Method and apparatus for locating and providing services to mobile devices

• US 6,453,237 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Global Locate Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, van Diggelen, Frank, Fuchs, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, DALENA
• Application Number:
  US09/553,930
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/225, 701/213, 342/356, 342/358, 342/357.03, 342/357.08, 342/463, 342/357.09, 342/357.01, 342/257.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.15, 342/357.13, 455/524, 455/561, 455/575, 455/63, 455/427, 455/456
• US Class Current: 701/213
• 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 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/235 Calibration of receiver components
• 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 19/27 creating, predicting or correcting ephemeris or almanac data within the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/30 code related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station

Abstract

A method and apparatus for locating mobile device over a broad coverage area using a wireless communications link that may have large and unknown latency. The apparatus comprises at least one mobile device, a reference network, a position server, a wireless carrier, and a location requester. The mobile device is in communication with the wireless carrier and receives global positioning system (GPS) signals from a plurality of satellites in the GPS satellite constellation. The reference network is coupled to the position server and provides GPS data. The mobile receiver receives GPS signals, performs rudimentary signal processing and transmits the processed signals to the wireless carrier. The wireless carrier passes the signals on to the position server. The position server processes the mobile receiver'"'"'s GPS data and the reference network ephemeris data to identify the location of the mobile receiver. The location is sent to the location requester.

Claims

1. In a Global Position System (GPS) having GPS satellites, a method for configuring a mobile device with a model associated with determining position of the mobile device, comprising:

providing reference stations configured to take measurements from the GPS satellites;

providing a server in communication with the reference stations, the server configured to produce a wide area model from the measurements;

obtaining a request for location of the mobile device;

sending the request and a position estimate of the location to the server;

creating at least one pseudo-range model from the position estimate and the wide area model; and

sending the at least one pseudo-range model to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a wireless carrier network;

sending the at least one pseudo-range model from the server to the mobile device; and

sending the at least one pseudo-range model from the wireless carrier network to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the request for the location of the mobile device is sent from the mobile device to the wireless carrier network;

and wherein the request and the position estimate are sent from the wireless carrier network to the server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the wide area model comprises a satellite orbit model portion.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the wide area model comprises a satellite clock model portion.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the wide area model comprises at least one of an ionisphere delay model portion and a troposphere delay model portion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of satellite orbits.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of satellite clocks.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of at least one of ionisphere delays and troposphere delays.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model comprises a portion for changing pseudo-range between the mobile device and at least one of the GPS satellites.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model is valid for a specific time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model is valid for different times.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model is configured to provide a GPS satellite signal delay estimate of at least one of the GPS satellites.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model is configured to provide changes in a GPS satellite signal delay estimate for different times for at least one of the GPS satellites.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one pseudo-range model is configured to provide the mobile device with pseudo-range values and rate of change of pseudo-range.

16. In a Global Position System (GPS) having GPS satellites, a method for configuring a mobile device with a model associated with determining position of the mobile device in at least one geographic area, comprising:

providing reference stations configured to take measurements from the GPS satellites;

providing a server in communication with the reference stations, the server configured to produce a wide area model from the measurements;

obtaining a request for location of the mobile device;

sending the request and a position estimate of the location to the server;

creating at least one geographically specific orbit model from the position estimate and the wide area model; and

sending the at least one geographically specific orbit model to the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing a wireless carrier network;

sending the at least one geographically specific orbit model from the server to the wireless carrier network; and

sending the at least one geographically specific orbit model from the wireless carrier network to the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the request for the location of the mobile device is sent from the mobile device to the wireless carrier network;

and wherein the request and the position estimate are sent from the wireless carrier network to the server.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is created in part by computing satellite positions of the GPS satellites at several times using the wide area model.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is created in part with at least one of an ionosphere correction and a troposphere correction.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is created in part with a clock adjustment.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the wide area model comprises a satellite orbit model portion.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the wide area model comprises a satellite clock model portion.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the wide area model comprises at least one of an ionisphere delay model portion and a troposphere delay model portion.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of satellite orbits.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of satellite clocks.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of ionisphere delays.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein use of the wide area model provides estimates of troposphere delays.

29. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is configured to change pseudo-range between the mobile device and at least one of the GPS satellites.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is valid for a specific time.

31. The method of claim 16 wherein the to the at least one geographically specific orbit model is valid for different times.

32. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is configured to provide a GPS satellite signal delay estimate.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is configured to provide changes in the GPS satellite signal delay estimate over different times.

34. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one geographically specific orbit model is configured to provide the mobile device with pseudo-range values and rate of change of pseudo-range.