Distributed radio frequency ranging signal receiver for navigation or position determination

• US 7,532,160 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novariant Incorporated (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Kurt R., Bauregger, Frank N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull; Fred H
• Application Number:
  US10/909,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.14, 342/450, 342/457, 342463-464
• US Class Current: 342/357.27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/32 Multimode operation in a single same satellite system, e.g. GPS L1/L2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/55 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method

Abstract

In a local positioning system, a receiver is adapted for receiving signals from a land-based transmitter. The receiver includes an analog decorrelator for decorrelating the transmitted spread spectrum signals. A down converter connected with an antenna may be spaced away from other portions of the receiver. The down converter down converts received ranging signals and provides them to the remotely spaced receiver portions. A signal line connecting the down converter to the receiver may be operable to transmit any two or more of a reference signal provided to the down converter, the down converted intermediate frequency signals provided to the receiver, and power provided to the down converter. The receiver may be positioned adjacent to or as part of a land-based transmitter. By determining positions of two or more antennas, the location of the associated transmitter is determined.

Claims

1. A receiver system for a global or local navigation positioning system, the receiver system comprising:

an antenna connected with a machine of an open pit mine, the antenna operable to receive a signal from a land-based transmitter of the open pit mine;

a down converter connected with the antenna;

a portion of a first mobile receiver spaced from the down converter and connected with the machine of the open pit mine, the portion of the first mobile receiver responsive to signals from the down converter for determining a range, wherein the portion comprises a signal tracking circuit;

a global navigation satellite antenna operable to receive a satellite ranging signal;

a mobile global navigation satellite receiver spaced from the global navigation satellite antenna and operable to down convert signals from the global navigation satellite antenna; and

a cable connected with the down converter and the portion of the first mobile receiver, the cable operable to transmit down converted signals from the down converter to the portion of the receiver.

2. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the cable is a coaxial cable.

3. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the portion of the first mobile receiver is spaced at least a meter from the down converter.

4. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the portion of the first mobile receiver outputs a reference frequency, the cable transmits the reference frequency to the down converter and the down converter is operable to down convert as a function of the reference frequency.

5. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the portion of the first mobile receiver outputs a power signal on the cable, the down converter powered by the power signal.

6. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter is operable to down convert as a function of a reference oscillation signal from the portion of the first mobile receiver.

7. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter comprises a mixer and a synthesizer, the mixer operable to down convert a radio frequency signal from the antenna in response to a reference oscillation signal from the synthesizer.

8. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter is operable to down convert a code division multiple access ranging signal from the antenna.

9. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter is operable to down convert an X-band signal from the antenna to a lower frequency signal.

10. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter is operable to down convert an ISM-band signal from the antenna to a lower frequency signal.

11. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the down converter is operable to down convert any GNSS-band signal from the antenna to a lower frequency signal.

12. The receiver system of claim 1 wherein the antenna is operable to receive a microwave signal from the land-based transmitter.

13. A method for determining ranging information from radio frequency ranging signals, the method comprising:

(a) receiving the radio frequency ranging signals from a land-based transmitter of an open pit mine;

(b) down converting the radio frequency ranging signals to an intermediate frequency;

(c) transmitting the down converted signals to a remote receiver on a machine of the open pit mine, wherein (c) comprises transmitting the down converted signals through a coaxial cable;

(d) determining the ranging information from the transmitted down converted signals;

(e) receiving a satellite ranging signal; and

(f) down converting the satellite ranging signal at the remote receiver.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein (c) comprises transmitting the down converted signals at least a meter to the remote receiver.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

(g) outputting a reference frequency from the remote receiver;

wherein (b) comprises down converting as a function of the reference frequency.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein (g) comprises outputting the reference frequency on a cable and (c) comprises transmitting the down converted signals on the same cable.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

(g) providing power for (b) from the remote receiver on a cable and (c) comprises transmitting the down converted signals on the same cable.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises receiving a code division multiple access ranging signal.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises receiving an x-band signal.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises receiving an ISM-band signal.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises receiving GNSS-band signal.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein (a) comprises receiving a microwave signal from the land-based transmitter;

wherein (d) comprises determining the ranging information as a function of the satellite ranging signal and the microwave signal.

23. A system for determining ranging information from radio frequency ranging signals, the system comprising:

an antenna on a machine of an open pit mine;

a down converter connected with the antenna;

a receiver on the machine of the open pit mine; and

a signal line connected between the down converter and the receiver, the signal line operable to transmit (a) at least one of;

a reference signal to the down converter, a power signal to the down converter, a replica code, global navigation satellite system ranging signals, or combinations thereof, and (b) the down converted signals from the down converter to the receiver.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the receiver comprises a DC power supply, the signal line operable to provide DC power from the DC power supply to the down converter.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the reference signal and the down converted signals are at different frequencies;

the system further comprising;

a signal splitter operable to isolate the reference signal from the down converted signal on the signal line.

26. A method for determining ranging information from radio frequency ranging signals, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting one of;

a reference signal to a down converter, a power signal to the down converter, a replica code, global navigation satellite system ranging signals, and combinations thereof, the transmission being along a wired first communication path;

(b) receiving the radio frequency ranging signals from a land-based transmitter at an open pit mine;

(c) down converting the radio frequency ranging signals to an intermediate frequency as a function of the reference signal;

(d) transmitting the down converted signals to a receiver on the wired first communication path, the receiver being in the open pit mine; and

(e) determining the ranging information from the transmitted down converted signals.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

(f) providing power for (c) on the first communication path.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the reference signal and the down converted signals are at different frequencies on the first communications path;

further comprising;

(f) isolating the reference signal from the down converted signal at the down converter.