Troposphere corrections for ground based positioning systems

• US 7,656,352 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novariant Incorporated (Kubota Corporation)
• Inventors: Alban, Santiago, Lawrence, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nga X
• Application Number:
  US11/232,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 34235701-3571, 342/458
• US Class Current: 342/458
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method

Abstract

Troposphere corrections are provided in a land based transmitter-positioning system. Troposphere delays correct ranges based on X- or ISM-band carrier ranging signals with a modulation rate of the code of at least about 30 MHz. Ground based transmitters transmit non-GPS type ranging signals, and the receivers correct for troposphere delays. Troposphere delay corrections are applied to range estimates on each iteration of an iterative position-fix algorithm. Different models of troposphere corrections in a ground based ranging system may be used.

Claims

1. A method for troposphere corrections in a positioning system with a ground based transmitter, the method comprising:

estimating a range as a function of a signal from the ground based transmitter, the signal;

(a) having an X-band or ISM-band carrier frequency;

(b) having a modulation rate of code being at least about 30 MHz;

or

(c) having both the X-band or ISM-band carrier frequency and the modulation rate of the code being at least about 30 MHz; and

applying a troposphere correction to the range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal has the modulation rate of the code of at least about 30 MHz.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the signal has the modulation rate of the code of at least about 150 MHz.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal has the X-band carrier frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal has the ISM band carrier frequency.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating by a reference station.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a single difference range and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to the single difference range.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a double difference range and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to the double difference range.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a carrier phase and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to a carrier phase range.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a code phase and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to a code phase range.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction with better than 10 centimeter accuracy.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least 10 centimeter accuracy is 1 centimeter or better accuracy.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises calculating the troposphere correction as a function of an altitude of a receiver and a distance between the ground based transmitter and the receiver.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction in a first iteration of estimating the range;

further comprising;

estimating the range in a subsequent iteration;

recalculating an additional troposphere correction; and

applying the additional troposphere correction to the range in the subsequent iteration.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a differential range between reference receiver and a mobile receiver and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to the differential range.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving updated meteorological data associated with the ground based transmitter; and

updating the troposphere correction as a function of the meteorological data.

18. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor of a receiver for troposphere corrections in a positioning system with a ground based transmitter, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

estimating a range as a function of a signal from the ground based transmitter, the signal having an X-band or ISM-band carrier frequency and a modulation rate of code being at least about 30 MHz; and

applying a troposphere correction to the range.

19. The instructions of claim 18 wherein the signal has the modulation rate of the code of at least about 150 MHz and the X-band carrier frequency.

20. The instructions of claim 18 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a single or double difference range and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to the single or double difference range, respectively.

21. The instructions of claim 18 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a carrier or code phase and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to a carrier or code phase range.

22. The instructions of claim 18 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction with better than 5 centimeter accuracy.

23. The instructions of claim 18 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises calculating the troposphere correction as a function of an altitude of a receiver and a distance between the ground based transmitter and the receiver.

24. The instructions of claim 18 wherein applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction in a first iteration of estimating the range;

further comprising;

estimating the range in a subsequent iteration;

recalculating an additional troposphere correction; and

applying the additional troposphere correction to the range in the subsequent iteration.

25. The instructions of claim 18 wherein estimating the range comprises estimating from a differential range between a reference receiver and the receiver with the programmed processor and applying the troposphere correction comprises applying the troposphere correction to the differential range.

26. The instructions of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving updated meteorological data associated with the ground based transmitter; and

updating the troposphere correction as a function of the meteorological data.