METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHARING CONVERGENCE DATA

• US 20180095177A1
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Peake, John, Best, Gregory, Loomis, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 10,551,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/072 Ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/074 providing integrity data, e.g. WAAS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/32 Multimode operation in a single same satellite system, e.g. GPS L1/L2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method

Abstract

Systems and methods for sharing convergence data between GNSS receivers are disclosed. Convergence data received at a GNSS receiver via a communication connection may be utilized to determine a position of the GNSS receiver.

Claims

1. A method for sharing convergence data between Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, the method comprising:

receiving convergence data at a first GNSS receiver from a second GNSS receiver, the first GNSS receiver operating in a non-converged state and the second GNSS receiver operating in a converged state, the convergence data generated at the second GNSS receiver;

and thereafter

determining a position of the first GNSS receiver using the convergence data from the second GNSS receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first GNSS receiver or the second GNSS receiver is associated with a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data is Precise Point Positioning (PPP) convergence data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first GNSS receiver and the second GNSS receiver are mobile receivers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first GNSS receiver is configured to receive GNSS signals in one frequency band, and the second GNSS receiver is configured to receive GNSS signals in at least two separate frequency bands.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data is received at the first GNSS receiver using a wireless communication transceiver.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data includes at least one of atmospheric models, orbit models, or satellite clock errors.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data includes resolved carrier phase ambiguities.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data indicates how long continuous tracking of GNSS signals from particular satellites has been maintained.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the convergence data is generated at the second GNSS receiver using PPP correction data from a network of base stations.

11. A system for sharing convergence data, comprising:

a convergence data server comprising;

a data storage device configured to store Precise Point Positioning (PPP) convergence data for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver; and

a communication transceiver coupled with said data storage device and configured to convey said PPP convergence data to a second communication transceiver; and

a mobile GNSS receiver operating in a non-converged state and coupled with the second communication transceiver and configured to use the PPP convergence data to converge said mobile GNSS receiver.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a converged GNSS receiver configured to provide the PPP convergence data to the convergence data server.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the convergence data server comprises a second mobile GNSS receiver.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the mobile GNSS receiver is disposed in a first vehicle and the second mobile GNSS receiver is disposed in a second vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a converged GNSS receiver configured to provide the PPP convergence data to the convergence data server, wherein the mobile GNSS receiver is arranged in a vehicle and the converged GNSS receiver is disposed in an infrastructure other than a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the mobile GNSS receiver is configured to receive GNSS signals in at least two separate frequency bands.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the communication transceiver and the second communication transceiver communicate via a wireless communication connection.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the communication transceiver and the second communication transceiver are compliant with the Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) standard.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the convergence data server comprises a cloud computing network.

20. A method for sharing convergence data between Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, said method comprising:

receiving Precise Point Positioning (PPP) convergence data at a mobile GNSS receiver via a communication connection, the mobile GNSS receiver operating in a non-converged state and the PPP convergence data provided by a GNSS receiver operating in a converged state; and

utilizing the PPP convergence data to determine a position of the mobile GNSS receiver.