System including base stations that provide information from which a mobile station can determine its position

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system includes base stations and a server. Each base station has a respective fixed position, and is configured to broadcast information that a mobile station can use to determine a position of the mobile station. And the server is configured to communicate with the base stations and to track a position of a mobile station. An example of such a system is an Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS), which includes base stations that are located in respective fixed, known positions within and around an airport, and at least one server that communicates with the base stations and tracks the positions of moveable stations within and around the airport. The base stations can provide information that allows both GNSS-enabled and non-GNSS-enabled mobile stations to determine their positions without adding significant cost or complexity to the AeroMACS.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for determining a position of one or more mobile stations using a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, a fixed position and a pseudo position of at least one base station of the plurality of base stations, wherein the pseudo position is based on a synchronization error between a clock signal of the at least one base station and a clock signal of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite;   generating, by the one or more processors, a coordinate-correction matrix in response to the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station; and   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the fixed position and an error in the clock signal of the base station including the coordinate-correction matrix to a mobile station to determine a position of the mobile station, wherein the error in the clock signal is based on the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including:
 determining, by the one or more processors, a position difference between the fixed position and the pseudo position of the base station; and   determining, by the one or more processors, the error in the clock signal in response to the position difference.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further including:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the mobile station from the mobile station, the position of the mobile station determined based the fixed position of the at least one base station and the error in the clock signal.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mobile station is a GNSS-enabled mobile station. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further including:
 broadcasting, by the one or more processors, a time stamp and the fixed position of the at least one base station to a non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine a position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further including:
 synchronizing, by the one or more processors, a clock signal of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station with a clock signal of the at least one base station; and   receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based on the time stamp, the fixed position of the at least one base station, and the synchronized clock signal of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further including:
 generating, by the one or more processors, a non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix based on wind speed and Earth movement; and   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix to the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further including:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based on the time stamp, the fixed position of the at least one base station, and the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one base station includes three or more base stations. 
     
     
         30 . A system for determining a position of one or more mobile stations using a plurality of base stations, the system comprising:
 a memory storing instructions; and   one or more processors executing the instructions to execute a process, the process including:   receiving, by the one or more processors, a fixed position and a pseudo position of at least one base station of the plurality of base stations, wherein the pseudo position is based on a synchronization error between a clock signal of the at least one base station and a clock signal of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite;   generating, by the one or more processors, a coordinate-correction matrix in response to the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station; and   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the fixed position and an error in the clock signal of the base station including the coordinate-correction matrix to a mobile station to determine a position of the mobile station, wherein the error in the clock signal is based on the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the process further includes:
 determining, by the one or more processors, a position difference between the fixed position and the pseudo position of the base station; and   determining, by the one or more processors, the error in the clock signal in response to the position difference.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the process further includes:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the mobile station from the mobile station, the position of the mobile station determined based the fixed position of the at least one base station and the error in the clock signal.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the mobile station is a GNSS-enabled mobile station. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the process further includes:
 broadcasting, by the one or more processors, a time stamp and the fixed position of the at least one base station to a non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine a position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the process further includes:
 synchronizing, by the one or more processors, a clock signal of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station with a clock signal of the at least one base station; and   receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based on the time stamp, the fixed position of the at least one base station, and the synchronized clock signal of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the process further includes:
 generating, by the one or more processors, a non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix based on wind speed and Earth movement; and   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix to the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the process further includes:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based on the time stamp, the fixed position of the at least one base station, and the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one base station includes three or more base stations. 
     
     
         39 . A method for determining a position of one or more mobile stations using a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors, a fixed position and a pseudo position of at least one base station of the plurality of base stations, wherein the pseudo position is based on a synchronization error between a clock signal of the at least one base station and a clock signal of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite;   generating, by the one or more processors, a coordinate-correction matrix in response to the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station;   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the fixed position and an error in the clock signal of the base station including the coordinate-correction matrix to a GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine a position of the GNSS-enabled mobile station, wherein the error in the clock signal is based on the fixed position and the pseudo position of the at least one base station;   receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the GNSS-enabled mobile station from the GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based the fixed position of the at least one base station and the error in the clock signal;   synchronizing, by the one or more processors, a clock signal of a non-GNSS-enabled mobile station with a clock signal of the at least one base station;   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, a time stamp and the fixed position of the at least one base station to the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine a position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station; and   receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station determined based on the time stamp, the fixed position of the at least one base station, and the synchronized clock signal of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further including:
 generating, by the one or more processors, a non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix based on wind speed and Earth movement;   broadcasting, by the one or more processors, the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix to the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station to determine the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station; and   receiving, by the one or more processors, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station, the position of the non-GNSS-enabled mobile station further determined based on the non-GNSS-position coordinate-correction matrix.