Abstract:
A positioning receiver is shown having one or more receiving channels for receiving a signal from a positioning station, a controlling element for controlling the reception of the signal from the positioning station, and a clock generator for generating a clock signal for said controlling element. The positioning receiver also has a sampler for taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and (a selector) for selecting samples from the samples taken at the at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in the controlling element, for controlling signal reception. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system, a wireless communication device, a module, a method, and a computer software product.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a positioning receiver which comprises one or more receiving channels for receiving a signal from a positioning station, control means for controlling the reception of the signal from a positioning station, and means for generating a clock signal for said control means. The invention also relates to a system which comprises positioning stations which transmit a signal intended for use in positioning, as well as a positioning receiver comprising one or more receiving channels for receiving a signal from the positioning station, control means for controlling the reception of the signal from the positioning station, and means for generating a clock signal for said control means. Furthermore, the invention relates to a wireless communication device comprising a positioning receiver which comprises one or more receiving channels for receiving a signal from a positioning station, control means for controlling the reception of the signal from a positioning station, and means for generating a clock signal for said control means. The invention also relates to a module which comprises one or more receiving channels for receiving a signal from a positioning station, control means for controlling the reception of the signal from a positioning station, and means for generating a clock signal for said control means. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for performing positioning, comprising the step of receiving a signal from a positioning station on one or more receiving channels, a control step for controlling the reception of the signal from the positioning station, and the step of generating a clock signal to be used in said control step. Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer software product comprising machine executable commands for controlling the positioning, wherein the positioning comprises the step of receiving a signal from a positioning station on one or more receiving channels, a control step for controlling the reception of the signal from the positioning station, and the step of generating a clock signal to be used in said control step.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In positioning systems based on satellite positioning, a positioning receiver attempts to receive signals from at least four satellites in order to determine the position of the positioning receiver as well as the time data. Some examples of such satellite positioning systems to be mentioned include the GPS system (Global Positioning System), the GLONASS (GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) as well as the European Galileo system under development. For example the GPS system comprises a plurality of satellites orbiting the globe according to predetermined orbits. These satellites transmit orbit data, on the basis of which the position of the satellite can be determined at each moment of time, provided that the exact time data used in the satellite positioning system is known in the positioning receiver. In the GPS system, the satellites transmit a spread spectrum signal modulated with a code which is individual for each satellite. Thus, the positioning receiver can distinguish between signals transmitted by different satellites by using a reference code corresponding to a satellite code generated locally in the positioning receiver or stored in the positioning receiver.  
         [0003]     Each operating satellite of the GPS system transmits a so-called L1 signal at the carrier frequency of 1575.42 MHz. This frequency is also indicated with 154f 0 , where f 0 =10.23 MHz. Furthermore, the satellites transmit a L2 signal at a carrier frequency of 1227.6 MHz, i.e. 120f 0 . In the satellite, these signals are modulated with at least one pseudo random sequence. This pseudo random sequence is different for each satellite. As a result of the modulation, a code-modulated wideband signal is generated. This modulation technique allows the receiver to distinguish between the signals transmitted by different satellites, although the carrier frequencies used in the transmission are substantially the same. This modulation technique is called code division multiple access (CDMA). In each satellite, for modulating the L1 signal, the pseudo random sequence used is e.g. a so-called C/A code (Coarse/Acquisition code), which is a code from the family of the Gold codes. Each GPS satellite transmits a signal by using an individual C/A code. The codes are formed as a modulo-2 sum of two 1023-bit binary sequences. The first binary sequence G1 is formed with the polynomial X 10 +X 3 +1, and the second binary sequence G2 is formed by delaying the polynomial X 10 +X 9 +X 8 +X 6 +X 3 +X 2 +1 in such a way that the delay is different for each satellite. This arrangement makes it possible to generate different C/A codes by using identical code generators. The C/A codes are thus binary codes, chipping rate in the GPS system being 1.023 Mchips/s. The C/A code comprises 1023 chips, wherein the iteration time (epoch) of the code is 1 ms. The carrier of the L1 signal is further modulated by navigation information at a bit rate of 50 bit/s. The navigation information comprises information about the “health”, orbit, time data of the satellite, etc.  
         [0004]     In order to detect the satellite signals and to identify the satellites, the receiver must perform acquisition, whereby the receiver searches for the signal of each satellite at the time and attempts to be synchronized and locked to this signal so that the information transmitted with the signal can be received and demodulated.  
         [0005]     The positioning receiver must perform the acquisition e.g. when the receiver is turned on and also in a situation in which the receiver has not been capable of receiving the signal of any satellite for a long time. Such a situation can easily occur e.g. in portable devices, because the device is moving and the antenna of the device is not always in an optimal position in relation to the satellites, which impairs the strength of the signal coming in the receiver. In portable devices, the aim is also to reduce the power consumption to a minimum. Thus, for example, a positioning receiver arranged in connection with a wireless communication device is not necessarily kept continuously in operation but primarily when there is a need to perform positioning.  
         [0006]     The above-mentioned acquisition and frequency control process must be performed for each satellite signal received in the receiver. Some receivers may comprise several receiving channels, wherein an attempt is made on each receiving channel to acquire the signal of one satellite at a time and to find out the information transmitted by this satellite.  
         [0007]     After the acquisition, the positioning receiver attempts to keep synchronized with, i.e., to track the satellite signal. For the acquisition, correlators are normally used for generating signals which are used, for example, to find the correct code phase. The satellite signal received in the receiver is sampled, and the samples are led to the correlators. In receivers of prior art, the sampling rate is typically determined according to the chips in the satellite signal so that the sampling rate is normally twice the chipping rate. This means that two samples are taken of each chip. Applied into the GPS system, this means that about 2 million samples are taken per second. In practice, such a sampling rate is normally sufficient for signal acquisition, but this sampling rate is not necessarily sufficient for tracking, particularly under conditions of multipath propagation, i.e. the satellite signals arrive at the receiver along various routes.  
         [0008]     By the selection of the sampling rate, it is possible to affect, for example, the manufacturing costs and the power consumption of the receiver. Normally, a higher sampling rate also involves higher manufacturing costs as well as a higher power consumption, which is due, for example, to the fact that the number of correlators used for the acquisition should also be increased when the sampling rate is increased. A larger number of correlators also requires more circuit board area, which, in turn, increases the power consumption.  
         [0009]     In positioning receivers of prior art, the sampling frequency is used for both the acquisition and the tracking. Thus, the sampling frequency is a compromise determined by various properties. Furthermore, in receivers which are intended for receiving signals from the satellites or other positioning stations of more than one positioning systems, there may be a need to use a different sampling rate in the different systems. Thus, when applying the arrangements of prior art, separate receiving channels and sampling means must be provided for the different systems, which makes the implementation of the receiver more complex.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     According to the present invention, an arrangement in a positioning receiver has been invented for improving the operation of the positioning receiver. The invention is based on the idea that at least two different sampling rates are formed, wherein different sampling rates can be used for acquisition and for tracking. To put it more precisely, the positioning receiver according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the positioning receiver comprises means for taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and means for selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control means for controlling the reception of the signal. The system according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the positioning receiver of the system comprises means for taking samples at least a first and a second sampling rate, and means for selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control means for controlling the reception of the signal. The wireless communication device according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the wireless communication device comprises means for taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and means for selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control means for controlling the reception of the signal. The module according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the module comprises means for taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and means for selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control means for controlling the reception of the signal. The method according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the method comprises the steps of taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control step for controlling the reception of the signal. The computer software product according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the computer software product comprises machine executable commands for taking samples at least first and second sampling rates, and for selecting the samples from said samples formed at said at least first and second sampling rates, to be used in said control step for controlling the reception of the signal.  
         [0011]     The present invention shows, for example, the following advantages over arrangements of prior art. By the arrangement of the invention, it is possible to improve e.g. the tracking function of the positioning receiver without affecting the acquisition and the number of correlators required therein, because the sampling rate can be set to be different for the tracking function and for the acquisition. Furthermore, the power consumption does not necessarily increase significantly, because the number of correlators and thereby the required circuit area is not increased. In the arrangement according to one example of the invention, the positioning receiver can be set in different modes according to the need at the time. Furthermore, the invention makes it possible that the reception of signals from positioning stations of several different positioning systems can be implemented in the same positioning receiver by selecting the sampling frequency in each receiving channel to comply with the requirements of the positioning station to be received at the time. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a system according to one embodiment of the invention in a reduced chart,  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a receiver according to one embodiment of the invention in a reduced block chart,  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a detail of the receiving channel in the receiver according to one embodiment of the invention,  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a device according to one embodiment of the invention in a reduced block chart, and  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  shows, in a flow chart, essential steps in the method according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     In the following, the invention will be described by using the GPS system as an example of a positioning system, but it will be obvious that the invention is not limited to be used in the GPS system only. The positioning stations  10 . 1 - 10 . 4  used in the GPS system are satellites which transmit a spread spectrum modulated signal. However, the positioning stations can also be other than satellite stations, for example base stations BS, BS′, BS″ of a mobile communication system.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system in which signals transmitted by positioning stations  10 . 1 - 10 . 4  are received by a receiver  1 . By means of these signals, the receiver performs positioning by using, for example, the timing data of the signals, the code phase data and the orbit parameters, and by computing the location-time solution in a way known as such.  
         [0020]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the receiver  1  comprises several receiving channels  2 , wherein the acquisition of a signal from one positioning station is first attempted on each channel. The signal is received with an antenna  1 . 1  and is input via a high-frequency amplifier  1 . 2  in a bandpass filter  1 . 3 , where the desired frequency band is separated from the signal to be conveyed to a down-converter  1 . 4 . In the down-converter  1 . 4 , the received signal is mixed with a local oscillator signal LO formed by a frequency synthesizer  1 . 5 , to convert the signal frequency, for example, to a low intermediate frequency or a baseband. The frequency synthesizer  1 . 5  forms the desired frequency from a reference frequency generated by a reference oscillator  1 . 6 . The signal formed by the down-converter  1 . 4  is amplified by a controllable amplifier  1 . 7  whose amplification is controlled by means of an amplification control block  1 . 8 . The amplified signal is converted from the analog format to a digital format, i.e. it is sampled in an analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 . The samples formed by the analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 . are led to receiving channels  2 . Furthermore, on the basis of the samples, the amplification control block  1 . 8  produces an amplification control to adjust, if necessary, the amplification of the controllable amplifier  1 . 7 .  
         [0021]     The receiver  1  of  FIG. 2  comprises a low-pass filter  1 . 10  and a decimation block  1 . 11  which are used for low-pass filtering and decimation of the samples; in other words, the low-pass filtered samples are subjected to a new sampling at a lower sampling frequency. The new samples and the original samples are input in selectors  1 . 12  which are used to select either the first samples, i.e. in this embodiment the samples formed in the analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 , or the second samples, i.e. the new samples formed at a lower sampling frequency in the decimation block  1 . 11 , to be conveyed to the receiving channels  2 . It is obvious that the first samples are not necessarily directly the samples formed by the analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 , but they may first have been subjected to sampling in another decimation block at a sampling frequency different from the sampling frequency of the decimation block  1 . 11 . In this example, the factor N used in the decimation block  1 . 11  determines the sampling frequency of the decimation block  1 . 11  in relation to the sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 , wherein the lower sampling frequency is one Nth part (1/N) of the sampling frequency used by the analog-to-digital converter  1 . 9 .  
         [0022]     Furthermore,  FIG. 2  shows by broken lines the blocks belonging to a module  1   a  according to one embodiment of the invention, but it is obvious that when the invention is implemented as the module  1   a  integrated in a receiver or another device, the module  1   a  may also comprise other blocks of the receiver  1  than the blocks shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0023]     The invention can also be applied in connection with such receivers  1  in which either acquisition or tracking operations only are carried out to control the reception of signals from the satellites. In this case, the control means comprise either acquisition means  2 . 4 - 2 . 8  or tracking means  2 . 1 - 2 . 3 , respectively.  
         [0024]     In the receiver according to the invention, it is possible to form even more than the first and second samples to be selected for processing in the receiving channels  2 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows the structure of receiving channels  2  used in a receiver  1  according to one embodiment of the invention, in a reduced block chart. Each receiving channel  2  is typically identical, wherein in this context, it will suffice to discuss the operation of one receiving channel  2 . The samples selected in the selector  1 . 12  are led to a first mixing stage  2 . 1 , in which the signal is cleared of a possible intermediate frequency (IF) as well as the satellite Doppler frequency by means of a first numerically controlled oscillator  2 . 2  (NCO) and a phase shift block  2 . 3 . In the phase shift block  2 . 3 , two signals with a phase difference of 90° are formed of the signal of the numerically controlled oscillator  2 . 2 . In a second numerically controlled oscillator  2 . 4 , a clock signal is generated for a reference code generator  2 . 5 . The reference code generator  2 . 5  is used for generating a reference code corresponding to the code to be used in the production of the signal from the positioning station  10 . 1 - 10 . 4 , which is input in a delay line  2 . 6 . In the delay line  2 . 6 , the number of delays corresponds to the number of integrators  2 . 8 , wherein the output of each delay is input in one of the code multipliers  2 . 7 . The product formed by the code multipliers  2 . 7  is input in integrators  2 . 8 . The signals formed in the integrators  2 . 8  are further input in a control block  3 , preferably in a digital signal processor DSP, to find out the code phase and the frequency shift of the received signal separately for each channel. The control block  3  forms a back coupling to the receiving channels  2  to adjust the first  2 . 2  and second numerically controlled oscillators  2 . 4 , if necessary. After the code phase and the frequency shift have been determined, that is, the receiver has tracked the signal to be received, it is possible to start the tracking step, which comprises, for example, the taking of pseudo range measurements and, if necessary, the demodulation and storage of the navigation information transmitted in the signal, if possible.  
         [0026]     In the receiver according to the invention, the clock signal to be led to each receiving channel  2  is selected in clock signal selectors  1 . 13 . In the example receiver of  FIG. 2 , either the first clock frequency or the second clock frequency is selected. The second clock frequency is obtained by dividing the first clock frequency with a factor N in a divider block  1 . 14 . Consequently, this divider N has the same value as the divider used in the decimation block  1 . 11 . However, it is obvious that there can be more than two selectable clock frequencies.  
         [0027]     In the following, the operation of the method according to one embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in  FIG. 5 . Let us assume that two clock frequencies are selectable, as well as two different sample signals formed at two different sampling frequencies, to be processed in the receiving channels  2 . Let us also assume that different modes are defined for different situations, such as, for example, a power saving mode and a normal mode. However, it is obvious that the receiver  1  can always function, for example, in the power saving mode. Let us assume that signal acquisition is performed first. Thus, at the beginning of the operation, second samples are selected, i.e., the samples formed in the decimation block  1 . 11 , to be led into the receiving channels  2 . Furthermore, the clock frequency of the receiving channels  2  is selected by the clock signal selectors  1 . 13  to be the lower clock frequency, i.e., the clock signal formed by the divider block  1 . 14 . These steps are illustrated with block  501  in the flow chart of  FIG. 5 . After this, an acquisition step  502  is performed until one of the receiving channels  2  has acquired the desired signal  503 . Next, the mode is examined  504 , and if it is the normal mode, the next step is taken in block  505 , in which first samples are selected for the respective receiving channel  2  by the respective channel selector  1 . 12 , to be input in the receiving stages  2 . 1 ,  2 . 7 ,  2 . 8 . Furthermore, the clock signal to be led to the receiving channel  2  is selected by the clock signal selector  1 . 13  for the respective channel, to be the first clock signal, i.e. the higher clock signal. Thus, in a tracking step  506 , the higher sampling rate and the respective clock frequency are used to improve the tracking function, particularly under poor signal conditions. However, if the mode is, for example, the power saving mode, the selection control of the selectors  1 . 12 ,  1 . 13  is not changed, wherein the same sampling rate and clock frequency are used in the tracking step  506  as in the acquisition step. By this, a lower power consumption is achieved than when using a higher sampling rate and clock frequency. The above-mentioned determination  504  of the mode and the selection  505  of the samples (sampling rate) and the clock frequency can be performed after the acquisition step and, for example, when the mode is changed.  
         [0028]     The above-mentioned steps are taken for each receiving channel  2 , on which signals are received.  
         [0029]     The receiver  1  according to the invention can be used to receive signals from positioning stations of several different positioning systems. Thus, for each receiving channel  2 , the desired control data is selected for the selectors  1 . 12 ,  1 . 13  according to the sampling rate and clock frequency to be used. Thus, there may be a need to implement several decimation blocks  1 . 11  and divider blocks  1 . 14 , in which the value of the divider is set so as to achieve the desired sampling rate and clock frequency. Thus, the selectors  1 . 12 ,  1 . 13  can be used to select, for each receiving channel  2 , such a decimation block  1 . 11  and divider block  1 . 14  in which the divider used is set to correspond to the parameters of the positioning system which is received on the receiving channel  2  in question.  
         [0030]     The receiver  1  according to the invention may function as such, or it may be a part of another device, for example a positioning receiver  1  in connection with a mobile communication device  4  ( FIG. 4 ). The mobile station  4  of  FIG. 4  also shows a control block  4 . 1 , a user interface  4 . 2 , mobile communication means  4 . 3 , and a memory  4 . 4 . In such a combined device, some of the functional blocks, such as the user interface and the control block, may also be shared.  
         [0031]     It will be obvious that the present invention is not limited solely to the above-presented embodiments but it can be modified within the scope of the appended claims.