Global augmentation to global positioning system

• US 6,531,981 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Skynetix LLC
• Inventors: Fuller, Richard A., Hayward, Roger, Christie, Jock
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/845,753
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.03, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for corresponding data associated with primary correction of at least one first measurement of a GPS satellite characteristic to a second measurement of the GPS satellite characteristic taken at a mobile receiver. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first processor is coupled to at least one wide-area GPS corrections receiver and at least one local-area GPS corrections receiver. The wide-area and local-area receivers operate to determine the first measurement and secondary data associated with correction of the determined first measurement. In operation, an estimate of the location of the mobile receiver is determined by the first processor. The availability to the mobile receiver of the secondary correction data from the wide-area and local-area GPS corrections receivers is determined, preferably based on the location estimate. From the secondary correction data, primary data representing the primary correction is determined by the first processor. The primary data and the second measurement data are preferably colocated by causing the first processor to transmit the primary correction data to the mobile receiver.

Claims

1. A system for corresponding data associated with primary correction of at least one first measurement of a GPS satellite characteristic to data representing a second measurement of the GPS satellite characteristic taken at a mobile receiver, the system comprising:

a first processor adapted to compute primary data representing the primary correction;

at least one wide-area GPS corrections receiver coupled to said processor; and

at least one local-area GPS corrections receiver coupled to said processor,

wherein said wide-area and local-area receivers are adapted to determine secondary data associated with correction of said determined first measurement,

wherein said local-area secondary data is weighted proportionally according to distance from the mobile receiver to a one of said at least one local-area receiver from which said secondary data was received, and

wherein said wide-area secondary data is weighted relative to the local-area secondary data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first processor is adapted to transmit said primary correction data to the mobile receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first processor is adapted to receive the second measurement data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second processor, said second processor adapted to receive said primary correction data from said first processor, said second processor adapted to receive the second measurement data.

5. A method of corresponding data associated with primary correction of at least one first measurement of a GPS satellite characteristic to data representing a second measurement of the GPS satellite characteristic taken at a mobile receiver, the method comprising:

determining the availability to the mobile receiver of secondary correction data from at least one wide-area GPS corrections receiver and at least one local-area GPS corrections receiver;

determining, from said secondary correction data, primary data representing the primary correction; and

colocating said primary data and the second measurement data,

wherein said determining primary data comprises linearly combining said available secondary data,

wherein said linearly combining comprises weighting said local-area secondary data proportionally according to distance from the mobile receiver to a one of said at least one local-area receiver from which said secondary data was available, and

wherein said wide-area secondary data is weighted relative to the local-area secondary data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining an estimate of the location of the mobile receiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said availability determination is based on said estimate.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said colocating comprises transmitting said primary correction data to the mobile receiver.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said colocating comprises transmitting the second measurement data to a processor.