Method of satellite status judgment

• US 9,529,090 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Getac Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Chiu, Shang-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US13/226,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20120056783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection

Abstract

A method of satellite status judgment and computer program includes steps of selecting a plurality of observation satellites from a plurality of satellites according to a first condition, selecting, by the positioning apparatus, each of the observation satellites in turn as a target satellite, obtaining a signal variation slope of a first signal of a target satellite during a first observation time period, determining whether the target satellite should be masked according to the slope of the first signal, generating a prompt message when it is determined that the target satellite should be masked, and masking positioning signals transmitted from the target satellite according to the prompt message.

Claims

1. A method of satellite status judgment, the method comprising steps of:

selecting, by a positioning apparatus, a plurality of observation satellites from a plurality of satellites according to a first condition;

selecting, by the positioning apparatus, each of the observation satellites in turn as a target satellite;

obtaining, by the positioning apparatus, a variation slope of a signal of the target satellite at a first observation time period, wherein the variation slope is determined according to a change in carrier-to noise ratio measurements of the signal over the first observation time period;

determining, by the positioning apparatus, whether the target satellite should be masked according to the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period;

generating, by the positioning apparatus, a prompt message when it is determined that the target satellite should be masked;

masking, by the positioning apparatus, positioning signals transmitted from the target satellite according to the prompt message;

obtaining the variation slope of the signal of the target satellite at a plurality of observation time periods subsequent to the first observation time period; and

determining whether the variation slope of the signal has a positive slope for a predetermined number of subsequent observation time periods in a row greater than one, and if so, no longer masking the target satellite.

2. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 1, wherein the first condition includes that an elevation angle of the satellite is from 0 to 90 degrees.

3. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 1, wherein the first condition includes that carrier-to noise ratio of the satellite signals is at the range of 12-52 dB.

4. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 3, wherein the target satellite is masked when the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period is less than a predetermined threshold value.

5. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 1, further generating a prompt message of error according to said prompt message.

6. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether to mask the target satellite further comprises:

determining, by the positioning apparatus, whether the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period is deteriorated; and

determining, by the positioning apparatus, whether to mask, the target satellite according to deterioration of the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period.

7. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing the prompt message to a front end processing module or a rear end processing module.

8. The method of satellite status judgment as recited in claim 7, wherein the front end processing module is a positioning signal providing unit and the rear end processing module is software.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause an electronic apparatus to perform a method of satellite status judgment, the method comprising steps of:

selecting a plurality of observation satellites from a plurality of satellites according to a first condition;

selecting each of the observation satellites in turn as a target satellite;

obtaining a variation slope of a signal of the target satellite at a first observation time period, wherein the variation slope is determined according to a change in carrier-to noise ratio (CNR) measurements of the signal over the first observation time period;

determining whether the target satellite should be masked according to the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period;

generating a prompt message when it is determined that the target satellite should be masked;

masking positioning signals transmitted from the target satellite according to the prompt message;

obtaining the variation slope of the signal of the target satellite at a plurality of observation time periods subsequent to the first observation time period; and

determining whether the variation slope of the signal has a positive slope for a predetermined number of subsequent observation time periods in a row greater than one, and if so, no longer masking the target satellite.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the first condition includes that an elevation angle of the satellite is from 0 to 90 degrees.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the first condition includes that carrier-to noise ratio of the satellite signals is at the range of 12-52 dB.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the target satellite is masked when the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period is less than a predetermined threshold value.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises generating a prompt message of error according to said prompt message.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of determining whether to mask the target satellite further comprises:

determining whether the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period is deteriorated; and

determining whether to mask the target satellite according to deterioration of the variation slope of the signal over the first observation time period.