# US 12,111,402 B2 · Positioning assistance apparatus, positioning assistance method, and computer-readable recording medium

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- Number: US 12,111,402 B2
- Document ID: US12111402B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/633,648
- Filed: 2020-08-20
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-05
- Assignees: NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd.
- Applicants: NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd.
- Inventors: Ryo Miyamoto; Maho Kashiwagi; Yuka Kanda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111402B2

## CPC

- G01S 19/072: {Ionosphere corrections}
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A positioning assistance apparatus 1 that improves the positioning accuracy includes an estimation unit 2 that estimates a delay amount (ionosphere delay amount or a troposphere delay amount) using a model generated through machine learning (an ionosphere delay model or a troposphere delay model) and a degree-of-precision calculation unit 3 that calculates a degree of precision with respect to a delay amount (an ionosphere delay amount or a troposphere delay amount) calculated through positioning computation, using the estimated delay amount.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A generation-side apparatus comprising:
an antenna for receiving positioning signals from one or more positioning satellites;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
determine a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculate an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on the positioning signals received from the one or more positioning satellites;
calculate a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculate a calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generate local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receive a current temperature and humidity;
determine an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculate a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount;
calculate an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision; and
transmit the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to a use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on positioning signals that the use-side apparatus receives from the one or more positioning satellites.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The generation-side apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
calculate a calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determine an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculate a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount;
calculate an accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision; and
transmit the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to the use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine the position of the use-side apparatus.

### Claim 3

A use-side apparatus comprising:
an antenna for receiving positioning signals from one or more positioning satellites;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
receive local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites including a calculated ionosphere delay amount, and an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount, from a generation-side apparatus;
determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on the positioning signals received from the one or more positioning satellites, using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus generates the local correction information and calculates the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount by:
determining a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculating an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the generation-side apparatus from the one or more positioning satellites;
calculating a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculating the calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generating the local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receiving a current temperature and humidity;
determining an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculating a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount; and
calculating an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The use-side apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further:
receive an accuracy of a calculated troposphere delay amount from the generation-side apparatus, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount; and
determine the position of the use-side apparatus, further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus calculates the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount by:
calculating the calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determining an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculating a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount; and
calculating accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision.

### Claim 5

A method performed by a generation-side apparatus, the method comprising:
determining a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculating an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the generation-side apparatus from one or more positioning satellites;
calculating a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculate a calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generating local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receiving a current temperature and humidity;
determining an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculating a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount;
calculating an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision; and
transmitting the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to a use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on positioning signals that the use-side apparatus receives from the one or more positioning satellites.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, further comprising:
calculating a calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determining an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculating a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount;
calculating an accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision; and
transmitting the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to the use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine the position of the use-side apparatus.

### Claim 7

A method performed by a use-side apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving local correction information for one or more positioning satellites including a calculated ionosphere delay amount, and an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount, from a generation-side apparatus;
determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the use-side apparatus from the one or more positioning satellites, using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus generates the local correction information and calculates the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount by:
determining a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculating an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the generation-side apparatus from the one or more positioning satellites;
calculating a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculating the calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generating the local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receiving a current temperature and humidity;
determining an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculating a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount; and
calculating an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, further comprising:
receiving an accuracy of a calculated troposphere delay amount from the generation-side apparatus, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount; and
determining the position of the use-side apparatus, further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus calculates the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount by:
calculating the calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determining an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculating a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount; and
calculating accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program executable by a generation-side apparatus to perform processing comprising:
determining a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculating an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the generation-side apparatus from one or more positioning satellites;
calculating a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculate a calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generating local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receiving a current temperature and humidity;
determining an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculating a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount;
calculating an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision; and
transmitting the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to a use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on positioning signals that the use-side apparatus receives from the one or more positioning satellites.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the processing further comprises:
calculating a calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determining an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculating a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount;
calculating an accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision; and
transmitting the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to the use-side apparatus, the use-side apparatus further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information to determine the position of the use-side apparatus.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program executable by a use-side apparatus to perform processing comprising:
receiving local correction information for one or more positioning satellites including a calculated ionosphere delay amount, and an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount, from a generation-side apparatus;
determine a position of the use-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the use-side apparatus from the one or more positioning satellites, using the local correction information and the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus generates the local correction information and calculates the accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount by:
determining a reference position of the generation-side apparatus;
calculating an estimated position of the generation-side apparatus based on positioning signals received by an antenna of the generation-side apparatus from the one or more positioning satellites;
calculating a positioning error between the reference position and the estimated position;
calculating the calculated ionosphere delay amount at a time when the estimated position is calculated;
generating the local correction information for the one or more positioning satellites, the local correction information including the calculated ionosphere delay amount;
receiving a current temperature and humidity;
determining an estimated ionosphere delay amount using an ionosphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on the positioning error and the current temperature and humidity;
calculating a first degree of precision of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the estimated ionosphere delay amount; and
calculating an accuracy of the calculated ionosphere delay amount using the first degree of precision.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the processing further comprises:
receiving an accuracy of a calculated troposphere delay amount from the generation-side apparatus, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount; and
determining the position of the use-side apparatus, further using the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount included in the local correction information, wherein
the generation-side apparatus calculates the accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount by:
calculating the calculated troposphere delay amount at the time when the estimated position is calculated, the local correction information further including the calculated troposphere delay amount;
determining an estimated troposphere delay amount using a troposphere delay model generated through machine learning, based on at least the positioning error;
calculating a second degree of precision of the calculated troposphere delay amount, using the estimated troposphere delay amount; and
calculating accuracy of the calculated troposphere delay amount using the second degree of precision.
