Method and system for processing positioning signals in a stand-alone mode

• US 6,628,234 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fast Location.Net, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fast Location.Net, LLC
• Inventors: Jandrell, Louis Henry Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20030016168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.12, 342/357.06, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/254 relating to Doppler shift of satellite signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/29 carrier including Doppler, related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile

Abstract

A method for processing positioning signals in a ranging receiver in a stand-alone mode is provided. The method includes collecting pseudorange samples from positioning signals received at the ranging receiver from a plurality of satellites. The pseudorange samples comprise message data modulation. Each satellite has an associated Gold code. A previously determined carrier frequency offset (CFO) is selected from a plurality of directly extracted CFOs. The pseudorange samples are compensated for the selected CFO. The message data modulation is removed from the pseudorange samples. The pseudorange samples are stacked for each satellite. The Gold code associated with each satellite is correlated to generate a pseudorange time sequence for the satellite. A determination is made regarding whether an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence. A pseudorange is determined for the ranging receiver based on the correlation peaks when an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence.

Claims

1. A method for processing positioning signals in a ranging receiver in a stand-alone mode, comprising:

collecting pseudorange samples from positioning signals received at the ranging receiver from a plurality of satellites, the pseudorange samples comprising message data modulation, each satellite having an associated Gold code;

selecting a previously determined carrier frequency offset (CFO) from a plurality of directly extracted CFOs;

compensating the pseudorange samples for the selected CFO;

removing the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples;

stacking the pseudorange samples for each satellite;

correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite to generate a pseudorange time sequence for the satellite;

determining whether an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence; and

determining a pseudorange for the ranging receiver based on the correlation peaks when an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising compensating the pseudorange samples for time dilation.

3. The method of claim 1, removing the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples comprising multiplying out biphase message data modulation.

4. The method of claim 1, stacking the pseudorange samples for each satellite comprising stacking the pseudorange samples into a single epoch duration result.

5. The method of claim 1, correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite comprising correlating the Gold code by Fourier transform means.

6. The method of claim 5, correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite further comprising:

Fourier transforming the stacked pseudorange samples to generate a first result stack;

retrieving a Fourier-transformed, time-reversed series of the Gold code for the satellite to generate a second result stack;

multiplying the first result stack by the second result stack to generate a third result stack; and

inverse-Fourier transforming the third result stack to generate the pseudorange time sequence for the satellite.

7. The method of claim 1, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak sufficiently above a noise-background threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak at least 6 dB above the noise-background threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded when no adequate correlation peak exists in at least one pseudorange time sequence.

10. The method of claim 9, the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples based on a sampling time associated with collecting the pseudorange samples.

11. The method of claim 10, the sampling time comprising about 1 to about 30 seconds.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a weak signal indicator when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising collecting additional pseudorange samples when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has not been exceeded.

14. The method of claim 1, determining a pseudorange comprising applying a multi-path correcting centroid calculation to determine a substantially exact location of a center of each correlation peak.

15. The method of claim 1, collecting pseudorange samples comprising collecting pseudorange samples for approximately 0.1 seconds, the pseudorange samples comprising a minimum carrier-to-noise density ratio of approximately 20 dB.

16. A system for processing positioning signals in a ranging receiver in a stand-alone mode, comprising:

a computer-processable medium; and

logic stored on the computer-processable medium, the logic operable to collect pseudorange samples from positioning signals received at the ranging receiver from a plurality of satellites, the pseudorange samples comprising message data modulation, each satellite having an associated Gold code, to select a previously determined carrier frequency offset (CFO) from a plurality of directly extracted CFOs, to compensate the pseudorange samples for the selected CFO, to remove the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples, to stack the pseudorange samples for each satellite, to correlate the stacked samples with the Gold code associated with each satellite to generate a pseudorange time sequence for the satellite, to determine whether an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence, and to determine a pseudorange for the ranging receiver based on the correlation peaks when an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence.

17. The system of claim 16, the logic further operable to compensate the pseudorange samples for time dilation.

18. The system of claim 16, the logic operable to remove the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples by multiplying out biphase message data modulation.

19. The system of claim 16, the logic operable to stack the pseudorange samples for each satellite by stacking the pseudorange samples into a single epoch duration result.

20. The system of claim 16, the logic operable to correlate the Gold code associated with each satellite by correlating the Gold code by Fourier transform means.

21. The system of claim 20, the logic further operable to correlate the Gold code associated with each satellite by Fourier transforming the stacked pseudorange samples to generate a first result stack, retrieving a Fourier-transformed, time-reversed series of the Gold code for the satellite to generate a second result stack, multiplying the first result stack by the second result stack to generate a third result stack, and inverse-Fourier transforming the third result stack to generate the pseudorange time sequence for the satellite.

22. The system of claim 16, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak sufficiently above a noise-background threshold.

23. The system of claim 22, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak at least 6 dB above the noise-background threshold.

24. The system of claim 16, the logic further operable to determine whether a maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded when no adequate correlation peak exists in at least one pseudorange time sequence.

25. The system of claim 24, the maximum number of. stacked pseudorange samples based on a sampling time associated with collecting the pseudorange samples.

26. The system of claim 25, the sampling time comprising about 1 to about 30 seconds.

27. The system of claim 24, the logic further operable to provide a weak signal indicator when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded.

28. The system of claim 24, the logic further operable to collect additional pseudorange samples when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has not been exceeded.

29. The system of claim 16, the logic operable to determine a pseudorange by applying a multi-path correcting centroid calculation to determine a substantially exact location of a center of each correlation peak.

30. The system of claim 16, the logic operable to collect pseudorange samples by collecting pseudorange samples for approximately 0.1 seconds, the pseudorange samples comprising a minimum carrier-to-noise density ratio of approximately 20 dB.

31. A system for processing positioning signals in a ranging receiver in a stand-alone mode, comprising:

means for collecting pseudorange samples from positioning signals received at the ranging receiver from a plurality of satellites, the pseudorange samples comprising message data modulation, each satellite having an associated Gold code;

means for selecting a previously determined carrier frequency offset (CFO) from a plurality of directly extracted CFOs;

means for compensating the pseudorange samples for the selected CFO;

means for removing the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples;

means for stacking the pseudorange samples for each satellite;

means for correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite to generate a pseudorange time sequence for the satellite;

means for determining whether an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence; and

means for determining a pseudorange for the ranging receiver based on the correlation peaks when an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for compensating the pseudorange samples for time dilation.

33. The system of claim 31, the means for removing the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples comprising means for multiplying out biphase message data modulation.

34. The system of claim 31, the means for stacking the pseudorange samples for each satellite comprising means for stacking the pseudorange samples into a single epoch duration result.

35. The system of claim 31, the means for correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite comprising a plurality of convolution processors, each convolution processor comprising a plurality of parallel hardware correlators.

36. The system of claim 31, the means for correlating the Gold code associated with each satellite comprising:

means for Fourier transforming the stacked pseudorange samples to generate a first result stack;

means for retrieving a Fourier-transformed, time-reversed series of the Gold code for the satellite to generate a second result stack;

means for multiplying the first result stack by the second result stack to generate a third result stack; and

means for inverse-Fourier transforming the third result stack to generate the pseudorange time sequence for the satellite.

37. The system of claim 31, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak sufficiently above a noise-background threshold.

38. The system of claim 37, an adequate correlation peak comprising a correlation peak at least 6 dB above the noise-background threshold.

39. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for determining whether a maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded when no adequate correlation peak exists in at least one pseudorange time sequence.

40. The system of claim 39, the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples based on a sampling time associated with collecting the pseudorange samples.

41. The system of claim 40, the sampling time comprising about 1 to about 30 seconds.

42. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for providing a weak signal indicator when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has been exceeded.

43. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for collecting additional pseudorange samples when the maximum number of stacked pseudorange samples has not been exceeded.

44. The system of claim 31, the means for determining a pseudorange comprising means for applying a multi-path correcting centroid calculation to determine a substantially exact location of a center of each correlation peak.

45. The system of claim 31, the means for collecting pseudorange samples comprising means for collecting pseudorange samples for approximately 0.1 seconds, the pseudorange samples comprising a minimum carrier-to-noise density ratio of approximately 20 dB.

46. A ranging receiver for a wireless device, the ranging receiver operable to process positioning signals and comprising:

an antenna operable to receive the positioning signals from a plurality of satellites, the positioning signals comprising pseudorange samples, the pseudorange samples comprising message data modulation, each satellite having an associated Gold code; and

a digital signal processor coupled to the antenna and to the wireless device, the digital signal processor operable to select a previously determined carrier frequency offset (CFO) from a plurality of directly extracted CFOs, to compensate the pseudorange samples for the selected CFO, to remove the message data modulation from the pseudorange samples, to stack the pseudorange samples for each satellite, to correlate the Gold code associated with each satellite to generate a pseudorange time sequence for the satellite, to determine whether an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence, and to determine a pseudorange for the ranging receiver based on the correlation peaks when an adequate correlation peak exists in each pseudorange time sequence.

47. The ranging receiver of claim 46, further comprising a down-converter coupled to the antenna, the down-converter operable to down-convert the received signals to baseband.

48. The ranging receiver of claim 47, the down-converter further operable to down-convert the signal using a plurality of stages of amplification, filtering and super-heterodyning, and further comprising an automatic gain control coupled to the down-converter, the automatic gain control operable to control the plurality of stages of amplification for the down-converter.

49. The ranging receiver of claim 48, further comprising an amplifier coupled to the automatic gain control and to the down-converter, the amplifier operable to amplify the down-converted signals based on a control signal from the automatic gain control.

50. The ranging receiver of claim 49, the amplifier operable to limit the bandwidth of the received signals to approximately 1 MHz.

51. The ranging receiver of claim 49, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter operable to convert the amplified signals from analog signals to digital signals, the analog-to-digital converter comprising a symmetrical multi-bit quantizer.

52. The ranging receiver of claim 51, the analog-to-digital converter operable to digitize the amplified signals at a minimum of 2.048 Megasamples/second and at a quantizer resolution of a minimum of two bits.

53. The ranging receiver of claim 51, the analog-to-digital converter operable to digitize the amplified signals at a minimum of 4.096 Megasamples/second and at a quantizer resolution of a minimum of four bits.

54. The ranging receiver of claim 51, the analog-to-digital converter operable to digitize the amplified signals at a minimum of 8.192 Megasamples/second and at a quantizer resolution of a minimum of four bits.

55. The ranging receiver of claim 46, further comprising a modem function coupled to the digital signal processor, the modem function operable to couple the digital signal processor to the wireless device.

56. The ranging receiver of claim 46, further comprising a filter and low-noise amplifier coupled to the antenna, the filter and low-noise amplifier operable to limit a bandwidth of the received signals.

57. The ranging receiver of claim 56, the filter and low-noise amplifier operable to limit the bandwidth of the received signals to less than 2 MHz, centered at approximately 1575.42 MHz.

58. The ranging receiver of claim 46, the antenna operable to receive the positioning signals comprising the pseudorange samples for approximately 0.1 seconds, the pseudorange samples comprising a minimum carrier-to-noise density ratio of approximately 20 dB.