Spread spectrum receiver and related method

• US 20020039381A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Yule, Andrew T., Dooley, Saul R., Wilcox, Martin S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/70758 Multimode search, i.e. using multiple search strategies
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/70706 using a code tracking loop, e.g. a delay locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/7071 with dynamic control of receiver resources

Abstract

A method and apparatus (1A) for receiving a spread spectrum signal at a mobile communications terminal, including the step of processing the signal for the purposes of signal acquisition and signal tracking, monitoring movement of the mobile terminal and deriving a signal indicative of a characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal, and further including changing the mode of the processing of the incoming spectrum signal in response to the signal indicating the said characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of receiving a spread spectrum signal at a mobile communications terminal, including the step of processing the signal for the purposes of signal acquisition and signal tracking, monitoring movement of the mobile terminal and deriving a signal indicative of a characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal, characterised by the step of changing the mode of the processing of the incoming signal in response to the signal indicating the said characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitored characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal comprises an acceleration/deceleration characteristic.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitored characteristic of movement comprises a speed component.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 where the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises narrowing the ranging of frequencies swept during signal acquisition as a function of the speed component.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the characteristic of movement comprises the mobile terminal being in a stationary state.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises switching signal tracking loops within the terminal.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises increasing the integration time employed within an integrator within the mobile terminal.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises taking a snapshot of the incoming spread spectrum signal only when either the speed or acceleration of the mobile terminal is below a predetermined threshold.

9. A spread spectrum receiver for a mobile terminal and including means for processing the signal for the purpose of signal acquisition and signal tracking, means for monitoring the movement of the mobile terminal and deriving a signal indicative of a characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal, characterised by means for changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal in response to the signal indicating the said characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal.

10. A receiver as claimed in claim 9, wherein the monitored characteristic of movement of the mobile terminal comprises an acceleration/deceleration characteristic.

11. A receiver as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the monitored characteristic of movement comprises a speed component.

12. A receiver according to claim 11 wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises narrowing the ranging of frequencies swept during signal acquisition as a function of the speed component.

13. A receiver as claimed in claim 9, wherein the characteristic of movement comprises the mobile terminal being in a stationary state.

14. A receiver as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises switching signal tracking loops within the terminal.

15. A receiver as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises increasing the integration time employed within an integrator within the mobile terminal.

16. A receiver as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the step of changing the mode of processing of the incoming spread spectrum signal comprises taking a snapshot of the incoming spread spectrum signal only when either the speed or acceleration of the mobile terminal is below a predetermined threshold.