System and method for providing time to a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver from a networked time server
First Claim
1. A system for aiding signal acquisition in a satellite positioning system (SPS) comprising:
- an SPS receiver, the SPS receiver containing circuitry to receive transmissions from a plurality of SPS satellites and compute, from the received transmissions, its current position and the current SPS Time;
a communications processor coupled to the SPS receiver, the communications processor containing circuitry to obtain time information from a communications network wherein the time-of-day information is from a source other than the satellite position system (SPS) and to provide the time information to the SPS receiver, wherein the communications processor comprises;
a time server client coupled to the first communications network, the time server client containing circuitry to interface with the time server;
a real-time clock coupled to the time server client, the real-time clock to maintain a time as provided by the time server; and
a pulse and message generator (PMG) coupled to the real-time clock, the PMG containing circuitry to provide time information taken from the real-time clock to the SPS receiver;
a first communications network coupled to the communications processor; and
a time server coupled to the first communications network, the time server containing circuitry to maintain accurate time and to response to time queries.
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Abstract
System and method for enabling signal acquisition in a satellite positioning system (SPS) when signals from SPS satellites are attenuated by the operating environment of a SPS receiver. A preferred embodiment comprises a communications server (for example, communications server 220) coupled to a SPS receiver (for example, SPS receiver 210) at one end and a time server (for example, time server 225) by a public network (for example, the Internet 230). Preferably, the communications server 220 is coupled to the Internet 230 via a wireless network to facilitate maximum mobility and flexibility. The communications server 220 queries the time server 225 for the current time and then provides the current time to the SPS receiver 210. The SPS receiver 210 makes use of the current time to assist it in signal acquisition.
16 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for aiding signal acquisition in a satellite positioning system (SPS) comprising:
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an SPS receiver, the SPS receiver containing circuitry to receive transmissions from a plurality of SPS satellites and compute, from the received transmissions, its current position and the current SPS Time; a communications processor coupled to the SPS receiver, the communications processor containing circuitry to obtain time information from a communications network wherein the time-of-day information is from a source other than the satellite position system (SPS) and to provide the time information to the SPS receiver, wherein the communications processor comprises; a time server client coupled to the first communications network, the time server client containing circuitry to interface with the time server; a real-time clock coupled to the time server client, the real-time clock to maintain a time as provided by the time server; and a pulse and message generator (PMG) coupled to the real-time clock, the PMG containing circuitry to provide time information taken from the real-time clock to the SPS receiver; a first communications network coupled to the communications processor; and a time server coupled to the first communications network, the time server containing circuitry to maintain accurate time and to response to time queries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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6. A position measuring device comprising:
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a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver comprising an analog processing unit containing circuitry to filter and amplify an analog SPS signal received via an antenna; a digital processing unit coupled to the analog processing unit, the digital processing unit containing circuitry to perform signal acquisition, correlation, decode, and calculation of position and SPS Time; a communications processor comprising a pulse and message generator (PMG) unit containing circuitry to produce a timing beacon and a timing message; a real-time clock coupled to the PMG unit, the real-time clock containing circuitry to keep track of time and to generate signals to indicate timing events; and a network client coupled to the real-time clock, the network client containing circuitry to receive timing information from a time server coupled to the communications processor via a network and to provide time adjustments to the real-time clock. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification