Global positioning system

• US 6,542,113 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Fujii, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20010050630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.02, 342/357.03, 342/357.12, 342/357.1, 342/357.09, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.64
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS

Abstract

A global positioning system is provided, which ensures accurate recognition of the position of a GPS terminal even if the radio section of a GPS terminal receives the GPS radio wave affected by extrinsic noise. This system comprises (a) at least one GPS terminal for receiving a GPS radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite and for generating positional information of the terminal based on information contained in the radio wave received; and (b) a GPS base station for detecting degradation of the GPs radio wave due to extrinsic noise and for transmitting a control signal containing information on the degradation of the radio wave to the at least one terminal. The at least one terminal conducts its operation to optimize reception condition or state of the GPS radio wave based on the control signal received. Preferably, the at least one terminal comprises a function to eliminate the degradation of the GPS radio wave due to an interference radio wave.

Claims

1. A global positioning system comprising:

(a) at least one GPS terminal for receiving a GPS radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite and for generating positional information of the terminal based on information contained in the radio wave received; and

(b) a GPS base station for detecting degradation of the GPS radio wave due to extrinsic noise and for transmitting a control signal containing information on the degradation of the radio wave to the at least one terminal,

wherein the at least one terminal conducts its operation to optimize reception condition or state of the GPS radio wave based on the control signal received,

wherein the at least one terminal comprises a receiver for receiving the control signal transmitted from the base station, an amplifier for amplifying a signal contained in the GPS radio wave, and a gain controller for controlling a gain of the amplifier, and

wherein the gain controller adjusts the gain of the amplifier according to the information contained in the control signal about the degradation of the GPS radio wave.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one terminal comprises a function to eliminate the degradation of the GPS radio wave due to an interference radio wave.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the gain controller increases the gain of the amplifier by increasing a current supplied to the amplifier.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the gain controller increases the gain of the amplifier to lower an impedance of the amplifier and restricts a bandwidth of a peripheral circuit of the amplifier, thereby suppressing a noise component of an output of the amplifier.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an additional amplifier provided after the amplifier,

wherein a gain of the additional amplifier is controlled in such a way as to prevent a total gain of the amplifiers from being excessive.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a band-pass filter provided after the amplifier;

wherein a passband of the band-pass filter is controlled in such a way as to suppress the noise component of the output of the amplifier.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a band-pass filter provided between a GPS antenna and the amplifier;

wherein a passband of the band-pass filter is controlled in such a way as to suppress the noise component of the output of the amplifier.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a noise eliminator for eliminating a noise component of the amplifier.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the noise eliminator identifies a noise frequency band of an interference radio wave by detecting a peak frequency of the interference radio wave;

and wherein the noise eliminator eliminates the noise frequency band.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the noise eliminator includes a function of eliminating a noise component of the amplifier higher than a specific level.

11. A GPS terminal comprising:

(a) an antenna for receiving a GPS radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite, producing an output;

(b) a radio section for amplifying the output of the antenna, producing an output;

(c) a decoder for decoding the output of the radio section, generating positional information of the terminal based on information contained in the radio wave received; and

(d) a gain controller for controlling a gain of the radio section;

wherein the radio section receives a control signal about degradation of the GPS radio wave due to extrinsic noise transmitted from a base station;

and wherein the gain controller controls the radio section in such a way that reception operation of the terminal for the GPS radio wave is optimized based on the control signal received.

12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the radio section comprises an amplifier.

13. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the gain controller adjusts the gain of the amplifier according to the information contained in the control signal.

14. A GPS terminal comprising:

a radio section for amplifying a GPS radio wave from a first source; and

a gain controller for controlling a gain of the radio section, wherein the radio section receives a control signal from a second source containing information about the degradation of the GPS radio wave from said first source due to an extrinsic noise, wherein said gain controller is adapted to control the gain based upon said information in said control signal.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the gain controller controls the radio section in such a way that a reception operation of the terminal for the GPS radio wave is optimized based on the control signal.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the radio section comprises an amplifier.