U.S. patents available from 1976 to present.
U.S. patent applications available from 2005 to present.

Method and apparatus for acquiring satellite positioning system signals

Patent 6133874 Issued on October 17, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date: Icon_subject August 11, 2018. Estimated 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.

Patent References

Navigation system and method
Patent #: 4445118
Issued on: 04/24/1984
Inventor: Taylor ,   et al.

Transdigitizer for relaying signals from global positioning system (GPS) satellites
Patent #: 4622557
Issued on: 11/11/1986
Inventor: Westerfield

Vehicle location system
Patent #: 5119102
Issued on: 06/02/1992
Inventor: Barnard

Hybrid GPS/data line unit for rapid, precise, and robust position determination
Patent #: 5365450
Issued on: 11/15/1994
Inventor: Schuchman, et al.

Position ambiguity resolution
Patent #: 5412388
Issued on: 05/02/1995
Inventor: Attwood

Rapid satellite signal acquisition in a satellite positioning system
Patent #: 5418538
Issued on: 05/23/1995
Inventor: Lau

Navigation message receiver for global positioning system
Patent #: 5459763
Issued on: 10/17/1995
Inventor: Hori, et al.

Method and apparatus for determining positions on the earth corresponding to an observed rate of change of satellite range
Patent #: 5488378
Issued on: 01/30/1996
Inventor: Colley

Location system and method with acquisition of accurate location parameters
Patent #: 5515062
Issued on: 05/07/1996
Inventor: Maine, et al.

GPS receiver and method for processing GPS signals
Patent #: 5663734
Issued on: 09/02/1997
Inventor: Krasner

More ...

Inventor

Assignee

Application

No. 132556 filed on 08/11/1998

US 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)

Examiners

Primary: Blum, Theodore M.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Foreign Patent References

  • 635728 EP. 01/12/1995
  • 0902554 EP. 03/12/1999
  • WO 9733382 WO. 09/12/1997
  • WO 9740398 WO. 10/12/1997
  • WO 9825157 WO. 06/12/1998
  • WO 98/25158 WO. 06/12/1998
  • WO 9832027 WO. 07/12/1998
  • WO 9919743 WO. 04/12/1999

International Class

H04B 007/185

Abstract

A 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

  • PCT International Search Report for PCT International Appln No. PCT/US99/16111 mailed Feb. 25, 2000 (12 pages total
PatentsPlus Images
Enhanced PDF formats
loading...
PatentsPlus: add to cart
PatentsPlus: add to cartSearch-enhanced full patent PDF image
$9.95more info
PatentsPlus: add to cart
PatentsPlus: add to cartIntelligent turbocharged patent PDFs with marked up images
$18.95more info
 
Sign InRegister
Username  
Password   
forgot password?