Analog compression of GPS C/A signal to audio bandwidth

• US 7,545,850 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIRF Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Norman, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, KEVIN
• Application Number:
  US09/938,459
• Time in Patent Office: 2,847 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/136, 375/147, 375/240, 375/29, 375/152, 375/343, 375/316, 342/352, 34235701-35709, 342/357.12, 380/258, 380/269, 380/270, 455/188, 455/2, 329/314, 708/313
• US Class Current: 375/147
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

The present invention discloses analog methods and circuits for compression of the GPS C/A signal to audio bandwidths to improve TTFF times, as well as decreasing auto correlation errors in systems that employ the methods and devices disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for compressing a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal, comprising:

receiving the GPS signal from a remote location via a wireless communications link;

removing a carrier component of the GPS signal;

matching a comb filter to the GPS signal to obtain a first output signal comprising filter lines;

frequency shifting the filter lines in the first output signal to produce a compressed GPS signal by mixing the first output signal with a plurality of outputs from at least one frequency generator;

receiving an assist signal from a base station via a wireless communications link; and

removing telemetry data and Doppler from the first resultant signal using the assist signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of filtering the compressed GPS signal through a bandpass filter to produce a second compressed GPS signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the matching of the comb filter further includes:

receiving a frequency reference signal from a base station via a wireless communications link;

applying the frequency reference signal to the comb filter, wherein the frequency reference signal shifts the comb filter to an expected location of the filter lines of the first output signal.

4. A method for compressing a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal, comprising:

receiving the GPS signal from a remote location via a wireless communications link;

removing a carrier component of the GPS signal to produce a first resultant signal;

filtering the first resultant signal through a comb filter to produce a second resultant signal that includes a plurality of signals dispersed over a frequency spectrum;

generating a plurality of mixing signals at selected frequencies;

mixing the second resultant signal with the plurality of mixing signals to produce a first compressed GPS signal;

receiving an assist signal from a base station via a wireless communications link; and

removing telemetry data and Doppler from the first resultant signal using the assist signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further including filtering the first compressed GPS signal through a bandpass filter to produce a second compressed GPS signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further including:

receiving a frequency reference signal from a base station via a wireless communications link;

mixing the frequency reference signal and the first resultant signal to produce another first resultant signal; and

filtering the another first resultant signal through the comb filter to produce the second resultant signal.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

sending the second compressed GPS signal to the base station via a wireless communications link.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second compressed GPS signal includes a signal identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal identifier is a Mobile Identification Number/Electronic Serial Number (“

MIN/ESN”

).

10. The method of claim 7, further including:

receiving position information derived from the GPS signal from the base station.