Claims:1. A system (100) for prime receiver selection, said system comprising:
one or more GNSS units (102) coupled to one or more antennas (104), the one or more GNSS units (102) receive a set of signals from the one or more antennas, each of the one or more GNSS units comprising:
one or more receivers (106) coupled to the one or more antennas (104) by a splitter (110), said one or more receivers receive the set of signals from the one or more antennas to generate a set of data; and
one or more processor hardware (108) coupled to the one or more receivers, the one or more processor hardware configured to:
receive, from the one or more receivers, the set of data, wherein a first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data;
evaluate the first set of parameters to select a second set of parameters, said second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS), wherein based on the selection of said second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware (108) configured to select prime receiver from the one or more receivers.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of dilution of precision (DOP), time figure of merit (TFOM), satellites locked values, position dilution of precision (PDOP), vertical dilution of precision (VDOP) and time dilution of precision (TDOP).
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more processor hardware receives the set of data from the one or more receivers using data receiver module implemented in the one or more processor hardware.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas (104) can be placed at different locations, orientations or collocated to receive the set of signals.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a prime receiver selection (PRS) unit (204) is configured in the one or more processor hardware (108), the PRS unit receives the set of data from the one or more receivers (106) to select the prime receiver.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PRS unit (204) comprises a prime TOD selection unit (206), a prime position selection unit (208) and a prime PPS selection unit (210), wherein the prime TOD selection unit (206), the prime position selection unit (208) and the prime PPS selection unit (210) analyse their respective set of data from the one or more receivers (106) to elect the prime PPS, TOD and position from the one or more receivers (106).
7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more processor hardware (108) selects the prime PPS from the one or more receivers (106) using TFOM parameter and terminates the PPS output, when the TFOM value exceeds the threshold value.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more processor hardware (108) selects the prime TOD from the one or more receivers (106) using TDOP and number of satellite locked values, wherein the number of satellite locked values is implemented when similar TDOP values are determined.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more processor hardware (108) selects the prime position from the one or more receivers using any or a combination of PDOP, VDOP and number of satellite locked values, wherein the VDOP parameter is implemented when similar PDOP values are determined and number of satellite locked values is implemented when similar PDOP and VDOP values are determined.
10. A method (500) for prime receiver selection, said method comprising:
receiving (502), at one or more receivers configured in each of the one or more GNSS units, a set of signals from the one or more antennas to generate a set of data, one or more receivers coupled to the one or more antennas by a splitter, the one or more GNSS units coupled to the one or more antennas;
receiving (504), at one or more processor hardware, the set of data from the one or more receivers, wherein a first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data;
evaluating (506), at the one or more processor hardware, the first set of parameters to select a second set of parameters, the second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS), wherein based on the selection of the second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware configured to select (508) prime receiver from the one or more receivers.
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates, in general, to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, and more specifically, relates to a means of prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) refers to a constellation of satellites that are transmitting signals of position and timing data to GNSS receivers. GNSS provides global coverage. Some of the GNSS include Europe’s Galileo, USA’s NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema (GLONASS), Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) and any other additional satellite navigation system which may be created in the future. The receivers use this data to determine location, time, altitude, speed and various other parameters. However, these signals are prone to several sources of disturbance, causing errors in the measurements that are generated inside the receiver, which in turn degrades positioning or timing accuracy.
[0003] Placement/orientation of the antenna also affects the GNSS signals. In typical operations, the antenna is oriented towards the sky to maximize satellite view hence maximizing available signal power. However, it is not always feasible to have an open sky view as it will be restricted by local obstructions hence having a narrow satellite view. GNSS signals have low power levels, and hence they are prone to many errors. These errors have various causes and scales, hence having various consequences. For instance, when a navigation system using a GNSS receiver is used in a critical application, a slight error in accuracy or availability can seriously increase the risk to the mission goal.
[0004] Few exemplary technologies in the field of GNSS may include dual antennas, where each of the antenna are connected to dual navigation units via an interference suppression unit and a splitter. The system can further comprise a third navigation unit receiving signals from first interference suppression unit and a fourth navigation unit receiving signals from second interference suppression unit. However, in this method, if the first antenna fails then the first, second and the third navigation unit also fails. Further, the GPS data is just passed down the chain without evaluating the accuracy of the receivers. Another existing method may include a GPS receiver connected to a switch that is capable of connecting a GPS antenna array having multiple antennas in various orientations. This method has antenna redundancy, however, has a single point of failure for GPS receiver.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a means that enables reliable, uninterrupted and most accurate GNSS service.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0006] An object of the present disclosure relates, in general, to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, and more specifically, relates to a means of prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration.
[0007] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system that enables prime GNSS receiver selection that always provides accurate GNSS data.
[0008] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system that provides failsafe redundancy configuration.
[0009] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system that eliminates single point of failure of antenna by having one or more antennas placed in different orientations/placements, each of which is connected to one or more GNSS receivers in each of the one or more GNSS units, so that an antenna failure may not cause a system failure.
[0010] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system that eliminates single point of failure of the one or more GNSS receivers by having one or more GNSS receiver each of which is connected to a processor hardware in each of the one or more GNSS units, so that the GNSS receiver failure may not cause a system failure.
[0011] Another object of the present disclosure enables the system to be functioning even when there are single or multiple antenna failures.
[0012] Another object of the present disclosure enables the system to be functioning even when there are single or multiple GNSS receiver failures.
[0013] Yet another object of the present disclosure achieves unit level redundancy by using one or more GNSS units, where each one sends out the data with prime accuracy.

SUMMARY
[0014] The present disclosure relates, in general, to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, and more specifically, relates to a means of prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration.
[0015] The present disclosure relates, in general, to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, and more specifically, relates to a means of prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration. The dependency on GNSS has become increasingly important to time and position critical applications in the field of communication and navigation. This dependency calls for the GNSS receivers to be utmost accurate and reliable in such critical applications. The present disclosure includes one or more GNSS receivers and one or more GNSS antennas thus eliminating a single point of failure of any of the systems and making the system reliable. To provide accurate data, a methodology is implemented in the processor hardware, which evaluates all the one or more GNSS receivers connected and then selects the GNSS receiver having greater accuracy.
[0016] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a system for prime receiver selection, the system including one or more GNSS units coupled to one or more antennas, the one or more GNSS units receive a set of signals from the one or more antennas, each of the one or more GNSS units comprising: one or more receivers coupled to the one or more antennas by a splitter, the one or more receivers receive the set of signals from the one or more antennas to generate a set of data, one or more processor hardware coupled to the one or more receivers, the one or more processor hardware configured to receive, from the one or more receivers, the set of data, wherein a first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data and evaluate the first set of parameters to select a second set of parameters, the second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS),wherein, based on the selection of the second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware configured to select prime receiver from the one or more receivers.
[0017] In an embodiment, the first set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of dilution of precision (DOP), time figure of merit (TFOM) and satellites locked values, position dilution of precision (PDOP), vertical dilution of precision (VDOP) and time dilution of precision (TDOP).
[0018] In another embodiment, one or more processor hardware receives the set of data from the one or more receivers using data receiver module implemented in the one or more processor hardware.
[0019] In another embodiment, the one or more antennas can be placed at different locations, orientations or collocated to receive the set of signals.
[0020] In another embodiment, a prime receiver selection unit is configured in the one or more processor hardware, the PRS unit receives the set of data from the one or more receivers to select the prime receiver.
[0021] In another embodiment, the PRS unit includes a prime TOD selection unit, a prime position selection unit and a prime PPS selection unit, wherein the prime TOD selection unit, the prime position selection unit and the prime PPS selection unit analyse their respective set of data from the one or more receivers to elect the prime PPS, TOD and position from the one or more receivers.
[0022] In another embodiment, the one or more processor hardware selects the prime PPS from the one or more receivers using TFOM parameter and terminates the PPS output, when the TFOM value exceeds the threshold value.
[0023] In another embodiment, the one or more processor hardware selects the prime TOD from the one or more receivers using TDOP and number of satellite locked values, wherein the number of satellite locked values is implemented when similar TDOP values are determined.
[0024] In another embodiment, the one or more processor hardware selects the prime position from the one or more receivers using any or a combination of PDOP, VDOP and number of satellite locked values, wherein the VDOP parameter is implemented when similar PDOP values are determined and number of satellite locked values is implemented when similar PDOP and VDOP values are determined.
[0025] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for prime receiver selection, the method includes receiving, at one or more receivers configured in each of the one or more GNSS units, a set of signals from the one or more antennas to generate a set of data, one or more receivers coupled to the one or more antennas by a splitter, the one or more GNSS units coupled to the one or more antennas, receiving, at one or more processor hardware, the set of data from the one or more receivers, wherein a first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data, evaluating, at the one or more processor hardware, the first set of parameters to select a second set of parameters, the second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS), wherein based on the selection of the second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware configured to select prime receiver from the one or more receivers.
[0026] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further illustrate aspects of the present disclosure. The disclosure may be better understood by reference to the drawings in combination with the detailed description of the specific embodiments presented herein.
[0028] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary representation of system for prime receiver selection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 1B is an exemplary view illustrating the prime receiver selection in the processor hardware, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime position selection method, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime time of the day (TOD) selection method, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime pulse per second (PPS) selection method, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method for prime receiver selection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. If the specification states a component or feature “may”, “can”, “could”, or “might” be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have the characteristic.
[0035] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0036] The present disclosure relates, in general, to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, and more specifically, relates to a means of prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration. The dependency on GNSS has become increasingly important to time and position critical applications in the field of communication and navigation. This dependency calls for the GNSS receivers to be utmost accurate and reliable in such critical applications. The present disclosure includes one or more GNSS receivers and one or more GNSS antennas thus eliminating a single point of failure of any of the systems and making the system reliable. To provide accurate data, a methodology is implemented in the processor hardware, which evaluates all the one or more GNSS receivers connected and then selects the GNSS receiver having greater accuracy. The present disclosure can be described in enabling detail in the following examples, which may represent more than one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary representation of system for prime receiver selection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 1A, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) (also referred to as system 100, herein) configured for prime GNSS receiver selection and failsafe redundancy configuration. The system 100 may include a constellation of satellites that are transmitting signals of position and timing data to GNSS receivers. The system 100 may include one or more GNSS units (102-1 to 102-N (which are collectively referred to as one or more GNSS units 102, hereinafter)), one or more GNSS antennas (104-1 to 104-N (which are collectively referred to as one or more antennas 104, hereinafter)), one or more GNSS receivers (106-1 to 106-N (which are collectively referred to as one or more receivers 106, hereinafter) and one or more processor hardware (108-1 to 108-N (which are collectively referred to as one or more processor hardware 108, hereinafter)).The system 100 may provide reliable, uninterrupted and most accurate GNSS services. The present disclosure may include one or more GNSS receivers 106 and one or more GNSS antennas 104 thus eliminating a single point of failure of any of the systems 100.
[0039] In an embodiment, the one or more antennas 104 may be placed in different locations, orientations or collocated to receiving GNSS signals. The one or more GNSS units 102 may be coupled to the one or more antennas 104. Each of the one or more GNSS units 102 may include one or more receivers 106 and one or more processor hardware 108. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more GNSS receivers as presented in the example may be four receivers. As can be appreciated, the present disclosure may not be limited to this configuration but may be extended to other configurations. To consistently provide accurate data the present disclosure has a methodology implemented in the processor hardware 108 (also interchangeably referred to as a processor 108, herein) that is connected to all the available one or more receivers 106, which may evaluate and then select the GNSS receiver having prime time, pulse per second (PPS) and position accuracy.
[0040] In another embodiment, each of the one or more antennas 104 may be coupled to each of the one or more receivers 106 belonging to the one or more GNSS units 102 by using a splitter 110. This configuration ensures that the one or more GNSS units 102 are connected to all the one or more antennas 104 present in the configuration so that the one or more GNSS units 102 may receive signals from the one or more antennas 104 if placed in different orientations/placements and the one or more GNSS units 102 may not be affected by any combination of antenna failure.
[0041] The system 100 may eliminate single point of failure of the antenna by having the one or more antennas 104 placed in different orientations/placements, each of which may be connected to the one or more receivers 106 in each of the one or more GNSS units 102, so that an antenna failure may not cause the system failure. Further, the system 100 may eliminate the single point of failure of one or more receivers 106 by having the one or more receivers 106 each of which may be connected to the one or more processor hardware 108 in each of the GNSS units 102, so that the GNSS receiver failure may not cause the system failure.
[0042] FIG. 1B is an exemplary view illustrating the prime receiver selection in the processor hardware, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1B, after ensuring the system is reliable, there needs to be a methodology which always opts for the best available receiver, so that the system 100 is not only fail proof but also very accurate with respect to GNSS parameters. The one or more receivers 106 may receive the GNSS signals (also referred to as a set of signals) through the one or more antennas 104, process the GNSS signals and send the GNSS data (also referred to as a set of data) to the one or more processor hardware 108.
[0043] A GNSS data receiver module 202 (also referred to as data receiver module 202) may be implemented in the one or more processor hardware 108 which may receive the GNSS data from all the one or more receivers 106. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more receivers 106, in this regard, may be four receivers. The one or more processor hardware 108 may extract a first set of parameters (also interchangeably referred to as GNSS parameters) from the GNSS data, where the first set of parameters may include any or a combination of dilution of precision (DOP), time figure of merit (TFOM), satellites locked values, position dilution of precision (PDOP), vertical dilution of precision (VDOP) and time dilution of precision (TDOP).
[0044] In another embodiment, a prime receiver selection unit 204 may be configured in the one or more processor harware108, the prime receiver selection unit 204 may receive GNSS data from all the available one or more receivers 106 and select the receiver with prime accuracy. The one or more processor hardware 108 may receive, from the one or more receivers 106, the set of data, where the first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data. The one or more processor hardware 108 evaluate the first set of parameters to select a second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of the prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS)where, based on the selection of the second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware 108 configured to select prime receiver from the one or more receivers 106
[0045] The above process may encompass the prime receiver selection unit 204, which may include three sub-modules such as prime TOD selection unit 206, prime position selection unit 208 and prime 1PPS selection unit 210. These sub-modules may analyse their respective data from all the four GNSS receivers 106 and elect the prime 1PPS, TOD and position from the four GNSS receivers 106.For example, the system 100 may provide accurate GNSS data by selecting the prime PPS, TOD and position data from the one or more receivers 106 connected to the one or more antennas 102. The prime TOD selection unit 206 may perform prime TOD selection by evaluating TDOP and number of satellite locked parameters. The prime position selection unit 208 may perform prime position selection by evaluating PDOP, VDOP and number of satellites locked parameters. The prime 1PPS selection unit 210 may perform prime PPS selection by evaluating TFOM value.
[0046] In another embodiment, the prime PPS may be selected from the one or more GNSS receivers 106 using TFOM parameter and terminating the PPS output or sending out PPS with warnings when the TFOM value is above/exceeds a threshold value to prevent sending out inaccurate PPS. In another embodiment, the prime TOD may be selected from the one or more GNSS receivers 106 using TDOP and number of satellite locked parameters, where the number of satellite locked parameter is used when there are similar TDOP values while evaluating for prime TOD. In another embodiment, the prime position may be selected from the one or more GNSS receivers 106 using PDOP, VDOP and number of satellite locked parameters, where the VDOP parameter is used when there are similar PDOP values and number of satellite locked parameter are used when there are similar PDOP and VDOP values while evaluating for prime position.
[0047] The embodiments of the present disclosure described above provide several advantages. The one or more of the embodiments provide the system 100 that enables accurate GNSS data by selecting the prime PPS, prime position and prime TOD. The failsafe redundancy methodology may include one or more GNSS antennas 104, which receive GNSS signals, the one or more GNSS receivers 106 which processes the GNSS signals for timing and position data and the one or more processor hardware 108, which has PRS methodology that always selects the most accurate GNSS receiver. The present disclosure may achieve unit-level redundancy by using one or more GNSS units 102, where each one sends out the data with prime accuracy.
[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime position selection method 200, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, the GNSS parameters that may be required to ascertain the prime position are PDOP, VDOP and satellite locked count. The PRS method may retrieve PDOP, VDOP and the satellite lock count from the GNSS receiver method from all the available receivers 106. It then elects the GNSS receiver as prime for the position, which has the least PDOP amongst the available receivers.
[0050] For example, if there is a case in which the PDOP is greater than 10 then no receiver 106 is selected as prime for the position and the system 100 remains idle providing no position data and if the PDOP is similar between the receivers 106 then the VDOP of the receivers 106 with similar PDOP is compared. The GNSS receiver 106 is elected as prime with the least VDOP value amongst them.
[0051] If there is a case, where the both the PDOP and VDOP are similar between the receivers 106 then the method elects the GNSS receiver with the maximum number of satellite locked as the prime. This triple check methodology ensures that the position selected is of utmost accurate amongst the available receivers.
[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime time of the day (TOD) selection method 300, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0053] Referring to FIG.3, the GNSS parameters required to ascertain the prime TOD are TDOP and satellite locked count. The PRS method may retrieve the TDOP and the satellite lock count from the GNSS receiver 106 methods from all the available receivers 106. It then elects the GNSS receiver as prime for TOD which has the least TDOP amongst the available receivers.
[0054] If there is a case, where the TDOP is greater 10 then no receiver is selected as prime for TOD and the system remains idle providing no TOD data and if TDOP is similar between the receivers then the method elects the GNSS receiver with the maximum number of satellite locked as the prime. This double-check methodology ensures that the TOD selected is of utmost accurate amongst the available receivers.
[0055] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of prime pulse per second (PPS) selection method 400, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 4, the GNSS parameters required to ascertain the prime 1PPS is TFOM. The PRS method may retrieve TFOM from the GNSS receiver method from all the available receivers 106. It then elects the GNSS receiver as prime for TOD which has the least TFOM amongst the available receivers 106 ensuring that the elected 1PPS is utmost accurate amongst the available receivers and if the TFOM is greater than 6 then no receiver is selected as prime for 1PPS and the system remains idle providing no 1PPS output. The PRS methodology is implemented in such a way that at any point of time only the utmost accurate data is provided and if the data degradation is observed to a point, where the accuracy is affected then the methodology withholds itself from affecting/providing degraded data to the systems depending upon it.
[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method 500 for prime receiver selection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] At block 502, the one or more receivers configured in each of one or more GNSS units, the one or more receivers receives the set of signals from the one or more antennas to generate a set of data. The one or more receivers coupled to the one or more antennas by a splitter, the one or more GNSS units coupled to the one or more antennas.
[0059] At block 504, the one or more processor hardware configured to receive, from the one or more receivers the set of data, where a first set of parameters are extracted from the set of data. At block 506, the one or more processor hardware may evaluate the first set of parameters to select the second set of parameters, the second set of parameters pertaining to any or a combination of prime time of the day (TOD), prime position and prime pulse per second (PPS). At block 510, based on the selection of the second set of parameters, the one or more processor hardware configured to select prime receiver from the one or more receivers.
[0060] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the system 100 of the disclosure may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, it will be clear that the disclosure is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, as described in the claims.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0061] The present disclosure provides a system that enables prime GNSS receiver selection that always provides accurate GNSS data.
[0062] The present disclosure provides a system that provides failsafe redundancy configuration.
[0063] The present disclosure provides a system that eliminates single point of failure of antenna by having one or more antennas placed in different orientations/placements, each of which is connected to one or more GNSS receivers in each of the one or more GNSS units, so that an antenna failure may not cause a system failure.
[0064] The present disclosure provides a system that eliminates single point of failure of the one or more GNSS receivers by having one or more GNSS receiver each of which is connected to a processor hardware in each of the one or more GNSS units, so that the GNSS receiver failure may not cause a system failure.
[0065] The present disclosure achieves unit level redundancy by using one or more GNSS units, where each one sends out the data with prime accuracy.
[0066] The present disclosure enables the system to be functioning even when there are single or multiple antenna failures.
[0067] The present disclosure enables the system to be functioning even when there are single or multiple GNSS receiver failures.