Abstract: A method of decoding a GPS carrier signal comprising: (A) receiving a phase modulated GPS signal by using a GPS antenna; (B) extracting a GPS data from the received phase modulated GPS signal; and (C) computing a total probability of a current GPS data bit being “one” or “zero” at a GPS time epoch by using a decoding algorithm.

Abstract: A method of acquisition a signal having a low signal to noise ratio (SNR). The method comprises the steps of: (A) detecting a non-zero power in the signal having the low SNR during a power detect process; (B) receiving the signal having the low SNR by using a signal receiver having an antenna; (C) accumulating a plurality of digital samples of the signal within a predetermined period of time; and (D) employing an algorithm to correct defects in reception of the signal having the low SNR by minimizing a set of parameters selected from the group consisting of: {a carrier frequency offset; a code phase offset; and a data bit misalignment}.

Abstract: A method of decoding a received phase modulated carrier signal comprising the following steps: (A) computing a total probability of a current data bit being “one” or “zero” at a time epoch by computing a plurality of probabilities of phase transitions at a plurality of time epochs, each probability of a phase transition at one time epoch being a probability of a phase transition between a current phase of the received phase modulated signal and a phase corresponding to a previously computed data bit; and (B) outputting the current data bit as being “one” or “zero” at the time epoch based on the computed in step (A) total probability.

Abstract: A satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver has a mix of standard and enhanced digital channel processors. The standard digital channel processors perform continuous tracking. During a low SNR and/or fast acquisition mode, the enhanced digital channel processor accumulates samples of a SATPS signal that are identically positioned within corresponding PRN code repetition periods, and plays back the stored accumulated values of the samples in an integration period to a correlation section for correlation with a locally generated PRN code.

Abstract: A satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver has a mix of standard and enhanced digital channel processors. The standard digital channel processors perform continuous tracking. During a low SNR and/or fast acquisition mode, the enhanced digital channel processor accumulates samples of a SATPS signal that are identically positioned within corresponding PRN code repetition periods, and plays back the stored accumulated values of the samples in an integration period to a correlation section for correlation with a locally generated PRN code.

Abstract: The methods and apparatuses described herein allow very rapid AGC lock onto a burst radio frequency transmission. The advantage of these methods and apparatuses is that they allow rapid acquisition of packets, i.e. there is no multi-packet AGC training time before the packet data can be demodulated. The methods and apparatuses also allow the portion of the packet allocated to AGC acquisition time to be shortened, increasing system efficiency as a higher percentage of time is available for user data. The AGC techniques described herein use a novel method to acquire lock rapidly. If the signal is observed to be hardlimiting the A/D output the gain is reduced substantially. If the signal is observed to be in the linear operating portion of the A/D outputs operating range a single measurement is made to pull the AGC loop into its desired operating point.

Abstract: A GPS receiver having a fast time to lock to a GPS signal by storing a time period of an incoming GPS signal in a signal memory and rapidly comparing the signal memory against locations in a replica memory having stored GPS signal replicas. The GPS receiver includes a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory for storing a millisecond of a digitized GPS signal, a replica memory section for storing replicas representative of the digitized GPS signal for all possible frequency differences between the GPS carrier frequency and a local reference frequency and phase offsets between the GPS code phase and a local reference time, and a GPS memory comparator for comparing the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in replica memory and issuing an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold.

Abstract: The apparatus and method of the present invention is designed to receive SATPS satellites encoded information using a high gain antenna and pre-process the encoded information. The apparatus includes a High Gain Antenna (HGA), an extracting receiver, and a transmitter circuit configured to transmit the unknown code modulated on a transmission frequency for further processing in the delayed correlation receiver.

Abstract: A GPS receiver having a fast time to lock to a GPS signal by storing a time period of an incoming GPS signal in a signal memory and rapidly comparing the signal memory against locations in a replica memory having stored GPS signal replicas. The GPS receiver includes a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory for storing a millisecond of a digitized GPS signal, a replica memory section for storing replicas representative of the digitized GPS signal for all possible frequency differences between the GPS carrier frequency and a local reference frequency and phase offsets between the GPS code phase and a local reference time, and a GPS memory comparator for comparing the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in replica memory and issuing an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold.

Abstract: A GPS receiver having a fast time to lock to a GPS signal by storing a time period of an incoming GPS signal in a signal memory and rapidly comparing the signal memory against locations in a replica memory having stored GPS signal replicas. The GPS receiver includes a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory for storing a millisecond of a digitized GPS signal, a replica memory section for storing replicas representative of the digitized GPS signal for all possible frequency differences between the GPS carrier frequency and a local reference frequency and phase offsets between the GPS code phase and a local reference time, and a GPS memory comparator for comparing the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in replica memory and issuing an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the apparatus and the method for calibrating a Narrow Band Receiver in real time for code group delay errors in the signals transmitted by a Narrow Band Transmitter. The apparatus includes a Calibration circuit used to generate a calibration signal that is substantially free from code delay errors, and that is substantially similar to the signal emanating from the Narrow band Transmitter. The calibration signal can be used by the Narrow Band receiver to measure and offset the group delay errors in real time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing multipath reflection effects in timing systems is disclosed in which a determination is made of whether a received signal is a reflected signal. A detector provides from an input signal a pair of signals representative of whether the input signal contained right-hand circularly polarized and left-hand circularly polarized components. The representative signals are separately processed in synchronized logic circuits to determine relative power levels. The power levels are compared to determine the nature of the dominant polarization of the input signal.

Abstract: A receiver for tracking sources of position system signals transmitted as split spectrum signals is disclosed. The receiver provides a digital tracker to track a portion of the split spectrum signal. Each digital tracker may have an independent tracking loop solely for tracking a respective portion of the split spectrum signal. Such an arrangement provides anti-jamming benefits. Alternatively, the tracking loops may be dependent by providing information ascertained by one digital tracker to another digital tracker, thereby to provide an increased signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing multipath reflection effects in timing systems is disclosed in which a determination is made of whether a received signal is a reflected signal. A detector provides from an input signal a pair of signals representative of whether the input signal contained right-hand circularly polarized and left-hand circularly polarized components. The representative signals are separately processed in synchronized logic circuits to determine relative power levels. The power levels are compared to determine the nature of the dominant polarization of the input signal.

Abstract: A GPS receiver having a fast time to lock to a GPS signal by storing a time period of an incoming GPS signal in a signal memory and rapidly comparing the signal memory against locations in a replica memory having stored GPS signal replicas. The GPS receiver includes a memory-based search engine for acquiring the GPS signal so that it may be tracked. The memory-based search engine includes a signal memory for storing a millisecond of a digitized GPS signal, a replica memory section for storing replicas representative of the digitized GPS signal for all possible frequency differences between the GPS carrier frequency and a local reference frequency and phase offsets between the GPS code phase and a local reference time, and a GPS memory comparator for comparing the stored signal in signal memory to the stored replicas in replica memory and issuing an acquisition detection signal when the level of the comparison is greater than a selected threshold.

Abstract: The delayed correlation receiver for delay-processing the encrypted satellite signals is disclosed. A central station is designed to receive encoded satellite signals using a high gain antenna. The central station extracts the encrypted satellite information and transmits it to the delayed correlation receiver. The delayed correlation receiver receives the encrypted satellite information using the standard satellite antenna and performs the full correlation with the encrypted information received from the central station without requiring the secret encryption keys.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the apparatus and the methods for calibrating a Narrow Band receiver for the group delay code phase errors. The group delay code phase errors are caused by group delay variations in the satellite signals being transmitted by a Narrow Band satellite Transmitter. A Calibration generator circuit generates a calibration signal that is substantially similar to the satellite signal but is free from the group delay variations. The calibration signal is used by the Narrow Band satellite Receiver to measure and eliminate the code phase group delay errors.

Abstract: A combined GPS/GLONASS Receiver is disclosed. The GLONASS system of satellites operates at a higher orbit inclination than GPS satellites (64.degree. for GLONASS, 55.degree. for GPS). This leads to GLONASS having better coverage at higher latitudes, e.g. in the State of Alaska or Northern Europe. The combined GPS/GLONASS receiver incorporates this advantage. Another advantage of using the GPS/GLONASS receiver is that GLONASS can become a back up system when the US Government intentionally degrades the GPS system accuracy via Selective Availability (SA). The combined GPS/GLONASS Receiver can receive signals from more satellites and therefore has more resistance to jamming than a single GPS or GLONASS Receiver.

Abstract: Methods for synchronizing to a reference signal the timing of a received composite, code phase SATPS signal, which consists of a preferred, interference-free signal distorted by at least one interfering signal, to determine an undistorted timing point of the preferred signal. An idealized correlation function A.sub.I (t), formed from the product of a digital reference signal with a time-shifted reference signal, and a measured correlation signal A.sub.M (t), formed from the product of a received signal and a time-shifted reference signal, are computed. Peak amplitudes A.sub.M (.sub.pM) and A.sub.I (.sub.pI) are found for the respective measurable and idealized punctual code phase shifts .sub.pM and .sub.pI. The correlation measurements formed on the early side (or on the late side) of the peak for the correlation function A(t) are combined to form an estimate of the time delay associated with a multipath signal.

Abstract: The transmitting and receiving apparatus and method for full code correlation operation under encryption for the Satellite Positioning System (SATPS) are disclosed. The apparatus includes a central station designed to receive SATPS satellites encoded information using a high gain antenna and a delayed correlation receiver. The central station extracts the encrypted satellite information and transmits it to the delayed correlation receiver. The delayed correlation receiver receives the encrypted satellite information using the standard SATPS antenna and performs the full correlation with the encrypted information received from the central station without requiring the secret encryption keys.