Supporting a satellite based positioning

• US 8,760,345 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Syrjrinne, Jari, Valio, Harri, Alanen, Kimmo, Honkanen, Tuomo, Pietil, Samuli
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US11/885,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,403 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.46, 342/357.73
• US Class Current: 342/357.46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/33 Multimode operation in different systems which transmit time stamped messages, e.g. GPS/GLONASS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

A satellite signal receiver 40 comprises a measurement component 43 adapted to perform measurements on received satellite signals. In order to enable an enhanced handling of the measurements, the receiver further comprises a first processing unit 44 adapted to run a software 45 for controlling the measurement component 43 based on received control parameters. In addition, it comprises a first interface component 46 adapted to receive control parameters via another interface component 34 from another processing unit 35, adapted to provide the control parameters to the first processing unit 44 and adapted to forward measurement results from the measurement component 43 via the other interface component 34 to the other processing unit 35.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a measurement component configured to perform measurements on received satellite signals;

a first processor, with a software code, configured to control said measurement component based on received control parameters; and

a first interface component configured to receive control parameters via another interface component from another processor external to said apparatus, and configured to provide said control parameters to said first processor;

said first processor, with said software code, being further configured to convert measurement results of said measurement component into a suitable format for position information calculations at said other processor; and

said first interface component being further configured to forward said converted measurement results via said other interface component to said other processor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measurement component is configured to perform measurements on received satellite signals transmitted by satellites of at least two different satellite positioning systems, depending on control parameters provided by said other processor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first interface component is configured to employ a dedicated protocol for receiving control data and transmitting measurement results.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first processor, with said software code, is configured to control said measurement component for providing measurement results for at least two of the following positioning modes:

a standalone positioning, a network assisted positioning and a network based positioning.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first processor, with said software code, is configured to control said measurement component essentially in the same manner for each of said at least two positioning modes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measurement results of said measurement component comprise decoded navigation information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a satellite signal receiver.

8. A mobile arrangement comprising:

the apparatus according to claim 1;

said other processer, wherein said other processor, with a control software, is configured to generate control parameters for said measurement component and wherein said other processor, with an evaluation software, is configured to process measurement results provided by said measurement component and converted into a suitable format; and

said other interface component, wherein said other interface component is configured to transfer control parameters generated by said other processor to said first interface component and to forward measurement results received from said first interface component to said other processor.

9. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said other processor, with said control software, is configured generate control parameters for said measurement component in a format which is suitable for said apparatus.

10. The mobile arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said other processor, with said control software, is configured to generate control parameters for said measurement component by converting available assistance data into a protocol independent format which is suitable for said apparatus.

11. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said first interface component is further configured to forward measurement results not related to satellite positioning from said measurement component to said other interface component, and wherein said other interface component is configured to forward said measurement results received from said first interface component to said other processor.

12. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said first processor and said other processor are configured to support at least two of the following positioning modes:

a standalone positioning, a network assisted positioning and a network based positioning, wherein said first processor is configured to control said measurement component essentially in the same manner for each of said at least two positioning modes and wherein said other processor is configured to perform said processing of measurement results essentially in the same manner for each of said at least two positioning modes.

13. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8 comprising a mobile communication device, wherein said control software and said evaluation software are implemented in a software that is configured to support communications of said mobile communication device via a mobile communication network.

14. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8,

wherein said mobile arrangement is a mobile communication device.

15. The mobile arrangement according to claim 8 comprising a mobile communication device, which includes said other processor and said other interface component, wherein said apparatus is a satellite signal receiver configured as an accessory device for said mobile communication device.

16. An interface for a mobile arrangement supporting a satellite based positioning, which mobile arrangement comprises a satellite signal receiver, including a measurement component and a first processor, and which mobile arrangement comprises another processor,

wherein said interface is configured to enable a communication between said satellite signal receiver and said other processor;

wherein said interface comprises a first interface component in said satellite signal receiver and another interface component;

wherein said first interface component is configured to receive control parameters from said other interface component, to provide said control parameters to said first processor and to forward measurement results from said measurement component, which have been converted by said first processor into a suitable format for position information calculations at said other processor, to said other interface component; and

wherein said other interface component is configured to transfer control parameters generated by said other processor to said first interface component and to forward measurement results received from said first interface component to said other processor.

17. The interface according to claim 16, wherein said first interface component is further configured to forward measurement results not related to satellite positioning from said measurement component to said other interface component, and wherein said wherein said other interface component is configured to forward said measurement results received from said first interface component to said other processor.

18. A method for supporting a satellite based positioning in a mobile arrangement, wherein said mobile arrangement comprises a satellite signal receiver, including a measurement component and a first processor, and wherein said mobile arrangement comprises another processor, said method comprising:

receiving in said satellite signal receiver control parameters from said other processor via an interface;

controlling in said satellite signal receiver measurements on received satellite signals by said measurement component by means of said first processor based on said received control parameters;

converting measurement results of said measurement component into a suitable format for position information calculations in said other processor; and

transferring converted measurement results of said measurement component via said interface to said other processor.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said measurement results of said measurement component comprise decoded navigation information.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

generating, by said other processor, control parameters for said measurement component;

processing, by said other processor, measurement results provided by said measurement component;

transferring, by said other interface component, control parameters generated by said other processor to said first interface component; and

forwarding, by said other interface component, measurement results received from said first interface component to said other processor.

21. A non-transitory software program product in which a software code for a mobile arrangement supporting a satellite based positioning is stored such that it readable by a processor, wherein said mobile arrangement comprises a satellite signal receiver, including a measurement component and a first processor, and wherein said mobile arrangement comprises another processor, said software code causing the satellite signal receiver to perform the following when running in said first processor:

receiving in said satellite signal receiver control parameters from said other processor via an interface;

controlling in said satellite signal receiver measurements on received satellite signals by said measurement component by means of said first processor based on said received control parameters;

converting measurement results of said measurement component into a suitable format for position information calculations in said other processor; and

transferring converted measurement results of said measurement component via said interface to said other processor.