Enhancing the usability of carrier phase measurements

1. A method comprising:

determining an orientation of a mobile first antenna based at least on sensor information;

selecting one of at least two different options for reducing an influence of a difference between said orientation of said first antenna and an orientation of a second antenna on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna;

causing a computational compensation of the difference between said orientation of said first antenna and said orientation of said second antenna for reducing an influence of said difference on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna in case a first one of said options is selected; and

initiating an alignment of said antennas based on said determined orientation of said first antenna, to obtain equal orientations of said first antenna and said second antenna in case a second one of said options is selected.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said second option is selected in case said first antenna and said second antenna receiving satellite signals are suited to be aligned and wherein said first option is selected otherwise.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising receiving an indication of a type of said second antenna, wherein it is determined that said first antenna and said second antenna are suited to be aligned in case said first antenna and said second antenna are of a same type and an alignment of at least one of said antennas is supported.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in general, said first option is selected and wherein said second option is selected in case a computational compensation has not been successful.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein initiating an alignment comprises at least one of

instructing a user to align said first antenna; and

requesting another device to cause an alignment of said second antenna.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein initiating an alignment comprises requesting another device to cause an alignment of said second antenna, said other device causing an alignment by at least one of:

selecting one of several available antennas as said second antenna;

steering said second antenna to assume an orientation similar to said orientation of said first antenna; and

instructing a user to align said second antenna.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising requesting another device to select one of different available antennas of different types as said second antenna such that said second antenna is of a same type as said first antenna.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining said orientation of said first antenna comprises determining said orientation in a global coordinate system.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining said orientation of said first antenna comprises determining said orientation relative to a path of satellite signals received by said first antenna.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing said computational compensation comprises canceling a phase offset in carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna compared to carrier phase measurements of said satellite signals received by said first antenna that would result with a predetermined orientation of said first antenna.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing said computational compensation comprises canceling a phase offset in carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna compared to carrier phase measurements of said satellite signals received by said first antenna that would result if said orientation of said first antenna was equal to said orientation of said second antenna.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing said computational compensation comprises correcting carrier phase measurements of signals received by said first antenna, said method further comprising transmitting said corrected carrier phase measurements to a device having access to carrier phase measurements of said second antenna for a relative positioning between said first antenna and said second antenna.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said calculations are calculations for a relative positioning between said first antenna and said second antenna, said method further comprising performing said relative positioning calculations.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said calculations are calculations for a relative positioning, said method further comprising performing said relative positioning calculations, wherein performing said relative positioning comprises determining double differences from said carrier phase measurements, and wherein causing said computational compensation comprises correcting said double differences.

15. An apparatus comprising a processing component,

said processing component being configured to determine an orientation of a mobile first antenna based at least on sensor information;

said processing component being configured to select one of at least two different options for reducing an influence of a difference between said orientation of said first antenna and an orientation of a second antenna on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna;

said processing component being configured to cause a computational compensation of the difference between said orientation of said first antenna and said orientation of said second antenna for reducing an influence of said difference on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna in case a first one of said options is selected; and

said processing component being configured to initiate an alignment of said antennas based on said determined orientation of said first antenna, to obtain equal orientations of said first antenna and said second antenna in case a second one of said options is selected.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to select said second option in case said first antenna and said second antenna receiving satellite signals are suited to be aligned and to select said first option otherwise.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 ,

wherein said processing component is further configured to receive an indication of a type of said second antenna; and

wherein said processing component is configured to determine that said first antenna and said second antenna are suited to be aligned in case said first antenna and said second antenna are of a same type and an alignment of at least one of said antennas is supported.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to select, in general, said first option and to select said second option in case a computational compensation has not been successful.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to initiate an alignment by at least one of:

instructing a user to align said first antenna; and

requesting another device to cause an alignment of said second antenna.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is further configured to request another device to select one of different available antennas of different types as said second antenna such that said second antenna is of a same type as said first antenna.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to determine said orientation of said first antenna in a global coordinate system.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to determine said orientation of said first antenna relative to a path of satellite signals received by said first antenna.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to cause said computational compensation by canceling a phase offset in carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna compared to carrier phase measurements of said satellite signals received by said first antenna that would result with a predetermined orientation of said first antenna.

24. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said processing component is configured to cause said computational compensation by canceling a phase offset in carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna compared to carrier phase measurements of said satellite signals received by said first antenna that would result if said orientation of said first antenna was equal to said orientation of said second antenna.

25. The apparatus according to claim 15 ,

wherein said processing component is configured to cause said computational compensation by correcting carrier phase measurements of signals received by said first antenna; and

wherein said processing component is further configured to transmit said corrected carrier phase measurements to a device having access to carrier phase measurements of said second antenna for a relative positioning between said first antenna and said second antenna.

26. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said calculations are calculations for a relative positioning between said first antenna and said second antenna, and wherein said processing component is further configured to perform said relative positioning calculations.

27. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein said calculations are calculations for a relative positioning between said first antenna and said second antenna, and wherein said processing component is further configured to perform said relative positioning calculations, wherein performing said relative positioning calculations comprises determining double differences from said carrier phase measurements, and wherein said processing component is configured to cause said computational compensation by correcting said double differences.

28. The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a sensor providing information indicative of on an orientation of said first antenna.

29. An electronic device comprising:

an apparatus according to claim 15 ; and

said first antenna.

30. An arrangement comprising:

a first device including an apparatus according to claim 15 ; and

a second device including said first antenna.

31. A system comprising:

a first device including an apparatus according to claim 15 ; and

a second device comprising said second antenna.

32. A computer program product in which a program code is stored in a computer readable medium, said program code realizing the following when executed by a processor:

determining an orientation of a mobile first antenna based at least on sensor information;

selecting one of at least two different options for reducing an influence of a difference between said orientation of said first antenna and an orientation of a second antenna on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna;

causing a computational compensation of the difference between said orientation of said first antenna and said orientation of said second antenna for reducing an influence of said difference on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna in case a first one of said options is selected; and

initiating an alignment of said antennas based on said determined orientation of said first antenna, to obtain equal orientations of said first antenna and said second antenna in case a second one of said options is selected.

33. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining an orientation of a mobile first antenna based at least on sensor information;

means for selecting one of at least two different options for reducing an influence of a difference between said orientation of said first antenna and an orientation of a second antenna on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna;

means for causing a computational compensation of the difference between said orientation of said first antenna and said orientation of a second antenna for reducing an influence of said difference on calculations using carrier phase measurements of satellite signals received by said first antenna and said second antenna in case a first one of said options is selected; and

means for initiating an alignment of said antennas based on said determined orientation of said first antenna, to obtain equal orientations of said first antenna and said second antenna in case a second one of said options is selected.