Enhancing reception of signals in global positioning system (GPS) receiver module
View Patent ↗An antenna assembly for receiving the GPS signals in a global positioning system (GPS) receiver module automatically orients the antenna to better receive the GPS signals. The antenna is oriented by a positioner (e.g., a counterweight) that automatically rotates a frame on which the antenna is mounted. The GPS receiver module may also include multiple antennas oriented in different directions to maintain good reception of the GPS signals in any position. The multiple antennas are oriented in a manner so that the poor reception range an antenna is covered by other antennas. Signals from multiple antennas may be combined or chosen for processing by a GPS processor. Also, multiple GPS receiver modules may be deployed in close proximity so that wireless communication between the GPS receiver modules may be established.
1. A method of determining a location of a first global positioning system (GPS) receiver module, comprising;
determining the location of the first GPS receiver module by processing first GPS signals received at the first GPS receiver module without receiving location information from a second GPS receiver module responsive to receiving the first GPS signals having quality higher than a predetermined quality; and
responsive to the first GPS signals having quality not higher than the predetermined quality:
receiving location information from the second GPS receiver module, the location information indicating the location of the second GPS receiver module and generated by the second GPS receiver module based on second GPS signals received at the second GPS receiver module,
comparing the quality of the first GPS signals and the quality of the second GPS signal, and
determining the location of the first GPS receiver module as the location indicated by the location information responsive to the second GPS signals having a higher quality than the first GPS signals.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the location of the first GPS receiver module by processing the first GPS signals responsive to the quality of the second GPS signals not being higher than the quality of the first GPS signals.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the first GPS receiver module receiving the location information from the second GPS receiver module responsive to transmitting a message to the second GPS receiver module requesting the location information.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the first GPS receiver module receiving the location information periodically transmitted by the second module.
5. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver module comprising:
a GPS antenna for receiving first GPS signals;
a communication module for communicating with another GPS receiver module, the other GPS receiver module configured to generate location information indicating the location of the second GPS receiver module; and
a location processor coupled to the GPS antenna and the communication module, the location processor configured to:
determine a location of the GPS receiver module by processing first GPS signals received at the first GPS receiver module without receiving the location information from the other GPS receiver module responsive to receiving the first GPS signals having quality higher than a predetermined quality,
responsive to the first GPS signals having quality not higher than the predetermined quality:
receive the location information from the other GPS receiver module,
compare the quality of the first GPS signals and the quality of the second GPS signal, and
determine the location of the GPS receiver module as the location indicated by the location information responsive to the second GPS signals having higher quality than the first GPS signals.
6. The GPS receiver module of claim 5 , wherein the location processor is further configured to:
determining the location of the GPS receiver module by processing the first GPS signals responsive to the quality of the second GPS signals not being higher than the quality of the first GPS signals.
7. The GPS receiver module of claim 6 , wherein the GPS receiver module receives the location information and the quality indicator from the other module responsive to transmitting a message to the other module requesting the location information and the quality indicator.
8. The GPS receiver module of claim 6 , wherein the GPS receiver module receives the location information and the quality indicator periodically transmitted by the other GPS receiver module.