GPS time-aiding and frequency correction

• US 9,712,229 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Michael E., McCune, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Wesley
• Application Number:
  US14/457,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/004 compensating for timing error of reception due to propagation delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system and method for time-aiding an autonomous Global Positioning System device over a Bluetooth connection allows for a faster time to fix by allowing faster acquisition of time and ephemeris data. The time-aiding information may be distributed in a one-to-one manner or in a manner that allows for the synchronization of multiple devices.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a clock in a mobile Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) device, the method comprising;

connecting the mobile GPS device to a mobile communications device over a Bluetooth link;

receiving time-synchronization information at the mobile GPS device from the mobile communications device over the Bluetooth link wherein the time-synchronization information includes a synchronization train in a Unicast Directionless Data transmission; and

adjusting a clock of the mobile GPS device based on the received time-synchronization information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the time-synchronization information is coarse synchronization information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the time-synchronization information is fine synchronization information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile GPS device is a watch.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving supplemental ephemeris data at the mobile GPS device from the mobile communications device over the Bluetooth link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the time-synchronization information is Bluetooth co-existence time information.

7. A mobile Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) device with time aiding, the device comprising;

a Bluetooth interface;

a GPS module configured to identify a location of the GPS device; and

a processor configured to connect the mobile GPS device to a mobile communications device via the Bluetooth link, receive time-synchronization information from the mobile communications device over the Bluetooth link, wherein the time-synchronization information includes a synchronization train in a Unicast Directionless Data transmission, and adjust a clock of the mobile GPS device based on the received time-synchronization information.

8. The mobile GPS device of claim 7 wherein the time-synchronization information is coarse synchronization information.

9. The mobile GPS device of claim 7 wherein the time-synchronization information is fine synchronization information.

10. The mobile GPS device of claim 7 wherein the mobile GPS device is a watch.

11. The mobile GPS device of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to receive supplemental ephemeris data from the mobile communications device over the Bluetooth link.

12. The mobile GPS device of claim 7 wherein the time-synchronization information is Bluetooth co-existence time information.

13. A method of resolving a position of a GPS device, the method comprising:

determining an absolute time reference;

determining satellite ephemeris data for a plurality of terrestrial satellites at the GPS device; and

based on the absolute time reference and satellite ephemeris data, calculating the position of the GPS device via trilateration at the GPS device, wherein determining an absolute time reference comprises establishing a Bluetooth connection between the GPS device and mobile communications device and receiving time-aiding information at the GPS device via the Bluetooth connection wherein the time-aiding information includes a synchronization train in a Unicast Directionless Data transmission.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the time-aiding information is one of coarse and fine synchronization information.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the mobile GPS device is a watch.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving supplemental ephemeris data from the mobile communications device over the Bluetooth link.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the time-aiding information is Bluetooth co-existence time information.