Host based satellite positioning systems
View Patent ↗Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a host based positioning system. The host based positioning system includes a tracker hardware interface that connects to a dedicated hardware space vehicle tracker. The tracker hardware interface receives positioning information from the space vehicle tracker. The host based positioning system also includes a memory that includes a GPS library having a user interface, a tracker interface, and an operating system interface. A processor runs functions provided by the interfaces.
1. A system for processing positioning signals, the system comprising:
a tracker hardware interface for receiving positioning information;
a memory comprising a GPS library comprising a user interface, a tracker interface, and an operating system interface, the tracker interface comprising at least one tracker interface function for communicating over the tracker hardware interface; and
a processor for running the tracker interface function.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises a positioning engine for determining a position from the positioning information.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tracker hardware interface comprises a serial interface.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one positioning control function and at least one positioning engine communication function.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the positioning control function comprises a positioning engine start function.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the positioning control function comprises a positioning engine stop function.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the positioning engine communication function is a command delivery function.
8. A method in a positioning system comprising a tracker hardware interface, the method comprising the steps of
calling a tracker interface function to receive positioning information from a tracker hardware interface;
determining a position from the positioning information using a positioning engine; and
calling a user interface message delivery function to communicate the position to a user application.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user interface message delivery function is provided by the user application.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a positioning engine start message from the user interface.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a user command for the positioning engine from the user interface.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a positioning engine stop message from the user interface.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of initiating execution of a Navigation thread for generating navigation data received from the tracker hardware interface.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of initiating execution of a Periodic navigation processing thread.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the Periodic processing thread is a lower priority thread than the Navigation thread.
16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that cause a positioning system having a tracker hardware interface to perform a method comprising the steps of:
calling a tracker interface function to receive positioning information from a tracker hardware interface;
determining a position from the positioning information using a positioning engine; and
calling a user interface message delivery function to communicate the position to a user application.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the user interface message delivery function is provided by the user application.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a positioning engine start message from the user interface.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a user command for the positioning engine from the user interface.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the positioning system further comprises a user interface, and further comprising the step of receiving a positioning engine stop message from the user interface.