Abstract:
A global positioning system (GPS) signal receiving and rebroadcasting device includes a first GPS antenna receiving GPS signals from a number of earth orbiting satellites, and a connector electrically connected to the first GPS antenna and configured for electrical connection to a voltage source. The connector supplies the voltage produced by the voltage source to the first GPS antenna via an electrical cable connected therebetween. The device further includes a second GPS antenna mounted within the connector and electrically connected to the first GPS antenna via a signal wire carried by the electrical cable. The first GPS antenna is operable to supply the received GPS signals to the second GPS antenna which, in turn, is operable to rebroadcast the GPS signals. The device is useful in enclosed environments requiring GPS access, wherein the first GPS antenna may be positioned to receive GPS signals.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to global positioning system (GPS) signal receiving devices, and more specifically to such devices operable to rebroadcast received GPS signals.  
         BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Mobile electrical devices such as cellular telephones, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like may include global position system (GPS) equipment operable to receive and process GPS information, wherein such GPS equipment generally includes at least a GPS antenna and GPS decoding circuitry. However, in order to receive GPS signals from earth orbiting GPS satellites, the GPS antenna must have a clear view of the sky. This is not always possible with mobile devices, such as when such mobile devices are located within an enclosed environment such as a motor vehicle, home, business, airport, etc.  
           [0003]    What is therefore needed is a GPS receiving and rebroadcasting device having a GPS antenna that may be positioned within a clear view of the sky, and which is operable to rebroadcast the received GPS signals within the enclosed environment. The present invention provides such a GPS receiving and rebroadcasting device.  
           [0004]    These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of one preferred embodiment of a GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic illustration of one preferred embodiment of the voltage source-connecting end of the device of FIG. 1, configured for connection to a vehicle lighter socket, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic illustration of an alternate embodiment of the voltage source-connecting end of the device of FIG. 1, configured for connection to a conventional AC voltage panel through an AC-DC converter, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2C is a diagrammatic illustration of another alternate embodiment of the voltage source-connecting end of the device of FIG. 1, configured for connection to a lighter socket that is itself configured for connection to a standard AC voltage panel through an AC-DC converter, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of the electrical connections of the device of FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating various applications of the GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to a number of preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.  
         [0012]    Referring now to FIG. 1, one preferred embodiment of a GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10 , in accordance with the present invention, is shown. Device  10  includes an electrical cable  12  having a first end  14  configured for connection to a voltage source  16  and a second opposite end electrically connected to a GPS antenna  18  of known construction. The first end  14  of the electrical cable  12  may be configured for connection to any known DC voltage source, and some example configurations of connector end  14  and voltage source combinations are illustrated in FIGS.  2 A- 2 C.  
         [0013]    Referring to FIG. 2A, a first example voltage source arrangement  16 ′ is illustrated, wherein the first end  14  of cable  12  is connected to a terminal structure  14 ′ configured for electrical connection to a conventional cigarette lighter socket  32 .  
         [0014]    Terminal structure  14 ′ includes a first electrical terminal  34  electrically connected to a first electrical conductor of cable  12 , and a second electrical terminal, defined by terminal elements  42 , electrically connected to a second electrical conductor of cable  12 . Complementarily configured lighter socket  32  includes a first electrical terminal  36  electrically connected to a positive terminal of a battery  38  via conductor  40 , and a second electrical terminal, defined by the housing  44  of lighter socket  32 , electrically connected to a negative terminal of the battery  38  via conductor  46 . Terminal structure  14 ′ is configured to be engagingly received within lighter socket  32  such that the first electrical terminal  34  of structure  14 ′ electrically contacts the first electrical terminal  36  of socket  32  and the second terminal elements  42  electrically contact the socket housing  44 , thereby supplying a DC voltage defined by battery  38  to the first and second conductors of cable  12 . In one embodiment, the lighter socket  32  and battery  38  are carried by a motor vehicle, wherein the lighter socket  32  is typically located in the dash area or other convenient location of the vehicle. Alternatively, battery  38  and lighter socket  32  may be provided as a portable voltage source.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2B, a second example voltage source arrangement  16 ″ is illustrated, wherein the first end  14  of cable  12  is connected to a terminal structure  14 ″ configured for electrical connection to an AC voltage source via a wall socket  56 . Terminal structure  14 ″ includes an AC-to-DC converter of known construction having a DC output end electrically connected to the first end  14  of cable  12 , and an AC input end electrically connected to a conventional two (or three) prong plug  54  via conductor cable  52 , wherein plug  54  is configured for electrical engagement with a conventional wall socket  56 . Wall socket  56  is connected to an AC voltage source (not shown) via wiring  58 , wherein the AC voltage source may typically be a conventional 120 volt or 240 volt electrical panel. In any case, AC voltage supplied to wall socket  56  is provided by plug  54  to the AC input of the AC-to-DC converter  50 , which is operable to convert the AC voltage to a suitable DC voltage (e.g., 5, 7, 9 or 12 volts, or any other voltage required by the particular application of the GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10 ), and to provide this DC voltage to the electrical conductors carried by cable  12 .  
         [0016]    Referring to FIG. 2C, a third example voltage source arrangement  16 ′″ is illustrated, wherein the first end  14  of cable  12  is connected to the terminal structure  14 ′ described hereinabove with respect to FIG. 2A. In this embodiment, a lighter socket  32  is electrically connected to a DC output of an AC-to-DC converter unit  60  of known construction having an AC input electrically connected to a conventional two (or three) prong plug  62 , wherein plug  62  is configured for electrical engagement with a conventional wall socket  56 . Wall socket  56  is connected to an AC voltage source (not shown) via wiring  58 , as described hereinabove with respect to FIG. 2B, wherein the AC voltage source may typically be a conventional 120 volt or 240 volt electrical panel. In any case, AC voltage supplied to wall socket  56  is provided by plug  62  to the AC input of the AC-to-DC converter  60 , which is operable to convert the AC voltage to a suitable DC voltage (e.g., 5, 7, 9 or 12, volts or any other voltage required by the particular application of the GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10 ), and to provide this DC voltage to lighter socket  32 . The terminal structure  14 ′ may be received within lighter socket  32 , as described hereinabove with respect to FIG. 2A, to supply the DC voltage provided by converter  60  to the electrical conductors carried by cable  12 .  
         [0017]    It is to be understood that the connector end  14  and voltage source configurations shown and described with respect to FIGS.  2 A- 2 C are provided only by way of example. Those skilled in the art will recognize other voltage source configurations and techniques for supplying a suitable DC voltage to the first end  14  of the electrical cable  12  of the present invention, and such other voltage source configurations and techniques are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0018]    In accordance with the present invention, the connection structure of the first end  14  of the electrical cable  12  to the voltage source  16  includes a second GPS antenna  20 , wherein antenna  20  is represented in FIG. 1 as being generally included within the voltage source  16 . In the embodiments  16 ′ and  16 ′″ of the voltage source  16  illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2C respectively, the second GPS antenna  20  is located within the terminal structure  14 ′. In the embodiment  16 ″ of the voltage source  16  illustrated in FIG. 2B, the second GPS antenna  20  is located within the AC-DC converter  50 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the GPS antenna  20  illustrated in each of the foregoing embodiments may be mounted within, or to, the respective terminal structure  14 ′ or AD-DC converter  50 , or may alternatively be mounted to or within any adjacent structure, such as cable  12 , conductor cable  52 , plug  54 , or AC-to-DC converter  60 , and that any such location and mounting arrangement of the GPS antenna  20  is intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. In any case, GPS antenna  20  is electrically connected to GPS antenna  18  via one or more signal lines carried by electrical cable  12 , as will be described in greater detail with respect to FIG. 3.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 3, a circuit diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of the electrical connections of the device of FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention, is shown. In the embodiment shown, the electrical cable  12  includes two wires  12   1  and  12   2  carrying a DC voltage supplied by voltage source  16 , and providing this DC voltage to the GPS antenna  18 . Cable  12  further includes a third signal wire  12   3  connecting a signal output of GPS antenna  18  to a signal input of GPS antenna  20 . GPS signals received by GPS antenna  18  are supplied by GPS antenna  18  to GPS antenna  20  via signal line  12   3 . It is to be understood that the foregoing embodiment of the electrical connections of the device of FIG. 1 is provided only by way of example, and that the present invention contemplates alternative electrical connection embodiments. For example, the voltage source  16  and GPS Antenna  18  may, in some applications, be grounded to a common ground structure, in which case electrical cable  12  need only connect voltage source  16  to GPS antenna  18  via a single wire (e.g.,  12   1 ). As another example, electrical cable  12  may, in some applications, include additional signal wires (e.g., in addition to wire  12   3 ) connecting GPS antenna  18  and GPS antenna  20 . Any such or similar modifications to the electrical connection arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3 are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0020]    Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram illustrating various applications of the GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10  of the present invention is shown. The GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10  is shown in FIG. 4 as being housed within an enclosed structure  100  including at least one opening or window  102 . In one embodiment, structure  100  represents a motor vehicle and opening  102  represents a window of the motor vehicle, and may be a vehicle windshield, rear window or side window. GPS antenna  18 , in this embodiment, may be mounted to, or adjacent to, window  102 , and in any case should be positioned relative to window  102  to have a clear view of the sky. In this embodiment, the voltage source  16  may be, for example, embodiment  16 ′ illustrated in FIG. 2A. In an alternate embodiment, structure  100  represents a building, such as a residence, business or other building, and opening  102  represents a window, door or other opening defined by the building  100 . GPS antenna  18 , in this embodiment, may be mounted to, or adjacent to, opening  102 , and in any case should be positioned relative to opening  102  to have a clear view of the sky. In this embodiment, the voltage source  16  may be, for example, either of the embodiments  16 ″ or  16 ′″ illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, respectively.  
         [0021]    The GPS antenna  18  is operable to receive GPS signals transmitted by a number of earth orbiting satellites, and to provide such signals to GPS antenna  20  via at least one signal wire (e.g., wire  12   3 ) carried by the electrical cable  12 . The GPS antenna  20  is then operable to transmit, or rebroadcast, the GPS signals provided by GPS antenna  18 . An electrical device  80  having a third GPS antenna  82  is then operable to receive the GPS signals rebroadcast by GPS antenna  20  via wireless link  84 . Thus, in environments (e.g., within a motor vehicle, residence, business, restaurant, airport, etc.) wherein adequate reception of GPS signals is impractical or impossible, the GPS signal receiving and rebroadcasting device  10  of the present invention provides a mechanism for receiving GPS signals and transmitting such GPS signals to an electrical device positioned within the enclosed environment  100  and operable to process such GPS signals. Examples of electrical device  80  include, but are not limited to, cellular telephones, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), hand-held GPS navigation devices, and the like.  
         [0022]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only preferred embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.