Method and a system for communicating information to a land surveying rover located in an area without cellular coverage

• US 8,611,926 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Jeffrey Allen, O'Meagher, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONADO, FRANK E
• Application Number:
  US13/889,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 342/357
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In a method for requesting network-derived position data from a mobile geographic position aware receiver, a mobile geographic position aware receiver having a first IP address is communicatively coupled with a first port on a router. A wireless transceiver is communicatively coupled with a second port on the router. A wireless communication device is communicatively coupled with a third port on the router. A processor is communicatively coupled with the router; the processor for executing a communications access command sequence. The command sequence comprises: testing for a wireless network connectivity; contacting a source of position data if wireless network connectivity exists; and generating a data message to be sent via the wireless transceiver if the wireless network connectivity does not exist, the data message comprising an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the router, an approximate current location of the mobile geographic position aware receiver, and a request for correction data.

Claims

1. A method for requesting network-derived location-specific correction data for a mobile geographic position aware receiver, said method comprising:

communicatively coupling a mobile geographic position aware receiver having a first Internet Protocol (IP) address with a first port on a router;

communicatively coupling a wireless transceiver with a second port on said router;

communicatively coupling a wireless communication device with a third port on said router, wherein said wireless communication device and said wireless transceiver employ differing wireless communication protocols; and

communicatively coupling a processor with said router said processor for executing a communications access command sequence comprising;

testing for a wireless network connectivity of said wireless communication device;

in response to determining via said testing that said wireless connectivity exists, contacting a correction data source using said wireless communication device to acquire a set of network derived location-specific correction data based on an approximate current location of said mobile geographic position aware receiver; and

in response to determining via said testing that said wireless connectivity does not exist, generating a data message to be sent via said wireless transceiver, said data message comprising an IP address of said router, said approximate current location of said mobile geographic position aware receiver, and a request for network-derived location-specific correction data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said executing a communications command action sequence further comprises:

automatically identifying a second mobile geographic position aware receiver which does have a wireless communication network connection with said correction data source and

sending said data message via said wireless transceiver to a second router associated with said second mobile geographic position aware receiver.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said executing a communications command action sequence further comprises:

transmitting said data message to said correction data source via said wireless communications network using a second wireless communications device coupled with said second router;

in response to said data message, receiving at said second router, said network-derived location-specific correction data, said network-derived location-specific correction data received via said wireless communication network using said second wireless device;

sending said network-derived location-specific correction data to said wireless transceiver; and

routing said network-derived location-specific correction data with said router to said mobile geographic position aware receiver, said mobile geographic position aware receiver configured to utilize network location-specific correction data to more precisely determine position.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network-derived location-specific correction data comprises:

network Real Time Kinematic (RTK) corrections for a region encompassing said approximate current location of said mobile geographic position aware receiver.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network-derived location-specific correction data comprises:

modeled observables applicable for said approximate current location of said mobile geographic position aware receiver.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network-derived location-specific correction data comprises:

location-specific correction data derived from reference station data which are processed by said correction data source.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile geographic position aware receiver comprises:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile geographic position aware receiver comprises:

a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes a non-cellular wireless communication protocol.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a two-way radio.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes an unlicensed radio communication operating in the 900 megahertz frequency band.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes an unlicensed radio communication operating in the 2.4 gigahertz frequency band.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said wireless transceiver utilizes an unlicensed radio communication operating in the 5.8 gigahertz frequency band.