Methods and apparatus for improving carrier phase detection in satellite positioning system signals

A mobile device configured to support satellite positioning system (SPS) operation, the mobile device comprising:

• a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver configured to receive SPS signals over a plurality of frequency bands;
• a processor coupled to the SPS receiver and configured to:
• receive a first positioning signal of a first frequency band from a satellite vehicle (SV);
• receive a second positioning signal of a second frequency band from the same SV as the first positioning signal;
• measure a first carrier phase (CP) measurement of the first positioning signal at a first time and a second CP measurement of the first positioning signal at a second time;
• perform a third CP measurement of the second positioning signal at a third time and a fourth CP measurement of the second positioning signal at a fourth time;
• and
• estimate a corrected second CP measurement of the first positioning signal by selecting an integer value of the corrected second CP measurement using a difference between the third CP measurement and the fourth CP measurement of the second positioning signal and selecting a fractional value of the second CP measurement to be a fractional value of the corrected second CP measurement.

An apparatus configured to support satellite positioning system (SPS) operation, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a first positioning signal of a first frequency band from a satellite vehicle (SV);
• means for receiving a second positioning signal of a second frequency band from the same SV as the first positioning signal;
• means for measuring a first carrier phase (CP) measurement of the first positioning signal at a first time and a second CP measurement of the second positioning signal at a second time;
• means for performing a third CP measurement of the second positioning signal at a third time and a fourth CP measurement of the first positioning signal at a fourth time;
• and
• means for estimating a corrected second CP measurement of the first positioning signal by selecting an integer value of the corrected second CP measurement using a difference between the third CP measurement and the fourth CP measurement of the second positioning signal and selecting a fractional value of the second CP measurement to be a fractional value of the corrected second CP measurement.