Subscription system for GPS information

• US 7,089,113 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Janky, James M., Ciganer, Ann, Bird, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/328,364
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 342/357.03, 342/357.12, 340/539.13, 340/539.23, 455/456.3, 712/153, 712/160, 712/161, 712/163
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/072 Ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile

Abstract

A GPS information service system for providing supplemental GPS location correction and signal acquisition information to subscribers. A GPS information server broadcasts GPS information encrypted with subscription keys. Remote GPS subscription unit receive the key enablers for the subscription keys in service activation (SAM) messages for the services for which they have subscribed and then use the subscription keys to decrypt the GPS information. In order to prevent unauthorized use, the SAM messages have signatures derived from identifications of the remote GPS subscription units using an unsymmetrical signature algorithm.

Claims

1. A global positioning system (GPS) information server system, comprising:

at least one GPS correction reference station for generating GPS correction information for improving a GPS-based position estimate;

a GPS acquisition processor for generating GPS acquisition information for reducing time for acquiring a GPS signal; and

a subscription encrypter for encrypting items of said GPS correction and acquisition information according to subscriptions, respectively, procured for remote subscription units; and

disposing said items into a GPS aiding signal where only said remote subscription units having procured said subscriptions are enabled to decrypt said items.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said GPS correction information includes items for both carrier phase and pseudorange correction information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said GPS acquisition information includes items for GPS satellite orbital parameters.

4. A global positioning system (GPS) information server system, comprising:

at least one GPS correction reference station for generating GPS correction information;

a GPS acquisition processor for providing information for a sequence of expected GPS data bits for a certain future time for a GPS signal; and

a remote GPS subscription unit for receiving a GPS aiding signal having said expected data bit sequence information and said GPS correction information;

using said expected data bit sequence for acquiring a GPS signal with coherent integration of said GPS signal over a time period greater than a GPS data bit; and

then using said GPS correction information for improving accuracy of a GPS-based position estimate.

5. A global positioning system (GPS) information server system, comprising:

at least one GPS correction reference station for generating GPS correction information;

a GPS acquisition processor for providing a sequence of GPS data bits received at a certain past time; and

a remote GPS subscription unit for storing a representation of said GPS signal;

receiving a GPS aiding signal having said past GPS data bit sequence;

using said past GPS data bit sequence for coherent integration of said GPS signal representation over a time period greater than a GPS data bit; and

then using said GPS correction information for improving accuracy of a GPS-based position estimate.

6. A global positioning system (GPS) information server system, comprising:

at least one GPS correction reference station for generating GPS correction information for improving a GPS-based position estimate;

a GPS acquisition processor for generating GPS acquisition information for reducing time for acquiring a GPS signal;

a subscription encrypter for encrypting portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information with subscription keys, respectively; and

several remote subscription units for receiving a GPS aiding signal having said encrypted portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information, each of said subscription units having a GPS information decrypter for decrypting said portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information in said remote subscription units having possession of said respective subscription keys.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the subscription encrypter generates service activation (SAM) messages having key enablers and associated identifications, said key enablers corresponding to said subscription keys and said identifications corresponding to said remote subscription units; and

the remote subscription units receive SAM signals having said SAM messages, each of said subscription units having a SAM decrypter for determining said key enablers only in said remote subscription units having said associated identifications.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the subscription encrypter includes an unsymmetrical signature generation algorithm for deriving signatures from said SAM messages, said signatures included in said SAM messages; and

the SAM decrypter includes an unsymmetrical signature authentication algorithm for authenticating said signatures and determining said key enablers, said unsymmetrical signature generation and authentication algorithms effectively preventing said signature authentication algorithm from being used to generate said signature generation algorithm.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn on a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information until a designed date.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn on a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information for a designated run time.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn off a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information.

12. A method for aiding the operation of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, comprising:

generating GPS correction information for correcting a GPS-based position estimate;

generating GPS acquisition information for increasing speed of acquisition of a GPS signal;

encrypting items of said GPS correction and acquisition information according to subscriptions, respectively, procured for remote subscription units; and

disposing said items in a GPS aiding signal for receipt by said remote subscription units where only said remote subscription units having procured said subscriptions are enabled to decrypt said items.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said GPS correction information includes items for both carrier phase and pseudorange correction information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said GPS acquisition information includes items for GPS satellite orbital parameters.

15. A method for aiding the operation of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, comprising:

generating GPS correction information for correcting a GPS-based position estimate;

providing information for a sequence of expected GPS data bits for a certain future time for a GPS signal;

in a remote GPS receiver, receiving a GPS aiding signal having said expected data bit sequence information and said GPS correction information;

using said expected data bit sequence for coherent integration of said GPS signal over a time period greater than a GPS data bit for acquiring said GPS signal in said remote GPS receiver; and

using said GPS correction information for improving accuracy of a GPS-based position estimate of said remote GPS receiver.

16. A method for aiding the operation of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, comprising:

generating GPS correction information for correcting a GPS-based position estimate;

determining a sequence of GPS data bits for a certain past time;

in a remote GPS receiver, receiving a GPS aiding signal having said GPS correction information and said past data bit sequence;

storing a representation of said GPS signal in said remote GPS receiver;

using said past data bit sequence in said remote GPS subscription unit for coherent integration of said GPS signal representation over a time period greater than a GPS data bit; and

using said GPS correction information for improving accuracy of a GPS-based position estimate of said remote GPS receiver.

17. A method for aiding the operation of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, comprising:

generating GPS correction information for correcting a GPS-based position estimate;

generating GPS acquisition information for increasing speed of acquisition of a GPS signal;

encrypting portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information with subscription keys, respectively;

receiving a GPS aiding signal in several remote subscription units, said GPS aiding signal having said encrypted portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information; and

decrypting said portions of said GPS correction and acquisition information in said remote subscription units having possession of said respective subscription keys.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating service activation (SAM) messages having key enablers and associated identifications, said key enablers corresponding to said subscription keys and said identifications corresponding to said remote subscription units;

receiving said SAM signals having said SAM messages in said remote subscription units; and

determining said key enablers only in said remote subscription units having said associated identifications.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

generating said SAM messages includes using an unsymmetrical signature generation algorithm for deriving signatures from said SAM messages and including said signatures in said SAM messages; and

determining said key enablers includes authenticating said signatures using an unsymmetrical signature authentication algorithm, said unsymmetrical signature generation and authentication algorithms effectively preventing said signature authentication algorithm from being used to generate said signature generation algorithm.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn on a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information until a designed date.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn on a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information for a designated run time.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein:

a one of said key enablers enables a one of said subscription keys to turn off a designated portion of said GPS correction and acquisition information.