TIMER INITIATED CONVERGENCE OF A GNSS RECEIVER

• US 20160231431A1
• 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 10,241,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning

Abstract

A method of implementing convergence of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is disclosed. A GNSS receiver which is coupled with a mobile machine is shut down. The GNSS receiver is in a converged state at shut down. The GNSS receiver is automatically powered up at a preset time. A convergence algorithm is automatically initiated prior to start of work that utilizes the GNSS receiver.

Claims

1. A method of implementing fast GNSS convergence by relative positioning, 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;

automatically powering up said GNSS receiver at a preset time; and

automatically initiating a convergence algorithm prior to start of work that utilizes said GNSS receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

determining said preset time, wherein said GNSS receiver will implement a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded; and

upon automatically powering up said GNSS receiver, initiating said longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a movement sensor to determine that net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine does not exceed a threshold net movement parameter while said GNSS receiver is shut down;

determining said preset time, wherein said GNSS receiver will implement a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded; and

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

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically initiating a long convergence algorithm when powering up said GNSS receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver; and

determining said preset time based at least in part upon an analysis of said record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting said preset time at a location separate from said GNSS receiver; and

using a wireless communication transceiver to receive said preset time for powering up said GNSS receiver.

7. 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; and

automatically powering up said GNSS receiver at a preset time; and

automatically initiating a convergence algorithm prior to start of work that utilizes said GNSS receiver.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

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

determining a power up time for said GNSS receiver to implement a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded; and

upon automatic power up of said GNSS receiver, initiating said longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

monitoring a movement sensor to determine that net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine does not exceed a threshold net movement parameter while said GNSS receiver is shut down;

determining a power up time for said GNSS receiver to implement a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded; and

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

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein said method further comprises:

automatically initiating a long convergence algorithm when powering up said GNSS receiver.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

maintaining a record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver; and

determining said preset time based at least in part upon an analysis of said record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

setting said preset time at a location separate from said GNSS receiver; and

using a wireless communication transceiver to receive said preset time for powering up said GNSS receiver.

13. A navigation system comprising:

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

a processor configured to cause said GNSS receiver to transition into a shut down state from said converged state and to automatically power up said GNSS receiver at a preset time, and further configured to automatically initiate a convergence algorithm prior to start of work that utilizes said GNSS receiver.

14. The navigation system claim 13, further comprising:

a movement sensor configured to determine that 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 wherein said processor is configured to determine said preset time wherein said GNSS receiver will implement a longer convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded, said processor further configured to initiate said longer convergence algorithm upon automatically powering up said GNSS receiver in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has been exceeded.

15. The navigation system of claim 13, further comprising:

a movement sensor configured to determine that net movement of a GNSS antenna coupled with said mobile machine has not exceeded a threshold net movement parameter while said GNSS receiver is shut down, and wherein said processor is configured to determine said preset time wherein said GNSS receiver will implement a shorter convergence algorithm in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded, said processor further configured to initiate said shorter convergence algorithm upon automatically powering up said GNSS receiver in response to determining that said threshold net movement parameter has not been exceeded.

16. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein said mobile machine is equipped with a telematics box and wherein a movement sensor which is disposed outside of said telematics box is monitored by said processor to determine whether movement of said GNSS antenna while said GNSS receiver is shut down exceeds a threshold net movement parameter.

17. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein said mobile machine is equipped with a telematics box and wherein a movement sensor which comprises a component of said telematics box is monitored by said processor to determine whether movement of said GNSS antenna while said GNSS receiver is shut down exceeds a threshold net movement parameter.

18. The navigation system of claim 13, wherein said processor automatically initiates a long convergence algorithm when powering up said GNSS receiver.

19. The navigation system of claim 13, further comprising:

a memory configured to maintain a record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver, and wherein said processor determines said preset time based at least in part upon an analysis of said record of previous power up times for said GNSS receiver.

20. The navigation system of claim 13 further comprising:

a wireless communication transceiver configured to receive said preset time for powering up said GNSS receiver from a wireless device located separate from said GNSS receiver.