GPS receiver system

• US 6,919,841 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/329,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.1, 342/357.02, 342/357.15, 342/357.06, 455/556.1, 455/575.7, 455/269, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 342/357.76
• 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 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end

Abstract

In a GPS receiver system having a navigation GPS receiver unit and an assisted GPS receiver unit, a coupler is connected between a navigation GPS receiver and an assisted GPS receiver. A navigation GPS antenna is shared between the navigation GPS receiver and the assisted GPS receiver. With this configuration, an additional antenna for the assisted GPS receiver is not required. Therefore, the total number of parts included in the system is not increased.

Claims

1. A GPS receiver system comprising:

a standalone GPS receiver system that includes a standalone GPS receiver unit for a vehicle navigation system and independently performs a positioning operation; and

an assisted GPS receiver system that includes an assisted GPS receiver unit for mobile communications and performs a positioning operation in cooperation with a location server, wherein

the standalone GPS receiver unit starts and stops receiving power according to on and off operations of an ignition key switch of a vehicle,

the assisted GPS receiver unit contains a transmitter section and a receiver section for the mobile communication,

the standalone GPS receiver unit and the assisted GPS receiver unit share any one of a standalone GPS antenna for the standalone GPS receiver system and an assisted GPS antenna for the assisted GPS receiver system; and

the transmitter section and the receiver section of the assisted GPS receiver unit receive power regardless of the on and off operation of the ignition key switch for transmitting position information acquired by the assisted GPS receiver unit to an external device and for supplying power to the GPS antenna.

2. The GPS receiver system according to claim 1, further comprising a coupler connected among the standalone GPS antenna, the standalone GPS receiver unit, and the assisted GPS receiver unit so that the standalone GPS antenna can be shared by the standalone GPS receiver unit and the assisted GPS receiver unit.

3. The GPS receiver system according to claim 2, wherein the standalone GPS antenna receives power from the assisted GPS receiver unit.

4. The GPS receiver system according to claim 2, further comprising a power controller for controlling power supply to the assisted GPS receiver unit.

5. The GPS receiver system according to claim 4, further comprising a timer in the power controller.

6. The GPS receiver system according to claim 2, wherein

the standalone GPS receiver system and the assisted GPS receiver system are configured so that they can be installable to the vehicle;

and

the assisted GPS receiver system starts operating, even under a condition that the ignition key switch is off, to receive a security signal outputted when the vehicle has an impact from outside of the vehicle.

7. The GPS receiver system according to claim 2, wherein:

the standalone GPS receiver system and the assisted GPS receiver system are configured so that they are installable to the vehicle; and

the assisted GPS receiver system starts operating under the condition that a timer expires even when the ignition key switch is off.

8. The GPS receiver system according to claim 4, wherein:

the standalone GPS receiver unit and the assisted GPS receiver unit are installed in the vehicle; and

the power controller performs control for halting power supply from a battery to the standalone GPS receiver unit and for starting power supply from the battery to the assisted GPS receiver unit when the ignition key switch is off.

9. The GPS receiver system according to claim 6, wherein:

the assisted GPS receiver unit has a wireless communication function; and

the assisted GPS receiver unit transmits position information, which is acquired by the assisted GPS receiver unit, to the external device via the wireless communication function.