Positioning system using packet radio to determine position and to obtain information relative to a position

• US 6,353,743 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Karmel, Clayton R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/936,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/456, 455/457, 455/466, 342/357, 342/457, 342/450
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A positioning system includes the ability to receive GPS signals and to receive and transmit packet radio signals. The positioning system receives GPS transmissions to determine its pseudo position. The positioning system also receives differential corrections relative to its pseudo position using packet radio. By combining the GPS transmissions and the differential corrections, the positioning system calculates its actual position. A user has the ability to obtain information relevant to their actual position by transmitting a request to a reference station, using packet radio. The reference station maintains an information system and will transmit the requested information back to the user. The information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system and a direct link to the internet. The user is able to provide information for storage within the information system or on the internet in order to compile the information available from the reference station. The positioning system also includes the ability to automatically transmit its position periodically allowing the reference station to track and monitor its actual position. Information relative to its location, signals and alerts are transmitted to predetermined locations based on the position of the positioning system relative to a predetermined location or another positioning system. Alternatively, the positioning system determines its position using only packet radio. Reference stations at known locations transmit signals having predetermined amplitudes and signal strengths. A positioning system determines its position relative to the reference stations based on the amplitude and strength of the signals received from the reference stations.

Claims

1. A mobile positioning system for determining a position of the mobile positioning system and obtaining information about that position comprising:

a. means for communicating with a reference station having a known position, using a packet radio format, for receiving positioning transmissions and obtaining non-mapping information related to the position from the reference station; and

b. means for determining a position coupled to the means for communicating for determining the position of the positioning system based on the positioning transmissions received from the reference station and the known position.

2. The positioning system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user interface coupled to the means for communicating for allowing a user to communicate through the positioning system to the reference station.

3. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the reference station includes an information system having a data storage memory and retrieval system.

4. The positioning system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the reference station further includes a direct internet connection allowing the user to access the internet through the positioning system.

5. The positioning system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the packet radio format is CDPD.

6. The positioning system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the positioning transmissions are transmitted from the reference station having a known amplitude and known signal strength and are received by the means for communicating having a received amplitude and received signal strength and further wherein the means for determining determines the position based on the difference between the known and received amplitudes and the known and received signal strengths.

7. The positioning system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for automatically and periodically providing the position to the reference station.

8. The positioning system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the reference station includes means for tracking and monitoring the position of the positioning system.

9. The positioning system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the reference station further includes means for sending an alert coupled to the means for tracking and monitoring for sending an alert to a predetermined location if the position of the positioning system is equal to a predetermined alert position.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for communicating is further configured to obtain geographical mapping information related to the position.

11. A method of determining a position of a mobile positioning system and obtaining information about the position comprising the steps of:

a. receiving positioning transmissions in a packet radio format from a positioning station having a known position;

b. determining a position of the mobile positioning system based on the positioning transmissions received from the positioning station and the known position; and

c. communicating with a reference station using a packet radio format to obtain non-mapping information related to the position from the reference station.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the positioning transmissions are received from a plurality of positioning stations, each reference station sending positioning transmissions having a known amplitude and known signal strength.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the position is determined based on the difference between the known amplitude and a received amplitude of each positioning transmission received from each respective positioning station and the difference between the known signal strength and a received signal strength of each positioning transmission received from each respective positioning station.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the positioning station is included within the reference station.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of providing an interface to a user thereby allowing the user to communicate with the reference station.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the step of automatically and periodically providing the position to the reference station.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising the step of monitoring the position.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the step of providing an alert if the position is equal to a predetermined position.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the positioning station is included within the reference station.

20. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the step of communicating further includes obtaining geographical mapping information related to the position.

21. A system for determining a position of a mobile positioning system and obtaining information about that position comprising:

a. a plurality of reference stations each having a known position and including a first communications circuit for sending and receiving communications in a packet radio format, wherein the communications include positioning transmissions having a known amplitude and known signal strength; and

b. a mobile positioning system including;

i. a second communications circuit for communicating with the first communications circuit in the packet radio format and receiving the positioning transmissions, which when received have a received amplitude and a received signal strength;

ii. a position determining circuit for determining the position of the mobile positioning system based on the difference between the known amplitude and signal strength and the received amplitude and signal strength of the positioning transmissions received from each of the plurality of reference stations and the known position of each of the plurality of reference stations; and

iii. an interface coupled to the second communications circuit for interfacing with a user and allowing the user to obtain non-mapping information related to the position from one or more of the reference stations and to provide information to one or more of the reference stations.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein each reference station further includes an information system for storing and retrieving information.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the user to have direct access to information on the internet.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

26. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the second communications circuit automatically and periodically provides the position to the reference station.

27. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the reference station further includes a monitoring device coupled to the first communications circuit for monitoring the position of the positioning system.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the reference station further includes an alerting device coupled to the monitoring device for sending an alert to a predetermined location if the position of the positioning system is equal to a predetermined position.

29. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the second communications circuit is configured to obtain geographical mapping information related to the position.

30. A system for determining and monitoring a position of a mobile positioning system comprising:

a. a mobile positioning system including;

i. a first communications circuit for sending and receiving communications in a packet radio format including receiving positioning transmissions having a received amplitude and a received signal strength and automatically and periodically transmitting a position of the positioning system in a packet radio format; and

ii. a determining circuit coupled to the first communications circuit for determining the position of the positioning system based on the received amplitude and signal strength of the positioning transmissions; and

b. a plurality of reference stations each including;

i. a second communications circuit for communicating with the first communications circuit in the packet radio format, receiving the position and transmitting the positioning transmissions at a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position;

ii. a monitoring circuit coupled to the second communications circuit for monitoring and tracking the position; and

iii. an alerting device coupled to the monitoring device for sending an alert if the position of the positioning system is equal to a predetermined position.