Position calculating method and position calculating device

• US 8,154,447 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Uchida, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US12/613,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.67
• US Class Current: 342/357.67
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/27 creating, predicting or correcting ephemeris or almanac data within the receiver

Abstract

A position calculating method includes: determining a positioning satellite used for position calculation on the basis of at least reliability of satellite orbits in a prediction target period corresponding to a position calculation point, the reliability of satellite orbits being set in long-term predicted orbit data in which satellite orbits of positioning satellites and reliability of the satellite orbits are associated for each prediction target period; and calculating a position on the basis of a positioning signal received from the determined positioning satellite.

Claims

1. A position calculating method for positioning of a positioning device by a satellite signal from a satellite, the positioning device having a central processing unit (CPU), the position calculating method comprising:

determining by the CPU a positioning satellite which is used for position calculation on the basis of at least reliability of satellite orbits in a prediction target period corresponding to a position calculation point, the reliability of satellite orbits being set in long-term predicted orbit data in which satellite orbits of positioning satellites and reliability of the satellite orbits are associated for each prediction target period;

calculating by the CPU a position on the basis of a positioning signal received from the determined positioning satellite; and

deciding by the CPU positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit in the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point,

the determining including determining, taking into account reliability of a satellite orbit in a prediction target period before or after the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point, whether the positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit should be used for the position calculation.

2. The position calculating method according to claim 1, further comprising

extracting by the CPU a predetermined number of positioning satellites in order from one having highest reliability of a satellite orbit and determining a satellite used for the position calculation.

3. The position calculating method according to claim 1, further comprising

deciding by the CPU a reception environment for the positioning signal;

and

determining by the CPU a satellite used for the position calculation on the basis of the decided reception environment.

4. The position calculating method according to claim 3, further comprising

variably setting by the CPU, according to the decided reception environment, at least a determination target period including the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point in the prediction target period included in the long-term predicted orbit data;

and

determining by the CPU a satellite which is used for the position calculation on the basis of reliability in the determination target period.

5. A position calculating device comprising:

a determining unit that determines a positioning satellite which is used for position calculation on the basis of at least reliability of satellite orbits in a prediction target period corresponding to a position calculation point, the reliability of satellite orbits being set in long-term predicted orbit data in which satellite orbits of positioning satellites and reliability of the satellite orbits are associated for each prediction target period; and

a position calculating unit that calculates a position on the basis of a positioning signal received from the determined positioning satellite

a deciding unit that decides positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit in the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point,

the determining unit that determines, taking into account reliability of a satellite orbit in a prediction target period before or after the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point, whether the positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit should be used for the position calculation.