GPS receiver utilizing a communication link

• US 6,064,336 A
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krasner, Norman F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/129,599
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.05, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 701/214
• US Class Current: 342/357.75
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/252 Employing an initial estimate of location in generating assistance data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/254 relating to Doppler shift of satellite signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/29 carrier including Doppler, related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/38 Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 : Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/163 : the local oscillations of at least two of the frequency changers being derived from a single oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/11 : Cellular receiver, e.g. GSM, combined with a GPS receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/04 : where the frequency control is accomplished by varying the electrical characteristics of a non-mechanically adjustable element or where the nature of the frequency controlling element is not significant
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/047 : Automatic frequency control using an auxiliary signal, e.g. low frequency scanning of the locking range or superimposing a special signal on the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/06 : using counters or frequency dividers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/00 : Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0007 : wherein the AD/DA conversion occurs at radiofrequency or intermediate frequency stage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/28 : the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 : with built-in auxiliary receivers

Abstract

A precision carrier frequency signal for calibrating a local oscillator of a GPS receiver which is used to acquire GPS signals. The precision carrier frequency signal is used to calibrate the local oscillator such that the output of the local oscillator, which is used to acquire GPS signals, is modified by a reference signal generated from the precision carrier frequency signal. The GPS receiver locks to this precision carrier frequency signal and generates the reference signal. In another aspect of the invention, satellite almanac data is transmitted to a remote GPS receiver unit from a basestation via a communication link. The remote GPS receiver unit uses this satellite almanac data to determine approximate Doppler data for satellites in view of the remote GPS receiver unit.

Claims

1. In a method for determining the position of a remote unit, a process comprising:

receiving, at said remote unit, a satellite almanac information for a plurality of satellites in view of said remote unit from a source other than a Satellite Positioning System satellite; and

computing, in said remote unit, a position information for said remote unit by using a Doppler information derived from said satellite almanac information.

2. A process as in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said satellite almanac information from a basestation, which is said source, to said remote unit.

3. A process as in claim 2 wherein said satellite almanac information is obtained from a reference storage medium at said basestation.

4. A process as in claim 2 wherein said position information comprises pseudoranges to a plurality of satellites in view of said remote unit.

5. A process as in claim 2 wherein said position information comprises a latitude and longitude which indicates the position of said remote unit.

6. A process as in claim 4 further comprising:

transmitting said pseudoranges from said remote unit to said basestation, and wherein said basestation computes a latitude and longitude which indicates the position of said remote unit.

7. A process as in claim 4 further comprising transmitting satellite data information to said remote unit, said satellite data information comprising data representative of ephemeris for satellites in view of said remote unit.

8. A process as in claim 5 further comprising transmitting satellite data information to said remote unit, said satellite data information comprising data representative of ephemeris for satellites in view of said remote unit.

9. A process as in claim 1 wherein a processing unit uses said Doppler information to compensate for a Doppler shift of Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from an SPS satellite.

10. A mobile unit which uses data representative of Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals to provide the position of said mobile unit, said mobile unit comprising:

a receiver in said mobile unit, said receiver operable for coupling through a communications link to receive a satellite almanac information for a plurality of satellites in view of said mobile unit wherein said satellite almanac is received from a source other than a satellite positioning system satellite;

a processing unit in said mobile unit, said processing unit coupled to said receiver to receive said satellite almanac information and compute a position information for said mobile unit by using a Doppler information derived from said satellite almanac information.

11. A mobile unit as in claim 10 wherein said processing unit uses said Doppler information to compensate for a Doppler shift of Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from an SPS satellite.

12. A mobile unit as in claim 11 wherein said communications link comprises a radio frequency communication medium.

13. A mobile unit as in claim 11 further comprising;

a transmitter coupled to said processing unit, said transmitter for transmitting said position information.

14. A mobile unit as in claim 13 wherein said position information comprises pseudorange to said plurality of satellites in view of said mobile unit.

15. A mobile unit as in claim 13 wherein said position information comprises a latitude and longitude which indicates the position of said mobile unit.

16. A mobile unit as in claim 11 wherein said processing unit comprises a digital signal processing integrated circuit (DSP) and wherein said DSP processes said SPS signals and said Doppler information using a fast convolution algorithm.

17. A mobile unit as in claim 16 further comprising:

a transmitter coupled to said processing unit, said transmitter for transmitting said position information.

18. A mobile unit as in claim 10 wherein said receiver is operable to receive satellite data information of one of said plurality of satellites from a source other than said one of said plurality of satellites, wherein said satellite data information comprises data representative of ephemeris for said one of said plurality of satellites.

19. A method of using a basestation for providing a communications link to a mobile GPS unit, said method comprising:

determining a satellite almanac information for a plurality of satellites in view of said mobile GPS unit;

transmitting said satellite almanac information to said mobile GPS unit for determination of a Doppler information.

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein said Doppler information represents the Doppler shift of GPS signals from one of said satellites to said basestation.

21. A method as in claim 20 wherein said Doppler information approximately represents the Doppler shift of GPS signals from said one of said satellites to said mobile GPS unit.

22. A method as in claim 19 wherein said Doppler information is obtained from a GPS receiver at said basestation and wherein said Doppler information represents the Doppler shift of GPS signals from said plurality of satellites to said basestation.

23. A method as in claim 22 wherein said Doppler information approximately represents the Doppler shift of GPS signals from said plurality of satellites to said mobile GPS unit.

24. A method as in claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a position information from said mobile GPS unit, said position information being received at said basestation such that said basestation obtains a latitude and longitude which indicates the position of said mobile GPS unit.

25. A method as in claim 24 wherein said position information comprises pseudoranges to said plurality of satellites in view of said mobile GPS unit, and wherein said basestation computes said latitude and longitude from said pseudoranges.

26. A method as in claim 24 wherein said position information comprises said latitude and longitude.

27. A method as in claim 19 further comprising:

transmitting satellite data information of said plurality of satellites to said mobile GPS unit, said satellite data information comprising data representative of ephemeris for said plurality of satellites.

28. A basestation for providing a communication link to a mobile GPS unit, said basestation comprising:

a source of a satellite almanac information for a plurality of satellites in view of said mobile GPS unit;

a transmitter coupled to said source of said satellite almanac information, said transmitter for transmitting through said communication link said satellite almanac information to said mobile GPS unit for determination of a Doppler information.

29. A basestation as in claim 28 wherein said source of said satellite almanac information is a storage unit coupled to said basestation.

30. A basestation as in claim 28 further comprising:

a receiver for receiving a position information from said mobile GPS unit;

a processor coupled to said receiver.

31. A basestation as in claim 28, wherein said Doppler information approximately represents the Doppler shift of GPS signals from one of said satellites to said basestation.

32. A basestation as in claim 30, wherein said position information is received at said basestation such that said basestation obtains a latitude and longitude which indicates the position of said mobile GPS unit.

33. A basestation as in claim 32, wherein said position information comprises pseudoranges to at least some of said plurality of satellites in view of said mobile GPS unit, and wherein said processor of said basestation computes said latitude and longitude from said pseudorange.

34. A basestation as in claim 28 wherein said transmitter is also for transmitting satellite data information of said satellites in view to said mobile GPS unit, said satellite data information comprising data representative of ephemeris for said satellites in view.

35. A basestation as in claim 31 wherein said basestation and said mobile GPS unit are within approximately 150 kilometers of each other.