Patent ID: 7079076
Filing Date: 2006-07-18
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method of determining the position of a radio-frequency signal receiver, the receiver including means for receiving and shaping radio-frequency signals from satellites to generate frequency converted intermediate signals, a correlation stagecomposed of N correlation channels for receiving the intermediate signals in order to correlate them with specific code and carrier frequency replicas from satellites to be searched and tracked, and microprocessor meansconnected to the correlation stage for processing the data drawn, after correlation, from the radio-frequency signals, wherein the method includes a series of steps consisting in: dividing the surface of the Earth into N geographical regions as a function of the N channels available in the correlation stage such that, according to an almanac stored in the receiver, at least one satellite to be acquired is located, in projection onto the surface of the Earth, in each of the N regions, switching on the N channels of the correlation stage, the N channels each being configured to search one visible satellite in one of the N respective regions, as soon as one of the channels has detected a visible satellite in one of the N regions, interrupting the operation of all the other channels, and configuring and switching on certain other channels for the search and tracking of visible satellites in proximity to the first visible satellite detected to perform the time and position calculating operations in the microprocessor means.