Aided location communication system

An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”), the ALCD comprising:

• a communication section for communicating with a wireless communications network;
• and
• a position-determination section having a GPS-engine,
• wherein the communication section is capable of selectively switching between
• a first mode position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.

An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”), the ALCD comprising:

• means for communicating with a wireless communications network;
• and
• a position-determination section having a GPS-engine,
• wherein the communicating means is capable of selectively switching between
• a first mode position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.

An Aided Location Communication System (“ALCS”), comprising:

• an Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”), including
• a GPS section for receiving and processing a GPS signal,
• a strategy selector, external to and coupled to the GPS section, that determines a positioning strategy based upon a state of the GPS section, wherein the strategy selector is capable of selectively switching between
• a first position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD, and
• a communication section, coupled to the GPS section and the strategy selector, for transmitting and receiving data to and from a geolocation server;
• and
• a geolocation server, which communicates with the communications section of the ALCD via a communications network, including
• an aiding data generation section for forming location aiding data;
• and
• a communication control section for transmitting data to and receiving data from the ALCD.

An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”) tracking at least one GPS satellite, comprising:

• a bus structure,
• a Central Processing Unit (CPU) core comprising
• a microprocessor, coupled to the bus structure;
• a cache memory coupled to the bus structure for storing software code;
• a random access memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing data;
• a read only memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing a boot program;
• and
• a GPS engine, comprising
• a receiving, tracking, and demodulating engine for GPS and Wide Area Augmentation Service (WAAS) signals, wherein the GPS architecture can couple to at least two different protocol interfaces via the bus structure,
• wherein the CPU is capable of selectively switching between
• a first position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.

An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”) for tracking at least one GPS satellite, comprising:

• a bus structure,
• a Central Processing Unit (CPU) core comprising
• a microprocessor, coupled to the bus structure;
• a cache memory coupled to the bus structure for storing software code;
• a random access memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing data and for storing autonomous code used for tracking at least one GPS satellite;
• a read only memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing a boot program;
• and
• a GPS engine, comprising:
• a receiving, tracking, and demodulating engine for GPS and Wide Area Augmentation Service (WAAS) signals, wherein the GPS engine can selectively use the stored autonomous code for tracking at least one GPS satellite,
• wherein the CPU is capable of selectively switching between
• a first position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.

An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”) for tracking at least one GPS satellite, comprising:

• a bus structure,
• a Central Processing Unit (CPU) core comprising
• a microprocessor, coupled to the bus structure;
• a cache memory coupled to the bus structure for storing software code;
• a random access memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing data;
• a read only memory, coupled to the bus structure, for storing a boot program;
• and
• a GPS engine, comprising:
• a receiving, tracking, and demodulating engine for GPS and Wide Area Augmentation Service (WAAS) signals, wherein the GPS architecture can couple, via the bus structure, to at least two different protocol interfaces, and wherein the protocol interface is selected by the GPS architecture automatically,
• wherein the CPU is capable of selectively switching between
• a first position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.

A method for determining the geolocation of an Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”), having a position-determination section and a communication section, within an Aided Location Communication System (“ALCS”), the method comprising:

• receiving at least one GPS-signal, from at least one GPS satellite, at the position-determination section,
• selecting switching between
• a first position-determination mode and
• at least one other position-determination mode for determining the geolocation of the ALCD, and
• determining the geolocation of the ALCD.