Validation of beacon signals

#This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to International Patent Application No. PCT/IB02/04424 filed on Oct. 24, 2002.

#The invention relates to a method for validating detected code modulated signals transmitted by beacons of a positioning system and received by a receiver of the positioning system. The beacon signals are detected based on a correlation procedure performed between a respective given code for a specific beacon and received beacon signals. The invention relates equally to a corresponding receiver, to an electronic device comprising such a receiver, to a device cooperating with such a receiver and to a corresponding positioning system.

#A well known positioning system which is based on the evaluation of signals transmitted by beacons is GPS (Global Positioning System). The constellation in GPS consists of more than 20 satellites employed as beacons that orbit the earth. The distribution of these satellites ensure that usually between five and eight satellites are visible from any point on the earth.

#Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a flow-chart which illustrates an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a positioning system according to the present invention and also shows a receiver and a mobile terminal (electronic device) according to the present invention.

#The flow chart of FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a method for validating a tracking of satellite signals (beacons) according to the invention.

#As seen in FIG. 2, the method is implemented as a software algorithm in a processing unit 10 of a GPS receiver 20 of a GPS positioning system 30. Several satellites SV 40 of the GPS system transmit C/A code modulated signals as described above. The signals transmitted by the satellites are received by a receiving module 22 of the GPS receiver 20 and tracked by a tracking unit within processing unit 10 of the receiver. The GPS receiver is moreover integrated in a mobile terminal 50 which is able to communicate via the air interface with a base station 60 (shown as a network element) of a communication network 70. Currently, the GPS receiver is located indoors.

#As seen in FIG. 3, the receiver 20 may have a module 11 instead of processing unit 10 shown in FIG. 2. This module 11 is for receiving the information from the receiving module 12, and from this information providing information regarding the received code modulated beacon signal from the SVs 40. As seen in FIG. 3, the base station (network element) 60 in this embodiment includes a receiver module 23 and a processing module 13 for performing the remaining functions of the tracking methods of the present invention.