Patent · US Expired

Location-determination method and apparatus

US6525688B2 · kind B2 · utility

67Cited by
2References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 2001
Grant dateFeb 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 20, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S19/42
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a location-determination system that includes several transmitters and at least one receiver. Each transmitter transmits a signal that includes a unique periodically-repeating component, and the receiver receives a reference signal. Based on the received reference signal, the location-determination system identifies an estimated location of the receiver as follows. For each transmitter in a set of transmitters, the system computes a phase offset between the received reference signal and a replica of the transmitter's periodically-repeating component. The system also identifies an approximate location of the receiver and an approximate receive time for the received signal. The system then uses the identified approximate location and time, and the computed phase offsets, to compute pseudoranges for the set of transmitters. Finally, the system identifies the estimated location of the receiver by using the computed pseudoranges.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.