System and/or method for acquisition of GNSS signals

• US 8,026,847 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Pon, Rayman Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing; Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US11/682,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.15, 342/357.69
• US Class Current: 342/357.69
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/29 carrier including Doppler, related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/30 code related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/33 Multimode operation in different systems which transmit time stamped messages, e.g. GPS/GLONASS

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for acquiring signal received from space vehicles (SVs) in a satellite navigation system. In one example, although claimed subject matter is not so limited, information processed in acquiring a signal from a first SV may be used in acquiring a signal from a second SV.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a first code phase in a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location; and

determining a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase in a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected code phase of said first received signal, an estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location, wherein determining the code phase search range includes

determining an estimated code phase of the signal received from the second SV based at least in part on the first code phase, and

determining a code phase uncertainty based at least in part on the estimated azimuth angle to said first SV and the estimated azimuth angle to said second SV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first SV is from a GPS constellation and said second SV is from a Galileo constellation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting said first code phase comprises correlating said first signal with a locally generated pseudo-random code sequence associated with said first SV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said reference location comprises an estimate of a location of a receiver adapted to receive said first and second signals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said code phase search range comprises a predetermined number of chips in a period of said second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal.

6. A method comprising:

detecting a. first code phase of a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location, said first SV being in a constellation of SVs in a first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); and

determining a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase of a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected first code phase, said second SV being in a constellation of SVs in a second GNSS different from said first GNSS, and

wherein determining the code phase search range includes estimating a code phase of the second SV based at least in part on a sum of the detected first code phase and a difference between estimated ranges from the reference location to the first and second SVs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining said code search range further comprises determining said code search range based, at least in part, on an estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises GPS and said second GNSS comprises Galileo GNSS.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises Galileo and said second GNSS comprises GPS.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises Galileo and said second GNSS comprises Glonass.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises Glonass and said second GNSS comprises GPS.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises GPS and said second GNSS comprises Glonass.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said first GNSS comprises Glonass and said second GNSS comprises Galileo.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal comprises a period shorter than a period of said second periodically repeating pseudorandom signal.

15. An article comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

determine a first code phase in a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location; and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase in a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected code phase of said first received signal, an estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location, wherein determining the code phase search range includes

determining an estimated code phase of the signal received from the second SV based at least in part on the first code phase, and

determining a code phase uncertainty based at least in part on the estimated azimuth angle to said first SV and the estimated azimuth angle to said second SV.

16. An article comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

determine a first code phase of a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location, said first SV being in a constellation of SVs in a first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase of a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said first code phase, said second SV being in a constellation of SVs in a second GNSS different from said first GNSS, wherein said instructions are adapted to cause said computing platform to determine the code phase search range by estimating a code phase of the second SV based at least in part on a sum of the detected first code phase and a difference between estimated ranges from the reference location to the first and second SVs.

17. A subscriber unit comprising:

a receiver to receive an acquisition assistance (AA) message comprising information indicative of an estimated azimuth angle to a first space vehicle (SV) from a reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to a second SV from said reference location, said subscriber unit being adapted to;

detect a first code phase in a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from said first space vehicle (SV) at said reference location; and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase in a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from said second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected code phase of said first received signal, said estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and said estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location, wherein determining the code phase search range includes

determining an estimated code phase of the signal received from the second SV based at least in part on the first code phase, and

determining a code phase uncertainty based at least in part on the estimated azimuth angle to said first SV and the estimated azimuth angle to said second SV.

18. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein said subscriber unit is further adapted to receive said AA message over a wireless communication link.

19. A subscriber unit comprising:

a receiver to receive an acquisition assistance (AA) message comprising information indicative of locations of space vehicles (SVs) in two or more Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS'"'"'), said subscriber unit being adapted to;

detect a first code phase of a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location, said first SV being in a constellation of SVs in a first one of said GNSS'"'"'; and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase of a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected first code phase, said second SV being in a constellation of SVs in a second one of said GNSS'"'"' different from said first GNSS, wherein said subscriber unit is adapted to determine the code phase search range by estimating a code phase of the second SV based at least in part on a sum of the detected first code phase and a difference between estimated ranges from the reference location to the first and second SVs.

20. The subscriber unit of claim 19, wherein said subscriber unit is further adapted to receive said AA message over a wireless communication link.

21. A system comprising:

a position determination entity (PDE); and

a subscriber unit, the subscriber unit being adapted to;

receive an acquisition assistance (AA) message from a said PDE over a wireless communication link, said AA message comprising information indicative of an estimated azimuth angle to a first space vehicle (SV) from a reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to a second SV from said reference location;

detect a first code phase in a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from said first space vehicle (SV) at said reference location; and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase in a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from said second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected code phase of said first received signal, said estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and said estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location, wherein determining the code phase search range includes

determining an estimated code phase of the signal received from the second SV based at least in part on the first code phase, and

determining a code phase uncertainty based at least in part on the estimated azimuth angle to said first SV and the estimated azimuth angle to said second SV.

22. A system comprising:

a position determination entity (PDE); and

a subscriber unit, the subscriber unit being adapted to;

receive an acquisition assistance (AA) message from said PDE over a wireless communication link, said AA message comprising information indicative of locations space vehicles (SVs) in two or more Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS'"'"');

detect a first code phase of a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location, said first SV being in a constellation of SVs in a first one of said GNSS'"'"'; and

determine a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase of a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected first code phase, said second SV being in a constellation of SVs in a second one of said GNSS'"'"' different from said first GNSS, wherein said subscriber unit is adapted to determine the code phase search range by estimating a code phase of the second SV based at least in part on a sum of the detected first code phase and a difference between estimated ranges from the reference location to the first and second SVs.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a first code phase in a first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a first space vehicle (SV) at a reference location;

and means for determining a code phase search range for detection of a second code phase in a second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from a second SV at said reference location based, at least in part, on said detected code phase of said first received signal, an estimated azimuth angle to said first SV from said reference location and an estimated azimuth angle to said second SV from said reference location, wherein the means for determining the code phase search range includes

means for determining an estimated code phase of the signal received from the second SV based at least in part on the first code phase, and

means for determining a code phase uncertainty based at least in part on the estimated azimuth angle to said first SV and the estimated azimuth angle to said second SV.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said first SV is from a first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and said second SV is from a second GNSS, different from the first GNSS.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for receiving an acquisition assistance (AA) message over a wireless communication link, said AA message comprising information indicative of locations of the first SV and the second SV.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for determining the code phase uncertainty determines the code phase uncertainty based at least in part on an elevation angle to the first SV and an elevation angle to the second SV.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal comprises a first PseudoNoise (PN) code sequence having a period distinct from a period of a second PN code sequence of the second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for detecting the second code phase in the second periodically repeating pseudorandom encoded signal received from the second SV based in part on the code phase search range.