Using data from non-surveyed devices to generate geopositioning corrections for portable devices

• US 9,645,241 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pighin, Fred P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US13/870,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]

Abstract

Positioning data generated by the positioning module of a portable device is received. The positioning data was generated using signals received at the portable receiver from respective signal sources (such as satellites). Positioning data generated by one or more non-surveyed devices is also received. The positioning data from the one or more non-surveyed devices has a high degree of reliability as compared with the position data from the portable device. The highly reliable positioning data from the one or more non-surveyed devices is further processed to develop positioning corrections for the portable device.

Claims

1. A method for improved geopositioning of portable devices equipped with positioning modules, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors at a network server, via a first wireless communication link, a correction query from a portable device, the correction query including first positioning data indicative of an estimated geographic location of the portable device and a corresponding time stamp, wherein the first positioning data was generated using satellite positioning signals received at the portable device;

obtaining, by the one or more processors at the network server, correction data for adjusting the estimated geographic location of the portable device, including;

receiving second positioning data indicative of an estimated geographic location of a non-surveyed device and a corresponding second time stamp, including receiving an indication that the non-surveyed device is located at a cruising aircraft, via a second wireless communication link, wherein the second positioning data was generated using satellite positioning signals received at the non-surveyed device,

storing the second positioning data and the second time stamp in a database,

obtaining flight path and flight times for the cruising aircraft;

determining, using the obtained flight path and flight times, that the portable device and the non-surveyed device have proximate estimated geographic locations at proximate times, including comparing the first time stamp to the second time stamp, and

generating, using the second positioning data, the correction data for adjusting the estimated geographic location of the portable device, using the second positioning data; and

providing the correction data from the network server to the portable device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first time stamp to the second time stamp includes determining whether a difference between the timestamps is within a tolerance range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite positioning signals are associated with a Global Positioning Service (GPS).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating the correction data includes applying a differential GPS technique.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the portable device and the non-surveyed device have proximate estimated geographic locations includes determining that the first positioning data and the second positioning data specify respectively a first geographic location and a second geographic location,

wherein the first geographic location and the second geographic location have similar latitude and longitude but different altitudes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first estimated geographic location is at or near a ground level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the portable device and the non-surveyed device have proximate estimated geographic locations includes:

determining a horizontal distance between the estimated geographic locations of the portable device and the non-surveyed device measured along a surface of the Earth, and

comparing the determined horizontal distance to a threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, using the one or more processors, that the first positioning data and the second positioning data were captured at substantially the same time.

9. A network server for improving geopositioning of portable devices, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the computing system to;

receive, from a portable device via a first wireless communication link, a correction query including first positioning data indicative of an estimated geographic location of the portable device and a corresponding first time stamp, wherein the first positioning data was generated using satellite positioning signals received at the portable device,

obtain correction data for adjusting the estimated geographic location of the portable device, including;

receive second positioning data indicative of an estimated geographic location of a non-surveyed device and a corresponding second time stamp, including an indication that the non-surveyed device is located at a cruising aircraft, wherein the second positioning data was generated using satellite positioning signals received at the non-surveyed device,

store the second positioning data and the second time stamp in a database,

obtain flight path and flight times for the cruising aircraft,

determine, using the obtained flight path and flight times, that the portable device and the non-surveyed device have proximate estimated geographic locations, including compare the first time stamp to the second time stamp, and

generate, using the second positioning data, the correction data for adjusting the estimated geographic location of the portable device,

wherein the instructions further cause the computing system to;

provide the correction data to the portable device via the first wireless communication link.

10. The network server of claim 9, wherein to determine the correction data, the instructions cause the computing system to apply a differential GPS technique.

11. A system comprising:

a network server configured to receive satellite positioning signals from at a non-surveyed device located at a cruising aircraft and corresponding first time stamps, the satellite positioning signals indicative of an estimated geographic location of the non-surveyed device;

a database, wherein the network server stores the received satellite positioning signals and with the corresponding first time stamps in the database; and

a portable device including a positioning module configured to generate positioning data indicative of an estimated geographic location of the portable device, the portable device configured to;

transmit the positioning data to a network server and a corresponding second time stamp,

receive, from the network server, correction data generated using the satellite positioning signals stored in the database, and

apply the correction data to the positioning data to generate an adjusted estimated geographic location of the portable device,

wherein the network server is further configured to;

obtain flight path and flight times for the cruising aircraft, and

determine that the portable device and the non-surveyed device have proximate estimated geographic locations using the obtained flight path and flight time, including compare the first time stamps to the second time stamp.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the positioning module generates the positioning data at approximately the same time as the non-surveyed device receives the positioning signals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-surveyed device is portable.