Trimble Navigation Limited

Other

Ralph Frederic Eschenbach

Paul E Braisted

James M Janky

Chung Y Lau

Peter V Loomis

Rudolph M Kalafus

Peter V W Loomis

A position determination system for movable objects or personnel comprising at least one portable position sensor built into a wearable item of a member of personnel having an identification number, or embedded into a movable object having an identification number, and Mobile Initialization Station (MIS). The Mobile Initialization Station (MIS)/Portable Initialization Station (PIS) selected from the group consisting of: {(SATPS)/transceiver unit; (GPS)/transceiver unit; and a TVPS transceiver unit} is configured to provide a set of high accuracy initialization data. The portable position sensor is configured to utilize the high accuracy initialization data to generate and broadcast the positional data of at least one member of personnel having an identification number, or of at least one movable object having an identification number.

Position determination system for movable objects or personnel using GPS/TV location technology integrated with inertial navigation system

A position determination system for movable objects or personnel comprising at least one portable position sensor built into a wearable item of a member of personnel having an identification number, or embedded into a movable object having an identification number, and a high accuracy position determination device. The high accuracy position determination device is configured to provide a set of high accuracy initialization data including a set of high accuracy absolute positional data indicative of location of the initialization device, a set of high accuracy velocity/acceleration data indicative of velocity/acceleration of the initialization device, and a set of high accuracy orientation data indicative of orientation of the high accuracy position determination device. The portable position sensor is configured to utilize the high accuracy initialization data to generate and broadcast the positional data of at least one member of personnel having an identification number, or of at least one movable object having an identification number.

Position determination system for movable objects or personnel

A method and system are disclosed for providing WAAS like corrections using a server and processor on the Internet. For one method, satellite measurement data is collected. Satellite position error corrections are computed using the collected satellite measurement data. The computed satellite position error corrections are stored. The stored satellite position error corrections can then be later retrieved and used by a server and processor on the Internet.

Method and system for providing wide area augmentation system (WAAS) like corrections using a server and processor on the internet

A GPS receiver having a fast acquisition of a GPS signal having a low signal-to-noise ratio. The GPS receiver uses an adjustable local frequency for iteratively downconvertig raw GPS signal samples to baseband GPS signal code data, combining a plurality of code epochs of the GPS signal code data in chunks and superchunks for providing representative code epochs, and correlates the representative code epochs to a replica code epoch for providing correlation times. Two or more correlation times are used to determine a correlation time difference. The correlation time difference is indicative of a residual frequency error. The error is used for correcting the local frequency. GPS pseudoranges are computed from the correlation times when the residual frequency error from the corrected local frequency is below a threshold.

GPS receiver having improved signal acquisition at a low signal to noise ratio

A system using coarse GPS orbital parameters for providing a precise GPS location. The system includes a GPS reference receiver and a GPS user receiver. Coarse locations-in-space of GPS satellites are computed from almanac or old ephemeris data. In a first embodiment the GPS user receiver uses DGPS corrections based upon the same coarse orbital parameters for providing a precise DGPS user location. In a second embodiment the GPS user receiver computes a coarse location from the coarse orbital parameters; and the GPS reference receiver recalculates the user pseudoranges using the same coarse orbital parameters and then uses the recalculated user pseudoranges for providing a more accurate user location.

Global positioning system using almanac data for a fast time to first fix

A differential global positioning system (DGPS) using coarse data for the locations-in-space of GPS satellites for ranging to the GPS satellites and then determining a precise differentially corrected GPS location of a GPS user receiver. The coarse GPS data can be GPS almanac data or non-current GPS ephemeris data as long as the same data is used by both a GPS reference receiver and the GPS user receiver.

Differential global positioning system using coarse GPS data for a fast time to a precise first fix

A GPS receiver having a fast acquisition of a GPS signal having a low signal-to-noise ratio. The GPS receiver adjusts a local frequency for iteratively downconverting raw GPS signal samples to baseband GPS signal code data, combining a plurality of code epochs of the GPS signal code data in chunks and super chunks for providing representative code epochs, and correlates the representative code epochs to a replica code epoch for providing correlation times. A microcontroller processes the correlation times for providing the frequency corrections and computes a GPS pseudorange when the error in the corrected local frequency is less than a threshold. The GPS pseudoranges for several GPS satellites are transmitted back to the base for computing the GPS-based location of the GPS receiver.

A method and system that provide WAAS like corrections using a server and processor on a network. For one method, satellite measurement data is collected. Satellite position error corrections are computed using the collected satellite measurement data. The computed satellite position error corrections are stored. The stored satellite position error corrections can then be later retrieved and used by a server and processor coupled to the Internet.

Method and system for providing wide area augmentation systems (WAAS) like corrections using a server and processor on the internet

A DGPS system using GPS almanac data for determining the locations-in-space and the DGPS corrections for GPS satellites for providing a differentially corrected location of a remote GPS user receiver. A GPS reference receiver determines almanac-based DGPS corrections from the differences between ranges that are measured to GPS satellites and ranges that are calculated to the GPS almanac-based locations-in-space of the GPS satellites from the known location of the GPS reference receiver. The GPS user receiver measures pseudoranges to the GPS satellites. Then, in a first embodiment, the GPS reference receiver radios the DGPS corrections to the GPS user receiver. The GPS user receiver uses almanac-based locations-in-space for the GPS satellites and the almanac-based DGPS corrections for differentially correcting the measured user pseudoranges for providing a differentially corrected user location. In a second embodiment, the GPS user receiver radios the measured user pseudoranges to the GPS reference receiver. The GPS reference receiver uses the measured user pseudoranges, the almanac-based locations-in-space for the GPS satellites, and the almanac-based DGPS corrections for providing the differentially corrected user location.

Differential global positioning system using almanac data for a fast time to first fix

An infrastructure for implementing DGPS virtual reference stations is disclosed. The virtual reference station infrastructure is comprised of a network of real DGPS reference stations coupled to a central computer system. The real DGPS reference stations may be coupled to the central computer by a set of radio receivers that transmit the pseudorange corrections from each real reference station to the central computer system. The central computer system processes the pseudorange corrections from all the real DGPS reference stations to generate a dynamic satellite error vector and a clock error for each satellite. The dynamic satellite error vector and satellite clock error for each satellite are transmitted to plurality of &ldquo;virtual&rdquo; references stations. The virtual reference stations combine the dynamic satellite error vector and the satellite clock error with a local position to generate the local pseudorange corrections (PRC) for the observable satellites. The local pseudorange corrections can be broadcast using the well known RTCM SC-104 format to mobile GPS receivers that are within the local are of the virtual reference station. The mobile GPS receivers can thus correct their position data using the pseudorange corrections broadcast the virtual reference station.

Method and apparatus for collecting, processing and distributing differential global positioning system information using the internet

A method for fast acquisition, in as little as 6-15 seconds, of signals from a satellite in a Satellite Positioning System (SATPS), such as GPS or GLONASS, that does not require permanent storage of satellite ephemeris information at an SATPS ground station. This SATPS signal acquisition method can be used whenever the &ldquo;new&rdquo; station initially powers up or has lost lock on one or more SATPS signals that must be (re)acquired. A reference SATPS station provides the new SATPS station with an estimated reference station location and ephemeris information for one or more identified SATPS satellites visible from the reference station. The new station receives and uses this information to establish carrier frequency ranges to search for the identified SATPS satellite, by limiting the search to a reduced frequency range based upon estimated Doppler shift of SATPS signals received from this satellite. The actual frequency shift may differ from the estimated Doppler shift, due in part to errors in a frequency source used by the new station. When a first SATPS satellite signal is acquired and locked onto by the new station, the error in the new station frequency source is estimated, and the frequency range for searching for an SATPS signal from another satellite is reduced. Acquisition of additional SATPS satellite signals occurs more quickly. This system also allows the use of less accurate timing sources for the new stations. A new station need not store ephemeris information for the SATPS satellites but may call upon and use the ephemeris information available at the reference station.

Reduction of time to first fix in an SATPS receiver

Method and apparatus for monitoring the present location of a person (&ldquo;confinee&rdquo;) who is to be confined to a designated site, which site can have a diameter as small as a few meters or as large as several kilometers. The present location of the confinee is checked at selected time intervals with time periods ranging from one second to thousands of seconds, as desired. The confinee wears a location-determining (&ldquo;LD&rdquo;) unit that receives electromagnetic signals that contain information allowing determination of the present location of the LD unit, and thus of the confinee, from three or more non-collinear outdoor LD signal sources and from three or more non-collinear indoor LD signal sources. The indoor LD signal sources may be radiowave transmitters. The outdoor LD signal sources may be transmitters for a Loran, Omega, Decca, Tacan, JTIDS Relnav or PLRS or similar ground-based system, or transmitters for a satellite positioning system, such as OPS or GLONASS. The relative phases or transmission times for the signals from each indoor LD signal source are determined and provided for the LD unit. The present location or change location of the LD unit is determined and compared with the permitted site location coordinates at a sequence of selected times to determine if the confinee is present at the site at such times. The LD unit issues an alarm signal if the confinee is not on the site and has not arranged beforehand to leave the permitted site for a selected time interval, The permitted site can be redefined, for a selected time interval, to include the first permitted site, a second permitted site and a corridor extending between the first and second permitted sites for a selected time interval, after which the permitted site can be changed again to include only the first or the second permitted site or a portion thereof. This allows the confinee to temporarily leave the original permitted site to seek medical attention or to attend to other needs, or to be moved permanently to the second site. The permitted site can be redefined at any time and for any subsequent time interval. One or more exclusion sites can be designated where the confinee is not permitted to go at any time.

Flexible monitoring of location and motion

The present invention comprises a global positioning system (GPS) based augmented reality (AR) aircraft collision avoidance system. The system of the present invention includes a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals and determining a present position using the GPS signals. The system of the present invention also includes an automatic dependent surveillance (ADS-B) receiver for receiving an ADS-B signal from an aircraft. The system of the present invention further includes an AR visor coupled to both the GPS receiver and the ADS-B receiver. The AR visor receives the present position from the GPS receiver and receives the ADS-B signal from the ADS-B receiver. Using the present position and the ADS-B signal, the AR visor determines a three dimensional bearing to the aircraft. The AR visor is adapted to be worn by a user. The AR visor is further adapted to display symbology indicating the three dimensional bearing such that the user is made intuitively aware of the three dimensional bearing via the symbology displayed in the AR visor.

Growing community of inventors

Woodside, CA, United States of America

Ralph Frederic Eschenbach