Apparatus and methods for position computation based on broadcast initialization data
First Claim
1. A mobile position computation apparatus for use within a region serviced by a radio communication network comprising:
- a first receiver for receiving a radio communication broadcast over the radio communication network on a broadcast control channel;
a second receiver for receiving positioning messages broadcast by a positioning satellite;
position computation circuit coupled to the second receiver; and
means coupled to said first receiver for obtaining positioning data from the radio communication broadcast and providing the positioning data to the position computation circuit for use in acquisition of the positioning satellite.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for position computation with high accuracy, low acquisition time and low power consumption. The position computation apparatus includes a radio communication receiver which monitors a radio communication network, such as a cellular network, covering the geographic region in which the position computation apparatus is located. The apparatus demodulates the signal from the radio communication network and obtains positioning data from the broadcast channel of the network for use in satellite acquisition operations prior to computing a position. The apparatus further includes a receiver for receiving positioning messages broadcast by a constellation of GPS satellites. A position computation circuit in the apparatus utilizes the positioning data obtained from the radio communication network in initial acquisition of one or more positioning satellites. Once the desired number of positioning satellites have been acquired, positioning messages are received from the acquired positioning satellites and used to calculate the position of the position computation apparatus.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A mobile position computation apparatus for use within a region serviced by a radio communication network comprising:
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a first receiver for receiving a radio communication broadcast over the radio communication network on a broadcast control channel;
a second receiver for receiving positioning messages broadcast by a positioning satellite;
position computation circuit coupled to the second receiver; and
means coupled to said first receiver for obtaining positioning data from the radio communication broadcast and providing the positioning data to the position computation circuit for use in acquisition of the positioning satellite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
means for demodulating and decoding the radio communication;
means for obtaining the positioning data from the demodulated and decoded radio communication; and
means for providing the position computation circuit the positioning data obtained from the demodulated and decoded radio communication.
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6. A position computation apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the position computation circuit includes means for warm starting acquisition of the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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7. A position computation apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the position computation circuit further includes means for limiting the time window during which it searches for the positioning messages broadcast by the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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8. A position computation apparatus to claim 6 wherein the position computation circuit further includes further means for limiting the window during which it searches for the positioning messages broadcast by the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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9. A position computation apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the positioning data includes an identification of only ones of a plurality of positioning satellites within view of the base station, and wherein the position computation circuit further includes means for selecting only ones of the plurality of positioning satellites within view of the base station as the positioning satellite based on the included identifications.
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10. A method for acquisition of a positioning satellite from within the coverage area of a radio communication network broadcasting positioning data, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the positioning data over the radio communication network on a broadcast control channel; and
receiving a radio communication from the positioning satellite; and
acquiring the positioning satellite based on the received positioning data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
receiving a broadcast radio communication containing the positioning data over the radio communication network on the broadcast control channel;
demodulating the radio communication;
decoding the radio communication; and
obtaining the positioning data from the demodulated and decoded radio communication.
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12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the positioning satellite is a global positioning system satellite.
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13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the radio communication network is a cellular communication network.
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14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the positioning data includes a position of a base station transmitting the radio communication.
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15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of acquiring a positioning satellite includes the step of warm starting acquisition of the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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16. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of acquiring a positioning satellite includes the step of limiting the time window during which searches are made for the positioning messages broadcast by the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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17. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of acquiring a positioning satellite includes the step of limiting the Doppler frequency range over which searches are made for the positioning messages broadcast by the positioning satellite based on the positioning data.
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18. A method according to claim 12 wherein the positioning data includes an identification of only ones of a plurality of positioning satellites within view of the base station, and wherein the step of acquiring a positioning satellite includes the step of selecting only ones of the plurality of positioning satellites within view of the base station as the positioning satellite based on the included identifications.
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19. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the step following said receiving step of acquiring a positioning satellite without positioning data when outside the coverage area of a radio communication network broadcasting positioning data.
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20. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the step following said acquiring step of receiving positioning messages from the acquired positioning satellite.
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21. A method for acquisition of a positioning satellite from within the coverage area of a base station of a cellular radio communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
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periodically broadcasting positioning data including a position of the base station from the base station on a broadcast control channel; and
wherein the following steps are performed by a mobile position computation apparatus;
receiving the positioning data from the base station on the broadcast control channel without registering with the base station;
demodulating the radio communication;
decoding the radio communication;
obtaining the positioning data from the demodulated and decoded radio communication, the obtained positioning data including a position of the base station; and
acquiring the positioning satellite based on the received positioning data including the position of the base station. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for acquisition of a positioning satellite from within the coverage area of a base station of a cellular radio communication network, the base station periodically broadcasting positioning data including a position of the base station from the base station on a broadcast control channel, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the positioning data from the base station on the broadcast control channel without registering with the base station;
demodulating the radio communication;
decoding the radio communication;
obtaining the positioning data from the demodulated and decoded radio communication, the obtained positioning data including the position of the base station; and
acquiring the positioning satellite based on the received positioning data including the position of the base station. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A mobile position computation apparatus for use within a region serviced by a radio communication network comprising:
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a first receiver that receives a radio communication broadcast from a base station of the radio communication network on a broadcast control channel, the radio communication including positioning data including a position of the base station;
a signal processing circuit that obtains the positioning data from the received radio communication;
a second receiver for receiving positioning messages broadcast by a positioning satellite; and
a position computation circuit coupled to the second receiver and the signal processing circuit that acquires the positioning satellite based on the positioning data including the position of the base station. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification