Trimble Navigation Limited

John F Rogers

Peter Glen France

Zoltan Biacs

Jinye Li

A system and method for automated differential correction processing of field data in a global positioning system (GPS). In one embodiment, the present invention retrieves GPS field data collected by one or more GPS receivers from a storage device, and then automatically selects the most appropriate differential correction scheme to generate a solution without user intervention. More specifically, the present invention executes a code-based correction scheme to generate a code-based solution for the field data. Next, the present invention examines the field data to determine whether a carrier phase correction is applicable. If the field data supports carrier phase correction, the present invention generates a carrier phase solution, compares it with the code-based solution, and returns the more accurate of the two solutions as the final result. If the field data does not support a carrier phase correction, the present invention returns the code-based solution as the final result. Thus, the present invention provides a system and method for post-processing of GPS field data which does not require a user to know and understand the contents of the field data, to deal with multiple user interfaces, or to read and interpret different results generated by various processing schemes. In other words, the present invention provides a single software package for post-processing of GPS field data without extensive user involvement. As such, the present invention greatly reduces the complexity of GPS field data post-processing and enhances the usability of GPS equipment.

Automated differential correction processing of field data in a global positioning system

A method and system for rapidly initializing a rover unit in a networked system. In one embodiment, the present invention acquires rover unit initialization data at a reference station. In one embodiment, the rover unit initialization data is selected from the group consisting of: ephemeris data, almanac data, satellite health data, ionospheric data, UTC and GPS time and approximate rover position information. In the present embodiment, the present invention then communicatively couples the reference station to a server station having memory for storing the rover unit initialization data. After communicatively coupling the reference station to the server station, the present embodiment transfers the rover unit initialization data from the reference station to the server station. The present embodiment then communicatively couples the rover unit to the server station. Next, the present embodiment supplies the rover unit initialization data from the server station to the rover unit. As a result, in the present embodiment, the rover unit is able to be initialized and obtain a first position fix without requiring the rover unit to acquire the initialization data directly from at least one satellite. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for providing differentially corrected position information to a rover unit in a networked system. In still another embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for providing both initialization data and differentially corrected position information to a rover unit in a networked system.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

John F Rogers