Method and apparatus for determining time for GPS receivers
First Claim
1. A method for determining a position of a mobile global positioning system receiver, said mobile global positioning system receiver receiving global positioning system signals from at least one of a plurality of global positioning system (GPS) satellites, said method comprising:
- receiving a cellular communication signal in a mobile communication receiver coupled to said mobile global positioning system receiver, said cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event;
associating said time indicator with data representing a time of arrival of a GPS satellite signal at said mobile global positioning system receiver; and
determining a position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver, wherein said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal and said time indicator are used to determine said position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver and wherein said cellular communication signal supports 2-way communications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus of determining the time for a global positioning system receiver is disclosed. Timing signals derived from a communication system, such as cellular phone transmission signals, are received by a GPS receiver and decoded to provide accurate time information. The timing signals may be in the form of synchronized events marked by timing indicators, or as system time information. The timing signals in combination with satellite position signals received by the GPS receiver are used to determine the position of the GPS receiver.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for determining a position of a mobile global positioning system receiver, said mobile global positioning system receiver receiving global positioning system signals from at least one of a plurality of global positioning system (GPS) satellites, said method comprising:
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receiving a cellular communication signal in a mobile communication receiver coupled to said mobile global positioning system receiver, said cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event; associating said time indicator with data representing a time of arrival of a GPS satellite signal at said mobile global positioning system receiver; and determining a position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver, wherein said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal and said time indicator are used to determine said position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver and wherein said cellular communication signal supports 2-way communications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22)
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16. A global positioning system for determining the position of a receiver comprising:
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a mobile global positioning system receiver configured to receive global positioning system signals from a plurality of global positioning system satellites; receive a cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event; associate said time indicator with data representing a time of arrival of a GPS satellite signal at said mobile global positioning system receiver; transmit said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal and transmit said time indicator over said cellular communication signal; and a global positioning system server configured to receive said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal and said time indicator transmitted by said mobile global positioning system receiver; and calculate the position of said mobile global positioning system receiver using said time indicator and said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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23. A mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver comprising:
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an SPS receiver circuit, said SPS receiver circuit receiving SPS signals from SPS satellites and determining data representing a time of arrival of an SPS satellite signal; a cellular communication system coupled to said SPS receiver circuit, said cellular communication system receiving a cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event, wherein said time indicator is associated with said data representing said time of arrival and wherein said time indicator and said data representing said time of arrival are used to determine a position information of said mobile SPS receiver and wherein said cellular communication system supports 2-way communications; wherein said cellular communication system transmits said time indicator and said data representing said time of arrival to a remote processing system which determines said position information.
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24. A mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver comprising:
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an SPS receiver circuit, said SPS receiver circuit receiving SPS signals from SPS satellites and determining data representing a time of arrival of an SPS satellite signal; a cellular communication system coupled to said SPS receiver circuit, said cellular communication system receiving a cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event, wherein said time indicator is associated with said data representing said time of arrival and wherein said time indicator and said data representing said time of arrival are used to determine a position information of said mobile SPS receiver and wherein said cellular communication system supports 2-way communications; wherein said data representing said time of arrival is obtained from pseudorandom sequences of said SPS satellite signal. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver comprising:
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an SPS receiver circuit, said SPS receiver circuit receiving SPS signals from SPS satellites and determining data representing a time of arrival of an SPS satellite signal; a cellular communication system coupled to said SPS receiver circuit, said cellular communication system receiving a cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event, wherein said time indicator is associated with said data representing said time of arrival and wherein said time indicator and said data representing said time of arrival are used to determine a position information of said mobile SPS receiver and wherein said cellular communication system supports 2-way communications; a counter coupled to said cellular communication system, said counter counting an elapsed time between said time indicator to said time of arrival.
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27. A method in a mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver for determining a position information of said mobile SPS receiver, said method comprising:
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receiving at said mobile SPS receiver a cellular communication signal which comprises at least one time indicator; receiving SPS signals at said mobile SPS receiver; determining, from said time indicator, a particular time which represents a time at which said SPS signals were received at said mobile SPS receiver; transmitting a representation of said particular time and a satellite position information from said mobile SPS receiver; determining a time of receipt of said SPS signals at said remote mobile SPS receiver and associating said time indicator with said time of receipt.
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28. A method in a mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver for determining a position information of said mobile SPS receiver, said method comprising:
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receiving at said mobile SPS receiver a cellular communication signal which comprises at least one time indicator; receiving SPS signals at said mobile SPS receiver; determining, from said time indicator, a particular time which represents a time at which said SPS signals were received at said mobile SPS receiver; transmitting a representation of said particular time and a satellite position information from said mobile SPS receiver; determining a time of receipt of said SPS signals at said remote mobile SPS receiver and associating said time indicator with said time of receipt; counting in a counter a difference in time between said time of receipt and said time indicator.
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29. A method performed in a data processing station for determining a position information of a remote mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver, said method comprising:
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receiving from a mobile cellular communication system which is coupled to said remote mobile SPS receiver an information identifying a particular time indicator which was received from a cellular communication signal by said mobile cellular communication system; receiving a satellite position information from said remote mobile SPS receiver, said satellite position information being obtained from SPS signals received at said remote mobile SPS receiver; determining, from said information identifying said particular time indicator, a time in which said SPS signals were received at said remote mobile SPS receiver; determining an approximate location of said remote mobile SPS receiver from a cell based information source, said approximate location being determined by at least one of a location of a cellular service area which includes a cell site which communicates with said mobile cellular communication system or a location of said cell site; determining an approximate Doppler for at least one global positioning system satellite relative to said remote mobile SPS receiver, said approximate Doppler being based on said approximate location.
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30. A method in a mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver for determining a position information of said mobile SPS receiver, said method comprising:
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receiving at said mobile SPS receiver a cellular communication signal which comprises at least one time indicator; receiving SPS signals at said mobile SPS receiver; determining, from said time indicator, a particular time which represents a time at which said SPS signals were received at said mobile SPS receiver; transmitting a representation of said particular time and a satellite position information from said mobile SPS receiver; determining an approximate location of said mobile SPS receiver from a cell based information source, said approximate location being determined by at least one of a location of a cellular service area which includes a cell site which communicates with a mobile cell based communication receiver which is coupled to said mobile SPS receiver or a location of said cell site; determining an approximate Doppler for at least one global positioning system satellite relative to said mobile SPS receiver, said approximate Doppler being based on said approximate location; and using said approximate Doppler in said mobile SPS receiver to reduce processing time in either determining at least one pseudorange to said at least one global positioning system satellite or acquiring signals from said at least one global positioning system satellite.
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31. A method in a mobile satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver for determining a position information of said mobile SPS receiver, said method comprising:
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receiving at said mobile SPS receiver a cellular communication signal which comprises at least one time indicator; receiving SPS signals at said mobile SPS receiver; determining, from said time indicator, a particular time which represents a time at which said SPS signals were received at said mobile SPS receiver; transmitting a representation of said particular time and a satellite position information from said mobile SPS receiver; using an approximate Doppler in said mobile SPS receiver to reduce processing time in either determining at least one pseudorange to said at least one SPS satellite or acquiring signals from said at least one SPS satellite.
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32. A method for determining a position of a mobile global positioning system receiver, said mobile global positioning system receiver receiving global positioning system signals from at least one of a plurality of global positioning system (GPS) satellites, said method comprising:
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receiving a cellular communication signal in a mobile communication receiver coupled to said mobile global positioning system receiver, said cellular communication signal having a time indicator which represents a time event; associating said time indicator with data representing a time of arrival of a GPS satellite signal at said mobile global positioning system receiver; and determining a position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver, wherein said data representing said time of arrival of said GPS satellite signal and said time indicator are used to determine said position information of said mobile global positioning system receiver and wherein said cellular communication signal supports 2-way communications; and using an approximate Doppler in said mobile GPS receiver to reduce processing time in either determining a pseudorange to a GPS satellite or acquiring signals from said GPS satellite.
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Specification