APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USE IN GLOBAL POSITION MEASUREMENTS

• US 20140225772A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIGE Semiconductor Limited (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SIGE Semiconductor Limited (Skyworks Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tarlow, Ben J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,482,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.51
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• 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 19/22 Multipath-related issues

Abstract

A receiver receiving global positioning data from one or more satellites above the Earth'"'"'s surface detects a change in at least one parameter associated with the receiver and determines if the change is to be treated as erroneous. As a result of determining if the change in the at least one parameter is to be treated as erroneous, a further action may be performed. Determining if the change is to be treated as erroneous may include, for example, detecting changes in more than one parameter and determining if the changes are coincident. Detecting the change may also enable the receiver to predict the presence and magnitude of multipath components of signals, predict changes in an environment local to the receiver, predict large errors in position estimates determined by the receiver and modify an acquisition and tracking strategy used by the receiver.

Claims

1. A receiver comprising:

an antenna configured to receive at least one signal including global positioning information from at least one source;

receiver circuitry configured to receive the global positioning information; and

a parameter change and error detecting device including a parameter change detector configured to detect changes in a determined position and in a clock offset between a receiver clock and a clock associated with the at least one source, and a parameter error determiner configured to determine if detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous when the detected changes in the determined position are coincident with a discontinuity in the clock offset.

2. The receiver of claim 1 wherein the parameter error determiner is further configured to determine if the detected changes in the determined position are sudden.

3. The receiver of claim 1 further comprising an environment information database including data defining one or more environmental aspects of an area proximate to the receiver.

4. The receiver of claim 3 wherein the environment information database includes architectural information for the area proximate to the receiver.

5. The receiver of claim 3 wherein the environment information database includes geographical information for the area proximate to the receiver.

6. The receiver of claim 3 wherein the parameter error determiner is further configured to correlate the determined position with the data from the environment information database when the detected changes in the determined position are coincident with the discontinuity in the clock offset.

7. The receiver of claim 6 wherein the detected changes in the determined position include changes in altitude.

8. The receiver of claim 7 wherein the parameter error determiner is further configured to determine if the change in the altitude is physically possible.

9. The receiver of claim 1 further comprising a response controller configured to search for a direct line of sight signal based on an estimate of multipath when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.

10. The receiver of claim 1 further comprising a response controller configured to indicate a presence of one or more multipath signal components when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.

11. A method for use in a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver comprising:

receiving a signal from at least one GNSS source providing global positioning information;

detecting changes in a determined position of a receiver and in a clock offset between a clock associated with the receiver and a clock associated with the at least one GNSS source; and

determining if detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous when the detected changes in the determined position are coincident with a temporal discontinuity in the clock offset.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining if the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous when the detected changes in the determined position are sudden and coincident with the temporal discontinuity in the clock offset.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising correlating the detected changes in the determined position with data representing environmental aspects of an area proximate to the receiver when the detected changes in the determined position are coincident with the temporal discontinuity in the clock offset.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring an amount of light incident upon the receiver and determining if a sudden change in the determined position is correct based at least in part on the amount of light incident.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the detected changes in the determined position include changes in altitude.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein an amount of the temporal discontinuity in the clock offset multiplied by the speed of light is substantially equal to a value of a sudden change in the altitude.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising searching for a direct line of sight signal when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising discarding a signal from one or more sources from which the receiver receives signals when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing an indication of one or more multipath signal components when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising calling upon an environment information database including data describing environmental aspects of an area proximate to the receiver when the detected changes in the determined position are to be treated as erroneous.