Compensation for differences in receiver signals and in satellite signals

• US 5,757,677 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Lennen, Gary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US08/658,938
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 364/571.02, 364/516, 364/424.01, 364/526, 364/572-575, 364/449.8, 375/220, 375/243, 342/358, 342/402
• US Class Current: 702/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude

Abstract

Method and apparatus for compensating for the differences in time varying signals S(t;R;S) received and processed by two signal receivers (R₂ and R₃), located at the same site, from two signal sources (S₂ and S₃) that are spaced apart from the receivers. A receiver (R₁) is chosen as a baseline, and two double difference signals DD(t;R₁ ;R₂ ;S₂ ;S₃)=S(t;R₁ ;S₂)-S(t;R₁ ;S₃)-S(t;R₂ ;S₂)+S(t;R₂ ;S₃) and DD(t;R₁ ;R₃ ;S₂ ;S₃)=S(t;R₁ ;S₂)-S(t;R₁ ;S₃)-S(t;R₃ ;S₂)+S(t;R₃ ;S₃) are formed. Time averages of these two double difference signals are formed, using a time interval of length T lying in a preferred range, and are subtracted from the corresponding double difference signals to form first and second compensated signals. A time varying third compensated signal, equal to the difference of the first and second compensated signals, is formed that compensates for the differences in signals that are contemporaneously received from the signal sources S₂ and S₃ at the receivers R₂ and R₃ located at the same site. This compensated signal has the property that its time varying value, when averaged over a time interval of length T, has a magnitude that is either zero or is less than a small positive threshold value. This compensation approach extends to receipt of more than one kind of coded signal, such as P code or C/A code in the presence of or absence of anti-spoofing, each of which is processed differently by a receiver/processor. This compensation can be used for any type of receiver/processor and is useful in compensation for receiver/processors used in Satellite Positioning Systems, such as GPS and GLONASS.

Claims

1. A method for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving time varying first and second signals at a first receiver from a first signal source and from a second signal source, receiving time varying third and fourth signals at a second receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively, and receiving time varying fifth and sixth signals at a third receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively;

forming a first difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and fourth signals, minus a sum of the second and third signals;

forming a second difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and sixth signals, minus a sum of the second and fifth signals; and

forming a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, that is a sum of the first difference signal and a time average of the second difference signal, minus a sum of the second difference signal and a time average of the first difference signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of calculating at least one of said time averages of said first and second difference signals using a time interval in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing said first and second signal sources to have independently selected transmission modes for signals transmitted from said first and second signal sources.

4. A method for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving time varying first and second signals at a first receiver from a first signal source and from a second signal source, and receiving time varying third and fourth signals at a second receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively;

forming a difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and fourth signals, minus a sum of the second and third signals; and

forming a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, that is a difference between the difference signal and a time average of the difference signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of calculating said time average of said difference signal using a time interval in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of allowing said first and second signal sources to have independently selected transmission modes for signals transmitted from said first and second signal sources.

7. A method for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving time varying first and second signals at a first receiver from a first signal source and from a second signal source, receiving time varying third and fourth signals at a second receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively, and receiving time varying fifth and sixth signals at a third receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively;

forming a first difference signal, equal to a sum of the first signal and a time average of the second signal, minus a sum of the second signal and a time average of the first signal;

forming a second difference signal, equal to a sum of the third signal and a time average of the fourth signal, minus a sum of the fourth signal and a time average of the third signal;

forming a third difference signal, equal to a sum of the fifth signal and a time average of the sixth signal, minus a sum of the sixth signal and a time average of the fifth signal;

forming a fourth difference signal, equal to a difference between the first and second difference signals;

forming a fifth difference signal, equal to a difference between the first and third difference signals; and

forming a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, equal to a difference between the fourth and fifth difference signals.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of calculating at least one of said time averages of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth signals using a time interval in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of allowing said first and second signal sources to have independently selected transmission modes for signals transmitted from said first and second signal sources.

10. A method for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving time varying first and second signals at a first receiver from a first signal source and from a second signal source, and receiving time varying third and fourth signals at a second receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively;

forming a first difference signal, equal to a sum of the first signal and a time average of the second signal, minus a sum of the second signal and a time average of the first signal;

forming a second difference signal, equal to a sum of the third signal and a time average of the fourth signal, minus a sum of the fourth signal and a time average of the third signal; and

forming a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for first and second receivers that are not confined to the same site, equal to a difference between the first and second difference signals.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of calculating at least one of said time averages of said first, second, third and fourth signals using a time interval in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of allowing said first and second signal sources to have independently selected transmission modes for signals transmitted from said first and second signal sources.

13. A method for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving time varying first and second signals at a first receiver from a first signal source that transmits in a first selected transmission mode and from a second signal source that transmits in a second selected transmission mode, and receiving time varying third and fourth signals at a second receiver from the first and second signal sources, respectively;

forming a difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and fourth signals, minus a sum of the second and third signals; and

forming a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, that is a difference between the difference signal and a time average of the difference signal.

14. Apparatus for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the apparatus comprising:

a first signal receiver that receives time varying first and second information signals from first and second signal sources, respectively, and that transmits these signals;

a signal processor that receives the first and second signals from the first signal receiver, that receives time varying third and fourth signals that have been received by a second signal receiver from the respective first and second signal sources, and that receives time varying fifth and sixth signals that have been received by a third signal receiver from the respective first and second signal sources;

where the signal processor;

(i) forms a first difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and fourth signals minus the sum of the second and third information signals;

(ii) forms a second difference signal, equal to a sum of the first and sixth signals minus the sum of the second and fifth information signals; and

(iii) forms a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, equal to a sum of the first difference signal and a time average of the second difference signal, minus a sum of the second difference signal and a time average of the first difference signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said time average is determined over a selected length of time T in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first and second signal sources have independently selected transmission modes for transmission of signals from said first and second signal sources, respectively.

17. Apparatus for compensation of a signal receiver with respect to another signal receiver, where each receiver receives electronic communication signals from at least two signal sources, that produces substantially equivalent data at each of the receivers, the apparatus comprising:

a first signal receiver that receives time varying first and second information signals from first and second signal sources, respectively, and that transmits these signals;

a signal processor that receives the first and second signals from the first signal receiver, that receives time varying third and fourth signals that have been received by a second signal receiver from the respective first and second signal sources, and that receives time varying fifth and sixth signals that have been received by a third signal receiver from the respective first and second signal sources;

where the signal processor;

(i) forms a first difference signal, equal to a sum of the first signal and a time average of the second signal, minus the sum of the second signal and a time average of the first signal;

(ii) forms a second difference signal, equal to a sum of the third signal and a time average of the fourth signal, minus the sum of the fourth signal and a time average of the third signal;

(iii) forms a third difference signal, equal to a sum of the fifth signal and a time average of the sixth signal, minus the sum of the sixth signal and a time average of the fifth signal;

(iv) forms a fourth difference signal, equal to a difference between the first difference signal and the second difference signal;

(v) forms a fifth difference signal, equal to a difference between the first difference signal and the third difference signal; and

(iii) forms a compensated signal, for the first and second source signals and for second and third receivers that are not confined to the same site, equal to a difference between the fourth and fifth difference signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said time average is determined over a selected length of time T in the range 120 sec≦

T≦

1800 sec.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first and second signal sources have independently selected transmission modes for transmission of signals from said first and second signal sources, respectively.