Positioning System
System for determining accurate position of an object such as a vehicle includes a GPS positioning system arranged to communicate with one or more satellites to obtain GPS signals therefrom, a correction unit coupled to the positioning system and arranged to receive or derive positional corrections for positional data derived from the GPS signals to thereby improve accuracy of the position of the object provided by the positioning system, and a notification system for notifying a person concerned with the position of the object about the current position of the object. The correction unit may be a DGPS-based correction unit arranged to communicate with satellites to receive positional corrections therefrom and/or communicate with ground base stations to receive positional corrections therefrom.
1 . A system for determining accurate position of an object, comprising:
a GPS positioning system arranged to communicate with one or more satellites to obtain GPS signals therefrom;
a correction unit coupled to said positioning system and arranged to receive or derive positional corrections for positional data derived from the GPS signals to thereby improve accuracy of the position of the object provided by said positioning system; and
a notification system for notifying a person concerned with the position of the object about the current position of the object.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the object is a vehicle.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said correction unit is a DGPS-based correction unit.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a navigation system coupled to said correction unit for receiving and acting upon the accurate positional information of the object provided by said correction unit.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the object is a vehicle, further comprising a map database coupled to said navigation system, said navigation system being arranged to receive information about a travel lane the vehicle is travelling on and guiding an operator of the vehicle based on the accurate positional information and travel lane information.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein said notification system is a warning system arranged to notify an operator of the vehicle of the position of the vehicle to prevent accidents involving the vehicle.
7 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a display for displaying the position of the vehicle on a map along with the position of other vehicles.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said correction unit is arranged to communicate with satellites to receive positional corrections therefrom.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said correction unit is arranged to communicate with ground base stations to receive positional corrections therefrom.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the object is a vehicle, further comprising means for communicating with other vehicles and transmitting GPS signals and/or positional corrections to the other vehicles and/or receiving GPS signals and/or positional corrections from the other vehicles.
11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a display for displaying the position of the vehicle and other vehicles on a map.
12 . A vehicular system for determining accurate position of the vehicle, comprising:
a GPS positioning system arranged to communicate with one or more satellites to obtain GPS signals therefrom;
a correction unit coupled to said positioning system and arranged to receive or derive positional corrections for positional data derived from the GPS signals to thereby improve accuracy of the position of the vehicle provided by said positioning system;
means for communicating with other vehicles and transmitting GPS signals and/or positional corrections to the other vehicles and/or receiving GPS signals and/or positional corrections from the other vehicles; and
a display for displaying the position of the vehicle and other vehicles on a map.
13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a notification system for notifying an operator of the vehicle about a possible collision between the vehicle and one of the other vehicles.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein said correction unit is a DGPS-based correction unit.
15 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a navigation system coupled to said correction unit for receiving and acting upon the accurate positional information of the object provided by said correction unit.
16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising a map database coupled to said navigation system, said navigation system being arranged to receive information about a travel lane the vehicle is travelling on and guiding an operator of the vehicle based on the accurate positional information and travel lane information.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein said correction unit is arranged to communicate with satellites to receive positional corrections therefrom.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein said correction unit is arranged to communicate with ground base stations to receive positional corrections therefrom.
19 . A system for determining accurate position of an object, comprising:
a GPS positioning system arranged to communicate with one or more satellites to obtain GPS signals therefrom;
a DGPS correction unit coupled to said positioning system and arranged to receive or derive positional corrections for positional data derived from the GPS signals to thereby improve accuracy of the position of the object provided by said positioning system;
a navigation system coupled to said correction unit for receiving the accurate positional information of the object provided by said correction unit and generating data about movement of the object; and
a notification system for notifying a person concerned with the position of the object about the movement of the object.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the object is a vehicle, further comprising a map database coupled to said navigation system, said navigation system being arranged to receive information about a travel lane the vehicle is traveling on and guiding an operator of the vehicle based on the accurate positional information and travel lane information, said notification system being a warning system arranged to notify an operator of the vehicle of the position of the vehicle to prevent accidents involving the vehicle.