Satellite subset selection

• US 9,158,002 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Pratt, Anthony Richard, Jarvis, Murray Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US13/344,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.67
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

Apparatus for calculating the location of a receiver by means of a location algorithm that generates a receiver location in dependence on signalling events received by that receiver from a set of satellites, the apparatus being arranged to select, from a constellation of satellites visible to the receiver, the set of satellites to use in the location algorithm in dependence on an effect that it is estimated using that set of satellites will have on the capability of the location algorithm to generate an accurate location for the receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for calculating the location of a receiver, the apparatus including:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to receive signals from a set of satellites; and

a processor configured to;

execute a location algorithm to determine a location of the apparatus by sequentially;

selecting a subset of satellites from the set of satellites visible to the receiver in dependence on a first criterion selected from a group including a convergence zone of the algorithm, elevation angles of the satellites, line of sight velocities of the satellites, and a maximization of accuracy of the algorithm;

determining an estimated location of the apparatus based on the selected subset of satellites;

selecting a different subset of satellites from the set of satellites visible to the receiver in dependence on a second criterion different than the first criterion, the second criterion selected from the group including the convergence zone of the algorithm, the elevation angles of the satellites, the line of sight velocities of the satellites, and the maximization of accuracy of the algorithm; and

determining the location of the apparatus based on the selected different subset of satellites and based on the estimated location of the apparatus.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to estimate the effect that using the subset or the different subset of satellites will have on the capability of the location algorithm to generate an accurate location for the receiver in dependence on a convergence zone associated with the subset or the different subset of satellites.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location algorithm generates the receiver location in dependence on an estimated location of the receiver, the apparatus being arranged to estimate an effect that the subset or the different subset of satellites will have on the capability of the location algorithm to generate an accurate location for the receiver in dependence on an error associated with the estimated location.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location algorithm generates the receiver location in dependence on an estimated transmission time of the received signals, the apparatus being arranged to estimate the effect that the subset or the different subset of satellites will have on the capability of the location algorithm to generate an accurate location for the receiver in dependence on an error associated with the estimated transmission time.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to, select the subset of satellites to comprise a first number of satellites and to select the different subset of satellites to comprise a second number of satellites, said second number being higher than said first number.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset of satellites to be the subset associated with the maximum convergence zone achievable by means of the constellation of visible satellites.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset of satellites to be associated with a larger convergence zone than the different subset of satellites.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the different subset of satellites to generate a more accurate location for the receiver than the subset of satellites.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset or the different subset of satellites by:

forming a candidate subset comprising satellites that are visible to the receiver;

repeatedly identifying which of the satellites in the candidate subset is associated with the smallest convergence zone and eliminating that satellite from the candidate subset until the candidate subset consists of a predetermined number of satellites; and

selecting the subset or the different subset of satellites to comprise the predetermined number of satellites in the candidate subset.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset or the different subset of satellites by:

identifying one or more candidate subsets of satellites that could be formed from the constellation of satellites visible to the receiver and used to calculate a location for the receiver;

determining a convergence zone associated with each of the candidate subsets; and

selecting the subset or the different subset of satellites to comprise the candidate subset associated with the largest convergence zone.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset or the different subset of satellites to consist of a predetermined number of satellites in the set of visible satellites that have the highest levels of elevation relative to the receiver.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to select the subset or the different subset of satellites to consist of a predetermined number of satellites in the set of visible satellites that have the lowest line-of-sight velocities.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the apparatus is arranged to designate one satellite within the set of satellites as a reference satellite.

14. A method for calculating the location of a device, the method including:

receiving, by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver of the device, signals from a set of satellites;

executing, by a processor of the device, an algorithm to determine a location of the device by sequentially;

selecting a subset of satellites from the set of satellites visible to the receiver in dependence on a first criterion selected from a group including a convergence zone of the algorithm, elevation angles of the satellites, line of sight velocities of the satellites, and a maximization of accuracy of the algorithm;

determining an estimated location of the device based on the selected subset of satellites;

selecting a different subset of satellites from the set of satellites visible to the receiver in dependence on a second criterion different than the first criterion, the second criterion selected from the group including the convergence zone of the algorithm, the elevation angles of the satellites, the line of sight velocities of the satellites, and the maximization of accuracy of the algorithm; and

determining the location of the device based on the selected different subset of satellites and based on the estimated location of the device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions, that when executed by an apparatus:

configures a processor of the apparatus to execute an algorithm to determine a location of the apparatus by sequentially;

selecting a subset of satellites from a set of satellites transmitting signals to a global positing system (GPS) receiver in the apparatus, the selection of the subset being in dependence on a first criterion selected from a group including a convergence zone of the algorithm, elevation angles of the satellites, line of sight velocities of the satellites, and a maximization of accuracy of the algorithm;

determining an estimated location of the apparatus based on the selected subset of satellites;

selecting a different subset of satellites from the set of satellites visible to the receiver in dependence on a second criterion different than the first criterion, the second criterion selected from the group including the convergence zone of the algorithm, the elevation angles of the satellites, the line of sight velocities of the satellites, and the maximization of accuracy of the algorithm; and

determining the location of the apparatus based on the selected different subset of satellites and based on the estimated location of the apparatus.