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US4983980A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Satellite radio signal tracking method for GPS receivers

Assignee: Pioneer Corp
•
Filing: 1990-07-06
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Granted: 1991-01-08
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Expires: 2010-07-06
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Abstract

Abstract A vehicle-mounted GPS receiver for positioning and reckoning being capable of tracking satellite signals without serious interruption when passing through a dead zone such as a tunnel by quick recapturing of satellite signals after the vehicle has cleared the dead zone, wherein the GPS receiver determines, by calculation, one GPS satellite which is at the maximum elevation angle among the GPS satellites at the very moment if the satellite signals have interrupted simultaneously over a specified period of time, and starts to track the determined GPS satellite as soon as the vehicle clears the dead zone, whereas the GPS receiver calculates orbital positions of other GPS satellites required for positioning, two dimensional or three dimensional, based on the orbital position of the GPS satellite which is at the highest elevation angle, further, when the GPS receiver has a plurality of receiving channels, a plurality of GPS satellites are assigned, one by one, to the plurality of receiving channels from the highest elevation angle in due order for reducing the time in recapture.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hitoshi Ando

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 16:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S19/00; G01S19/01; G01S19/13; G01S19/24; G01S19/28

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 96 words
In a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver in which GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites are received sequentially through a receiving channel according to a time-division multiple-access system, a method of tracking the satellite signals for the GPS receiver comprising the steps of: releasing the GPS receiver from time-division multiple-access reception when satellite signals from all the satellites in reception are lost simultaneously over a specified duration of time; and changing the receiving mode so as to track only one GPS satellite which is at the maximum estimated angle of elevation at that moment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 96 words
In a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver in which GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites are received sequentially through a receiving channel according to a time-division multiple-access system, a method of tracking the satellite signals for the GPS receiver comprising the steps of: releasing the GPS receiver from time-division multiple-access reception when satellite signals from all the satellites in reception are lost simultaneously over a specified duration of time; and changing the receiving mode so as to track only one GPS satellite which is at the maximum estimated angle of elevation at that moment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 52 words
A method of tracking the satellite signals for the GPS receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum elevation angle of the GPS is calculated based on a present time, a present position of a satellite signal receiving point and an almanac information of each GPS satellite which was in contact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 47 words
A method of tracking the satellite signals for the GPS receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the GPS receiver has a plurality of receiving channels and GPS satellites are assigned, one by one, to the plurality of receiving channels from the highest elevation angle in order.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4468793A Cited
US4445118A Cited
US4731613A Cited
US4949268A Cited
US4928107A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-01-07 1994-07-09 1995-01-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-01-07 1998-07-09 1999-01-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-01-07 2002-07-09 2003-01-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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