JP4461235B2 - POSITION INFORMATION PROVIDING SYSTEM, POSITION INFORMATION PROVIDING DEVICE, AND INDOOR TRANSMITTER - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for providing position information. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for providing position information even in an environment where a signal transmitted from a satellite that transmits a positioning signal does not reach.

A GPS (Global Positioning System) is known as a conventional positioning system. G
A satellite (hereinafter referred to as “GPS satellite”) for transmitting a signal (hereinafter referred to as “GPS signal”) used for PS is flying at an altitude of about 20,000 km from the ground. The user can measure the distance between the GPS satellite and the user by receiving and demodulating the signal transmitted from the GPS satellite. Therefore, when there is no obstacle between the ground and the GPS satellite, positioning using a signal transmitted from the GPS satellite is possible. However, for example, when using GPS in an urban area, a building that stands in the forest becomes an obstacle, and the user's location information providing device often cannot receive signals transmitted from GPS satellites. Further, due to the diffraction or reflection of the signal by the building, an error occurs in the distance measurement using the signal, and as a result, the positioning accuracy often deteriorates.

  In addition, there is a technique for receiving a weak GPS signal penetrating through a wall or a roof in a room, but the reception situation is unstable, and the positioning accuracy is lowered.

The positioning has been described above by taking the GPS as an example, but the phenomenon described above is generally applicable to a positioning system using a satellite. The satellite positioning system is not limited to GPS. For example, GLONASS (GLOobal NAvigation Satellite
System), and systems such as Galileo in Europe.

Here, the technique regarding provision of position information is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-67086 (Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-67086 A

  However, according to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-67086, the reader or writer is unique to a system that provides position information, and there is a problem that it is versatile. In order to avoid interference, it is necessary to suppress transmission output, the range in which position information can be received is limited, continuous position information cannot be acquired, and a large number of transmitters are required to cover a wide range. There was a problem that it was necessary.

  In addition, regarding the acquisition or notification of position information, for example, since the installation location is known in advance in the case of a fixed telephone, the transmission location can be specified by a telephone transmitted from the fixed telephone. However, since mobile communication has become common with the spread of mobile phones, there are increasing cases in which location information of a caller cannot be notified like a fixed phone. On the other hand, regarding emergency reports, the establishment of a law on the inclusion of location information in reports from mobile phones is also being considered.

In the case of a mobile phone having a conventional positioning function, the position information is acquired at a place where a signal from a satellite can be received, and thus the position of the mobile phone can be notified. However, there is a problem that position information cannot be obtained by a conventional positioning technique in a place where radio waves cannot be received such as indoors and underground shopping streets.

  Therefore, for example, a technique is also conceivable in which a plurality of transmitters that can transmit a signal similar to a GPS signal are arranged in a room, and the position is obtained based on the principle of three-side measurement similar to GPS. However, in this case, there is a problem that the time of each transmitter needs to be synchronized and the transmitter becomes expensive.

  Another problem is that an error of about several tens of meters easily occurs because propagation of radio waves is complicated by reflection in the room.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a first object of the present invention is to reduce accuracy even in a place where radio waves from a satellite that transmits a positioning signal cannot be received. It is to provide a position information providing system that provides position information.

  A second object is to provide a position information providing system that provides position information based on a signal that does not require synchronization with the time of a satellite that transmits a signal for positioning.

  A third object is to provide a position information providing apparatus that can provide position information without degrading accuracy even in a place where radio waves from a satellite that transmits a positioning signal cannot be received.

  A fourth object is to provide a position information providing apparatus that can provide position information based on a signal that does not require synchronization with the time of a satellite that transmits a signal for positioning.

  A fifth object is to provide a transmitter capable of transmitting a signal providing position information without degrading accuracy even in a place where radio waves from a satellite that transmits a positioning signal cannot be received.

  A sixth object is to provide a transmitter capable of transmitting a signal providing position information based on a signal that does not require synchronization with the time of a satellite that transmits a signal for positioning.

  In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a position information providing system for providing position information is provided. The system includes a transmitter. The transmitter includes storage means for storing position data for specifying a location where the transmitter is installed, generation means for generating a first positioning signal having position data as a spread spectrum signal, and a spread spectrum signal. Transmitting means for transmitting. The system further includes a position information providing device. The position information providing apparatus receives the spread spectrum signal by a receiving means, a storing means for storing a code pattern for the first positioning signal, and a receiving means based on the code pattern stored in the storing means. Determining means for specifying the code pattern corresponding to the spread spectrum signal, and whether or not the first positioning signal is received based on the signal demodulated using the code pattern specified by the specifying means A determination means for determining, an acquisition means for acquiring position data from the demodulated signal when the first positioning signal is received, and an output means for outputting the position data acquired by the acquisition means.

Preferably, the format of the first positioning signal is the same as the format of the second positioning signal transmitted by a satellite that transmits a signal for positioning. Position data is included instead of the navigation message included in the second positioning signal. The position information providing apparatus further stores a code pattern for each second positioning signal in the storage means. The position information providing apparatus further includes a calculation unit that calculates the position of the position information providing apparatus based on each navigation message when a plurality of second positioning signals are received.

  Preferably, the center frequency of the encoded positioning signal is 1574.42 MHz. The spread frequency of the positioning signal is 1.023 MHz.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a position information providing device for providing position information is provided. This apparatus comprises receiving means for receiving a spread spectrum signal and storage means for storing a code pattern for the first positioning signal. The first positioning signal is transmitted from a transmitter installed at a location specified in advance, and includes position data for specifying the location. This apparatus uses a specifying unit for specifying a code pattern corresponding to a spread spectrum signal received by a receiving unit based on a code pattern stored in a storage unit, and a code pattern specified by the specifying unit. Determining means for determining whether or not the first positioning signal is received based on the demodulated signal, and obtaining the position data from the demodulated signal when the first positioning signal is received Means and output means for outputting the position data acquired by the acquisition means.

  Preferably, the format of the first positioning signal is the same as the format of the second positioning signal transmitted by a satellite that transmits a signal for positioning. The first positioning signal includes position data instead of the navigation message included in the second positioning signal. Each code pattern is different for each satellite. The position information providing device further stores each code pattern for each second positioning signal transmitted from a plurality of satellites in the storage means. The position information providing apparatus further includes a calculation unit that calculates the position of the position information providing apparatus based on each navigation message when a plurality of second positioning signals are received.

  Preferably, the receiving means receives each first positioning signal transmitted from a transmitter installed in each of a plurality of locations specified in advance. The position information providing apparatus further includes a detecting unit that detects the intensity of the signal received by the receiving unit. The acquisition means specifies the first positioning signal having the maximum intensity from each first positioning signal, and acquires the position data included in the specified first positioning signal.

  Preferably, the position data includes information representing a place where the transmitter is installed. The output means includes display means for displaying a location where the transmitter is installed based on the information.

  Preferably, the position data includes identification data that identifies the transmitter. When the first positioning signal is received, the position information providing device sends identification data and a transmission request for the position information of the transmitter to the server device that provides the position information in response to an external request. Transmitting means for transmitting via a communication line is provided. The position information and the identification data are stored in the server device in association with each other. The apparatus further includes an input unit that receives an input of position information transmitted by the server apparatus in response to a transmission request via a communication line. The output means includes display means for displaying position information.

  Preferably, the position information providing device includes any of a mobile phone, a portable information terminal, a portable positioning device, and a positioning system mounted on a vehicle.

  Preferably, the transmitter is connected to a timing device that outputs time information. The positioning signal transmitted from the transmitter includes time data representing time synchronized with the time of the time measuring device. The position information providing apparatus further includes a time measuring unit that measures time and outputs time information, and a calibration unit that calibrates the time of the time measuring unit based on time data included in the positioning signal received by the receiving unit. .

  Preferably, the position information providing apparatus responds to the attribute data with respect to the storage unit storing attribute data representing the attribute of the apparatus and the information providing apparatus capable of transmitting information according to the attribute data based on the request. Request means for transmitting an information distribution request, and input means for receiving input of information transmitted by the information providing apparatus based on the distribution request are further provided. The output means includes display means for displaying information.

  A transmitter according to still another aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores position data for specifying a location where the transmitter is installed, a generation unit that generates a signal having the position data as a spread spectrum signal, Transmitting means for transmitting a spread spectrum signal.

  Preferably, the generation unit generates a signal having the same format as a positioning signal transmitted by a satellite that transmits a positioning signal as a spread spectrum signal.

  The position information providing system according to the present invention can provide position information using a signal that is not synchronized with the time of the satellite.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
<First Embodiment>
With reference to FIG. 1, a position information providing system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a position information providing system 10. The position information providing system 10 flies at an altitude of about 20,000 meters above the ground and transmits GPS positioning signals (hereinafter referred to as “positioning signals”) satellites 110, 111, 112 and 113, and position information providing devices 100-1 to 100-4 that function as devices that provide position information. The location information providing devices 100-1 to 100-4 are collectively referred to as the location information providing device 100. The position information providing device 100 is a terminal having a conventional positioning device, such as a mobile phone, a car navigation system, and other mobile positioning devices.

  Here, the positioning signal is a so-called spectrum spread signal, for example, a so-called GPS signal. However, the signal is not limited to a GPS signal. In the following, for the sake of simplicity, the positioning system will be described using GPS as an example, but the present invention is also applicable to other satellite positioning systems (Galileo, GLONASS, etc.).

The center frequency of the positioning signal is, for example, 1574.42 MHz. The spread frequency of the positioning signal is, for example, 1.023 MHz. In this case, the frequency of the positioning signal is the same as the frequency of the C / A (Coarse and Access) signal in the existing GPS L1 band. Therefore, since an existing positioning signal receiving circuit (for example, a GPS signal receiving circuit) can be used, the position information providing apparatus 100 can receive a positioning signal without adding a new circuit.

  The positioning signal may be modulated by a rectangular wave of 1.023 MHz. In this case, for example, if the data channel of the positioning signal to be newly transmitted in the L1 band is the same, the user receives the positioning signal using a receiver that can receive and process a new GPS signal. it can. Note that the frequency of the rectangular wave is not limited to 1.023 MHz. The frequency for modulation may be determined by a trade-off with existing C / A signals and / or spectrum separation to avoid interference with other signals.

  The GPS satellite 110 is equipped with a transmitter 120 that transmits a positioning signal. Similar transmitters 121, 122, and 123 are mounted on the GPS satellites 111, 112, and 113, respectively. The location information providing devices 100-2, 100-3, and 100-4 having the same functions as the location information providing device 100-1 can be used in buildings 130 and other places where radio waves are difficult to reach. In the building 130, the indoor transmitter 200-1 is attached to the ceiling on the first floor of the building 130. Position information providing apparatus 100-4 receives a positioning signal transmitted from indoor transmitter 200-1. Similarly, indoor transmitters 200-2 and 200-3 are also attached to the ceilings of the second and third floors of the building 130, respectively. Here, the time of each indoor transmitter 200-1, 200-2, 200-3 (hereinafter referred to as “ground time”) and the time of the GPS satellites 110, 111, 112, 113 (referred to as “satellite time”). ) May be independent of each other and need not be synchronized. Each satellite time is preferably synchronized.

A spread spectrum signal transmitted as a positioning signal from each transmitter is generated by modulating a navigation message with a pseudo noise code (PRN (Pseudo Random Noise) code). The navigation message includes time data, orbit information, almanac, ionospheric correction data, and the like. Each transmitter 120 further has data (PRN-ID (Identification)) for identifying the transmitter 120 itself or a GPS satellite on which the transmitter 120 is mounted.

  The position information providing apparatus 100 includes data and a code generator for generating each pseudo noise code. When receiving the positioning signal, the position information providing apparatus 100 executes a demodulation process, which will be described later, using a code pattern of a pseudo-noise code assigned to each satellite, and from which satellite the received signal is transmitted Can be specified. In addition, in the new GPS signal, the PRN-ID is included in the data, and it is possible to prevent signal acquisition / tracking with an erroneous code pattern that is likely to occur when the reception level is low.

  The outline of the configuration of the transmitter mounted on the GPS satellite is as follows. Each of the transmitters 120, 121, and 122 includes an atomic clock, a storage device that stores data, an oscillation circuit, a processing circuit for generating a positioning signal, and a spread spectrum encoding signal generated by the processing circuit. An encoding circuit, a transmission antenna, and the like. The storage device stores an ephemeris, an almanac for each satellite, ionospheric correction data, etc., and a PRN-ID.

  The processing circuit generates a message for transmission using time information from the atomic clock and each data stored in the storage device.

  Here, for each transmitter 120, a code pattern of a pseudo-noise code for performing spread spectrum coding is defined in advance. Each code pattern is different for each transmitter (that is, for each GPS satellite). The encoding circuit spreads the message using such a pseudo-noise code. The transmitter 120 converts the encoded signal into a high frequency and transmits it to outer space via a transmission antenna.

As described above, the transmitter 120 transmits a spread spectrum signal that does not cause harmful interference with other transmitters. Here, “not causing harmful interference” can be ensured by an output level limited to such an extent that interference does not occur. Alternatively, it can be realized by an aspect of separating the spectrum. This signal is transmitted by a carrier wave called L1 band, for example. Each transmitter 120, 121, 122 transmits, for example, a positioning signal having the same frequency according to a spread spectrum communication system. Therefore, even when the positioning information transmitted from each satellite is received by the position information providing apparatus 100-1, the positioning signals are received without mutual interference. As for the positioning signal from the indoor transmitter on the ground, similarly to the signal transmitted from the satellite, signals from the plurality of indoor transmitters can be received without mutual interference.

  The indoor transmitter 200-1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the indoor transmitter 200-1.

The indoor transmitter 200-1 includes a digital processing block 210 and an EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable) electrically connected to the digital processing block 210.
Read Only Memory) 240, UART 250 electrically connected to digital processing block 210, digital input / output interface 260 electrically connected to digital processing block 210, and electrically connected to digital processing block 210 A clock 280, an analog processing block 290 electrically connected to the digital processing block 210, an antenna 292 electrically connected to the analog processing unit lock 290, and a power source 294. The digital processing block 210 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 220 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 230.

  EEPROM 240 stores a program executed by CPU 220, data representing a place where indoor transmitter 200-1 is installed, and the like. The program or data is read from the EEPROM 240 and transferred to the RAM 230 when the indoor transmitter 200-1 is activated. The EEPROM 240 can further store data input from the outside of the indoor transmitter 200-1. Note that the storage device for storing the program or data is not limited to the EEPROM 240. Any storage device that can store data in a nonvolatile manner may be used. Further, as will be described later, when external data is input, any storage device capable of writing data may be used. The data structure of the EEPROM 240 will be described later.

  The digital processing block 210 generates data serving as a source of a signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter 200-1 as a positioning signal. The digital processing block 210 sends the generated data as a bit stream to the analog processing block 290.

  The clock 280 supplies a clock signal that defines the operation of the CPU 220 or a clock signal for generating a carrier wave to the digital processing block 210.

  The digital input / output interface 260 can monitor the internal state of the transmitter (eg, “PLL Cntrl” signal). Alternatively, the digital input / output interface 260 inputs a code pattern of a pseudo noise code for spreading and modulating a signal transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1 or inputs data defining a transmission output from the outside. Can be accepted. Furthermore, the input of the other data which should be transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1 can also be received. The other data is, for example, text data representing a place where the indoor transmitter 200-1 is installed. Alternatively, when the indoor transmitter 200-1 is installed in a department store or other commercial facility, advertisement data can be input to the indoor transmitter 200-1 as the other data.

  When the code pattern of the pseudo spread code is input to the indoor transmitter 200-1, the code pattern is written in a predetermined area in the EEPROM 240. Thereafter, the written PRN-ID is included in a signal for positioning. Other data is also written in an area reserved in advance in the EEPROM 240 according to the type of the data.

  The UART 250 is used to adjust the indoor transmitter 200-1. The external clock 270 is used to adjust the indoor transmitter 200-1, similar to the UART 250. For example, the external clock 270 receives a frequency input from a power line (not shown) and is also used to calibrate a transmission frequency of a signal for positioning.

  The analog processing block 290 uses the bit stream output from the digital processing block 210 to modulate a 1.57542 GHz carrier wave to generate a transmission signal, and transmits the transmission signal to the antenna 292. The signal is transmitted from the antenna 292. In this way, a signal having the same configuration as the positioning signal is transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1. In this case, the content of the signal is not exactly the same as the content included in the positioning signal transmitted from the satellite. An example of the configuration of a signal transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1 will be described later (FIG. 5).

  The power source 294 supplies power to each unit constituting the indoor transmitter 200-1. As shown in FIG. 2, the power source 294 may be built in the indoor transmitter 200-1 or may be configured to accept an external power supply.

  In the above description, the CPU 220 is used as an arithmetic processing unit for realizing the processing in the digital processing block 210, but other arithmetic processing units may be used. Moreover, since the operation | movement which the indoor transmitter 200-1 implement | achieves is not complicated, it replaces with CPU220 and can be implement | achieved by the electric circuit comprised, for example instead of CPU220.

  In FIG. 2, the clock signal (Clk) is supplied from the digital processing block 210 to the analog processing block 290, but may be supplied directly from the clock 280 to the analog processing block 290.

  Furthermore, in order to clarify the explanation, in the present embodiment, the digital processing block 210 and the analog processing block 290 are shown separately, but physically, they may be mixedly mounted on one chip. .

  With reference to FIG. 3, the data structure of indoor transmitter 200-1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing one mode of data storage in EEPROM 240 provided in indoor transmitter 200-1. The EEPROM 240 includes areas 310 to 340 for storing data.

In the area 300, a transmitter ID is stored as a number for identifying the transmitter. The transmitter ID is, for example, a number and / or an alphabetic character or other combination that is written in a memory in a nonvolatile manner when the transmitter is manufactured. The PRN-ID of the pseudo spread code assigned to the transmitter is stored in area 310. The name of the transmitter is stored in area 320 as text data.

  The code pattern of the pseudo spread code assigned to the transmitter is stored in area 330. The code pattern of the pseudo spread code is selected from a finite number of code patterns assigned in advance for the position information providing system according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the code pattern of the pseudo spread code assigned to each satellite. The code pattern is different from the code pattern. Further, as described above, the code pattern of the pseudo spread code can be changed to another code pattern input via the digital input / output interface 260.

There are a finite number of pseudo-spreading code patterns allocated for this position information providing system. ), And a plurality of indoor transmitters more than the number of code patterns may be used. Therefore, there can be a plurality of transmitters having the same pseudo-spread code pattern. In this case, the installation location of the transmitter having the same code pattern may be determined in consideration of the signal output. By doing so, it is possible to prevent a plurality of positioning signals using the same pseudo spread code code pattern from being received at the same time by the same position information providing apparatus.

  Position data for specifying a place where the indoor transmitter 200-1 is installed is stored in an area 340. The position data is represented as a combination of latitude, longitude, and altitude, for example. In the area 320, in addition to the position data or in place of the data, an address, a building name, and the like may be stored.

  The position information providing apparatus 100-1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of position information providing apparatus 100-1.

The position information providing apparatus 100 includes an antenna 402, an RF (Radio Frequency) front circuit 404 electrically connected to the antenna 402, a down converter 406 electrically connected to the RF front circuit 404, and a down converter A / D (Analog to Digital) converter 408 electrically connected to 406, baseband processor 410 electrically connected to A / D converter 408, and electrically connected to baseband processor 410 A memory 420, a navigation processor 430 electrically connected to the baseband processor 410, and a display 440 electrically connected to the navigation processor 430.

  Memory 420 includes a plurality of areas for storing code patterns of pseudo-noise codes, which are data for identifying each source of positioning signals. As an example, in one aspect, when 48 code patterns are used, the memory 420 includes regions 421-1 to 421-48 as shown in FIG. 4. In another aspect, when more code patterns are used, more area is secured in the memory 420. Conversely, a code pattern that is smaller than the number of areas reserved in the memory 420 may be used.

  As an example, when 48 code patterns are used, for example, when 24 satellites are used in the satellite positioning system, 24 identification data for identifying each satellite and 12 spare data are included in the region. 421-1 to 421-36. At this time, for example, the code pattern of the pseudo noise code for the first satellite is stored in the area 421-1. From this, the code pattern is read out, and the cross-correlation process with the received signal is performed, so that the signal can be tracked or the navigation message included in the signal can be decoded. Here, the method of storing and reading the code pattern is exemplarily shown, but a method of generating a code pattern by a code pattern generator is also possible. The code pattern generator is realized, for example, by combining two feedback shift registers. It should be noted that the configuration and operation of the code pattern generator can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

Similarly, code patterns of pseudo-noise codes assigned to indoor transmitters that transmit positioning signals are stored in areas 421-37 to 421-48. For example, the code pattern of the assigned pseudo-noise code for the first indoor transmitter is stored in area 432-37. In this case, in this embodiment, an indoor transmitter having 12 code patterns can be used, but there is no indoor transmitter that uses the same code pattern in a range that can be received by the same position information providing apparatus. Thus, each indoor transmitter may be arranged. By doing in this way, it becomes possible to install 12 or more indoor transmitters on the same floor of the building 130, for example.

  The baseband processor 410 performs positioning based on a correlator unit 412 that receives an input of a signal output from the A / D converter 408, a control unit 414 that controls the operation of the correlator unit 412, and data output from the control unit 414. And a determination unit 416 for determining a signal transmission source. The navigation processor 430 includes an outdoor positioning unit 432 for measuring the position of the outdoor location information providing apparatus 100 based on a signal output from the determination unit 416, and an indoor position based on data output from the determination unit 416. And an indoor positioning unit 434 for deriving information indicating the position of the information providing apparatus 100.

  The antenna 402 can receive the positioning signals transmitted from the GPS satellites 110, 111, and 112 and the positioning signals transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1. In addition, when the location information providing apparatus 100 is realized as a mobile phone, the antenna 402 can transmit and receive a signal for wireless telephone or a signal for data communication in addition to the above-described signal.

  The RF front circuit 404 receives the signal received by the antenna 402 and performs noise reduction or filter processing for outputting only a signal having a predetermined bandwidth. A signal output from the RF front circuit 404 is input to the down converter 406.

  The down converter 406 amplifies the signal output from the RF front circuit 404 and outputs it as an intermediate frequency. This signal is input to the A / D converter 408. The A / D converter 408 performs digital conversion processing on the input intermediate frequency signal and converts it into digital data. Digital data is input to the baseband processor 410.

  In the baseband processor 410, the correlator unit 412 performs a correlation process between the code pattern read out from the memory 420 by the control unit 414 and the received signal. For example, the correlator unit 412 performs matching between two types of code patterns provided by the control unit 414 that are different in code phase by 1 bit and digital data transmitted from the A / D converter 408. The correlator unit 412 tracks the positioning signal received by the position information providing apparatus 100 using each code pattern, and specifies a code pattern having an arrangement that matches the bit arrangement of the positioning signal. Thereby, since the code pattern of the pseudo noise code is specified, the position information providing apparatus 100 can determine from which satellite the received positioning signal is transmitted or from the indoor transmitter. Further, the position information providing apparatus 100 can demodulate and decode the message using the specified code pattern.

  Specifically, the determination unit 416 performs the determination as described above, and sends data corresponding to the determination result to the navigation processor 430. The determination unit 416 determines whether the PRN-ID included in the received positioning signal is a PRN-ID assigned to a transmitter other than the transmitter mounted on the GPS satellite.

  Here, as an example, a case where 24 GPS satellites are used in the positioning system will be described. In this case, if a spare code is included, for example, 36 pseudo-noise codes are used. At this time, PRN-01 to PRN-24 are used as numbers for identifying each GPS satellite (PRN-ID), and PRN-25 to PRN-36 are used as numbers for identifying spare satellites. The spare satellite is a satellite that is newly launched in addition to the satellite that was originally launched. That is, such a satellite is launched in preparation for a failure of a GPS satellite or a transmitter mounted on the GPS satellite.

Furthermore, tentatively, twelve pseudo-noise code patterns are assigned to transmitters other than the transmitter mounted on the GPS satellite (for example, indoor transmitter 200-1). At this time, a number different from the PRN-ID assigned to the satellite, for example, PRN-37 to PRN-48 is assigned to each transmitter. Therefore, in this example, 48 PRN-IDs exist. Here, PRN-ID to PRN-48 are assigned to the indoor transmitters according to the arrangement of the indoor transmitters, for example. Therefore, if a transmission output that does not interfere with signals transmitted from each indoor transmitter is used, the same PRN-ID may be used for different indoor transmitters. With such an arrangement, more transmitters can be used than the number of PRN-IDs allocated for terrestrial transmitters.

  Accordingly, the determination unit 416 refers to the code pattern 422 of the pseudo-noise code stored in the memory 420, and converts the code pattern acquired from the received positioning signal into the code pattern assigned to the indoor transmitter. Determine whether they match. If these code patterns match, the determination unit 416 determines that the positioning signal is transmitted from the indoor transmitter. If not, the determination unit 416 determines that the signal is transmitted from a GPS satellite, and stores in the memory 420 which satellite the allocated code pattern is the code pattern assigned to. It is determined with reference to the code pattern. Although an example in which a code pattern is used is shown as an aspect of determination, the above determination may be made by comparing other data. For example, comparison using PRN-ID may be used for the determination.

  Then, when the received signal is transmitted from each GPS satellite, the determination unit 416 sends the data acquired from the identified signal to the outdoor positioning unit 432. The data obtained from the signal includes a navigation message. On the other hand, when the received signal is transmitted from the indoor transmitter 200-1 or the like, the determination unit 416 sends data acquired from the signal to the indoor positioning unit 434. This data is a coordinate value set in advance as data for specifying the position of the indoor transmitter 200-1. Alternatively, in another aspect, a number that identifies the transmitter may be used.

  In the navigation processor 430, the outdoor positioning unit 432 executes processing for calculating the position of the position information providing apparatus 100 based on the data transmitted from the determination unit 416. Specifically, the outdoor positioning unit 432 calculates the propagation time of each signal using data included in signals transmitted from three or more GPS satellites (preferably four or more), and the calculation result Based on the above, the position of the position information providing apparatus 100 is calculated. This process is executed using a known satellite positioning method. This process can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, details of the description will not be repeated here.

  On the other hand, in the navigation processor 430, the indoor positioning unit 434 executes a positioning process when the position information providing apparatus 100 is present indoors based on the data output from the determination unit 416. As will be described later, the indoor transmitter 200-1 transmits a positioning signal including data (time data) for specifying a location. Therefore, when the position information providing apparatus 100 receives such a signal, data included in the signal can be taken out and used as the position of the position information providing apparatus 100 using the data. The indoor positioning unit 434 performs this process. Data calculated by the outdoor positioning unit 432 or the indoor positioning unit 434 is used for display on the display 440. Specifically, these data are incorporated into the data for displaying the screen, and an image representing the measured position or an image for displaying the place where the indoor transmitter 200-1 is installed is generated. Displayed on the display 440.

A positioning signal transmitted from the transmitter will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a signal 500 transmitted by a transmitter mounted on a GPS satellite. Signal 50
0 is composed of five 300-bit subframes, that is, subframes 510 to 550. Subframes 510 to 550 are repeatedly transmitted by the transmitter. The subframes 510 to 550 are each 300 bits, for example, and transmitted at a bit rate of 50 bps (bit per second). Therefore, in this case, each subframe is transmitted in 6 seconds.

  The first subframe 510 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 511, 30-bit time information 512, and 240-bit message data 513. In detail, the time information 512 includes time information acquired when the subframe 510 is generated, and a subframe ID. Here, the subframe ID is an identification number for distinguishing the first subframe 510 from other subframes. The message data 513 includes a GPS week number, clock information, health information of the GPS satellite, orbit accuracy information, and the like.

The second subframe 520 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 521, 30-bit time information 522, and 240-bit message data 523. The time information 522 has the same configuration as the time information 512 in the first subframe 510. Message data 523 includes an ephemeris. Here, the ephemeris (ephemeris) means orbit information of a satellite that transmits a positioning signal. Ephemeris
It is highly accurate information that is sequentially updated by the control station that manages the navigation of the satellite.

  The third subframe 530 has the same configuration as the second subframe 520. That is, the third subframe 530 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 531, 30-bit time information 532, and 240-bit message data 533. The time information 532 has the same configuration as the time information 512 in the first subframe 510. The message data 533 includes an ephemeris.

  The fourth subframe 540 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 541, 30-bit time information 542, and 240-bit message data 543. Unlike the other message data 513, 523, and 533, the message data 543 includes almanac information, a summary of satellite health information, ionospheric delay information, UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) parameters, and the like.

  The fifth subframe 550 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 551, 30-bit time information 552, and 240-bit message data 553. Message data 553 includes almanac information and a summary of satellite health information. Each of the message data 543 and 553 is composed of 25 pages, and the above different information is defined for each page. Here, the almanac information is information representing a general orbit of a satellite, and includes information on all GPS satellites as well as the satellite. When transmission of subframes 510 to 550 is repeated 25 times, the same information is transmitted by returning to the first page.

  Subframes 510 to 550 are transmitted from transmitters 120, 121, and 122, respectively. When the subframes 510 to 550 are received by the position information providing apparatus 100, the position of the position information providing apparatus 100 includes the maintenance / management information included in the transport overheads 511 to 551, time information 512 to 552, and a message. Calculation is performed based on the data 513 to 553.

The signal 560 has the same data length as the message data 513 to 553 included in the subframes 510 to 550. Signal 560 differs from subframes 510-550 in that it has data representing the location of the source of signal 560 in place of orbit information represented as ephemeris (message data 523, 533).

  That is, the signal 560 includes a 6-bit PRN-ID 561, a 15-bit transmitter ID 562, an X coordinate value 563, a Y coordinate value 564, a Z coordinate value 565, an altitude correction coefficient (Zhf) 566, an address 567 and reserve 568. The signal 560 is transmitted from the indoor transmitters 200-1, 200-2, and 200-3 in place of the message data 513 to 553 included in the subframes 510 to 550.

  The PRN-ID 561 is an identification number of a code pattern of a group of pseudo-noise codes allocated in advance to a transmitter (for example, the indoor transmitters 200-1, 200-2, 200-3) that is a transmission source of the signal 560. It is. The PRN-ID 561 is different from the identification number of the code pattern of a group of pseudo-noise codes assigned to each transmitter mounted on each GPS satellite, but is a code pattern generated from the same series of code strings. It is the number assigned to it. The position information providing apparatus obtains one of the code patterns of the pseudo noise code assigned for the indoor transmitter from the received signal 560, and the signal is transmitted in subframes 510 to 550 transmitted from the satellite. It is specified whether there is a signal 560 transmitted from an indoor transmitter.

  The X coordinate value 563, the Y coordinate value 564, and the Z coordinate value 565 are data representing the position where the indoor transmitter 200-1 is attached. The X coordinate value 563, the Y coordinate value 564, and the Z coordinate value 565 are represented, for example, as latitude, longitude, and altitude. The altitude correction coefficient 566 is used to correct the altitude specified by the Z coordinate value 565. The altitude correction coefficient 566 is not an essential data item. Therefore, when the accuracy higher than the altitude specified by the Z coordinate value 565 is not required, the coefficient may not be used. In this case, for example, data representing “NULL” is stored in the area allocated for altitude correction coefficient 566.

  With reference to FIG. 6, a control structure of position information providing apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processes executed by baseband processor 410 and navigation processor 430 of position information providing apparatus 100.

  In step S610, position information providing apparatus 100 acquires (tracks and captures) a positioning signal. Specifically, the baseband processor 410 receives an input of a received positioning signal (data after digital conversion processing) from the A / D converter 408. The baseband processor 410 generates code patterns having different code phases that reflect possible delays as replicas of the pseudo-noise code, and detects the presence or absence of correlation between the code pattern and the received positioning signal. The number of generated code patterns is, for example, twice the number of bits of the code pattern. As an example, for example, when the chip rate is 1023 bits, 2046 code patterns having a delay of ½ bit, that is, a code phase difference may be generated. And the process which takes the correlation with the received signal using each code pattern is performed. The baseband processor 410 may lock the code pattern and specify the satellite that has transmitted the positioning signal based on the code pattern when an output exceeding a predetermined strength is detected in the correlation processing. it can. There is only one pseudo-noise code having the bit pattern of the code pattern. As a result, the pseudo-noise code used for spread spectrum encoding of the received positioning signal is specified.

  As will be described later, the process for obtaining a correlation between a signal acquired by reception and a code pattern of a locally generated replica can be realized as a parallel process.

In step S612, baseband processor 410 specifies the source of the positioning signal. Specifically, the determination unit 416 is based on the PRN-ID associated with the transmitter that uses the code pattern of the pseudo-noise code used at the time of modulation to generate the signal (for example, the memory in FIG. 4). 420) identifying the source of the signal. If the positioning signal is transmitted from the outdoors, control is transferred to step S620. If the positioning signal is transmitted indoors, the control moves to step S630. If the plurality of received signals include those transmitted from outdoors and indoors, control is transferred to step S640.

  In step S620, position information providing apparatus 100 obtains data included in the signal by demodulating the positioning signal. Specifically, the outdoor positioning unit 432 of the navigation processor 430 uses the code pattern temporarily stored in the memory 420 for the positioning signal (the code pattern in which the above-described “lock” is performed, hereinafter “lock”). The navigation message is acquired from the subframes constituting the signal by superimposing using the above-described code pattern "). In step S622, outdoor positioning unit 432 executes normal navigation message processing for calculating a position using the acquired four or more navigation messages.

  In step S624, outdoor positioning unit 432 executes a process for calculating the position of position information providing apparatus 100 based on the result of the process. For example, when the position information providing apparatus 100 receives each positioning signal transmitted from four or more satellites, the distance is calculated by calculating the orbit of each satellite included in the navigation message demodulated from each signal. Information, time information, etc. are used.

  In another aspect, when position information providing apparatus 100 receives a positioning signal (outdoor signal) transmitted from a satellite and a signal (indoor signal) from an indoor transmitter (that is, step S642). After step S624 is executed), sorting for determining a signal used for position calculation is performed based on, for example, the intensity of an indoor signal and an outdoor signal. As an example, when the intensity of the indoor signal is greater than the intensity of the outdoor signal, the indoor signal is selected, and the coordinate value included in the indoor signal is set as the position of the position information providing apparatus 100.

  In step S630, position information providing apparatus 100 obtains data included in the signal by demodulating the positioning signal. Specifically, the indoor positioning unit 434 acquires message data from the subframes constituting the positioning signal by superimposing the locked code pattern on the positioning signal transmitted from the baseband processor 410. . This message data is included in the positioning signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter instead of the navigation message included in the positioning signal transmitted from the satellite. Therefore, the data length of the message data is preferably the same as the data length of the navigation message.

  In step S632, the indoor positioning unit 434 uses the coordinate value (that is, data for specifying the installation location of the indoor transmitter (for example, the X coordinate value 563, the Y coordinate value 564 in the signal 560 in FIG. 5) from the data. Z coordinate value 565)) is acquired. If the frame includes text information representing the installation location or the address of the installation location instead of such coordinate values, the text information is acquired.

In step S640, position information providing apparatus 100 obtains data included in the signal by demodulating the positioning signal. Specifically, the outdoor positioning unit 432 obtains data in subframes constituting the positioning signal by superimposing the locked code pattern on the positioning signal transmitted by the baseband processor 410. In this case, the position information providing apparatus 100 receives the signal from the satellite and the signal from the indoor transmitter, and thus operates in the “hybrid” mode. Therefore, a navigation message having synchronized time data is acquired for the signal from each satellite, and data having the above coordinate values and other position information is acquired for the signal from the indoor transmitter.

  In step S642, the indoor positioning unit 434 performs processing for obtaining the X coordinate value 563, the Y coordinate value 564, and the Z coordinate value 565 from the positioning signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter 200-1, and also, a GPS satellite. The navigation message is acquired from the positioning signal transmitted by, and processed. Thereafter, control is transferred to step S624.

  In step S650, navigation processor 430 executes a process for displaying position information on display 440 based on the position calculation result. Specifically, image data for displaying the acquired coordinates or data for displaying the installation location of the indoor transmitter 200-1 is generated and sent to the display 440. The display 440 displays the position information of the position information providing apparatus 100 in the display area based on such data.

  With reference to FIG. 7, the display mode of the positional information of the positional information providing apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating screen display on display 440 of position information providing apparatus 100. When position information providing apparatus 100 receives a positioning signal transmitted from each GPS satellite outdoors, display 440 displays an icon 710 indicating that the position information has been acquired based on the positioning signal. Thereafter, when the user of the position information providing apparatus 100 moves indoors, the position information providing apparatus 100 cannot receive a positioning signal transmitted from each GPS satellite. Instead, location information providing apparatus 100 receives a signal transmitted by, for example, indoor transmitter 200-1. As described above, this signal is transmitted by the same method as the positioning signal transmitted from the GPS satellite. Therefore, position information providing apparatus 100 performs the same process on the signal as the process executed when a positioning signal is received from the satellite. When position information providing apparatus 100 acquires position information from the signal, icon 720 indicating that the position information has been acquired based on a signal transmitted from a transmitter installed indoors is displayed on display 440.

  As described above, the location information providing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a transmission installed at a place where a radio wave from a GPS satellite cannot be received, such as an indoor or underground mall. The radio waves transmitted from the devices (for example, indoor transmitters 200-1, 200-2, 200-3) are received. The position information providing apparatus 100 acquires information (for example, coordinate value, address) specifying the position of the transmitter from the radio wave and displays the information on the display 440. Thereby, the user of the position information providing apparatus 100 can know the current position. In this way, position information is provided even in a place where a positioning signal cannot be received directly.

  This ensures stable reception of signals indoors. Further, even indoors, position information can be provided with stable accuracy of about several meters.

  Also, the ground time (the time of the transmitter such as the indoor transmitter 200-1) and the satellite time may be independent from each other and do not need to be synchronized. Accordingly, an increase in cost for manufacturing the indoor transmitter can be suppressed. In addition, even after the location information providing system is operated, it is not necessary to synchronize the time of the indoor transmitter, so that the operation becomes easy.

Each signal transmitted from each indoor transmitter contains the information itself for specifying the location where the transmitter is installed, so the position based on each signal transmitted from multiple satellites. There is no need to calculate information, and therefore position information can be derived based on a signal transmitted from a single transmitter.

  In addition, by receiving a signal transmitted from a single indoor transmitter, the location of the signal reception location can be specified, making it easier to provide a location than GPS or other conventional positioning systems. Can be realized.

  In this case, the position information providing apparatus 100 does not require dedicated hardware for receiving a signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter 200-1, and can be realized using hardware that realizes a conventional positioning system. is there. Therefore, since it is not necessary to design hardware for applying the technology according to the present embodiment from the beginning, an increase in the cost of the position information providing apparatus 100 is suppressed and it becomes easy to spread. Further, for example, a position information providing device that prevents an increase in circuit scale or complexity is provided.

  Specifically, the memory 420 of the position information providing apparatus 100 holds a PRN-ID defined in advance for an indoor transmitter and / or a satellite. The position information providing apparatus 100 has a program for processing for determining whether the received radio wave is transmitted from a satellite or an indoor transmitter based on the PRN-ID. This program is realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a baseband processor. Alternatively, the position information providing apparatus 100 can be configured by changing the circuit element for determination to a circuit element including a function realized by the program.

  Furthermore, when the location information providing apparatus 100 is realized as a mobile phone, the acquired information may be held in a nonvolatile memory 420 such as a flash memory. Then, when the mobile phone is transmitted, the data held in the memory 420 may be transmitted to the transmission destination. In this way, the location information of the transmission source, that is, the location information acquired by the location information providing apparatus 100 as a mobile phone from the indoor transmitter is transmitted to the base station that relays the call. The base station stores the position information together with the reception date and time as a call record. Further, when the destination is an emergency contact (for example, 110 in Japan), the location information of the source may be notified as it is. Thereby, the notification of the caller from the mobile body is realized in the same manner as the notification of the caller at the time of emergency contact from the conventional fixed telephone.

  In addition, regarding a transmitter installed at a specific location, a position information providing system is realized by a transmitter that can transmit a signal similar to a signal transmitted by a transmitter mounted on a positioning satellite. This eliminates the need to redesign the transmitter from scratch.

  The position information providing system according to the present embodiment uses a spread spectrum signal as a positioning signal. According to the transmission of this signal, the power per frequency can be reduced, so that, for example, it is considered that radio wave management becomes easier as compared with a conventional RF tag. As a result, it becomes easy to construct a position information providing system.

<First Modification>
Hereinafter, a first modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration of the signal transmitted from each transmitter is not limited to that shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a signal according to this modification. In this modification, six subframes are transmitted. As the first subframe, signal 810 is transmitted by the transmitter. The signal 810 includes a 30-bit transport overhead 811, a 30-bit time information 812, a 6-bit PRN-ID 813, a 15-bit transmitter ID 814, an X coordinate value 815, a Y coordinate value 816, Coordinate value 817. The first 60 bits of signal 810 are identical to the first 60 bits of each of subframes 510-550 transmitted by a GPS satellite.

As the second subframe, signal 820 is transmitted by the transmitter. Signal 820 includes a 6-bit subframe ID 821, an altitude correction factor 822, and a transmitter location address 823. The same applies to the third to sixth subframes by predefining different information in the 144 bits backward from the subframe ID of the signal 820 (in the signal 820, the altitude correction coefficient 822 and the position information address 823). Sent to. The information included in each subframe is not limited to the above. For example, advertisements related to location information, Internet site URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), and the like may be stored in a predefined area in each subframe.

  Signal 830 shows an example of transmission of third to sixth subframes having the same structure as signals 810 and 820 and signal 820 described above. That is, the signal 830 includes a first subframe 831 and a second subframe 832. The first subframe 831 has the same header as subframes 510 to 550 transmitted from GPS satellites. Second subframe 832 is a frame corresponding to signal 820.

  Signal 840 includes a first subframe 831 and a third subframe 842. The first subframe 831 is the same as the first subframe 831. The third subframe has the same structure as signal 820.

  Such a configuration is repeated up to a signal 870 for transmitting the sixth subframe 872. Signal 870 includes a first subframe 831 and a sixth subframe 872.

  When the transmitter repeatedly transmits the signal 830 to the signal 870, the first subframe 831 is transmitted for each signal transmission. After the first subframe 831 is transmitted, any other subframe is interpolated. That is, the transmission order of each subframe is as follows: first subframe 831 → second subframe 832 → first subframe 831 → third subframe 842 → first subframe →. 6 subframes 872 → first subframe 831 → second subframe 832...

<Second Modification>
Hereinafter, a second modification will be described. The structure of the message data may be defined independently of the subframes 510 to 550. FIG. 9 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of signal 910 according to the present modification. Referring to FIG. 9, a signal 910 includes a transport overhead 911, a preamble 912, a PRN-ID 913, a transmitter ID 914, a first variable 915, an X coordinate value 916, a Y coordinate value 917, Z coordinate value 918 and parity / CRC 919 are included. The signal 920 has a configuration similar to that of the signal 910. Here, a second variable 925 is included instead of the first variable 915 in the signal 910.

  Each signal has a length of 150 bits. Six signals having the same structure are transmitted. You may comprise the signal which has such a structure as a signal transmitted from an indoor transmitter.

  Since each signal shown in FIG. 9 also has a PRN-ID, position information providing apparatus 100 can specify the transmission source of the received signal based on the PRN-ID. If the transmission source is an indoor transmitter, the signal includes an X coordinate value, a Y coordinate value, and a Z coordinate value. Therefore, the position information providing apparatus 100 can display the indoor position.

<Third Modification>
Instead of the configuration of the correlator unit 412 provided in the position information providing apparatus 100, a plurality of correlators may be used. In this case, since the process for matching the positioning signal to the replica is executed in parallel, the calculation time of the position information is shortened.

  A position information providing apparatus 1000 according to this modification includes an antenna 1010, a bandpass filter 1020 electrically connected to the antenna 1010, a low noise amplifier 1030 electrically connected to the bandpass filter 1020, and a low noise amplifier 1030. , A band-pass filter 1050 electrically connected to the down converter 1040, an A / D converter 1060 electrically connected to the band-pass filter 1050, and an A / D converter A parallel correlator 1070 including a plurality of correlators electrically connected to 1060, a processor 1080 electrically connected to the parallel correlator 1070, and a memory 1090 electrically connected to the processor 1080 are included.

  The parallel correlator 1070 includes n correlators 1070-1 to 1070-n. Each correlator simultaneously executes matching between the received positioning signal and a code pattern generated to demodulate the positioning signal based on a control signal output from the processor 1080.

  Specifically, the processor 1080 gives each parallel correlator 1070 a command to generate a code pattern that reflects a delay that may occur in the pseudo-noise code (shifting the code phase). This command is, for example, the number of satellites × 2 × 1023 (the length of the code pattern of the pseudo-noise code used). Each parallel correlator 1070 generates a code pattern having a different code phase using a code pattern of a pseudo-noise code defined for each satellite based on a command given to each parallel correlator 1070. Then, one of all the generated code patterns matches the code pattern of the pseudo noise code used for modulation of the received positioning signal. Therefore, the code pattern of the pseudo-noise code can be instantly specified by configuring the number of correlators necessary for performing the matching process using each code pattern as the parallel correlator 1070 in advance. This processing can be similarly applied when the position information providing apparatus 100 receives a signal from an indoor transmitter. Therefore, even when the user of the position information providing apparatus 100 is indoors, the position information can be acquired instantaneously.

<Second Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The position information providing system according to this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a plurality of transmitters are attached.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a usage mode of the position information providing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 11, indoor transmitters 1110, 1120, and 1130 are attached to the ceiling of the same floor. Each indoor transmitter executes the same processing as that of the above-described indoor transmitter 200-1. That is, each indoor transmitter transmits a positioning signal including data representing a place where each indoor transmitter is attached.

  In this case, depending on the installation position of the indoor transmitter, there is an area (that is, a space) where all signals transmitted from adjacent transmitters can be received. For example, region 1140 is a region where signals transmitted from indoor transmitters 1110 and 1120 can be received. Similarly, area 1150 is an area where positioning signals transmitted by indoor transmitters 1120 and 1130 can be received.

Therefore, for example, when the position information providing apparatus 1160 according to the present invention is present at the position shown in FIG. 11, the position information providing apparatus 1160 includes the indoor transmitter 1110 included in the signal transmitted from the indoor transmitter 1110. Can be acquired as the position of the position information providing apparatus 1160. Thereafter, when the user of position information providing apparatus 1160 moves to a position corresponding to area 1160, for example, position information providing apparatus 1160 can receive a signal transmitted by indoor transmitter 1120 in addition to indoor transmitter 1110. In this case, which signal the position data included in which signal is determined as the position of the position information providing apparatus 1160 can be determined based on, for example, the strength of the received signal. That is, when signals transmitted from a plurality of indoor transmitters are received, data having the highest received intensity among them may be used for displaying the position information. If the intensity of each signal is the same, the position of the position information providing apparatus 1160 may be determined by deriving an arithmetic sum of data included in those signals.

  As described above, according to position information providing apparatus 1160 according to the present embodiment, even when a plurality of signals for positioning are received indoors, the source of any signal can be specified. The transmission source, that is, the mounting position of the transmitter installed indoors can also be specified.

  Here, “indoor” is not limited to the inside of a building or other buildings, and may be any place where radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites cannot be received. Such places include, for example, underground shopping streets, railway vehicles and the like.

<Third Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The position information providing apparatus according to the present embodiment provides data for identifying the transmitter, instead of specifying the position based on the data included in the indoor transmitter, to the apparatus that provides information about the transmitter. It differs from the above-described embodiments in that the position information can be acquired by transmitting.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a usage mode of the position information providing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The position information providing apparatus is realized as a mobile phone 1200, for example. The cellular phone 1200 can receive a positioning signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter 1210. Indoor transmitter 1210 is connected to the Internet 1220. An information providing server 1230 that can provide information on the indoor transmitter 1210 is connected to the Internet 1220. A base station 1240 that communicates with the mobile phone 1200 is also connected to the Internet 1220.

  When the cellular phone 1200 receives a signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter 1210, the transmitter ID for identifying the indoor transmitter 1210 is acquired from the signal. The transmitter ID is associated with, for example, the aforementioned PRN-ID. The cellular phone 1200 transmits the transmitter ID (or along with the PRN-ID) to the information providing server 1230. Specifically, the mobile phone 1200 starts communication with the base station 1240 and sends packet data including the acquired transmitter ID to the information providing server 1230.

  When the information providing server 1230 recognizes the transmitter ID, the information providing server 1230 refers to a database associated with the transmitter ID and reads position data related to the ID. When the information providing server 1230 transmits the data to the base station 1240, the base station 1240 transmits the data. When the mobile phone 1200 detects the arrival of the data, the location of the transmitter 1250 can be acquired from the data according to the browsing operation by the user of the mobile phone 1200.

Here, the configuration of the mobile phone 1200 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of mobile phone 1200. The cellular phone 1200 includes an antenna 1308, a communication device 1302, a CPU 1310, an operation button 1320, a camera 1340, a flash memory 1344, a RAM 1346, a data ROM 1348, and a memory card, each of which is electrically connected. It includes a drive device 1380, an audio signal processing circuit 1370, a microphone 1372, a speaker 1374, a display 1350, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 1376, a data communication IF 1378, and a vibrator 1384.

  A signal received by the antenna 1308 is transferred to the CPU 1310 by the communication device 1302. CPU 1310 transfers the signal to audio signal processing circuit 1370. The audio signal processing circuit 1370 performs predetermined signal processing on the signal and sends the processed signal to the speaker 1374. The speaker 1374 outputs sound based on the signal.

  The microphone 1372 receives an utterance to the mobile phone 1200 and outputs a signal corresponding to the uttered voice to the voice signal processing circuit 1370. The audio signal processing circuit 1370 performs signal processing defined in advance for a call based on the signal, and sends the processed signal to the CPU 1310. CPU 1310 converts the signal into data for transmission and sends the data to communication device 1302. When communication device 1302 transmits the signal via antenna 1308, base station 1240 receives the signal.

  The flash memory 1344 stores data sent from the CPU 1310. Conversely, the CPU 1310 reads data stored in the flash memory 1344, and executes a predetermined process using the data.

  The RAM 1346 temporarily holds data generated by the CPU 1310 based on an operation performed on the operation button 1320. Data ROM 1348 stores data or a program for causing mobile phone 1200 to execute a predetermined operation. The CPU 1310 reads the data or program from the data ROM 1348 and causes the mobile phone 1200 to execute a predetermined process.

  Memory card driving device 1380 accepts the mounting of memory card 1382. The memory card drive device 1380 reads data stored in the memory card 1382 and sends it to the CPU 710. Conversely, the memory card driving device 1380 writes the data output by the CPU 1310 into the data storage area secured in the memory card 1382.

  The audio signal processing circuit 1370 executes processing for a signal used for a call as described above. Note that the CPU 1310 and the audio signal processing circuit 1370 may be configured integrally.

  Display 1350 displays an image defined by the data based on the data output from CPU 1310. For example, when the flash memory 1344 stores data (for example, URL) for accessing the information providing server 1230, the display 1350 displays the URL.

  LED 1376 realizes a predetermined light emission operation based on a signal from CPU 1310. For example, when the LED 1376 can display a plurality of colors, the LED 1376 emits light in a color associated with the data based on data included in a signal output from the CPU 1310.

The data communication IF 1378 accepts attachment of a data communication cable. The data communication IF 1378 sends a signal output from the CPU 1310 to the cable. Alternatively, the data communication IF 1378 transmits data received via the cable to the CPU.
Send to 1310.

  Vibrator 1384 performs a transmission operation at a predetermined frequency based on a signal output from CPU 1310. The basic operation of the mobile phone 1200 can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, detailed description will not be repeated here.

  A specific configuration of the information providing server 1230 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of information providing server 1230. The information providing server 1230 is realized by, for example, a well-known computer system.

The information providing server 1230 includes, as main hardware, a CPU 1410, a mouse 1420 and a keyboard 1430 that receive input of instructions from a user of the information providing server 1230, data generated by executing a program by the CPU 1410, or a mouse 1420 or a keyboard. RAM 1440 for temporarily storing data input via 1430, hard disk 1450 for storing large amounts of data in a nonvolatile manner, CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) drive 1460, monitor 1480, ,
Communication IF 1470. The hardware is connected to each other by a data bus. A CD-ROM 1462 is attached to the CD-ROM drive 1460.

  Processing in the computer system that implements the information providing server 1230 is realized by the hardware and software executed by the CPU 1410. Such software may be stored in the hard disk 1450 in advance. In some cases, the software is stored in a CD-ROM 1460 on another data recording medium and distributed as a program product. Alternatively, the software may be provided as a program product that can be downloaded by another information provider connected to the so-called Internet. Such software is read from the data recording medium by the CD-ROM drive 1460 or other data reading device or downloaded via the communication IF 1470 and then temporarily stored in the hard disk 1450. The software is read from the hard disk 1450 by the CPU 1410 and stored in the RAM 1440 in the form of an executable program. CPU 1410 executes the program.

  The hardware of the computer system that realizes the information providing server 1230 shown in FIG. 14 is general. Therefore, it can be said that the essential part of the information providing server 1230 according to the present invention is software stored in the RAM 1440, the hard disk 1450, the CD-ROM 1462, or other data recording medium, or software that can be downloaded via a network. The operation of the hardware of the computer system is well known. Therefore, detailed description will not be repeated.

The recording medium is not limited to the above-mentioned CD-ROM 1462, hard disk 1450, etc., but may be a magnetic tape, cassette tape, optical disk (MO (Magnetic Optical Disc).
) / MD (Mini Disc) / DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)), IC (Integrated Circuit) card (including memory card), optical card, mask ROM, EPROM, EEPROM
A medium that can carry a fixed program such as a semiconductor memory such as an OM or a flash ROM may be used.

  The program here includes not only a program directly executable by the CPU 1410 but also a program in a source program format, a compressed program, an encrypted program, and the like.

  The data structure of the information providing server 1230 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram conceptually showing one mode of data storage in hard disk 1450. Hard disk 1450 includes areas 1510 to 1550 for storing data.

  A record No. for identifying a data record stored in the hard disk 1450. Is stored in area 1510. A transmitter ID for identifying a transmitter that transmits a positioning signal is stored in area 1520. Data (coordinate values) for representing the place where the transmitter is installed is stored in area 1530. This data is stored in the hard disk 1450 every time each transmitter is installed, for example. The specific name of the place where the transmitter is installed is stored in area 1540. This data is used so that, for example, an administrator who manages data stored in the hard disk 1450 (or a service provider who provides location information using the information providing server 1230) can recognize the data. Data representing the address where the transmitter is stored is stored in area 1550. This data is also used by the administrator in the same manner as the data stored in the area 1540.

  The provision of transmitter position information by the information providing server 1230 is as follows. The cellular phone 1200 uses the transmitter ID acquired based on the determination result of the PRN-ID and the data (URL or the like) for accessing the information providing server 1230 to request packet data (hereinafter, “ Request "). The cellular phone 1200 transmits the request to the base station 1240. This transmission is realized by a known communication process. When receiving the request, the base station 1240 transfers the request to the information providing server 1240.

  The information providing server 1230 detects the reception of the request. The CPU 1410 acquires the transmitter ID from the request and searches the hard disk 1450. Specifically, CPU 1410 performs matching processing as to whether or not the acquired transmitter ID matches the transmitter ID stored in area 1520. If there is a transmitter ID that matches the transmitter ID included in the data transmitted from the mobile phone 1200 as a result of the matching process, the CPU 1410 displays the coordinate value (area 1530) associated with the transmitter ID. , And packet data for returning the position information to the mobile phone 1200 is generated. Specifically, CPU 1410 generates packet data by adding the address of mobile phone 1200 to the header in addition to data having coordinate values. The CPU 1410 transmits the packet data to the base station 1240 via the communication IF 1470.

  When the base station 1240 receives the packet data transmitted by the information providing server 1230, the base station 1240 transmits the packet data based on the address included in the data. Note that the base station 1240 may store the received packet data and the reception time in a nonvolatile storage device (for example, a hard disk device). Thereby, since a history of acquisition of position information by the user of the mobile phone 1200 is left, it is possible to grasp the route traveled by the user.

  When the mobile phone 1200 is within a range where radio waves from the base station 1240 can reach, the mobile phone 1200 receives packet data transmitted by the base station 1240. When a predetermined operation (for example, an operation for browsing an electronic mail) is performed in order to browse data received by the user of the mobile phone 1200, the display 1350 displays the coordinate value of the transmitter. Thereby, the user can know the approximate position. In this way, it is not necessary to register coordinate values in advance for each transmitter installed indoors, so that the installation location of the transmitter can be changed more flexibly.

As described above, according to the position information providing system according to the present embodiment, the signal transmitted from the transmitter installed on the ground includes data (transmitter ID) for identifying the transmitter. Just go out. This data is stored in association with the position information in the server device that provides the position information of the transmitter. The mobile phone 1200 functioning as a location information providing device acquires the location information by transmitting a transmitter ID to the server device. According to such an information providing method, it is not necessary for the transmitter itself to hold the position information of the transmitter, so that the installation location of the transmitter can be easily changed.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  The position information providing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to, for example, a mobile phone having a positioning function, a portable positioning terminal, a portable monitoring terminal, and other terminals that can receive signals for positioning. In addition, the transmitter according to the present invention can be applied to, for example, a transmitter installed indoors and other transmission devices.

It is a figure showing the structure of the positional information provision system 10 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram showing the hardware constitutions of the indoor transmitter 200-1. It is a figure which represents notionally the one aspect | mode of the data storage in EEPROM240 with which the indoor transmitter 200-1 is provided. It is a block diagram showing the hardware constitutions of the positional information provision apparatus 100-1. It is a figure showing the positioning signal transmitted from a transmitter. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing executed by position information providing apparatus 100. It is a figure showing the display of the screen in the display 440 of the positional information provision apparatus 100. FIG. It is FIG. (The 1) showing the structure of the signal in the other situation of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is FIG. (2) showing the structure of the signal in the other situation of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the positional information provision apparatus 1000 which concerns on the modification of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure showing the scene where the positional information provision apparatus which concerns on the modification of the 1st Embodiment of this invention is used. It is a figure showing the usage condition of the positional information provision apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram showing the hardware constitutions of the mobile telephone 1200 which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram showing the hardware constitutions of the information provision server 1230 which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram conceptually showing one mode of data storage in a hard disk 1450 included in the information providing server 1230.

Explanation of symbols

10 position information providing system, 110, 111, 112 GPS satellite, 120, 121
, 122 Transmitter, 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 1000, 1160, 1170 Location information providing device, 130 Building, 200-1, 200-2, 200-3, 1110, 1120, 1130, 1210 Indoor transmitter, 1010, 1308 Antenna, 1140, 1150 area, 1220 Internet, 1382 Memory card, 1462 CD-ROM.

Claims (11)

A position information providing system capable of providing position information using a first positioning signal which is a spread spectrum signal from a plurality of satellites,
With an indoor transmitter,
The indoor transmitter is
First storage means for storing position data for specifying a place where the indoor transmitter is installed;
Generating means for generating, as a spread spectrum signal, a second positioning signal having a frame structure for transmitting the position data, wherein the frame structure includes X coordinate data as an area for storing the position data. An area for storing, an area for storing Y-coordinate data, and an area for storing data representing the address of the indoor transmitter or the name of the building ;
Transmitting means for transmitting the spread spectrum signal,
The position information providing system further includes a position information providing device,
The position information providing device includes:
Receiving means for receiving a spread spectrum signal;
Second storage means for storing a first code pattern for the first positioning signal and a second code pattern different from the first code pattern for the second positioning signal;
A plurality of correlators provided in parallel and provided in common for the first positioning signal and the second positioning signal, the first positioning signal for each of the plurality of correlators; 1 code pattern and each of the second code patterns for the second positioning signal, and the code pattern used for modulation of the generated code pattern and the spread spectrum signal received by the receiving means By simultaneously performing matching with the plurality of code patterns, the correlation processing between the plurality of code patterns and the spread spectrum signal is executed in parallel, and a matching code pattern is received from the plurality of code patterns by the receiving unit. Specifying means for performing processing for specifying as a code pattern corresponding to the spread spectrum signal,
By adopting a code pattern corresponding to a positioning signal having a strong reception strength as to whether the code pattern specified by the specifying means is the first code pattern or the second code pattern, A determination means for determining which second positioning signal is received, and when a plurality of the second code patterns are received, the second code having the highest reception strength among them A determination means for determining to adopt the pattern ;
When the second positioning signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter is received according to the result of the determination by the determining means, the position is determined from the signal obtained by demodulating the second positioning signal. Acquire data, directly identify the position of the indoor transmitter from only the position data acquired from a single indoor transmitter, and when a plurality of the first positioning signals are received, a plurality of Position information calculating means for deriving position information of the position information providing device by switching processing to calculate the position information based on the spread spectrum signal;
A position information providing system comprising: display means for notifying a user carrying the position information providing apparatus of position information derived by the position information calculating means. The X coordinate data is latitude data, the Y coordinate data, longitude data Ru der, positional information providing system according to claim 1.   Time counting by the first time measuring means of each satellite for generating time information included in the first positioning signal from the satellite and time keeping by the second time measuring means of the indoor transmitter are independent of each other. The position information providing system according to claim 1, wherein The format of the second positioning signal is the same as the format of the first positioning signal, and includes the position data instead of the navigation message included in the first positioning signal,
The position information calculating means of the position information providing apparatus includes a calculating means for calculating the position of the position information providing apparatus based on each navigation message when a plurality of the first positioning signals are received. Item 2. The location information providing system according to Item 1.   The position information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit outputs the position information derived from only the position data as an image representing the measured position. A center frequency of the encoded positioning signal is 1575.42 MHz,
The position information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a spreading frequency of the positioning signal is 1.023 MHz. In a position information providing system capable of providing position information using a first positioning signal that is a spread spectrum signal from a plurality of satellites and a second positioning signal that is a spread spectrum signal from an indoor transmitter A position information providing device,
The second positioning signal has a frame structure for transmitting position data for specifying a place where the indoor transmitter is installed, and the frame structure is an area for storing the position data. A region for storing X-coordinate data, a region for storing Y-coordinate data, and a region for storing data representing the name of the address or building where the indoor transmitter is installed ,
Receiving means for receiving the spread spectrum signal;
Storage means for storing a first code pattern for the first positioning signal and a second code pattern different from the first code pattern for the second positioning signal;
A plurality of correlators provided in parallel and commonly provided for the first positioning signal and the second positioning signal, wherein each of the plurality of correlators includes the first positioning signal for the first positioning signal. And the second code pattern for the second positioning signal, the generated code pattern and the code pattern used for modulation of the spread spectrum signal received by the receiving means, By simultaneously performing the matching, the correlation processing between the plurality of code patterns and the spread spectrum signal is executed in parallel, and a matching code pattern is received from the plurality of code patterns by the receiving means. Specifying means for performing processing for specifying as a code pattern corresponding to the spread spectrum signal;
By adopting a code pattern corresponding to a positioning signal having a strong reception strength as to whether the code pattern specified by the specifying means is the first code pattern or the second code pattern, A determination means for determining which second positioning signal is received, and when a plurality of the second code patterns are received, the second code having the highest reception strength among them A determination means for determining to adopt the pattern ;
When the second positioning signal transmitted by the indoor transmitter is received according to the result of the determination by the determining means, the position is determined from the signal obtained by demodulating the second positioning signal. The data is acquired, the position of the indoor transmitter is directly identified only from the position data acquired from a single indoor transmitter, and a plurality of first positioning signals are received when a plurality of first positioning signals are received. Position information calculating means for deriving position information of the position information providing device by switching processing to calculate the position information based on the spread spectrum signal;
A position information providing apparatus comprising: display means for notifying a user carrying the position information providing apparatus of position information derived by the position information calculating means. The X coordinate data is latitude data, the Y coordinate data are longitude data, positional information providing apparatus according to claim 7. The format of the second positioning signal is the same as the format of the first positioning signal, and includes the position data instead of the navigation message included in the first positioning signal,
Each code pattern is different for each satellite and the indoor transmitter,
The position information calculating means of the position information providing apparatus further includes a calculating means for calculating the position of the position information providing apparatus based on each navigation message when a plurality of the first positioning signals are received. The position information providing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising: The position information providing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the display unit outputs the position information derived from only the position data as an image representing the measured position. Before Symbol display means includes a display means for displaying the location where the indoor transmitter on the basis of the information indicating the address or name of the building where the indoor transmitter is installed is installed, to claim 7 or 9 The position information providing device described.

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