Abstract: A method for determining an instantaneous phase difference between time bases of at least two location anchors for a desired point in time (t), each of the location anchors having transmitting and receiving access to a joint broadcast transmission medium and a respective time base for measuring time, wherein a first of the location anchors broadcasts a first broadcast message at least twice; the first location anchor and at least a second of the location anchors receive the first broadcast messages; the second location anchor broadcasting a second broadcast message at least twice; and the second location anchor and at least the first location anchor receive the second broadcast messages. The location server calculates the instantaneous phase difference from a determined first and second clock model functions and from a time elapsed between a reference point in time and the desired point in time t.

Abstract: In a method for beamforming in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system, a data unit from a second communication device is received at a first communication device via a MIMO communication channel. Training signals in the data unit are buffered in a memory of the first communication device, wherein buffering assumes that the data unit spans a bandwidth greater than a maximum bandwidth of a legacy first communication protocol. The first communication device determines whether the data unit is formatted according to a duplication mode in which a bandwidth portion of the data unit conforms to the legacy first communication protocol. If it is determined that the data unit is formatted according to the duplication mode, the first communication device utilizes a transmit beamforming matrix generated using the training signals buffered assuming that the data unit spans the bandwidth greater than the maximum bandwidth of the legacy first communication protocol.

Abstract: Methods for controlling directional antennas (and systems for performing same) may include one or more operations including, but not limited to: determining a location of an aircraft using a Kalman filter; selecting at least one communication tower for air-to-ground communication; computing a vector between the location of the aircraft and at least one selected communication tower; and configuring a directional antenna of an aircraft to correspond to the vector.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes three or more antennas and an integrated circuit selects antennas for use, i.e., for transmission and reception of electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus selects, at a first time, from the three or more antennas, two antennas having approximately the same feed line length so that the two antennas operate at the same phase and at a first angle. The apparatus selects, at a second time that is different than the first time, from the three or more antennas, two antennas having different feed line lengths so that the two antennas selected for use at the second time operate at different phases and at a second angle that is different than the first angle. In this manner the apparatus may change the pattern and/or shape of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the apparatus by selecting for use particular antennas having different feed line lengths.

Abstract: Systems and methods for partitioned phased array fed (PAFR) antennas with improved throughput capacity are disclosed. The phased array in a PPAFR antenna is partitioned into multiple partitions of antenna elements that can be operated by corresponding beam forming networks with reduce sized, weight, and power consumption characteristics to independently and simultaneously to generate angularly offset static and dynamic spot beams patterns. The independently generated spot beam patterns can be configured to include transmission and receiving spot beams for establishing a number of pathways. Accordingly, the number of pathways a particular partitioned PAFR antenna system can support relative to an unpartitioned PAFR antenna system can be increased while also using smaller and lighter configurations of beam forming networks.

Abstract: A satellite signal receiving device having a receiver circuit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite further includes a solar cell that converts light energy to electrical energy; a generating state detection circuit that detects a generating state of the solar cell to obtain a detection value, which is a power generating evaluation time, which is a time during which the solar cell output is continuously in a high illuminance state; and a control circuit that controls the receiver circuit and the generating state detection circuit, sets a threshold value for the power generating evaluation time, and compares the detection value with the threshold value and operates the receiver circuit when the detection value is greater than or equal to the threshold value. The control circuit changes the threshold value for the power generating evaluation time when satellite signal reception failed.

Abstract: A method of predicting the orbit of a satellite of a satellite positioning system, including: associating first and second types of satellites with first and second models of celestial mechanics forces, respectively; storing first ephemerides data of a satellite, associated to first time intervals and second ephemerides data associated to second time intervals. Further, the method comprises: calculating reference satellite positions based on the first ephemerides data; estimating first and second satellite positions in the first time intervals by using the second ephemerides data and the first and second forces models, respectively; determining first and second estimate errors by comparing the reference positions with the first and second positions, respectively; and detecting the type of satellite between the first and second types by an analysis of the first and second errors.

Abstract: A positioning system operates by first determining that a user is pedestrian, and then estimating a speed of the user. Having tracked a first signal from one radio transmitter whose position is known, the system attempts to detect additional signals from the one transmitter, in a search space such that the first signal and the or each additional signal are consistent with the estimated speed of the user and with one or more of the signals having been reflected off a reflector in the vicinity of the user. One or more detected additional signals from the one transmitter are then tracked, and candidate measurements, derived from the first signal and the one or more detected additional signals, are provided for use when estimating the position and/or velocity of the user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for selecting a sub-set of satellites from a set of N satellites is provided. The method includes recursively evaluating each sub-set of N?P satellites of a set of N satellites. If only one sub-set satisfies one or more first criterion, then the one sub-set that satisfies the one or more first criterions is selected. If, however, more than one sub-set satisfies the one or more first criterion, then the sub-sets that satisfy the one or more first criterion are evaluated with respect to one or more second criterion and the one sub-set that optimizes the one or more second criterion is selected. Once the selected set of N satellites is equal to the number of satellites from which a receiver is configured to calculate a navigation solution, then that selected set of N satellites is used to calculate a navigation solution.

Abstract: A method for operating a beam-steering system includes receiving a signal to be tracked, generating a first phase-mode signal, a second phase-mode signal and a third phase-mode signal from the received signal, and generating a first intermediate auxiliary signal, a second intermediate auxiliary signal, and a first intermediate main signal in accordance with the phase-mode signals. The method also includes deriving a first steering signal proportional to a circumferential steering angle of the received signal from the first intermediate main signal and the first auxiliary signal, and deriving a second steering signal proportional to a radial steering angle of the received signal from the second intermediate auxiliary signal and the first intermediate main signal.

Abstract: An interference wave signal frequency is highly accurate and the interference wave signal is surely removed. A controller of an interference wave signal remover detects the interference wave signal based on a frequency scanning result by an entire-range frequency scanner, and sets a notch filter to attenuate the interference wave signal frequency. A local scan frequency band BWfL of a local frequency scanner is set by having the interference wave signal frequency as its central frequency, and local scan frequencies BINL are set so that frequency bands overlap with each other between adjacent frequency BINA. The local frequency scanner frequency-scans input signals to the notch filter. The controller calculates a frequency error ?f of the interference wave signal frequency from the local frequency scanner, corrects the interference wave signal frequency which is from the entire-range frequency scanner by the frequency error ?f, and updates the setting of the notch filter.

Abstract: Method, system, and device are provided for position determination with the use of predicted ephemeris to reduce the time-to-first-fix. The method includes: in a device, receiving broadcast orbit data and clock states from a plurality of satellites to determine first assistance data for the plurality of satellites, and numerically predicting first ephemeris for the plurality of satellites using the first assistance data. The method also includes: in a server system, receiving precise orbit data and accurate satellite clock states from a global GNSS service network to determine second assistance data; in a device, receiving the second assistance data and numerically predicting second ephemeris using the second assistance data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a dual mode global navigation satellite system may comprise selectively enabling a medium Earth orbit (MEO) radio frequency (RF) path and a low Earth orbit (LEO) RF path in a wireless communication device to receive RF satellite signals. The signals may be processed to determine a position of the wireless device. The signals may be digitized and buffered before further processing. The RF paths may be time-division duplexed by the selective enabling of the MEO and LEO paths. Acquisition and tracking modules in the MEO RF path may be blanked when the LEO RF path is enabled. The MEO RF path may be powered down when the LEO RF path is enabled. The signals may be down-converted to an intermediate frequency before down-converting to baseband frequencies or may be down-converted directly to baseband frequencies. In-phase and quadrature signals may be processed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a node (1) in a wireless communication system, the node (1) comprising at least one antenna (2) which is arranged to cover a first sector (3) in a first direction (4) and comprises a number (A) of antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8), which number (A) is at least four. The antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8) are connected to a transformation matrix (9) which is arranged for transforming the antenna ports (5, 6, 7, 8) to at least a first set (S1) of virtual antenna ports (10, 11) and a second set (S2) of virtual antenna ports (12, 13), each set (S1, S2) comprising a number (B) of virtual antenna ports (10, 11; 12, 13). The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for verifying the quality of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements. The system includes a GNSS receiver, a wireless communications device, and a fault detection processor. The GNSS receiver includes a GNSS antenna for receiving signals from a plurality of global navigation satellites and a processor for calculating a ranging measurement for each of the global navigation satellites from the GNSS receiver to the global navigation satellite. The wireless communications device receives ranging measurements from at least one other GNSS receiver. The fault detection processor performs a fault detection algorithm to determine if there is an anomaly affecting the ranging measurements of the GNSS receiver and the at least one other GNSS receiver.

Abstract: An adaptive cascaded electronic protection processing system for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) threat mitigation is provided. The system includes a precorrelation characterization component configured to provide at least one parameter characterizing a plurality of received signals. A correlator is configured to provide a plurality of correlation results, each representing one of the plurality of received signals. A spatial weight contribution component is configured to determine an optimal set of digital beam-forming weights via an optimization process according to the at least one parameter. A postcorrelation characterization component is configured to determine at least one constraint on the optimization process according to the plurality of correlation results.

Abstract: A system and method for activating a GPS receiver or a WiFi receiver on a mobile device may be provided, which comprises determining an approximate location of the mobile device. The approximate location of the mobile device may be determined using cell tower location information. If the approximate location of the mobile device is within a predetermined distance from a desired location, or is “close enough”, then the GPS receiver or the WiFi receiver is activated. The GPS receiver or the WiFi receiver is activated to determine a more accurate location of the mobile device. The approximate and the more accurate location information may be exchanged with another mobile device to allow the user to find one another.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and other embodiments associated with low power GNSS receiver operation are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a pre-processor configured to generate digitized signals from satellite signals according to a set of pre-processing functions. The satellite signals are navigation satellite signals. The pre-processor is configured to store the digitized signals in a memory. The apparatus includes a processor configured to produce a navigation result from the digitized signals stored in the memory. The apparatus includes a control logic configured to independently power the digital pre-processor and the processing logic by powering either the digital or the processor at a time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for determining a position of a GNSS rover antenna from observations collected at the antenna over multiple epochs from satellite signals of multiple GNSS, wherein the observation data of each GNSS has a distinct data format. The observation data of each GNSS are presented in a generic GNSS data format, which differs from the distinct data format of the GNSS, to obtain a set of generic data. A set of difference data is prepared representing differences between the converted observation data and the generic data. When at least four satellites are tracked, the generic data of the tracked satellites of multiple GNSS are used to compute a standalone antenna position. When at least five satellites are tracked, the generic data of the tracked satellites of multiple GNSS are used to compute a real-time kinematic antenna position.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to quickly estimate a temporal shift of a GPS signal based on an analysis of a GLONASS signal. The shift can be a result of applied leap-second adjustments affecting GLONASS signals but not GPS signals. By identifying this shift, GPS and GLONASS signals can be considered together in order to estimate locations. The temporal shift can be determined, e.g., by estimating a separation between a GPS-signal frame feature (e.g., frame onset) and a GLONASS-signal frame feature (e.g., frame onset), or identifying coinciding frame features (e.g., a GPS-signal subframe coinciding with a GLONASS-signal string number). The techniques allow the temporal shift to be estimated based on an analysis of just a portion of the GPS-signal and GLONASS-signal frames, such that a speed of location estimations can be improved.