Method and system for multi-function satellite positioning system receivers
View Patent ↗Multifunction satellite positioning receiver having a plurality of functions that are selectable in response to predetermined events or in response to user actions and enable more efficient use of the hardware and processing resources of a multifunction satellite position receiver.
1. A satellite positioning receiver device, comprising:
a GPS RF receiver that receives a plurality of positioning signals;
a multifunction portion of the satellite positioning receiver device that selectably executes one of a first function and a second function, where each function processes ranging signals and the multifunction portion is in communication with the GPS RF receiver; and
a controller that selects which one of the first function and the second function is executed by the multifunction portion including processing a type of data derived from at least one positioning signal from the plurality of positioning signals.
2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a microprocessor that process the at least one positioning signal in the multifunction portion.
3. The device of claim 2 where the at least one positioning signal is processed by the microprocessor rather than a DSP when the first function is executed by the multifunction portion.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a custom DSP that process the at least one positioning signal when a first function is executed by the multifunction portion.
5. The device of claim 1 , where the first function is a sensor function.
6. The device of claim 1 , where the first function is an engine function.
7. The device of claim 1 , where the first function and the second function are selected from a list of functions including a sensor function, an engine function, and a tracker function.
8. The device of claim 1 , where the controller includes an input that signals an emergency indicator, and a sensor function is executed by the multifunction portion in response to receipt of the emergency indicator by the controller.
9. The device of claim 1 , where the type of data processed by the first function is digital RF data.
10. The device of claim 1 , where the type of data processed by the first function is I and Q measurement data.
11. The device of claim 1 , including:
a communication receiver that receives another of the plurality of positioning signals and is in communication with the multifunction portion.
12. A method of determining location at a satellite positioning receiver, comprising:
receiving a plurality of positioning signals at a GPS RF receiver;
selecting at a controller a function from a plurality of functions that will be executed by a multifunction portion of the satellite positioning receiver, in which each function processes ranging signals;
configuring the multifunction portion of the satellite positioning receiver according to the function selected; and
processing in the multifunction portion at least one of the plurality of positioning signals that results in a type of positioning data.
13. The method of claim 12 , where processing further includes:
processing the at least one positioning signal in the multifunction portion by a microprocessor.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the processing of the at least one positioning signal is processed by the microprocessor rather than a DSP when the function is executed by the multifunction portion.
15. The method of claim 12 , further including:
processing the at least one positioning signal with a custom DSP when the function is executed by the multifunction portion.
16. The method of claim 12 , where selecting the function, further includes:
selecting a sensor function.
17. The method of claim 12 , where selecting the function, further includes:
selecting an engine function.
18. The method of claim 12 , where the plurality of functions include at least a sensor function, an engine function, and a tracker function.
19. The method of claim 12 , includes:
indicating a user event to the controller.
20. The method of claim 19 , further includes:
indicating the user event is an E911 call; and
configuring the multifunction portion as a sensor function.
21. The method of claim 12 , where the type of positioning data processed by the function is digital RF data.
22. The method of claim 12 , where the type of positioning data processed by the first function is I and Q measurement data.
23. A computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions for determining a location of a satellite positioning receiver, the plurality of instructions comprising:
a plurality of instructions for receiving a plurality of positioning signals at a GPS RF receiver;
a plurality of instructions for selecting at a controller a function from a plurality of functions that will be executed by a multifunction portion of the satellite positioning receiver, in which each function processes ranging signals;
a plurality of instructions for configuring the multifunction portion of the satellite positioning receiver according to the function selected; and
a plurality of instructions for processing in the multifunction portion at least one of the plurality of positioning signals including a type of positioning data.
24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the plurality of instructions for processing further includes:
a plurality of instructions for processing the at least one positioning signal in the multifunction portion in a microprocessor.
25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of instructions for processing of the at least one positioning signal is processed by the microprocessor rather than a DSP when the function is executed by the multifunction portion.
26. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , further including:
a plurality of instructions for processing the at least one positioning signal with a custom DSP when the function is executed by the multifunction portion.
27. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the plurality of instructions for selecting the function, further includes:
a plurality of instructions for selecting a sensor function.
28. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the plurality of instructions for selecting the function, further includes:
a plurality of instructions for selecting an engine function.
29. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the plurality of functions include at least a sensor function, an engine function, and a tracker function.
30. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , includes:
a plurality of instructions for indicating a user event to the controller.
31. The computer readable medium of claim 30 , further includes:
a plurality of instructions for indicating the user event is an E911 call; and
a plurality of instructions for configuring the multifunction portion as a sensor function.
32. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the type of positioning data processed by the selected function is digital RF data.
33. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , where the type of positioning data processed by the selected function is I and Q measurement data.