Integrated position determination system with radio relay

• US 6,091,358 A
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Krantz, Eric C., Hill, Robert J., Crothall, George, Maniscalco, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US08/918,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.03, 342/357.17, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry
• 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 integrated position determination network including a position determination system and a radio relay system is disclosed which locates the precise location of the position determination system. The position determination system incorporates the radio, the power source and the GPS receiver and all necessary electronics into a single housing. Similarly, all of the components of the radio relay are integrated into a single housing. Many of the components of the position determination system and the radio relay system are interchangeable. Thus, a position determination system and radio relay system which use common components is obtained. The use of common components lowers the cost of manufacture and the cost of maintenance. In addition, interchange ability of components allows for great flexibility in designing a GPS network and in performing real time kinematics operations.

Claims

1. An integrated position determination and radio system comprising:

a housing;

a receiver including an antenna disposed within said housing for receiving position determining signals from satellites;

position signal processing circuitry disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said receiver, said position signal processing circuitry adapted to analyze said position determining signals so as to solve a carrier phase algorithm for determining position; and

a radio disposed within said housing for communicating with other position determination systems, said radio including radio signal processing circuitry electrically coupled to said position signal processing circuitry, said radio including an antenna having an antenna strip that is disposed circularly, said antenna strip having slots disposed therein such that said antenna radiates in a toroidal pattern.

2. The integrated position determination and radio system of claim 1 further comprising:

a connector receptacle for coupling external devices to said integrated position determination and radio system; and

an external radio including a connection mechanism adapted to couple to said connector receptacle such that radio signals may be coupled between said external radio and said position signal processing circuitry.

3. A radio relay system comprising:

a housing;

an internal radio disposed within said housing, said internal radio including an antenna having an antenna strip that is disposed circularly, said antenna strip having slots disposed therein such that said antenna radiates in a toroidal pattern;

a connector receptacle for coupling external devices to said radio relay system, said connector receptacle electrically coupled to said internal radio;

an external radio including a connection mechanism adapted to couple to said connector receptacle such that, when said external radio is coupled to said connector receptacle, radio signals are received and are relayed using said internal radio and said external radio; and

wherein said housing is adapted to receive a position determination system that includes a receiver for receiving position determining signals from satellites, said position determination system further including position signal processing circuitry adapted to analyze said position determining signals for determining position.