Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including a satellite
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-21
2004-02-10
Blum, Theodore M. (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including a satellite
C342S357490, C342S357490, C701S213000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06690323
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention deals with the field of a radionavigation, and, in particular, relates to systems of personal safety indicating the position of an object on the basis of signals emitted by a satellite radio navigational system—GPS—and generating emergency message, containing positioning data, in an emergency situation.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the important applications of a user equipment working on GPS signals is its use in systems of tracking of objects, including in systems of monitoring and in systems of personal safety.
The systems of tracking and monitoring of transport (see, for example, application of Germany (DE) 3501035, Int. Cl. 008 G 1/00, published Jul. 17, 1986 [1], application EPO (EP) 0379198, Int. Cl. 001 S 5/02, 001 S 5/14, published Jul. 25, 1990, [2], application EPO (EP) 0509775, Int. Cl. 001 S 5/14, published Apr. 15, 1992 [3], patent of U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,374, Int. Cl. 001 S 1/24, 001 S 5/02, 001 5 3/02, 004 C 11/02, published Jun. 7, 1994 [4]), in which the vehicle is supplied with the unit for a position-fix on GPS signals and radio communication unit to provide a link with a central station monitoring the position of a vehicle.
The systems are known, in which the location of a vehicles is determined on the basis of GPS signals and the location data are transmitted to a tracking station in case of an emergency situation (see, for example, application of Germany (DE) 3839959, Int. Cl. G08 B 25/00, G08 G 1/123, B60 Q 9/00, H04 Q 7/00, published Apr. 12, 1990, patent of USA (U.S. Pat. No.) 5,355,140, Int. Cl. G01 S 1/08, G01 S 5/02, published Nov. 11, 1994, application PCT (WO) 93/16452, Int. Cl. 008 G 1/123, published Aug. 19, 1993 [7]).
In the above systems of tracking and monitoring vehicles [
1
-
7
] for a position-fix the standard receivers of GPS signals equipped with additional units, ensuring a data transmission about position, and also alarm signals to the monitoring station are used. As a rule, in such systems of GPS receivers there are no special requirements on a position-fix in conditions of partial blocking of a GPS signal reception and requirements dealing with miniaturization of the equipment.
On the other hand, unlike the vehicle positioning, the systems of personal safety might add supplementary requirements to GPS receivers operating for a position-fix. First, it deals with the preferential accommodation of the GPS receiver in a body of a radiophone, as for example in a system de-scribed in application EPO (EP) 0528090, Int. Cl. G01 S 5/00, published Feb. 24, 1993 [8]. It results in necessity to miniaturize the GPS receiver and to minimize power consumption. Second, there might be a requirement to provide a position-fix in conditions of interference of GPS signals, for example in operation conditions “under foliage”.
The GPS receiver is known which is supplied with a communication channel for transmission/reception of messages generated in emergency situations (see application PCT (WO) 97/14057, Int. Cl. 001 S 5/14, G01 S 1/04, published Apr. 17, 1997 [9]), thus, solving the problem of object detection under conditions of interference of GPS signals. The receiver described in, is selected as the prototype. The generalized skeleton diagram of the receiver selected as the prototype, is shown in FIG.
1
.
The prototype receiver, see
FIG. 1
, contains connected in series frequency converter
1
of GPS signals, unit
2
of analog-to-digital conversion of signals and channels switch
3
. To the first output of the switch
3
are connected unit
4
for storage of samples of values of signals and, connected in series, signal processor
5
. To the second output of the switch
3
the unit
6
of conventional correlation processing is connected. A heterodyne input of the radio frequency converter
1
and clock input of the unit
2
analog-to-digital conversions of signals, and also clock input of the unit
4
for storage of samples of values of signals and clock input of the unit
6
for correlation processing are connected to the appropriate outputs of the signal-former
7
for signals of clock and heterodyne frequencies supplied with means for formation of signals of clock and heterodyne frequencies, for example by synthesizers of frequencies.
The base input of the signal-former
7
, comprising the base inputs of the appropriate synthesizers of frequencies, is connected to an output of the base generator
8
. A control input of the signal-former
7
, formed by the inputs of given initially set synthesizers of frequencies, control input of the switch
3
, and also inputs—outputs of the data of the signal processor
5
and unit
6
for correlation processing are connected by the appropriate data buses to the navigational processor
9
.
The navigational processor
9
is supplied with the unit
10
for storage of the programs and data. The peripheral equipment—unit
11
for input-outputs of the data and unit
12
for transmission and reception of the messages on communication channel also is connected to the navigational processor
9
. The unit
11
is realized, for example, as a controller, keypad, or display and is supplied with the interface connector. The unit
12
is realized as the modem executing, for example, radio-frequency voice communication of the navigational processor
9
with the base station
13
. The base station
13
is supplied with means for a signal reception of an alarm and location information of the receiver, and also means for self-formation of the ephemerical data, rough coordinate information on the position of the receiver, data of Doppler shift and means of transmission of these data through a radio channel to unit
12
.
The prototype receiver—operates as follows. The GPS signals from an out-put of a receiving antenna go to an input of the radio frequency converter
1
, where their conversion to a lower frequency takes place. Also used in this process are the mixers which are included in a structure of the converter
1
, working with the heterodyne signals (F
h
), coming from appropriate outputs of the signal-former
7
. The signal-former
7
synthesizes signals of clock (F
c
) and heterodyne (F
h
) frequencies, using for this purpose a signal of a base frequency (F
base
), coming from an output of the base generator
8
. The initial setting of values of frequencies, generated by synthesizers, is effected by supplying appropriate initialization code from the navigational processor
9
.
From an output of the radio frequency converter
1
signals go to an input of the unit
2
intended for analog-to-digital conversions of a signal, where they are converted to a digital kind. The sampling rate at analog-to-digital conversion is determined by a clock signal (F
c
), coming from the appropriate output of the signal-former
7
.
Later the signals go to an input of the switch
3
used for processing channels, which switching is effected by a control signal generated by the navigational processor
9
.
In a usual mode the switch
3
executes hook up of an output of the unit
2
to an input of the unit
6
(correlation processor). The unit
6
together with the navigational processor
9
executes conventional correlation processing of received GPS signals at a 1 msec interval, including searching for signals on the basis of frequency and code, tracking, decoding, extraction of a service information about ephemerises, extraction of the navigational information (determination of radio navigational parameter—RNP). In particular, thus is achieved the determination of a temporal position of peaks of correlation functions of noise signals of visible satellites, which is used further by navigational processor
9
in calculations of position. The correlation processing in the unit
6
is implemented with a clock frequency determined by a clock signal (F
c
), coming from an output of the signal-former
7
.
The position information goes to the unit
11
(input-outputs of the data), where, for
Fedotov Boris D.
Ivanov Vladimir N.
Malashin Viktor I.
Pisarev Sergey B.
Poverennyi Denis G.
Blum Theodore M.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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