Method and system for variable data rate transmission in RTK GPS survey system

• US 20040145516A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Large, Peter, Allison, Michael Timo, Kirk, Geoffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,985,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data

Abstract

A method and system for variable data rate transmission in a real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning system. An RTK positioning system having a reference station and a rover utilizes wireless communications for data transfer. the data transmission rate between the reference station and the rover is dynamically controlled by a programmable transmission controller. The transmission rate is determined on the basis of specific parameters. Parameters that may be used to determine the data transmission rate include rover demand, required rover accuracy, satellite positioning system (SATPS) events, the required data for ambiguities, and the type and content of the data transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for variable rate data transmission for communication of real-time satellite positioning system data between a rover and a reference station comprising :

acquiring raw SATPS data at said reference station;

converting said raw SATPS data into formatted data;

determining a transmission rate for said formatted data; and

,

controlling the transmission of said formatted data to said rover using a programmable transmission controller and a wireless transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, further including receiving data at said reference station from said rover.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said data comprises transmission rate control instructions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon satellite positioning system events.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the type of data transmitted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the accuracy required by the rover.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon a requirement for data for ambiguities.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said data transmission is performed using TCP/IP and an IP socket selected from a plurality of IP sockets.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transmission rate is determined on the basis of rover extrapolation accuracy.

10. A real-time kinematic positioning system having a variable data rate transmission capability comprising:

a reference station, said reference station including a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data, a wireless transmitter for transmitting data, and a programmable transmission rate controller for controlling the rate at which said data is transmitted;

a rover, said rover including a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data, a wireless receiver for receiving data transmitted from said reference station, and a processor for determining position on the basis of said SATPS data and data received from said reference station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said reference station further includes a processor for generating transmission rate instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said instructions are generated in part from SATPS event data.

13. The system of claim 11, further including a wireless receiver for receiving data from said rover.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said instructions for controlling said programmable rate controller are implicit instructions.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the data from the rover includes explicit instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of the accuracy requirement of the rover.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.

18. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a real-time satellite positioning system having a reference station and a rover, causes the system to vary a data transmission rate between said reference station and said rover, comprising:

instructions for acquiring raw SATPS data at said reference station;

instructions for converting said raw SATPS data into formatted data;

instructions for determining a transmission rate for said formatted data; and

,

instructions for transmitting said formatted data to said rover using said transmission rate.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further including instructions for receiving data at said reference station from said rover.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein said data comprises instructions for controlling said transmission rate.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for determining a transmission rate are based upon satellite positioning system events.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for determining a transmission rate are based upon the type of data transmitted.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for determining a transmission rate are based upon the accuracy required by the rover.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for the determining the data transmission rate are generated on the basis of rover extrapolation accuracy.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for the determining the data transmission rate are generated on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.

26. A reference station for a real-time kinematic positioning system having a variable data rate transmission capability comprising:

a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data; and

, a programmable transmission rate controller for controlling the rate at which said data is transmitted;

27. The reference station of claim 26, wherein said reference station further includes a processor for generating transmission rate instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

28. The reference station of claim 27, wherein said instructions are generated in part from SATPS event data.

29. The reference station of claim 27, further including a wireless receiver for-receiving data from a rover.

30. The reference station of claim 29, wherein said instructions for controlling said programmable rate controller are implicit instructions.

31. The reference station of claim 29, wherein the data from the rover includes explicit instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

32. The reference station of claim 31, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of the accuracy requirement of the rover.

33. The reference station of claim 31, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.

34. A rover for a real-time kinematic positioning system having a variable data rate transmission capability comprising:

a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data;

a wireless receiver for receiving data transmitted from a reference station; and

,

a processor for determining position on the basis of said SATPS data and data received from said reference station.

35. The rover of claim 34, wherein said rover further includes a processor for generating transmission rate instructions for programming a programmable transmission rate controller.

36. The rover of claim 35, wherein said instructions are generated in part from SATPS event data.

37. The rover of claim 35, further including a wireless transmitter for transmitting data to a reference station.

38. The rover of claim 37, wherein said instructions for controlling said programmable rate controller are implicit instructions.

39. The rover of claim 37, wherein the data transmitted from the rover includes explicit instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

40. The rover of claim 39, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of the accuracy requirement of the rover.

41. The rover of claim 39, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.

42. A method for variable rate data transmission for communication of real-time satellite positioning system data between a rover and a reference station comprising:

acquiring SATPS data at said reference station;

determining a transmission rate for said data based on current conditions of a set of criteria; and

,

controlling the transmission of said data to said rover using a programmable transmission controller and a wireless transmitter.

43. The method of claim 42, further including receiving data at said reference station from said rover.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said data comprises transmission rate control instructions.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon satellite positioning system events.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the type of data transmitted.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the accuracy required by the rover.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon a requirement for data for ambiguities.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein said data transmission is performed using TCP/IP and an IP socket selected from a plurality of IP sockets.

50. The method of claim 42 wherein the data transmission rate is determined on the basis of rover extrapolation accuracy.

51. A method for variable rate data transmission for communication of real-time satellite positioning system data between a rover and a reference station comprising:

acquiring SATPS data at said reference station;

determining a transmission rate for said data according to a predetermined set of criteria; and

,

dynamically controlling the transmission of said data to said rover using a programmable transmission controller and a wireless transmitter.

52. The method of claim 51, further including receiving data at said reference station from said rover.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said data comprises transmission rate control instructions.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon satellite positioning system events.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the type of data transmitted.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon the accuracy required by the rover.

57. The method of claim 51, wherein the determining of a transmission rate is based upon a requirement for data for ambiguities.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein said data transmission is performed using TCP/IP and an IP socket selected from a plurality of IP sockets.

59. The method of claim 51 wherein the data transmission rate is determined on the basis of rover extrapolation accuracy.

60. A reference station for a real-time kinematic positioning system having a variable data rate transmission capability comprising:

a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data;

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data; and

,

a programmable transmission rate controller for dynamically controlling the rate at which said data is transmitted.

61. The reference station of claim 60, wherein said reference station further includes a processor for generating transmission rate instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

62. The reference station of claim 61, wherein said instructions are generated in part from SATPS event data.

63. The reference station of claim 61, further including a wireless receiver for receiving data from a rover.

64. The reference station of claim 63, wherein said instructions for controlling said programmable rate controller are implicit instructions.

65. The reference station of claim 63, wherein the data from the rover includes explicit instructions for programming said programmable transmission rate controller.

66. The reference station of claim 65, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of the accuracy requirement of the rover.

67. The reference station of claim 65, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.

68. A rover for a real-time kinematic positioning system having a dynamically controlled variable data rate transmission capability comprising:

a SATPS receiver for receiving SATPS data;

a wireless receiver for receiving data transmitted from a reference station; and

,

a processor for determining position on the basis of said SATPS data and data received from said reference station.

69. The rover of claim 68, wherein said rover further includes a processor for generating transmission rate instructions for dynamically controlling a programmable transmission rate controller.

70. The rover of claim 69, wherein said instructions are generated in part from SATPS event data.

71. The rover of claim 69, further including a wireless transmitter for transmitting data to a reference station.

72. The rover of claim 71, wherein said instructions for dynamically controlling said programmable rate controller are implicit instructions.

73. The rover of claim 71, wherein the data transmitted from the rover includes explicit instructions for dynamically controlling said programmable transmission rate controller.

74. The rover of claim 73, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of the accuracy requirement of the rover.

75. The rover of claim 73, wherein said explicit instructions are generated in part on the basis of a requirement for data for ambiguities.