Automatic GNSS signal allocation between remote and base receivers

• US 8,532,885 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Incorporated
• Inventors: Whitehead, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/439,373
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/007 Steering or guiding of agricultural vehicles, e.g. steering of the tractor to keep the plough in the furrow
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/32 Multimode operation in a single same satellite system, e.g. GPS L1/L2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/33 Multimode operation in different systems which transmit time stamped messages, e.g. GPS/GLONASS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/54 using carrier phase measurements; using long or short baseline interferometry

Abstract

A differential global navigation satellite system (DGNSS)-based guidance system which is capable of utilizing satellites from multiple GNSS networks, for example in a real time kinematic (RTK) system. The remote rover receiver and the base station transceiver periodically synchronize to ensure that the satellites being tracked by the rover receiver correspond with those tracked by the base station transceiver. This ensures that redundant position data is filtered out and an accurate GNSS position of the rover unit can be determined. The ability to use satellites from different GNSS networks increases the accuracy of the positioning system and increases the chance of multiple satellites being available to a receiver under a greater number of circumstances.

Claims

1. A guidance system including satellites from a plurality of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs), a base station receiver and transmitter, and a rover receiver unit, the system further comprising:

a vehicle;

said rover receiver unit being comprised of a GNSS receiver, a clock, a CPU, an orientation device, and a graphical user interface (GUI) and adapted for interface with said vehicle;

at least one GNSS antenna located on said vehicle and communicatively connected to said rover receiver unit;

said rover receiver unit adapted for receiving position signal data from said plurality of GNSS satellites;

said base station receiver adapted for receiving position signal data from said plurality of GNSS satellites;

said base station transmitter adapted for transmitting raw satellite data signal to said rover receiver unit;

wherein said CPU determines which satellite signals are being tracked by said base station receiver; and

said CPU reallocates the GNSS satellite signals being tracked by said GNSS receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is an agricultural vehicle receiving position signals to aid in the guidance of the vehicle in a field.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the plurality of GNSS satellite signals including redundant signals; and

the CPU reallocating the GNSS satellite signals being tracked by said GNSS receiver to remove said redundant signals and include only those signals tracked by the base receiver.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the redundant signals include L2(P/Y) satellite signals and L2C satellite signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the CPU reallocates the GNSS satellite signals being tracked by said GNSS receiver based upon the differential correction data signal supplied by the base station transmitter.

6. A method of vehicle guidance with a vehicle guidance system, the guidance system including satellites from a plurality of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), a base station receiver and transmitter, a vehicle, and a rover receiver unit, the method comprising the steps:

receiving GNSS satellite position signals with the base station receiver and the rover receiver unit;

tracking GNSS satellites based upon said received GNSS satellite signals;

transmitting raw satellite data signal with the base station transmitter;

receiving base station differential correction data with said rover receiver unit; and

reallocating the GNSS satellites being tracked by the rover receiver unit to match those tracked by said base station receiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said rover receiver unit is comprised of a GNSS receiver, a clock, a CPU, an orientation device, and a graphical user interface (GUI).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said vehicle is an agricultural vehicle receiving position signals to aid in the guidance of the vehicle in a field.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of GNSS satellites produce redundant signals, the method further comprising the step:

reallocating the GNSS satellite signals being tracked by said GNSS receiver to remove said redundant signals and include only those signals tracked by the base receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the redundant signals include L2(P/Y) satellite signals and L2C satellite signals.

11. The method of claim 6, including the step:

reallocating the GNSS satellite signals being tracked by the rover receiver unit based upon the differential correction data signal supplied by the base station transmitter.