Positioning system using packet radio to determine position and to obtain information relative to a position

• US 7,313,401 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Karmel, Clayton R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tony T.
• Application Number:
  US09/898,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,366 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/521, 455/67.11, 455/404.2, 455/404.1, 455/405, 455/408, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/456, 455/457, 455/458, 455/466, 342/357, 342/450, 342/457, 379/58, 379/63, 379/59, 340/989, 340/991, 340/993, 340/996
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A positioning system includes the ability to receive GPS signals and to receive and transmit packet radio signals. The positioning system receives GPS transmissions to determine its pseudo position. The positioning system also receives differential corrections relative to its pseudo position using packet radio. By combining the GPS transmissions and the differential corrections, the positioning system calculates its actual position. A user has the ability to obtain information relevant to their actual position by transmitting a request to a reference station, using packet radio. The reference station maintains an information system and will transmit the requested information back to the user. The information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system and a direct link to the internet. The user is able to provide information for storage within the information system or on the internet in order to compile the information available from the reference station. The positioning system also includes the ability to automatically transmit its position periodically allowing the reference station to track and monitor its actual position. Information relative to its location, signals and alerts are transmitted to predetermined locations based on the position of the positioning system relative to a predetermined location or another positioning system. Alternatively, the positioning system determines its position using only packet radio. Reference stations at known locations transmit signals having predetermined amplitudes and signal strengths. A positioning system determines its position relative to the reference stations based on the amplitude and strength of the signals received from the reference stations.

Claims

1. A reference station for communicating with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. means for communicating with the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. means for maintaining information coupled to the means for communicating for transmitting to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

2. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for tracking and monitoring the position of the positioning system.

3. The reference station as claimed in claim 2 further comprising means for sending an alert coupled to the means for tracking and monitoring for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

4. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for sending an alert for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

5. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for communicating communicates differential corrections to GPS transmissions to the positioning system for determining an actual position of the positioning system using the GPS transmissions and the differential corrections.

6. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for communicating communicates differential corrections to the positioning system for determining an actual position of the positioning system using the differential corrections.

7. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining information includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

8. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining information includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

9. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for communicating communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

10. The reference station as claimed in claim 9 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

11. The reference station as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for communicating communicates positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system for determining the position of the positioning system.

12. A reference station to communicate with a positioning system and transmit information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

13. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a tracking and monitoring circuit to track and monitor the position of the positioning system.

14. The reference station as claimed in claim 13 further comprising an alerting circuit coupled to the tracking and monitoring circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

15. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 further comprising an alerting circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

16. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the communications circuit communicates differential corrections to GPS transmissions to the positioning system to determine an actual position of the positioning system using the GPS transmissions and the differential corrections.

17. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the communications circuit communicates differential corrections to the positioning system to determine an actual position of the positioning system using the differential corrections.

18. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

19. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

20. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the communications circuit communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

21. The reference station as claimed in claim 20 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

22. The reference station as claimed in claim 12 wherein the communications circuit communicates positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system to determine the position of the positioning system.

23. A reference station comprising:

a. a receiver for receiving GPS transmissions;

b. a differential calculation circuit coupled to the receiver for calculating differential corrections from the GPS transmissions and known parameters;

c. a communications circuit coupled to the differential calculation circuit for sending and receiving communications to a positioning system including the differential corrections; and

d. an information system coupled to the communications circuit for storing and retrieving information related to a position of the positioning system and providing to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

24. The reference station as claimed in claim 23 further comprising:

a. a monitoring device coupled to the communications circuit for monitoring the position; and

b. an alerting device coupled to the monitoring device for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system when the position is equal to an alert position.

25. The reference station as claimed in claim 23 further comprising an alerting device for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system when the position is equal to an alert position.

26. The reference station as claimed in claim 23 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

27. The reference station as claimed in claim 23 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

28. The reference station as claimed in claim 23 wherein the communications circuit communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

29. The reference station as claimed in claim 28 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

30. A reference station comprising:

a. a receiver for receiving positioning transmissions;

b. a differential calculation circuit coupled to the receiver for calculating differential corrections from the positioning transmissions and known parameters;

c. a communications circuit coupled to the differential calculation circuit for sending and receiving communications to a positioning system including the differential corrections; and

d. an information system coupled to the communications circuit for storing and retrieving information related to a position of the positioning system and providing to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

31. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 further comprising:

a. a monitoring device coupled to the communications circuit for monitoring the position; and

b. an alerting device coupled to the monitoring device for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system when the position is equal to an alert position.

32. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 further comprising an alerting device for sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system when the position is equal to an alert position.

33. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

34. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

35. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 wherein the communications circuit communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

36. The reference station as claimed in claim 35 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

37. The reference station as claimed in claim 30 wherein the positioning transmissions are GPS transmissions.

38. A reference station to communicate with a positioning system and transmit information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system including communicating positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

39. The reference station as claimed in claim 38 further comprising a tracking and monitoring circuit to track and monitor the position of the positioning system.

40. The reference station as claimed in claim 39 further comprising an alerting circuit coupled to the tracking and monitoring circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

41. The reference station as claimed in claim 38 further comprising an alerting circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

42. The reference station as claimed in claim 38 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

43. The reference station as claimed in claim 38 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

44. The reference station as claimed in claim 38 wherein the communications circuit communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

45. The reference station as claimed in claim 44 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

46. A network of reference stations configured to communicate with a positioning system and transmit information about a position of the positioning system, each of the reference stations comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system including communicating positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

47. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 46 further comprising a tracking and monitoring circuit to track and monitor the position of the positioning system.

48. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 47 further comprising an alerting circuit coupled to the tracking and monitoring circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

49. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 46 further comprising an alerting circuit to send an alert to a location other than the positioning system, if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

50. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 46 wherein the information system includes a data storage memory and retrieval system.

51. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 46 wherein the information system includes a direct internet connection allowing the positioning system to have direct access to the internet.

52. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 46 wherein the communications circuit communicates with the positioning system using a packet radio format.

53. The network of reference stations as claimed in claim 52 wherein the packet radio format is a CDPD format.

54. A method of communicating from a reference station with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. obtaining the position of the positioning system; and

b. transmitting to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

55. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising tracking and monitoring the position of the positioning system.

56. The method as claimed in claim 55 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

57. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

58. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising communicating differential corrections to GPS transmissions to the positioning system to determine an actual position of the positioning system using the GPS transmissions and the differential corrections.

59. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising communicating differential corrections to the positioning system to determine an actual position of the positioning system using the differential corrections.

60. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising maintaining information within a data storage memory and retrieval system.

61. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising providing access to the internet to the positioning system.

62. The method as claimed in claim 54 further comprising communicating positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system for determining the position of the positioning system.

63. A method of communicating from a reference station with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. receiving positioning transmissions;

b. calculating differential corrections from the positioning transmissions and known parameters;

c. sending and receiving communications to the positioning system including the differential corrections;

d. storing and retrieving information related to the position of the positioning system; and

e. providing to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

64. The method as claimed in claim 63 further comprising obtaining the position of the positioning system.

65. The method as claimed in claim 63 further comprising tracking and monitoring the position of the positioning system.

66. The method as claimed in claim 65 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

67. The method as claimed in claim 63 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

68. The method as claimed in claim 63 further comprising maintaining information within a data storage memory and retrieval system.

69. The method as claimed in claim 63 further comprising providing access to the internet to the positioning system.

70. The method as claimed in claim 63 wherein the positioning transmissions are GPS transmissions.

71. A method of communicating from a reference station with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. communicating positioning transmissions, having a known amplitude and known signal strength from a known position, to the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. transmitting to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position.

72. The method as claimed in claim 71 further comprising tracking and monitoring the position of the positioning system.

73. The method as claimed in claim 72 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

74. The method as claimed in claim 71 further comprising sending an alert to a location other than the positioning system if the position of the positioning system is equal to an alert position.

75. The method as claimed in claim 71 further comprising maintaining information within a data storage memory and retrieval system.

76. The method as claimed in claim 71 further comprising providing access to the internet to the positioning system.

77. A reference station for communicating with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system proximity information related to the position.

78. The reference station as claimed in claim 77 wherein the proximity information is selected from the group consisting of shops, service stations, restaurants, gas stations, points of interest, restrooms and hotels.

79. A reference station for communicating with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position, wherein the non-mapping information is selected from the group consisting of shops, service stations, restaurants, gas stations, points of interest, restrooms and hotels.

80. A reference station for communicating with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. a communications circuit configured to communicate with the positioning system to obtain the position of the positioning system; and

b. an information system coupled to the communications circuit to transmit to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position, the non-mapping information comprising points of interest.

81. A reference station comprising:

a. a receiver for receiving positioning transmissions;

b. a differential calculation circuit coupled to the receiver for calculating differential corrections from the positioning transmissions and known parameters;

c. a communications circuit coupled to the differential calculation circuit for sending and receiving communications to a positioning system including the differential corrections; and

d. an information system coupled to the communications circuit for storing and retrieving information related to a position of the positioning system and providing to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position, the non-mapping information comprising points of interest.

82. A method of communicating from a reference station with a positioning system and transmitting information about a position of the positioning system comprising:

a. obtaining the position of the positioning system; and

b. transmitting to the positioning system non-mapping information related to the position, the non-mapping information comprising points of interest.