said GNSS receiver has been shut down.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method of implementing convergence selection of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, said method comprising:

shutting down a GNSS receiver which is coupled with a mobile machine, wherein said GNSS receiver is in a converged state at shut down;

monitoring a movement sensor to determine if net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine exceeds a threshold net movement parameter while said GNSS receiver is shut down; and

upon power up of said GNSS receiver, initiating a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded and initiating a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring an accelerometer.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring an image capture device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring whether a transmission of said mobile machine has been engaged.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein monitoring said movement sensor further comprises:

monitoring whether a steering wheel of said mobile machine has been turned.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

generating a message to said movement sensor during the shut down which causes said movement sensor to record movement of said mobile machine while said GNSS receiver is shut down.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

upon power up of said GNSS receiver, generating a message to said movement sensor for movement data indicating whether said mobile machine has moved while said GNSS receiver has been shut down.

17. A navigation system comprising:

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver coupled with a mobile machine;

a movement sensor configured to monitor movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine while said GNSS receiver is shut down; and

a processor configured to cause said GNSS receiver to transition into a shut down state from a converged state and, upon subsequent power up of said GNSS receiver, to initiate a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that a threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded while said GNSS receiver is shut down and to initiate a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded while said GNSS receiver is shut down.

18. The navigation system of claim 17 further comprising a telematics box and wherein said movement sensor is disposed outside of said telematics box.

19. The navigation system of claim 17 further comprising a telematics box and wherein said movement sensor comprises a component of said telematics box.

20. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said movement sensor comprises at least one accelerometer.

21. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said movement sensor comprises at least one image capture device.

22. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said movement sensor comprises a component for determining whether a transmission of said mobile machine has been engaged.

23. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said movement sensor comprises a component for determining whether a steering wheel of said mobile machine has been turned.

24. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said GNSS receiver is coupled with a mobile machine.

25. The navigation system of claim 17 wherein said movement sensor comprises a gyroscope.