Positioning apparatus, positioning method, positioning program, and computer-readable recording medium for recording positioning program

• US 7,486,232 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Gobara, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nga X
• Application Number:
  US11/127,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 34235701-35717
• US Class Current: 342/357.67
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/00 Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection

Abstract

A positioning apparatus 100 includes: a satellite selection indicator information generating device 121 that generates satellite selection indicator information based on satellite location information 131 of SPS to select SPS to be used for positioning; a positioning device 111 that acquires positioning information 135 using the SPS selected based on the satellite selection indicator information; and an outputting device 102 that outputs the positioning information. The positioning apparatus includes: a reception environment indicator information generating device 123 that generates reception environment indicator information 134 for the SPS to compare to the satellite selection indicator information with respect to positioning precision, and calculated based on reception environment information contained in electric waves from the SPS; and a positioning information evaluation device 120 that determines whether the positioning information is to be output to the outputting device or not.

Claims

1. A positioning apparatus comprising:

a satellite selection indicator information generating device being configured to generate satellite selection indicator information based on satellite location information of an SPS (Satellite Positioning System) to select a plurality of SPS satellites used to position;

a positioning device being configured to acquire positioning information by using said plurality of SPS satellites selected based on said satellite selection indicator information;

an outputting device being configured to output said positioning information;

a reception environment indicator information generating device being configured to generate reception environment indicator information of said SPS based on information of reception environment in receiving electric waves from said SPS, said reception environment indicator information being compared with said satellite selection indicator information with respect to positioning precision; and

a positioning information evaluation device being configured to determine whether said positioning information is output to said outputting device or not, based on said satellite selection indicator information and said reception environment indicator information,

said information of said reception environment being in an outdoor mode, if signal intensity of said electric waves from said SPS equals or exceeds a predetermined level,

said information of said reception environment being in an indoor mode, if said signal intensity is less than said predetermined level,

each of said plurality of SPS satellites being determined to have said information of said reception environment either in said outdoor mode or said indoor mode,

said reception environment indicator information being based on a ratio of the number of said SPS satellites in said outdoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired, or the number of said SPS satellites in said indoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired.

2. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said SPS that generate reception environment indicator information by said reception environment indicator information generating device are the plurality of SPS satellites used to position.

3. The positioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said reception environment indicator information is reception environment threshold value information, and said satellite selection indicator information is DOP value information representing the location status of said SPS.

4. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reception environment indicator information is reception environment threshold value information, and said satellite selection indicator information is DOP value information representing the location status of said SPS.

5. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection indicator information generating device is a DOP value calculation program configured to select said SPS.

6. The positioning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said DOP value calculation program is configured to select four SPS.

7. The positioning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reception environment indicator information generating device is a DOP threshold value calculation program.

8. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reception environment indicator information generating device is a DOP threshold value calculation program.

9. A positioning method comprising:

generating satellite selection indicator information by a satellite selection indicator information generating device of a positioning apparatus based on satellite location information of an SPS to select a plurality of SPS satellites used to position;

acquiring positioning information from said plurality of SPS satellites selected based on said satellite selection indicator information by a positioning device of said positioning apparatus;

outputting said positioning information by an outputting device of said positioning apparatus;

generating reception environment indicator information based on information of reception environment in receiving electric waves from said SPS, said reception environment indicator information being compare with said satellite selection indicator information with respect to positioning precision; and

determining whether to output said positioning information to said outputting device or not, based on said satellite selection indicator information and said reception environment indicator information by a positioning information evaluation device of said positioning apparatus,

said information of reception environment being in an outdoor mode, if signal intensity of said electric waves from said SPS equals or exceeds a predetermined level,

said information of said reception environment being in an indoor mode, if said signal intensity is less than said predetermined level,

each of said plurality of SPS satellites being determined to have said information of said reception environment in said outdoor mode or said indoor mode,

said reception environment indicator information being based on a ratio of the number of said SPS satellites in said outdoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired, or the number of said SPS satellites in said indoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired.

10. A positioning program being adapted to run on a computer comprising:

computer code to generate satellite selection indicator information based on satellite location information of an SPS to select a plurality of SPS satellites to be used to position by a satellite selection indicator information generating device of a positioning apparatus;

computer code to acquire positioning information using said plurality of SPS satellites selected based on said satellite selection indicator information by a positioning device of said positioning apparatus;

computer code to output said positioning information by an outputting device of said positioning apparatus;

computer code to generate reception environment indicator information of said SPS based on information of reception environment in receiving electric waves from said SPS, said reception environment indicator information being compared with said satellite selection indicator information with respect to positioning precision; and

computer code to determine whether to output said positioning information to said outputting device or not, based on said satellite selection indicator information and said reception environment indicator information,

said information of said reception environment being in an outdoor mode, if signal intensity of said electric waves from said SPS equals or exceeds a predetermined level,

said information of reception environment being in an indoor mode, if said signal intensity is less than said predetermined level,

each of said plurality of SPS satellites being determined to have said information of reception environment either in said outdoor mode or said indoor mode,

said reception environment indicator information being based on a ratio of the number of said SPS satellites in said outdoor mode to total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired, or the number of said SPS satellites in said indoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired.

11. A computer-readable recording medium for recording a positioning program for allowing a computer to execute:

computer code to generate satellite selection indicator information based on satellite location information of an SPS to select a plurality of SPS satellites to be used to position by a satellite selection indicator information generating device of a positioning apparatus;

computer code to acquire positioning information using said plurality of SPS satellites selected based on said satellite selection indicator information by a positioning device of said positioning apparatus;

computer code to output said positioning information by an outputting device of said positioning apparatus,

computer code to generate reception environment indicator information of said SPS based on information of reception environment in receiving electric waves from said SPS, said reception environment indicator information being compared with said satellite selection indicator information with respect to positioning precision; and

computer code to determine whether to output said positioning information to said outputting device or not, based on said satellite selection indicator information and said reception environment indicator information by a positioning information evaluation device of said positioning apparatus,

said information of said reception environment being in an outdoor mode, if signal intensity from said SPS equals or exceeds a predetermined level,

said information of said reception environment being in an indoor mode, if signal intensity from said SPS is less than said predetermined level,

each of said plurality of SPS satellites being determined to have said information of said reception environment either in said outdoor mode or said indoor mode,

said reception environment indicator information being based on a ratio of the number of said SPS satellites in said outdoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired, or the number of said SPS satellites in said indoor mode to the total number of said SPS satellites which are acquired.