GPS reception system

• US 6,563,458 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Takeshi, Aizawa, Tadashi, Hama, Teruyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US09/881,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/368, 342/374, 455/277.1, 455/276.1
• US Class Current: 342/357.76
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold

Abstract

A GPS reception system is provided in which, when sufficient reception level for positioning cannot be obtained only by a built-in antenna, a reception antenna is switched from the built-in antenna to an external antenna.

Claims

1. A GPS reception system including a GPS receiver having a built-in antenna and an external antenna made connectable to the GPS receiver, the system comprising an antenna switching unit which switches between the built-in antenna and the external antenna, wherein the antenna switching unit is adapted to detect when the external antenna is connected to the GPS receiver and thereafter switch a receiving antenna from the built-in antenna to the external antenna.

2. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the antenna switching unit comprises an antenna switching circuit which, when the external antenna is connected to the GPS receiver, detects the connection of the external antenna by detecting consumption of current in the external antenna to drive a changeover switch.

3. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that the antenna switching circuit comprises a current detecting resistor which is inserted in a power supply line of the external antenna, a comparator which detects a change in a voltage generated across both ends of the current detecting resistor by the current consumption, and a changeover switch driven by an output control signal of the comparator.

4. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that the antenna switching circuit is supplied with two different power supply voltages, of which a first power supply voltage is supplied as a power supply voltage of the comparator, and a second power supply voltage supplies a voltage, which is set lower than the first power supply voltage, to the power supply line of the external antenna.

5. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the antenna switching unit comprises a switch which is inserted through a connector for connecting the external antenna to the GPS receiver, and which switches the reception antenna from the built-in antenna to the external antenna when the external antenna is connected to the GPS receiver.

10. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reception level detecting unit which measures a reception level of the built-in antenna and that of the external antenna and compares the measured reception levels with each other, and the antenna switching unit selects the receiving antenna from the measurement and comparison results of the reception levels obtained in the reception level detecting unit.

6. A GPS reception system comprising a GPS receiver having a built-in antenna and an external antenna made connectable to the GPS receiver, the system characterized by comprising a reception level detecting unit which measures a reception level of the built-in antenna and that of the external antenna and compares the measured reception levels with each other, and an antenna switching control unit which selects a reception antenna from measurement and comparison results of the reception levels obtained in the reception level detecting unit and carries out control of switching between the built-in antenna and the external antenna, and carrying out diversity reception with the built-in antenna and the external antenna.

7. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that the diversity reception measures reception levels of radio waves emitted from specified GPS satellites about each of the built-in antenna and the external antenna, compares the measured reception levels with one another, and selects an antenna, from which the highest reception level is obtained, as the reception antenna.

8. The GPS reception system as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that the diversity reception periodically carries out switching between the built-in antenna and the external antenna, and selects an antenna, from which a higher reception level is obtained, as the reception antenna.

9. A GPS reception system including a GPS receiver having a built-in antenna and an external antenna made connectable to the GPS receiver, the system characterized by comprising a reception level detecting unit which measures a reception level of the built-in antenna and that of the external antenna and compares the measured reception levels with each other, and an antenna switching control unit which selects a reception antenna from measurement and comparison results of the reception levels obtained in the reception level detecting unit and carries out control of switching between the built-in antenna and the external antenna, and, of the built-in antenna or the external antenna, designating an antenna which provides a higher reception level as the reception antenna for each of the GPS satellites picked up.