Positional information determining apparatus

• US 7,218,276 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Teranishi, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing; Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/858,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.09, 342/357.1
• US Class Current: 342/357.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A positional information determining apparatus capable of reducing power consumption markedly in simple structure in radio transmission of positioning results to a navigation device. Satellite waves S1 to S4 are received from a plurality of GPS satellites 2 to 5 and analyzed at prescribed time intervals, thus obtaining positional data D5 denoting own current position. Only when positional data D5 can be determined, the positional data D5 is transmitted by radio to the navigation device that uses the positional data D5. Thus it is made possible to reduce power consumption with certainty because radio transmission is made only when positional data D5 can be obtained.

Claims

1. A positional information determining apparatus comprising:

positional information determining means for determining own positional information by analyzing satellite waves received from a plurality of satellites at prescribed time intervals;

communication means for transmitting by radio said positional information determined by said positional information determining means to an appointed device that uses the positional information; and

control means for controlling time intervals for radio transmission of said positional information to said appointed device through said communication means, according to accuracy of the positional information determined on the basis of a Dilution Of Precision (DOP) value, only when the positional information can be determined by said positional information determining means.

2. The positional information determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means transmits by radio said positional information to said appointed device through said communication means only when the positional information has any change.

3. A positional information transmission control method comprising:

a positional information determining step of determining own positional information by analyzing satellite waves received from a plurality of satellites at prescribed time intervals;

a communication step of transmitting by radio said positional information determined in said positional information determining step by means of prescribed communication means to an appointed device that uses the positional information; and

control step of controlling time intervals for radio transmission of said positional information to said appointed device through said communication means, according to accuracy of the positional information determined on the basis of a Dilution Of Precision (DOP) value, only when the positional information can be determined in said positional information determining step.

4. A positional information transmission control program causing a positional information determining apparatus to execute:

a positional information determining step of determining own positional information by analyzing satellite waves received from a plurality of satellites at prescribed time intervals;

a communication step of transmitting by radio said positional information determined in said positional information determining step by means of prescribed communication means to an appointed device that uses the positional information; and

control step of controlling time intervals for radio transmission of said positional information to said appointed devices through said communication means, according to accuracy of the positional information determined based on a Dilution Of Precision (DOP) value, only when said positional information can be determined in said positional information determining step.