Use of global positioning system in locating a radio transmitter

• US 6,266,012 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Fischer, Sven, Larsson, Erik, Kangas, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/162,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 342/387, 342/457, 342/463, 342/465, 342/357.06, 455/456
• US Class Current: 342/387
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/026 of associated receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence

Abstract

In locating the position of a radio transmitter in a radio communication network, signal timing measurements of a radio signal transmitted by the radio transmitter are obtained using respective satellite-based clocks. Clock discrepancy information about timing discrepancies between the satellite-based clocks is also obtained. The signal timing measurements are compared to obtain signal timing difference information, and the clock discrepancy information is used to eliminate effects of the timing discrepancies from the signal timing difference information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining radio signal timing relationships in a radio communication network, comprising:

an input for receiving first and second signal timing measurements of at least one radio signal transmitted in the radio communication network and for receiving clock skew information about a timing discrepancy between first and second satellite-based clock signals respectively used to make the first and second signal timing measurements;

a timing relationship determiner coupled to said input for comparing the first and second signal timing measurements to obtain signal timing difference information and for using the clock skew information to compensate for an effect of said timing discrepancy in the signal timing difference information, the signal timing difference information being adjusted to account for a contribution of said timing discrepancy to the signal timing difference information; and

an output for outputting the adjusted signal timing difference information to a location determiner, the location determiner operable to determine the position of a radio transmitter in the radio communication network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second signal timing measurements include first and second time of arrival measurements, and wherein said signal timing difference information includes time difference of arrival information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input is for receiving first and second signal timing measurements of a radio signal transmitted by a mobile radio transmitter in the radio communication network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input is for receiving first and second signal timing measurements of respective first and second radio signals respectively transmitted by first and second fixed-site radio transmitters in the radio communication network.

5. A method of measuring radio signal timing relationships in a radio communication network, comprising:

obtaining first and second signal timing measurements of at least one radio signal transmitted in the radio communication network, including using first and second satellite-based clocks respectively derived from first and second satellite timing references to make the respective first and second signal timing measurements;

providing the first and second satellite-based clocks at a first location;

obtaining, in response to the first and second satellite-based clocks provided at the first location, clock discrepancy information about a timing discrepancy between the first and second satellite-based clocks caused by a discrepancy between the first and second satellite timing references from which the first and second satellite-based clocks are derived;

comparing the first and second signal timing measurements to obtain signal timing difference information;

using the clock discrepancy information to compensate for an effect of the timing discrepancy in the signal timing difference information;

adjusting the signal timing difference information to account for a contribution of the timing discrepancy to the signal timing difference information; and

outputting the adjusted signal timing difference information to a location determiner, the location determiner operable to determine the position of a radio transmitter in the radio communication network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information includes automatically obtaining the clock discrepancy information periodically.

7. The method of claim 5, including requesting the clock discrepancy information, said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information including obtaining the clock discrepancy information in response to said requesting step.

8. The method of claim 5, including requesting the first and second signal timing measurements, said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements including obtaining the first and second signal timing measurements in response to said requesting step, and said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information including obtaining the clock discrepancy information in response to said requesting step.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information includes selectively obtaining the clock discrepancy information in response to said requesting step.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes receiving the first and second signal timing measurements respectively from first and second measurement nodes, and wherein said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information includes receiving the clock discrepancy information from one of the first and second measurement nodes.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes receiving the first and second signal timing measurements respectively from first and second measurement nodes, and wherein said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information includes receiving the clock discrepancy information from a source other than the first and second measurement nodes.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes using a measurement node to obtain one of the signal timing measurements, and wherein said step of obtaining clock discrepancy information includes using the measurement node to obtain clock discrepancy information about timing discrepancies between all satellite-based clocks available to the measurement node.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of using first and second satellite-based clocks includes using first and second Global Positioning System (GPS) clocks to make the respective first and second signal timing measurements, and wherein said timing discrepancy is caused by Selective Availability (SA) errors induced in said first and second Global Positioning System clocks.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes obtaining first and second time of arrival measurements, and wherein said comparing step includes making time difference of arrival measurements.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein said comparing step includes determining a difference between said first and second signal timing measurements, and wherein said step of using clock discrepancy information includes determining a contribution of the timing discrepancy to said difference, and adjusting said difference to account for said contribution.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes obtaining first and second signal timing measurements of a radio signal transmitted by a mobile radio transmitter in the radio communication network.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining first and second signal timing measurements includes obtaining first and second signal timing measurements of respective first and second radio signals respectively transmitted by first and second fixed-site radio transmitters in the radio communication network.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the location determiner uses the adjusted signal timing difference information along with other available information to determine the position of the radio transmitter in the radio communication network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the result of the timing difference calculation is free from the timing discrepancy caused by Selective Availability (SA) errors induced in the first and second satellite-based clock signals.

20. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusted signal timing difference information is indicative of the result of a timing difference calculation wherein timing discrepancy, between first and second satellites, is removed from the signal timing difference information.

21. An apparatus for making radio signal timing measurements in a radio communication network, comprising:

an input for receiving a radio signal transmitted in the radio communication network;

in input for providing at a first location a plurality of satellite-based clock signals respectively derived from a plurality of satellite timing references;

a signal timing determiner coupled to said inputs for using at least one of said satellite-based clock signals to produce a signal timing measurement of the received radio signal;

a clock skew determiner coupled to said clock signal input and responsive to first and second ones of said satellite-based clock signals for providing clock skew information indicative of a timing discrepancy between the first and second satellite-based clock signals caused by a discrepancy between the respective satellite timing references from which the first and second satellite-based clock signals are derived; and

an output for outputting said signal timing measurement and said clock skew information.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said signal timing measurement includes a time of arrival measurement.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said clock skew determiner is automatically operable to produce said clock skew information periodically.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, including an input for receiving a request for said signal timing determiner to produce said signal timing measurement, said clock skew determiner selectively responsive to said request to produce said clock skew information.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said satellite-based clock signals are Global Positioning System (GPS) clock signals, and wherein said timing discrepancy is caused by Selective Availability (SA) errors induced in said first and second Global Positioning System clock signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said clock skew determiner is operable to provide clock skew information indicative of timing discrepancies between all of said satellite-based clock signals.