Methods, devices, and uses for calculating a position using a global navigation satellite system

摘要

The invention, in some embodiments, relates to the field of global navigation satellite systems, and more particularly to the field of methods and devices for improving accuracy of position determination by receivers of global navigation satellite systems. Some embodiments of the invention relate to methods for generating a three-dimensional (3-D) representation of an urban area by a receiver of a global navigation satellite system using blocked lines of sight to satellites of the system. Additional embodiments of the invention relate to methods for transmitting a three-dimensional (3-D) representation of an urban area by a receiver of a global navigation satellite system for improving calculation of location by the global navigation satellite system receiver.

主权项

1. A method for calculating the position of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, comprising:
receiving a plurality of signals from a first plurality of GNSS satellites; calculating a region in which a GNSS receiver is located based on at least some of said received signals; for each satellite in a second plurality of GNSS satellites, classifying whether: said satellite is a line-of-sight (LOS) satellite, having a line of sight to said GNSS receiver; or said satellite is a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) satellite, not having a line of sight to said GNSS receiver; obtaining at least one three-dimensional representation of an area including said region; for each satellite in said second plurality of GNSS satellites, using said at least one three-dimensional representation to define a three-dimensional shading representation including at least one illuminated subregion and at least one shaded subregion, such that a GNSS receiver located in said at least one illuminated subregion has a line of sight to said satellite and a GNSS receiver located in said at least one shaded subregion does not have a line of sight to said satellite; for each said three-dimensional shading representation defining a shading surface which divides between said at least one illuminated subregion and said at least one shaded subregion, such that said at least one illuminated subregion is located above said shading surface and said at least one shaded subregion is located beneath said shading surface; and for each satellite in said second plurality of GNSS satellites, eliminating from said region at least one subregion, thereby to identify a position in which said GNSS receiver is located, wherein: if said satellite is a LOS satellite, eliminating from said region any portion which is located beneath said shading surface defined for said satellite; and if said satellite is a NLOS satellite, eliminating from said region any portion which is located above said shading surface defined for said satellite.