GPS receivers and garments containing GPS receivers and methods for using these GPS receivers

• US 5,825,327 A
• Filed: 10/07/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krasner, Norman F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/723,220
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 342/352, 342/357, 701/213, 701/215, 455/13.3
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/252 Employing an initial estimate of location in generating assistance data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/254 relating to Doppler shift of satellite signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/29 carrier including Doppler, related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/30 code related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/426 by combining or switching between position solutions or signals derived from different modes of operation in a single system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 : of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 : of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 : Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 : of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 : Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 : Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 : Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/163 : the local oscillations of at least two of the frequency changers being derived from a single oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/11 : Cellular receiver, e.g. GSM, combined with a GPS receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/04 : where the frequency control is accomplished by varying the electrical characteristics of a non-mechanically adjustable element or where the nature of the frequency controlling element is not significant
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/06 : using counters or frequency dividers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/00 : Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0007 : wherein the AD/DA conversion occurs at radiofrequency or intermediate frequency stage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 : the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 : with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device

Abstract

A GPS receiver having multiple GPS antennas. Also described is a method of tracking employing the GPS receiver and a communication transmitter. Also described is a garment having a GPS receiver and a GPS antenna and a communication antenna and a communication transmitter.

Claims

1. A GPS receiver comprising:

a first GPS antenna coupled to a digital memory, said digital memory storing first digitized signals obtained through said first GPS antenna;

a second GPS antenna coupled to said digital memory, said digital memory storing second digitized signals obtained through said second GPS antenna;

a digital processor coupled to said digital memory, said digital processor processing said first digitized signals after being stored in said digital memory to provide a first position information and processing said second digitized signals after being stored in said digital memory to provide a second position information.

2. A GPS receiver as in claim 1 wherein said first position information comprises a first pseudorange and said second position information comprises a second pseudorange and wherein said GPS receiver further comprises a third GPS antenna coupled to said digital memory which stores third digitized signals obtained through said third GPS antenna.

3. A GPS receiver as in claim 1 wherein said digital processor processes said first digitized signals by performing a plurality of fast convolutions on a plurality of blocks of said first digitized signals.

4. A GPS receiver as in claim 1 wherein said digital processor processes said first digitized signals by performing a plurality of fast convolutions on a corresponding plurality of blocks of said first digitized signals to provide a plurality of corresponding results of each fast convolution and summing a first plurality of mathematical representations of said plurality of corresponding results to obtain said first position information, and wherein said digital processor processes said second digitized signals by performing a plurality of fast convolutions on a corresponding plurality of blocks of said second digitized signals to provide a plurality of corresponding results of each fast convolution and summing a second plurality of mathematical representations of said plurality of corresponding results to obtain said second position information.

5. A GPS receiver as in claim 1 wherein said digital processor also processes communication signals received through a communication channel, said processing comprising demodulation of communication signals sent to said GPS receiver.

6. A GPS receiver as in claim 4 wherein said digital processor also processes communication signals received through a communication channel, said processing comprising demodulation of communication signals sent to said GPS receiver.

7. A GPS receiver as in claim 5 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a pseudorange, said transmitter being coupled to said digital processor.

8. A GPS receiver as in claim 4 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a pseudorange, said transmitter being coupled to said digital processor.

9. A GPS receiver as in claim 3 further comprising a switch coupled to said first GPS antenna and to said second GPS antenna, said switch coupling said first digital signals and said second digital signals to said digital memory.

10. A GPS receiver as in claim 9 further comprising a frequency converter coupled to said switch, said frequency converter converting signals received through said first GPS antenna from a first frequency to a second frequency.

11. A GPS receiver as in claim 10 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a pseudorange, said transmitter being coupled to said digital processor, and wherein said digital processor performs a pre-processing operation on said first digitized signals to provide first results for said first digitized signals, and performs a first fast convolution operation on said first results to provide second results for said first digitized signals and performs a post-processing operation on said second results to provide a third result for said first digitized signals.

12. A GPS receiver as in claim 11 wherein said digital processor determines a first pseudorange from said third result, and wherein said first digitized signals comprise sampled GPS signals and said preprocessing operation comprises adding together portions of said sampled GPS signals to provide compressed samples and wherein said fast convolution comprises a convolution of said compressed samples which produces said second results and wherein said post-processing operation comprises combining together said second results.

13. A GPS receiver as in claim 12 wherein said digital processor also processes communication signals received through a communication link, said processing comprising demodulation of communication signals sent to said GPS receiver.

14. A GPS receiver as in claim 12 wherein said digital processor also determines a second pseudorange and determines said pseudorange by determining whether said first pseudorange has a lower error value than said second pseudorange.

15. A GPS receiver as in claim 12 further comprising a power management circuit coupled to said digital processor, said power management circuit reducing power consumed by said GPS receiver.

16. A GPS receiver as in claim 13 further comprising a power management circuit coupled to said digital processor, said power management circuit reducing power consumed by said GPS receiver.

17. A GPS receiver as in claim 3 further comprising a communication antenna coupled to said digital processor.

18. A GPS receiver as in claim 17 wherein said digital processor processes communication signals received through said communication antenna, said processing of communication signals comprising demodulation of said communication signals.

19. A GPS receiver comprising:

a first GPS antenna coupled to a first digital memory, said first digital memory storing first digitized signals obtained through said first GPS antenna;

a second GPS antenna coupled to a second digital memory, said second digital memory storing second digitized signals obtained through said second GPS antenna;

a digital processor coupled to said first digital memory and to said second digital memory, said digital processor processing said first digitized signals after being stored in said first digital memory to provide a first position information and processing said second digitized signals after being stored to provide a second position information.

20. A GPS receiver as in claim 19 wherein said digital processor processes said first digitized signals and said second digitized signals by performing fast convolutions,.

21. A GPS receiver as in claim 20 wherein said digital processor also processes communication signals received through a communication link, said processing comprising demodulation of communication signals sent to said GPS receiver.

22. A GPS receiver as in claim 20 wherein said digital processor performs a pre-processing operation on said first digitized signals to provide first results for said first digitized signals and performs a first fast convolution operation on said first results to provide second results for said first digitized signals and performs a post-processing operation on said second results to provide a third result for said first digitized signals.

23. A GPS receiver as in claim 22 wherein said first digital signals and said second digital signals are concurrently obtained respectively, through said first GPS antenna and said second GPS antenna and wherein said GPS receiver further comprises a first down converter coupled to said first GPS antenna and a second down converter coupled to said second GPS antenna.

24. A GPS receiver as in claim 22 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a pseudorange, said transmitter being coupled to said digital processor.

25. A GPS receiver as in claim 24 further comprising a switch coupled to said first digital memory and to said second digital memory and to said digital processor.

26. A GPS receiver as in claim 22 wherein said first digital signals and said second digital signals are sequentially obtained respectively through said first GPS antenna and said second GPS antenna.

27. A GPS receiver as in claim 25 wherein said digital processor determines a first pseudorange from said third result, and wherein said first digitized signals comprise sampled GPS signals and said preprocessing operation comprises adding together portions of said sampled GPS signals to provide compressed samples and wherein said fast convolution comprises a convolution of said compressed samples which produces said second results and wherein said post-processing operation comprises combining together said second results.

28. A GPS receiver as in claim 27 wherein said digital processor also determines a second pseudorange and determines said pseudorange by determining whether said first pseudorange has a lower error value than said second pseudorange.

29. A GPS receiver as in claim 25 further comprising a power management circuit coupled to said digital processor, said power management circuit reducing power consumed by said GPS receiver.

30. A method of operating a GPS receiver, said method comprising:

receiving first GPS signals through a first GPS antenna;

digitizing said first GPS signals to provide first digitized signals and storing said first digitized signals in a first digital memory;

receiving second GPS signals through a second GPS antenna;

digitizing said second GPS signals to provide second digitized signals and storing said second digitized signals in one of said first digital memory and a second digital memory;

processing in a digital processor said stored first digitized signals to provide a first position information and processing said stored second digitized signals to provide a second position information;

selecting one of said first position information and said second position information to provide a selected position information.

31. A method as in claim 30 wherein said selecting step comprises determining whether said first position information or said second position information has a lower error.

32. A method as in claim 30 wherein said processing step comprises processing said first digitized signals and said second digitized signals by performing fast convolutions.

33. A method as in claim 32 further comprising transmitting said selected position information.

34. A method as in claim 32 wherein said digital processor also processes communication signals received through a communication channel, said processing comprising demodulation of said communication signals.

35. A method as in claim 32 further comprising reducing power consumed by said GPS receiver.

36. A method as in claim 32 wherein said first GPS signals and said second GPS signals are received sequentially.

37. A method as in claim 32 wherein said first GPS signals and said second GPS signals are received concurrently.