Apparatus and method for use in global positioning measurements

• US 8,692,710 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIGE Semiconductor Limited (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SIGE Semiconductor Limited (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tarlow, Ben, Strickland, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): GALT, CASSI J
• Application Number:
  US12/310,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.61, 342/357.59, 701/210, 701/411, 701/412
• US Class Current: 342/357.61
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/22 Multipath-related issues
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention involve providing assistance data to a global position and navigation receiver, for example topographical data, such that the receiver can decide on a specific action depending on that data. The topographical data may include one or both of geographical data and architectural data. Geographical data may include information about natural formations, such as hills, valleys, forests, etc. Architectural data may include manmade formations, such as streets, buildings, bridges, etc. The receiver may then interpret and decide on a course of action for controlling the receiver base on the assistance data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a receiver having circuitry configured to receive signals from at least one source providing global positioning information, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive topographical data that describes an aspect of an environment in an area local to the receiver; and

a receiver controller configured to compare an estimated position of the at least one source providing global positioning information with the topographical data to determine whether a topographical feature defined in the topographical data would block receipt of the signals from the at least one source by the receiver and to modify navigational instructions provided by the receiver to a user to guide the user on a path that is less affected by a topographical feature that has been determined to block receipt of the signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the topographical data describes a topographical aspect of the area local to the receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the topographical data includes at least one of data pertaining to at least one architectural feature in the area local to the receiver and data pertaining to at least one geographical feature in the area local to the receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the topographical data includes one or more of:

width of at least one street in the area local to the receiver;

orientation of at least one street in the area local to the receiver;

height of at least one topographical feature in the area local to the receiver;

data indicative of one or more properties of one or more materials of at least one topographical feature in the area local to the receiver;

data indicative of at least one change in elevation in the area local to the receiver; and

altitude information in the area local to the receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver controller is configured to interpret the topographical data to make a decision to control operation of the receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver controller further includes one or more of:

a power consumption controller configured to use the topographical data to control power consumption of the receiver;

a selection/acquisition/tracking controller configured to use the topographical data to control one or more of selection, acquisition and tracking of a signal from the at least one source providing global positioning information; and

a position determination controller configured to use the topographical data to control position determination performed by the receiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver controller is further configured to perform at least one of:

determine at least one probable source of multipath;

predict if at least one of the topographical features in the area local to the receiver will cause one or more multi-path components of signals;

provide an indication of a presence of one or more multi-path components of signals; and

one or more of predict, estimate, determine and provide an indication of a magnitude of one or more multi-path components of signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the selection/acquisition/tracking controller is configured to determine one or more effects of combined or reflected signals on a dynamic range of at least one received signal that affects how at least one of searching, tracking and acquiring signals is performed by the receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the position determination controller is configured to determine one or more effects of combined or reflected signals on a dynamic range of at least one received signal that affects how the position determination is performed by the receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver controller is configured to use the topographical data to determine whether the at least one source providing global positioning information, which is above a horizon, is visible to the receiver.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein when the at least one source providing global positioning information is visible to the receiver, the receiver controller enables the receiver to search for the at least one source to acquire a signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface is configured to access a computer readable medium for storing the data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the computer readable medium is one of collocated with the receiver and located remotely from the receiver.

14. A global positioning system receiver for receiving signals from at least one source providing global positioning information comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

15. The receiver of claim 14 further comprising:

receive circuitry configured to receive signals from the at least one source providing global positioning information;

a signal processor configured to acquire signals from the at least one source providing global positioning information and configured to receive control information from the receiver controller; and

a position determiner configured to determine one or more receiver position estimates using the received signals from the at least one source and configured to receive the control information from the receiver controller.

30. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein when the at least one source providing global positioning information is not visible to the receiver, the receiver controller is further configured to stop the receiver from searching for the at least one source to acquire a signal.

16. A method for use in a receiver having circuitry configured to receive signals from at least one source providing global positioning information, the method comprising:

receiving topographical data that describes an aspect of an environment in an area local to the receiver;

comparing an estimated position of the at least one source providing global positioning information with the topographical data that indicates to determine whether a topographical feature defined in the topographical data would block receipt of the signals from the at least one source by the receiver, and

modifying navigational instructions provided by the receiver to a user to guide the user on a path that is less affected by a topographical feature that has been determined to block receipt of the signal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the topographical data describes a topographical aspect of the area local to the receiver.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the topographical data includes at least one of data pertaining to at least one architectural feature in the area local to the receiver and data pertaining to at least one geographical feature in the area local to the receiver.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the topographical data includes one or more of:

width of at least one street in the area local to the receiver;

orientation of at least one street in the area local to the receiver;

height of at least one topographical feature in the area local to the receiver;

data indicative of one or more properties of one or more materials of at least one topographical feature in the area local to the receiver;

data indicative of at least one change in elevation in the area local to the receiver; and

altitude information in the area local to the receiver.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to control operation of the receiver.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to control power consumption of the receiver.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to determine if the receiver is positioned in a location that is influenced by multipath.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to control selection, acquisition and tracking of a signal from the at least one source providing global positioning information.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to control position determination performed by the receiver.

25. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the topographical data to determine whether the at least one source providing global positioning information, which is above a horizon, is visible to the receiver.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein when the at least one source providing global positioning information is visible to the receiver, enabling the receiver to search for the at least one source to acquire a signal.

27. The method of claim 16 further comprising, when the topographical data includes altitude data for the area local to the receiver, using the altitude data for controlling a determination of the receiver position estimate calculated by the receiver.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein using the altitude data for controlling the determination of the receiver position estimate calculated by the receiver includes using the altitude data and signals from a minimum of two sources providing global positioning information when determining a two-dimensional position estimate of a current position of the receiver.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein using the altitude data for controlling the determination of the receiver position estimate calculated by the receiver includes using the altitude data and signals from a minimum of three sources providing global positioning information when determining a three-dimensional position estimate of a current position of the receiver.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising stopping the receiver from searching for the at least one source to acquire a signal when the at least one source providing global positioning information is not visible to the receiver.

32. A system for a receiver having circuitry configured to receive signals from at least one source providing global positioning information, the system comprising:

a wireless enabled device located remotely from the receiver and configured to provide topographical data that describes an aspect of an environment in an area local to the receiver;

an interface configured to receive the topographical data; and

a receiver controller configured to compare an estimated position of the at least one source providing global positioning information with the topographical data to determine whether a topographical feature defined in the topographical data would block receipt of the signals from the at least one source by the receiver and to modify navigational instructions provided by the receiver to a user to guide the user on a path that is less affected by a topographical feature that has been determined to block receipt of the signals.