System for broadcasting GPS data to a pager

• US 6,087,983 A
• Filed: 07/20/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Glenayre Electronics Incorporated (EDCI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ho, Derek, Buternowsky, Barry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/357,577
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 455/422, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/254 relating to Doppler shift of satellite signals
• 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 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile

Abstract

A communications network for GPS systems is configured so that the service area (i.e., the geographical area to which GPS service is provided) is divided into relatively small sections. Each section has a unique code assigned to it. The satellites of the GPS system transmit the GPS "base data" in the standard manner, which is then processed by a conventional reference GPS network to determine the aiding data. The communications network receives the aiding data determines differential data corresponding to each section. The communications network includes communications base stations that are distributed through the service area, which broadcasts the aiding data and the differential data to the sections. Each communication base station also includes the code of the section in which it is located. Thus, a remote unit in a given section will generally receive transmissions with the code corresponding to the section in which the remote unit is located. Using the received code, each remote unit uses the differential data corresponding to the section in which it is located to calculate pseudoranges, which are used to determine the remote unit'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method of providing global positioning satellite (GPS) data to a remote unit in a GPS system, the GPS system having a service area, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of sections in the GPS service area;

assigning a unique code to each section of the plurality of sections;

determining a data segment for each section, wherein each data segment for each section is a function of the GPS data and the location of that section relative to a base; and

broadcasting the GPS data and the data segments using a plurality of transmitters distributed across the plurality of sections, wherein the plurality of transmitters are configured to simulcast in the plurality of sections the GPS data and all of the data segments.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, in each section, the transmitters of the plurality of transmitters that are in that section also broadcast information representing the unique code assigned to that section.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving in the remote unit the GPS data and the data segments; and

determining a pseudorange using the GPS data and the data segment corresponding to the section in which the remote unit is located.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the data segments include differential Doppler data relative to Doppler data of the base.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitters are part of a two-way paging system.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitters periodically broadcast GPS data and the data segments.

7. A communications network for use with a global positioning satellite (GPS) system to communicate GPS data to a remote unit, the GPS system having a service area in which the remote unit is located and having a reference GPS network, the communications network comprising:

a plurality of transceivers distributed across the service area, the service area being partitioned into a plurality of sections, each section of the plurality of sections being assigned a unique code;

a RF director coupled to the plurality of transceivers;

a message switch coupled to the RF director;

a controller coupled to the message switch and to the reference GPS network, wherein the controller is configured to determine a data segment for each section of the plurality of sections, wherein each data segment for each section is a function of the GPS data and the location of that section relative to a base, and wherein the controller is further configured to cause the plurality of transceivers to broadcast the GPS data and the data segments, wherein the plurality of transmitters are configured to simulcast in the plurality of sections the GPS data and all of the data segments.

8. The communications network of claim 7 wherein, in each section, the transceivers of the plurality of transceivers that are in that section also broadcast information representing the unique code assigned to that section.