Positioning device, method of controlling positioning device, and recording medium

• US 7,557,750 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mizuochi, Shunichi, Muraguchi, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu; Harry
• Application Number:
  US11/882,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.13, 342/357.02, 342/357.06
• US Class Current: 342/357.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A positioning device includes an estimated height storage section which stores an estimated height H1, a signal reception section which receives a satellite signal which is a signal from a satellite positioning system (SPS) satellite, a two-dimensional height calculation section which calculates a two-dimensional height H2c by two-dimensional positioning using the estimated height H1, a three-dimensional height calculation section which calculates a three-dimensional height H2b by preliminary three-dimensional positioning during two-dimensional positioning, a height selection section which selects the two-dimensional height H2b or the three-dimensional height H2c in order to update the estimated height H1, and an updating section which updates the estimated height H1 with the two-dimensional height H2b or the three-dimensional height H2c selected by the height selection section.

Claims

1. A positioning device comprising:

an estimated height storage section which stores an estimated height;

a signal reception section which receives a satellite signal which is a signal from a satellite positioning system (SPS) satellite;

a two-dimensional height calculation section which calculates a height of a present position as a two-dimensional height by performing two-dimensional positioning which locates the present position based on the received satellite signals using the estimated height as a distance from the center of the earth;

a three-dimensional height calculation section which calculates the height of the present position as a three-dimensional height by performing preliminary three-dimensional positioning which preliminarily locates the present position based on the received satellite signals without using the estimated height when performing the two-dimensional positioning;

a height selection section which selects the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height for updating the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section; and

an updating section which updates the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section using the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height selected by the height selection section.

2. The positioning device as defined in claim 1, comprising:

a three-dimensional positioning section which performs three-dimensional positioning which locates the present position based on the received satellite signals without using the estimated height;

a positioning environment determination section which determines a positioning environment when performing the two-dimensional positioning or the three-dimensional positioning; and

a positioning method selection section which selects the two-dimensional positioning or the three-dimensional positioning based on the positioning environment;

wherein the updating section updates the estimated height using the three-dimensional height calculated by the three-dimensional positioning when the three-dimensional positioning section has performed the three-dimensional positioning.

3. The positioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein the height selection section selects the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height based on a movement state of the positioning device and reliability of positioning information calculated in the two-dimensional positioning.

4. The positioning device as defined in claim 1, comprising:

an estimated height evaluation section which determines whether or not the estimated height satisfies predetermined basic update conditions including at least a number of updates of the estimated height as a condition; and

a difference-in-height calculation section which calculates a difference in height between the estimated height and the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height when the estimated height evaluation section has determined that the estimated height does not satisfy the basic update conditions;

wherein the updating section updates the estimated height by weighted averaging the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height selected by the height selection section and the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section, and updates the estimated height while increasing weight of the estimated height when the difference in height is within a predetermined difference-in-height allowable range.

5. The positioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein the updating section updates the estimated height while reducing the weight of the estimated height when the difference in height is not within the difference-in-height allowable range.

6. The positioning device as defined in claim 4, comprising:

a gain table including a gain indicating the weight of the estimated height, and a gain counter for designating the gain.

7. The positioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein the updating section updates the estimated height based on the difference in height and a degree of positioning reliability.

8. The positioning device as defined in claim 6, wherein the updating section updates the estimated height based on the difference in height and a degree of positioning reliability.

9. A method of controlling a positioning device including an estimated height storage section which stores an estimated height and a signal reception section which receives a satellite signal which is a signal from a satellite positioning system (SPS) satellite, the method comprising:

calculating a height of a present position as a two-dimensional height by performing two-dimensional positioning which locates the present position based on the received satellite signals using the estimated height as a distance from the center of the earth;

calculating the height of the present position as a three-dimensional height by performing preliminary three-dimensional positioning which preliminarily locates the present position based on the received satellite signals without using the estimated height when performing the two-dimensional positioning;

selecting the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height for updating the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section; and

updating the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section using selected one of the two-dimensional height and the three-dimensional height.

10. A computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program causing a computer included in a positioning device including an estimated height storage section which stores an estimated height and a signal reception section which receives a satellite signal which is a signal from a satellite positioning system (SPS) satellite to execute:

calculating a height of a present position as a two-dimensional height by performing two-dimensional positioning which locates the present position based on the received satellite signals using the estimated height as a distance from the center of the earth;

calculating the height of the present position as a three-dimensional height by performing preliminary three-dimensional positioning which preliminarily locates the present position based on the received satellite signals without using the estimated height when performing the two-dimensional positioning;

selecting the two-dimensional height or the three-dimensional height for updating the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section; and

updating the estimated height stored in the estimated height storage section using selected one of the two-dimensional height and the three-dimensional height.