Cellular telephone using pseudolites for determining location

• US 6,813,500 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Ciganer, Ann, Janky, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tony T.
• Application Number:
  US10/355,661
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/457, 455/463, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 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 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A cellular telephone having a global positioning system (GPS) receiver using a blended combination of GPS signals from GPS satellites and GPS pseudolites for determining a location. The cellular transceiver receives wireless downlink cellphone signals having acquisition aiding information including GPS-based time; ephemeris orbital parameters for GPS satellites; and pseudorandom (PRN) codes, locations, and signal characteristics used by GPS pseudolites in the local vicinity. The GPS receiver in the cellular telephone uses the acquisition aiding information for speeding the time to the first location fix.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone, comprising:

a GPS digital signal processor for receiving a GPS satellite signal from a GPS satellite and a pseudo-GPS signal from a GPS pseudolite, said pseudo-GPS signal transmitted in on/off bursts having pseudorandom intervals between said bursts; and

a navigation program coupled to the GPS digital signal processor having instructions for using said GPS signal and said pseudo-GPS signal for determining a location of said cellular telephone;

wherein;

the GPS digital signal processor determines a time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal; and

includes a pseudolite pseudorandom (PRN) code generator for providing a replica pseudolite PRN code, a burst code multiplier for multiplying said replica pseudolite PRN code with a representation of said pseudo-GPS signal for providing burst code products, and a burst correlator for accumulating said burst code products for determining a time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal; and

the navigation program uses said time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal with said time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal for determining said location.

2. The cellular telephone of claim 1, further comprising:

a cellphone transceiver for receiving a downlink cellphone signal having acquisition aiding information including information for a pseudorandom (PRN) code for a GPS pseudolite;

wherein;

the GPS digital signal processor uses said downlinked PRN code information for determining a location of said cellular telephone.

3. The cellular telephone of claim 2, wherein:

said downlink cellphone signal further includes information for a location of said GPS pseudolite; and

the GPS digital signal processor uses said downlinked GPS pseudolite location information for determining said location of said cellular telephone.

4. A cellular telephone comprising:

a GPS digital signal processor for receiving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite and a pseudo-GPS signal from a GPS pseudolite said pseudo-GPS signal transmitted in on/off bursts asynchronous with said GPS signal; and

a navigation program coupled to the GPS digital signal processor having instructions for using said GPS signal and said pseudo-GPS signal for determining a location of said cellular telephone;

wherein;

the GPS digital signal processor determines a time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal; and

includes a pseudolite pseudorandom (PRN) code generator for providing a replica pseudolite PRN code, a burst code multiplier for multiplying said replica pseudolite PRN code with a representation of said pseudo-GPS signal for providing burst code products, and a burst correlator for accumulating said burst code products for determining a time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal; and

the navigation program uses said time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal with said time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal for determining said location.

5. The cellular telephone of claim 4, further comprising:

a cellphone transceiver for receiving a downlink cellphone signal having acquisition aiding information including information for a pseudorandom (PRN) code for a GPS pseudolite;

wherein;

the GPS digital signal processors uses said downlinked PRN code information for determining a location of said cellular telephone.

6. The cellular telephone of claim 5, wherein:

said downlink cellphone signal further includes information for a location of said GPS pseudolite; and

the GPS digital signal processor uses said downlinked GPS pseudolite location information for determining said location of said cellular telephone.

7. A method for determining a location of a cellular telephone, comprising steps of:

receiving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite;

receiving a pseudo-GPS signal from a GPS pseudolite, said pseudo-GPS signal transmitted in on/off bursts having pseudorandom intervals between said bursts; and

determining said location from said GPS signal and said pseudo-GPS signal;

wherein;

the step of determining said location includes determining a time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal, generating a replica pseudolite PRN code, multiplying said replica pseudolite PRN code with a representation of said pseudo-GPS signal for providing burst code products, accumulating said burst code products for determining a time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal, and using said time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal with said time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal for determining said location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a downlink cellphone signal having acquisition aiding information including a pseudorandom (PRN) code for a GPS pseudolite; and

determining said cellular telephone location using said downlinked PRN code information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the step of receiving said downlink cellphone signal includes receiving information for a location of said GPS pseudolite; and

the step of determining said location includes using said downlinked GPS pseudolite location information for determining said cellular telephone location.

10. A method for determining a location of a cellular telephone comprising steps of:

receiving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite;

receiving a pseudo-GPS signal from a GPS pseudolite, said pseudo-GPS signal transmitted in on/off bursts asynchronous with said GPS signal; and

determining said location from said GPS signal and said pseudo-GPS signal;

wherein;

the step of determining said location includes determining a time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal, generating a replica pseudolite PRN code, multiplying said replica pseudolite PRN code with a representation of said pseudo-GPS signal for providing burst code products, accumulating said burst code products for determining a time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal, and using said time-of-arrival of said GPS satellite signal with said time-of-arrival of said pseudo-GPS signal for determining said location.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a downlink cellphone signal having acquisition aiding information including a pseudorandom (PRN) code for a GPS pseudolite; and

determining said cellular telephone location using said downlinked PRN code information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the step of receiving said downlink cellphone signal includes receiving information for a location of said GPS pseudolite; and

the step of determining said location includes using said downlinked GPS pseudolite location information for determining said cellular telephone location.