Fast Acquisition, high sensitivity GPS receiver

• US 6,289,041 B1
• Filed: 02/11/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krasner, Norman F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIANG, LENNY R
• Application Number:
  US09/021,854
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 375/147, 375/152, 375/130, 375/143, 375/134, 375/137, 375/145, 375/340, 375/343-357, 375/335, 342/357, 370/335
• US Class Current: 375/152
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/30 code related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7077 Multi-step acquisition, e.g. multi-dwell, coarse-fine or validation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/708 Parallel implementation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7093 Matched filter type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70707 Efficiency-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70715 with application-specific features

Abstract

A method and apparatus of acquiring and tracking global positioning system signals with fast acquisition speed and high sensitivity is disclosed. A pseudo-random noise matching filter operation is performed on a sample of global positioning system signals to provide a current matched filter result. The current matched filter result is then accumulated with a prior matched filter result from a prior sample of global positioning system signals to produce an accumulated matched filter result. Efficient means for implementing the matched filter are disclosed.

Claims

1. A matched filter circuit comprising:

an input operable to receive a sample of GPS (global positioning system) signals;

a data shift register with a plurality of tapped delay outputs, said data shift register coupled to said input; and

a plurality of matched filter channels, each coupled to said plurality of tapped delay outputs of said data shift register, wherein each matched filter channel performs a separate matched filtering operation on said sample of GPS signals and each matched filter channel provides a separate output, and

wherein each matched filter channel further comprises a matched filter network operable to provide as matched filter weights, a first series of weighted coefficients corresponding to a pseudorandom sequence and a second series of weighted coefficients corresponding to a carrier frequency sequence.

2. A matched filter circuit as in claim 1 wherein the length of said data shift register corresponds to the maximum length of parallel data inputs to said plurality of matched filter channels.

3. A matched filter circuit as in claim 1 wherein the length of distinct coefficients of said second series of weighted coefficients is less than that of said first series of weighted coefficients.

4. A matched filter circuit as in claim 1 wherein each matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels further comprises:

a first circuit operable to alter one or more weighted coefficients of said first series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

a second circuit operable to apply a time correction to said sample of GPS signals subsequent to said matched filtering operation.

5. A matched filter circuit as in claim 4 wherein each matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels further comprises:

a third circuit operable to alter one or more weighted coefficients of said second series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

a fourth circuit operable to apply a carrier correction to said sample of GPS signals subsequent to said matched filtering operation.

6. A matched filter circuit as in claim 1 wherein each matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels further comprises:

a first circuit operable to alter one or more weighted coefficients of said second series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

a second circuit operable to apply a carrier correction to said sample of GPS signals subsequent to said matched filtering operation.

7. The circuit of claim 1 wherein at any instance of time said tapped delay outputs of said data shift register hold data words separated in time by one chip interval of said global positioning system signals.

8. The circuit of claim 7 further comprising a filter coupled to an input of said data shift register that is matched to a waveform of an individual chip of said global positioning system signals.

9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said data shift register is a multiple bit shift register, capable of shifting in parallel all bits associated with data words represented in a multiple bit arithmetic format.

10. A method of acquiring and tracking global positioning system signals, said method comprising:

receiving a sample of global positioning system signals;

providing said sample of global positioning system (GPS) signals to a plurality of matched filter channels through a plurality of tapped delay outputs of a shift register;

providing as matched filter weights, in each matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels, a first series of weighted coefficients corresponding to a pseudorandom sequence and a second series of weighted coefficients corresponding to a carrier frequency sequence.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein the length of said shift register corresponds to the maximum length of parallel data inputs to said plurality of matched filters.

12. A method as in claim 10 further comprising:

altering one or more weighted coefficients of said first series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

applying a time correction to said sample of GPS signals, subsequent to said providing of said sample of GPS signals, in at least one matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels.

13. A method as in claim 12 further comprising:

altering one or more weighted coefficients of said second series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

applying a carrier correction to said sample of GPS signals, subsequent to said providing of said sample of GPS signals, in at least one matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels.

14. A method as in claim 10 further comprising:

altering one or more weighted coefficients of said second series of weighted coefficients over a period of time; and

applying a carrier correction to said sample of GPS signals, subsequent to said providing of said sample of GPS signals, in at least one matched filter channel of said plurality of matched filter channels.

15. A method of acquiring and tracking global positioning system signals, said method comprising:

performing a pseudo-random noise matched filter operation on a current set of samples of global positioning system (GPS) signals to provide a current matched filter output block of data;

linearly combining with said current matched filter output block of data a first set of at least one prior matched filter output block of data to produce a first linearly combined output block of data, wherein the beginning each block of said first set occurs at a time relative to said current matched filter output block equal to a multiple of a frame duration of said global positioning system signals;

performing a nonlinear operation on said linearly combined output block of data to provide a first detected block of data;

performing a pseudo-random noise matched filter operation on a set of samples of global positioning system signals subsequent to said current set of samples to provide a subsequent matched filter output block of data;

linearly combining with said subsequent matched filter output block of data a second set of at least one prior matched filter output block of data to produce a second linearly combined output block of data, wherein the beginning of each block of said second set occurs at a time relative to said subsequent matched filter output block equal to a multiple of the frame duration of said global positioning system signals;

performing a nonlinear operation on said second linearly combined output block of data to provide a second detected block of data;

linearly combining said second detected block of data with said first detected block of data to provide a combined detected block; and

utilizing said combined detected block to determine a time-of-arrival estimate of at least one constituent signal of said global positioning system signals.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein said current matched filter output block of data comprises at least a set of data occurring over an interval of time equal to a fraction of one frame period of said global positioning system signals, said fraction exceeding {fraction (1/256)}.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising storing said first linearly combined output block of data in a predetermined set of locations.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein said linearly combining said current matched filter output block of data with said first set of at least one prior matched filter output block of data comprises a linear scaling and summation operation.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein said combining said second detected block of data with said first detected block of data is a linear scaling and summation operation.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein said first detected block of data is shifted in time with respect to said second detected block of data by an amount that is a multiple of the frame duration of said global positioning system signals.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein said nonlinear operation is one of a magnitude-square operation or an envelope operation.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein said matched filter operation on said current set of samples of GPS signals further comprises a plurality of matched filter sub-operations, each of said sub-operations performed by a separate unit, and wherein the outputs of said units are further combined to produce the current matched filter output block of data.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said sub-operations are performed on subsets of data and filter weights, and said sub-operations are identical except for the data and filter weights upon which each of said plurality of matched filter sub-operations are performed.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein each of said plurality of matched filter sub-operations utilizes a single weighting and accumulation unit.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said matched filter operation on said current set of samples of GPS signals utilizes a matched filter whose response is matched to a portion of a full pseudorandom frame.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein said matched filter operation on said current set of samples of GPS signals utilizes a matched filter which is matched to a full pseudorandom frame, and which provides as an output a number of words less than that corresponding to a full frame length of said global positioning system signals.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein said matched filter operation on said current set of samples of GPS signals utilizes a matched filter which is matched to a portion of a full pseudorandom frame, and which provides as an output a number of words less than that corresponding to a full frame length of said global positioning system signals.

28. A circuit for acquiring and tracking global positioning system signals received in a global positioning system receiver, said acquisition circuit comprising:

an input signal port for receiving global positioning system signals;

a matched filter coupled to said input signal port to produce a set of filtered data;

a first loop integrator coupled to said matched filter output, said first loop integrator having an output;

a nonlinearity operator coupled to said output of said first loop integrator, said nonlinearity operator having an output;

a second loop integrator coupled to the output of said nonlinearity operator,

wherein said first loop integrator combines a first block of filtered data from said matched filter with a subsequent block of filtered data from said matched filter and wherein the beginning of said first block of data and the beginning of said subsequent block of data occur at times separated by a multiple of the frame duration of said global positioning system signals.

29. A circuit according to claim 28 further comprising:

a digital frequency translation circuit coupled to said input signal port;

a digital resampler circuit coupled to said digital frequency translation circuit;

a register bank coupled to said first loop integrator and said second loop integrator.

30. A circuit according to claim 29 wherein said circuit tracks at least one of the constituent signals of said received global positioning system signals.

31. A circuit according to claim 30 wherein at least one of said first loop integrator and said second loop integrator implement a feedback circuit of unity gain.

32. A circuit according to claim 29 wherein at least one of said first loop integrator and said second loop integrator implement a feedback circuit of less than unity gain.

33. The circuit of claim 29 wherein said register bank is implemented by a random access memory.

34. The circuit of claim 28 further comprising a third loop integrator coupled to said matched filter output and coupled to an input of said first loop integrator.

35. A system for receiving global positioning system signals comprising:

means for receiving a global positioning system signal;

means for performing a matched filter operation on said received global positioning system signal;

means for performing a first loop integration operation on an output of said matched filter;

means for performing a nonlinear operation upon an output signal of said first loop integration operation;

means for performing a second loop integration operation on the output of said nonlinear operation,

wherein said first loop integrator combines a first block of filtered data with a subsequent block of filtered data and wherein the beginning of said first block of data and the beginning of said subsequent block of data occur at times separated by a multiple of the frame duration of said global positioning system signals.

36. A matched filter circuit comprising:

an input of said matched filter circuit operable to receive a sample of global positioning system signals;

a multiplexer having a first input coupled to said matched filter input and an output;

a shift register having an input directly connected to said multiplexer output;

a multiplier-accumulator combination coupled to a last output stage of said shift register; and

a second input to said multiplexer directly connected to the last output stage of said shift register.

37. A matched filter circuit as in claim 36 wherein said matched filter circuit performs a matched filtering operation on said sample of global positioning system signals.

38. The circuit of claim 36, wherein said shift register is a multi-bit shift register, capable of shifting in parallel all bits associated with data words represented in a multiple bit arithmetic format.