Remote subscription unit for GPS information

• US 7,158,885 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Janky, James M., Ciganer, Ann, Bird, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/437,467
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 342/357.12, 342/358, 380/43, 380/47, 380/270, 380/258, 380/278, 705/51, 705/54, 713/161, 713/168, 713/170, 713/171
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0877 using additional device, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard, USB or hardware security module [HSM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A GPS information service system for providing supplemental GPS correction and signal acquisition information to subscribers. A GPS information server broadcasts GPS aiding information encrypted with subscription keys. A remote GPS subscription unit receives the key enablers for the subscription keys in service activation (SAM) messages for the services for which they have subscribed and then uses the subscription keys to decrypt the GPS aiding information. In order to prevent unauthorized access to the information, unsymmetrical signature generation and authentication algorithms are used for generating and authenticating signatures for the SAM messages.

Claims

1. A global positioning system (GPS) subscription unit, comprising:

receiver circuitry for receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

a subscription key generator for providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which the unit has subscriptions;

a GPS information decrypter for decrypting said certain items with said certain subscription keys; and

a GPS receiver for using said decrypted items for processing a GPS satellite signal.

2. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

said subscriptions have been procured with said GPS information server.

3. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

the subscription key generator is constructed for providing a one of said certain subscription keys when said certain subscription key is activated by a key enabler.

4. The subscription unit of claim 3, wherein:

the subscription key generator has possession of said plurality of subscription keys but only provides said certain subscription key when said key enabler is received from said GPS information server.

5. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys enables the GPS receiver to use a one of said items for aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal until a designed date.

6. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys enables the GPS receiver to use a one of said items for aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal for a designated run time.

7. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys prevents the GPS receiver from using a one of said items for aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal.

8. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

said decrypted items include GPS correction information for improving accuracy of a GPS position computed by the GPS receiver.

9. The subscription unit of claim 1, wherein:

said decrypted items include GPS acquisition information for improving at least one of sensitivity to said GPS satellite signal and speed for acquiring said GPS satellite signal in the GPS receiver.

10. A global positioning system (GPS) subscription unit, comprising:

receiver circuitry for receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

a subscription key generator for providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which the unit has subscriptions where the subscription key generator is constructed for providing a one of said certain subscription keys when said certain subscription key is activated by a key enabler, and the subscription key generator has possession of said plurality of subscription keys but only provides said certain subscription key when said key enabler is received from said GPS information server;

a GPS information decrypter for decrypting said certain items with said certain subscription keys; and

a GPS receiver for using said decrypted items for processing a GPS satellite signal, wherein;

the receiver circuitry is constructed for receiving a SAM signal having a service activation message carrying said key enabler from said GPS information server, said message having a signature derived from a subscription unit identification and said message; and

further comprising;

a SAM decrypter having possession of said identification for authenticating said signature and providing said key enabler when said signature is authenticated.

11. The subscription unit of claim 10, wherein:

said GPS information server includes a signature generation algorithm for deriving said signature; and

said SAM decrypter includes a signature authentication algorithm for authenticating said signature, said signature authentication algorithm being unsymmetrical with respect to said signature generation algorithm for increasing difficulty of using said signature authentication algorithm for discovering said signature generation algorithm.

12. A method in a global positioning system (GPS) subscription unit, comprising:

receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which the unit has subscriptions;

decrypting said certain items with said certain subscription keys; and

using said decrypted items for processing a GPS satellite signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said subscriptions have been procured with said GPS information server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

providing said certain subscription keys includes activating a one of said certain subscription keys with a key enabler.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

activating said certain subscription key includes retaining possession of said plurality of subscription keys but only activating said certain subscription key when said key enabler is received from said GPS information server.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys enables use of a one of said items for aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal until a designed date.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys enables use of a one of said items for aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal for a designated run time.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein:

a one of said subscription keys prevents use of a one of said items from aiding the processing of said GPS satellite signal.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein:

processing said GPS satellite signal includes using one of said decrypted items for improving accuracy of a GPS position computed from said GPS satellite signal.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein:

processing said GPS satellite signal includes using one of said decrypted items for improving at least one of sensitivity to a GPS satellite signal and speed for acquiring a GPS satellite signal.

21. A method in a global positioning system (GPS) subscription unit, comprising:

receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which the unit has subscriptions where providing said certain subscription keys includes activating a one of said certain subscription keys with a key enabler and activating said certain subscription key includes retaining possession of said plurality of subscription keys but only activating said certain subscription key when said key enabler is received from said GPS information server;

decrypting said certain items with said certain subscription keys; and

using said decrypted items for processing a GPS satellite signal, and wherein;

receiving a SAM signal having a service activation message carrying said key enabler from said GPS information server, said message having a signature derived from a subscription unit identification and said message;

authenticating said signature according to said identification; and

providing said key enabler when said signature is authenticated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

said signature is derived with a signature generation algorithm; and

authenticating said signature includes applying a signature authentication algorithm being unsymmetrical with respect to said signature generation algorithm for increasing difficulty of using said signature authentication algorithm for discovering said signature generation algorithm.

23. A global positioning system (GPS) subscription unit, comprising:

receiver circuitry for receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

a subscription key generator for providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which the unit has subscriptions, at least one of said certain items being precise time or precise frequency information;

a time and frequency enabler for using said certain subscription keys for decrypting information for setting said precise time or tuning to said precise frequency; and

a GPS receiver for using said precise time or said precise frequency for processing a GPS satellite signal.

24. A medium readable by a computer for directing a process, comprising steps of:

receiving a GPS aiding signal from a GPS information server, said GPS aiding signal having a plurality of items encrypted with a plurality of subscription keys;

providing certain ones of said subscription keys corresponding to certain ones of said items for which subscriptions have been procured;

decrypting said certain items with said certain subscription keys; and

using said decrypted items for processing a GPS satellite signal.