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US Patent 6133874 - Method and apparatus for acquiring satellite positioning system signals
US Patent Issued on October 17, 2000
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
August 11, 2018Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
August 11, 2018Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractA method and an apparatus which acquire satellite positioning system (SPS) signals in an SPS receiver. Information on time of day, approximate receiver location, and satellite positions are used to reduce the time to search and acquire signals from one or more SPS satellites. In an example of a method of the invention, a first pseudorange to a first SPS satellite is determined, and an approximate location of the SPS receiver is determined. An estimated pseudorange for a second pseudorange to a second SPS satellite is determined from the approximate location and a satellite position of the second SPS satellite. The SPS receiver then searches for SPS signals from the second SPS satellite in a range determined by the estimated pseudorange. Typically, this method reduces the search time to initially acquire SPS signals from the second SPS satellite, and the estimated pseudorange is not based on a previously determined pseudorange for said second SPS satellite. In a particular example of the invention, the approximate location is determined from a cell based information source which correlates an identification of each of various wireless cell sites with an approximate location for objects within a cell of a wireless cell based communication system, such as a cellular (or cell based) telephone system. In other examples of the invention, relatively precise time of day information may be used with information indicating satellite positions and information indicating the approximate location to determine an estimated pseudorange for a first SPS satellite to be acquired.Other References
| InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 132556 filed on 08/11/1998US Classes:342/357.15, Satellite selection (i.e., tracking or acquisition)342/357.09, With transmission of location-indicative information to or from a remote station342/357.1, Combined with telecommunication342/357.12, GPS receiver signal processing342/357.13, With storage device (i.e., map or database)701/213Using Global Positioning System (GPS)Field of Search342/357.09, With transmission of location-indicative information to or from a remote station342/357.1, Combined with telecommunication342/357.12, GPS receiver signal processing342/357.13, With storage device (i.e., map or database)342/357.15, Satellite selection (i.e., tracking or acquisition)701/213Using Global Positioning System (GPS)ExaminersPrimary: Blum, Theodore M.Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References4445118, Navigation system and methodIssued on: 04/24/1984 Inventor: Taylor , et al.4622557, Transdigitizer for relaying signals from global positioning system (GPS) satellites Issued on: 11/11/1986 Inventor: Westerfield5119102, Vehicle location system Issued on: 06/02/1992 Inventor: Barnard5365450, Hybrid GPS/data line unit for rapid, precise, and robust position determination Issued on: 11/15/1994 Inventor: Schuchman, et al.5412388, Position ambiguity resolution Issued on: 05/02/1995 Inventor: Attwood5418538, Rapid satellite signal acquisition in a satellite positioning system Issued on: 05/23/1995 Inventor: Lau5459763, Navigation message receiver for global positioning system Issued on: 10/17/1995 Inventor: Hori, et al.5488378, Method and apparatus for determining positions on the earth corresponding to an observed rate of change of satellite range Issued on: 01/30/1996 Inventor: Colley5515062, Location system and method with acquisition of accurate location parameters Issued on: 05/07/1996 Inventor: Maine, et al.5663734, GPS receiver and method for processing GPS signals Issued on: 09/02/1997 Inventor: Krasner5663735GPS receiver using a radio signal for improving time to first fix Issued on: 09/02/1997 Inventor: Eshenbach Foreign Patent References
International ClassH04B 007/185 |
