Position locating system, terminal device, control method for terminal device, control program for terminal device, and computer readable record medium storing control program for terminal device therein

• US 7,292,938 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kimura, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US11/191,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/200, 342/357.02, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection

Abstract

A terminal device 50 includes aid-information acquisition device to acquire aid information 154 from an information providing apparatus, an information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device to judge the type of information providing apparatus on the basis of positioning charge information 154a contained in the aid information 154, a positioning-basis-information generation device to generate positioning basis information 156 on the basis of position-relevant signals, a terminal-located-result-information generation device to locate a current position on the basis of the positioning basis information 156 to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of the position-relevant signals, and a positioning-basis-information correction to correct the positioning basis information 156 on the basis of the signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information 162.

Claims

1. A position locating system comprising:

a terminal device being configured to acquire a located result of a current position based on position-relevant signals from positional information satellites; and

a plurality of various information providing apparatuses being configured to provide aid information to said terminal device, said aid information including positioning charge information being configured to indicate whether or not an information providing apparatus of said plurality of various information providing apparatuses indicates a current position,

said terminal device including,

an aid-information acquisition device being configured to acquire said aid information from said information providing apparatus,

an information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device being configured to judge the type of said information providing apparatus on the basis of said positioning charge information contained in said aid information,

a position-relevant-signal reception device being configured to receive the position-relevant signals on the basis of said aid information,

a positioning-basis-information generation device being configured to generate positioning basis information on the basis of said position-relevant signals,

a terminal-located-result-information generation device being configured to determine said current position on the basis of said positioning basis information to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of said position-relevant signals,

a positioning-basis-information correction device being configured to correct the positioning basis information on the basis of the signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information,

a corrected-positioning-basis-information transmission device being configured to transmit said corrected positioning basis information to said information providing apparatus on the basis of a judged result of said information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device,

a information-providing-apparatus-located-position-information acquisition device being configured to acquire information-providing-apparatus-located position information indicating a result of location based on said corrected positioning basis information indicated by said information providing apparatus, and

a located-position-information output device being configured to output said terminal-located position information or said information-providing-apparatus-located position information on the basis of a judged result of said information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device.

2. The position locating system according to claim 1, wherein

said terminal device is configured to receive position-relevant signals from four to six positional information satellites at one time.

3. The position locating system according to claim 2, wherein

said terminal device is configured to receive position-relevant signals from five positional information satellites at one time.

4. The position locating system according to claim 3, wherein

said plurality of various information providing apparatuses includes an assisted type server and a based type server.

5. The position locating system according to claim 4, wherein,

said terminal device is configured to communicate with said assisted type server or said based type server through a base station configured to mediate communications and a communication network.

6. The position locating system according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of various information providing apparatuses includes an assisted type server and a based type server.

7. The position locating system according to claim 2, wherein,

said terminal device is configured to communicate with said assisted type server or said based type server through a base station configured to mediate communications and a communication network.

8. The position locating system according to claim 7, wherein

said communication network is an Internet network.

9. The position locating system according to claim 1, wherein

said terminal device includes,

a bus,

a CPU connected to said bus,

a terminal SPS unit connected to said bus,

a storage unit connected to said bus,

a terminal communication unit connected to said bus,

an input unit connected to said bus, and

a terminal display unit connected to said bus.

10. A terminal device being configured to communicate with a plurality of various information providing apparatuses being configured to provide aid information containing positioning charge information indicative of whether or not a corresponding information providing apparatus determines position location based on position-relevant signals from positional information satellites, the terminal device comprising:

an aid-information acquisition device being configured to acquire the aid information from one of the plurality of various information providing apparatuses;

an information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device being configured to judge the type of information providing apparatus on the basis of the positioning charge information contained in the aid information;

a position-relevant-signal reception device being configured to receive the position-relevant signals on the basis of the aid information;

a positioning-basis-information generation device being configured to generate positioning basis information on the basis of the position-relevant signals;

a terminal-located-result-information generation device being configured to locate a current position on the basis of said positioning basis information to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of the position-relevant signals;

a positioning-basis-information correction device being configured to correct said positioning basis information on the basis of said signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information;

a corrected-positioning-basis-information transmission device being configured to transmit said corrected positioning basis information to said one of the plurality of various information providing apparatuses on the basis of a judged result of said information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device;

an information-providing-apparatus-located-position-information acquisition device being configured to acquire information-providing-apparatus-located position information indicating a position location result based on said corrected positioning basis information provided by said one of the plurality of various information providing apparatuses; and

a located-position-information output device being configured to output said terminal-located position information or said information-providing-apparatus-located position information on the basis of a judged result of said information-providing-apparatus-sort judgment device.

11. A terminal device according to claim 10, wherein

said corrected-positioning-basis-information transmission device transmits said corrected positioning basis information to said information providing apparatus when said positioning charge information indicates that said information providing apparatus determines the position location.

12. A terminal device according to claim 11, wherein

said positioning-basis-information correction device corrects only said positioning basis information used for the generation of said terminal-located position information by said located-result acquisition device.

13. A terminal device according to claim 12, further comprising,

a located-position-information transmission device to transmit said terminal-located position information to said information providing apparatus when the positioning charge information indicates that said information providing apparatus does not determine the position location.

14. A terminal device according to claim 11, further comprising,

a located-position-information transmission device to transmit said terminal-located position information to said information providing apparatus when the positioning charge information indicates that said information providing apparatus does not determine the position location.

15. A terminal device according to claim 10, wherein

said positioning-basis-information correction device corrects only said positioning basis information used for the generation of said terminal-located position information by said located-result acquisition device.

16. A terminal device according to claim 15, further comprising,

a located-position-information transmission device to transmit said terminal-located position information to said information providing apparatus when the positioning charge information indicates that said information providing apparatus does not determine the position location.

17. A terminal device according to claim 10, further comprising,

a located-position-information transmission device to transmit said terminal-located position information to said information providing apparatus when the positioning charge information indicates that said information providing apparatus does not determine the position location.

18. A control method for a terminal device comprising:

acquiring aid information from a plurality of various information providing apparatuses by a terminal device being communicable with said plurality of various information providing apparatuses providing said aid information containing positioning charge information indicative of whether or not a corresponding information providing apparatus indicates position location based on position-relevant signals from positional information satellites;

judging the type of information providing apparatus from said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning charge information contained in said aid information;

receiving position-relevant signals by said terminal device on the basis of said aid information;

generating positioning basis information by said terminal device on the basis of said position-relevant signals;

locating a current position by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning basis information to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of said position-relevant signals;

correcting said positioning basis information by said terminal device to correct said positioning basis information on the basis of said signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information;

transmitting said corrected positioning basis information to said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus;

acquiring information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device, said information-providing-apparatus-located position information being a result of the position location based on said corrected positioning basis information provided by said corresponding information providing apparatus; and

outputting said terminal-located position information or said information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus.

19. A control program for a terminal device adapted to run on a computer comprising:

code for acquiring aid information from a plurality of various information providing apparatuses by a terminal device being communicable with said plurality of various information providing apparatuses providing said aid information containing positioning charge information indicative of whether or not a corresponding information providing apparatus indicates position location based on position-relevant signals from positional information satellites;

code for judging the type of information providing apparatus from said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning charge information contained in said aid information;

code for receiving position-relevant signals by said terminal device on the basis of said aid information;

code for generating positioning basis information by said terminal device on the basis of said position-relevant signals;

code for locating a current position by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning basis information to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of said position-relevant signals;

code for correcting said positioning basis information by said terminal device to correct said positioning basis information on the basis of said signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information;

code for transmitting said corrected positioning basis information to said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus;

code for acquiring information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device, said information-providing-apparatus-located position information being a result of the position location based on said corrected positioning basis information provided by said corresponding information providing apparatus; and

code for outputting said terminal-located position information or said information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising:

a control program for a terminal device adapted to run on a computer including,

code for acquiring aid information from a plurality of various information providing apparatuses by a terminal device being communicable with said plurality of various information providing apparatuses providing said aid information containing positioning charge information indicative of whether or not a corresponding information providing apparatus indicates position location based on position-relevant signals from positional information satellites,

code for judging the type of information providing apparatus from said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning charge information contained in said aid information,

code for receiving position-relevant signals by said terminal device on the basis of said aid information,

code for generating positioning basis information by said terminal device on the basis of said position-relevant signals,

code for locating a current position by said terminal device on the basis of said positioning basis information to generate terminal-located position information and signal reception time information indicating signal reception times of said position-relevant signals,

code for correcting said positioning basis information by said terminal device to correct said positioning basis information on the basis of said signal reception time information to generate corrected positioning basis information,

code for transmitting said corrected positioning basis information to said corresponding information providing apparatus by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus,

code for acquiring information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device, said information-providing-apparatus-located position information being a result of the position location based on said corrected positioning basis information provided by said corresponding information providing apparatus, and

code for outputting said terminal-located position information or said information-providing-apparatus-located position information by said terminal device on the basis of a judged result when judging the type of information providing apparatus.