Position location using broadcast digital television signals

1. A method for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

receiving at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

determining a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

determining a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

adjusting the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synchronization code is a Field Synchronization Segment within an ATSC data frame.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synchronization code is a Synchronization Segment within a Data Segment within an ATSC data frame.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a pseudo-range comprises:

storing a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

subsequently correlating each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a pseudo-range comprises:

correlating each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining a tropospheric propagation velocity in a vicinity of the user terminal;

adjusting the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

adjusting each pseudo-range based on a terrain elevation in a vicinity of the user terminal; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting the DTV signals based on an identity of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal and a stored table correlating the additional transmitter and the received DTV broadcast signals.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accepting a location input from a user; and

selecting the DTV signals based on the location input.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

scanning available DTV signals to assemble a fingerprint of the location; and

selecting the DTV broadcast signals used to determine the pseudo-ranges based on the fingerprint and a stored table that matches known fingerprints with known locations.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) to check the integrity of each pseudo-range based on redundant pseudo-ranges from the DTV transmitters.

19. A method for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

receiving at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

determining a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

transmitting the pseudo-ranges to a location server configured to determine a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining a pseudo-range comprises:

determining a time of transmission from one of the DTV transmitters of a component of the DTV broadcast signal;

determining a time of reception at the user terminal of the component; and

determining the difference between the time of transmission and the time of reception.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the component is a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the component is a synchronization code.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining a pseudo-range comprises:

storing a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

subsequently correlating each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining a pseudo-range comprises:

correlating each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

27. A method for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

receiving a plurality of pseudo-ranges from a user terminal, each pseudo-range determined between the user terminal and one of a plurality of DTV transmitters based on DTV signals broadcast by the DTV transmitters; and

determining a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

adjusting the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

33. The method of claim 27 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

34. The method of claim 33 , further comprising:

determining a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

35. The method of claim 27 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

37. The method of claim 27 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

determining a tropospheric propagation velocity in a vicinity of the user terminal;

adjusting the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

38. The method of claim 27 , wherein determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

adjusting each pseudo-range based on the terrain elevation in the vicinity of the user terminal; and

determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

39. An apparatus for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

means for receiving at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

means for determining a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

means for determining a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for adjusting the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 , wherein the synchronization code is a Field Synchronization Segment within an ATSC data frame.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 , wherein the synchronization code is a Synchronization Segment within a Data Segment within an ATSC data frame.

45. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 , further comprising:

means for determining a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

47. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a pseudo-range comprises:

means for storing a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

means for subsequently correlating each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

48. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a pseudo-range comprises:

means for correlating each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

49. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

51. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining a tropospheric propagation velocity in the vicinity of the user terminal;

means for adjusting the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

52. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for adjusting each pseudo-range based on a terrain elevation in a vicinity of the user terminal; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

53. The apparatus of claim 39 , further comprising:

means for selecting the DTV signals based on an identity of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal and a stored table correlating the additional transmitter and the received DTV broadcast signals.

54. The apparatus of claim 39 , further comprising:

means for accepting a location input from a user; and

means for selecting the DTV signals based on the location input.

55. The apparatus of claim 39 , further comprising:

means for scanning available DTV signals to assemble a fingerprint of the location; and

means for selecting the DTV broadcast signals used to determine the pseudo-ranges based on the fingerprint and a stored table that matches known fingerprints with known locations.

56. The apparatus of claim 39 , further comprising:

means for using receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) to check the integrity of each pseudo-range based on redundant pseudo-ranges from the DTV transmitters.

57. An apparatus for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

means for receiving at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

means for determining a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

means for transmitting the pseudo-ranges to a location server configured to determine a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein means for determining a pseudo-range comprises:

means for determining a time of transmission from one of the DTV transmitters of a component of the DTV broadcast signal;

means for determining a time of reception at the user terminal of the component; and

means for determining the difference between the time of transmission and the time of reception.

59. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the component is a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 , wherein the component is a synchronization code.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

62. The apparatus of claim 60 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

63. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein means for determining a pseudo-range comprises:

means for storing a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

means for subsequently correlating each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

64. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein means for determining a pseudo-range comprises:

means for correlating each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

65. An apparatus for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of pseudo-ranges from a user terminal, each pseudo-range determined between the user terminal and one of a plurality of DTV transmitters based on DTV signals broadcast by the DTV transmitters; and

means for determining a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for adjusting the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

69. The apparatus of claim 68 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

70. The apparatus of claim 68 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

71. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 , further comprising:

means for determining a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

73. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

75. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for determining a tropospheric propagation velocity in a vicinity of the user terminal;

means for adjusting the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

76. The apparatus of claim 65 , wherein means for determining a position of the user terminal comprises:

means for adjusting each pseudo-range based on the terrain elevation in the vicinity of the user terminal; and

means for determining the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

77. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

determine a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

determine a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

78. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

adjust the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

79. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

80. The computer program product of claim 79 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

81. The computer program product of claim 80 , wherein the synchronization code is a Field Synchronization Segment within an ATSC data frame.

82. The computer program product of claim 80 , wherein the synchronization code is a Synchronization Segment within a Data Segment within an ATSC data frame.

83. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

84. The computer program product of claim 83 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

85. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a pseudo-range comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

store a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

subsequently correlate each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

86. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a pseudo-range comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

correlate each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

87. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

88. The computer program product of claim 87 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

89. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to

determine a tropospheric propagation velocity in a vicinity of the user terminal;

adjust the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

90. The computer program product of claim 77 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

adjust each pseudo-range based on the terrain elevation in the vicinity of the user terminal; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

91. The computer program product of claim 77 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

select the DTV signals based on an identity of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal and a stored table correlating the additional transmitter and the received DTV broadcast signals.

92. The computer program product of claim 77 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

accept a location input from a user; and

select the DTV signals based on the location input.

93. The computer program product of claim 77 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

scan available DTV signals to assemble a fingerprint of the location; and

select the DTV broadcast signals used to determine the pseudo-ranges based on the fingerprint and a stored table that matches known fingerprints with known locations.

94. The computer program product of claim 77 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

use receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) to check the integrity of each pseudo-range based on redundant pseudo-ranges from the DTV transmitters.

95. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive at the user terminal a plurality of digital television (DTV) broadcast signals from a plurality of DTV transmitters;

determine a pseudo-range between the user terminal and each DTV transmitter based on the DTV broadcast signals; and

transmit the pseudo-ranges to a location server configured to determine a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

96. The computer program product of claim 95 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a pseudo-range comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a time of transmission from one of the DTV transmitters of a component of the DTV broadcast signal;

determine a time of reception at the user terminal of the component; and

determining the difference between the time of transmission and the time of reception.

97. The computer program product of claim 95 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the component is a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

98. The computer program product of claim 97 , wherein the component is a synchronization code.

99. The computer program product of claim 98 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

100. The computer program product of claim 98 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

101. The computer program product of claim 95 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a pseudo-range comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

store a portion of each of the DTV signals; and

subsequently correlate each of the stored portions and a signal generated by the user terminal to produce the pseudo-ranges.

102. The computer program product of claim 95 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a pseudo-range comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

correlate each of the DTV signals with a signal generated by the user terminal as the DTV signals are received to produce the pseudo-ranges.

103. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for determining the position of a user terminal, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive a plurality of pseudo-ranges from a user terminal, each pseudo-range determined between the user terminal and one of a plurality of DTV transmitters based on DTV signals broadcast by the DTV transmitters; and

determine a position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and a location of each of the DTV transmitters.

104. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

adjust the pseudo-ranges based on a difference between a transmitter clock at one of the DTV transmitters and a known time reference; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

105. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein the DTV broadcast signal is an American Television Standards Committee (ATSC) DTV signal, and the pseudo-ranges are determined based on a known digital sequence in the ATSC frame.

106. The computer program product of claim 105 , wherein the known digital sequence is a synchronization code.

107. The computer program product of claim 106 , wherein the synchronization code is a field synchronization segment within an ATSC data frame.

108. The computer program product of claim 106 , wherein the synchronization code is a synchronization segment within a data segment within an ATSC data frame.

109. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine an offset between a local time reference in the user terminal and a master time reference; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges, the location of each of the DTV transmitters, and the offset.

110. The computer program product of claim 109 , further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a subsequent position of the user terminal using the offset.

111. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a general geographic area within which the user terminal is located; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the pseudo-ranges and the general geographic area.

112. The computer program product of claim 111 , wherein the general geographic area is a footprint of an additional transmitter communicably linked to the user terminal.

113. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

determine a tropospheric propagation velocity in the vicinity of the user terminal;

adjust the value of each pseudo-range based on the tropospheric propagation velocity; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.

114. The computer program product of claim 103 , wherein instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to determine a position of the user terminal comprise instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

adjust each pseudo-range based on the terrain elevation in the vicinity of the user terminal; and

determine the position of the user terminal based on the adjusted pseudo-ranges and the location of each of the DTV transmitters.