Skynetix, LLC

Space Systems/loral, LLC

Stata Labs, LLC

Richard A Fuller

Roger Hayward

John Glissman

Noel Marshall

Jock Christie

John James Rodden

Sun Hur-Diaz

Jack Rodden

An antenna arrangement for a GPS signal processing device having a circuit board is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arrangement comprises an antenna member mounted to the circuit board. The antenna member includes a first surface, second surface and a third surface. The third surface adjoins the first and second surfaces. The first, second and third surfaces define a cavity within which is disposed dielectric material. At least one conductive connector comprising first and second ends is in communication with the antenna member first surface. An amplifier is in communication with each conductive connector second end.

Antenna design utilizing a cavity architecture for global positioning system (GPS) applications

A method of determining the distance traveled during an event by a mobile GPS receiver. The event comprises epochs. The method comprises receiving pseudorange data comprised of one of pseudorange differences or range rates. Each pseudorange difference, in turn, comprises a difference between a first pseudorange and a second pseudorange. The first pseudorange comprises the pseudorange between the receiver and a GPS satellite at a first epoch. The second pseudorange comprises the pseudorange between the receiver and the GPS satellite at a second epoch. The range rates comprise a range rate measurement taken by the receiver of the GPS satellite from the first epoch to the second epoch. Line-of-sight data comprised of at least one normalized vector between the receiver and the GPS satellite is then determined. Based on the pseudorange and line-of-sight data, incremental distance data is then determined. A sum over the event of the incremental distance data is then determined.

Technique for accurate distance and velocity calculations using the global positioning system (GPS)

A GPS receiver includes a slot antenna having first and second surfaces. The second surface includes a semi-circular portion. The first and second surfaces define a slot within which is disposed dielectric material. The slot antenna is optimized for receiving GPS signals when in proximity to a human body. The relatively compact size of the slot antenna allows for the incorporation of the antenna into a small device that can be worn on or carried in close proximity to the body of a user. This type of antenna is not as sensitive to gain variations when in the proximity of a human body because the design has a wider aperture and thus operates better near the body. Further, this type of antenna is virtually omni-directional, i.e., it is not problematically sensitive to the location of the GPS signal source. Moreover, the design is such that the antenna arrangement can be oriented within a device in a way that maximizes the number of GPS satellites tracked.

Antenna design using a slot architecture for global positioning system (GPS) applications

A method of using altitude information to arrive at a more accurate GPS position. A 3D GPS position is used as an initial estimate. The latitude and longitude of the initial estimate are used to retrieve an altitude from a database. This altitude is used to calculate a 2D GPS position. The 2D GPS position is then used to retrieve another altitude from the database, and the calculate-retrieve process is continued until the calculation converges.

Method for determining vertical and horizontal GPS position using altitude information

A system and method is disclosed for corresponding data associated with primary correction of at least one first measurement of a GPS satellite characteristic to a second measurement of the GPS satellite characteristic taken at a mobile receiver. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first processor is coupled to at least one wide-area GPS corrections receiver and at least one local-area GPS corrections receiver. The wide-area and local-area receivers operate to determine the first measurement and secondary data associated with correction of the determined first measurement. In operation, an estimate of the location of the mobile receiver is determined by the first processor. The availability to the mobile receiver of the secondary correction data from the wide-area and local-area GPS corrections receivers is determined, preferably based on the location estimate. From the secondary correction data, primary data representing the primary correction is determined by the first processor. The primary data and the second measurement data are preferably colocated by causing the first processor to transmit the primary correction data to the mobile receiver.

Global augmentation to global positioning system

A receiver clock bias signal for a spacecraft in motion is is used to obtain a real-time navigation Kalman filter solution of the clock bias and provide a robust autonomous GPS time reference, even when there are less than 4 GPS satellites within the view of the receiver in the spacecraft. The Kalman filter of the spacecraft provides an accurate solution of the clock bias, with less than 4 GPS satellite signals, by means of a system which uses the knowledge of the dynamic motion of the satellite in conjunction with GPS signals for a robust estimation of time. The system provides an accurate GPS time reference by transferring timing information from an atomic reference standard (GPS) to a spacecraft in motion by directly measuring the GPS signal and without depending upon the tracking of multiple GPS satellites or a static receiver. Implementation in current aerospace qualified GPS receivers, e.g., the &ldquo;GPS TENSOR&trade;&rdquo;, and known orbital dynamics are used to predict receiver position which aids in the transfer of the GPS time.

Robust autonomous GPS time reference for space application

An improved GPS Attitude Receiver for spacecraft uses concurrent line-bias estimates derived from GPS signals for attitude determination. Attitude determination is obtained from GPS measurements by an interactive solution of the known 'Attitude Master Equation', using RF differential phase measurements and calibrated parameters of baseline vectors and line-biases. A 'weighted fit error' W, is derived from the sum squared of discrepancies between predicted and actual measurements, weighted by measurement variances. By minimizing W, the line-bias estimations obtained give more current data including thermal effects and eliminate separate ground calibration tests.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Richard A Fuller