Method and apparatus for wireless network timekeeping and synchronization

• US 20030069033A1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Holdings Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen William, Rehem, Yaser Abdel
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2693 Centralised synchronisation, i.e. using external universal time reference, e.g. by using a global positioning system [GPS] or by distributing time reference over the wireline network

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and means for generating timing information in a wireless communication network comprises detecting, at a mobile unit, accurate timing information, wherein the mobile unit is in a cell area serviced by a base station. Association data is generated which associates the accurate timing information with base station timing information maintained by the base station. Network timing information is updated by using or storing the association data. Pursuant to embodiments of the present invention, the association data is stored and maintained at a central network authority from where it may be disseminated to mobile units and base stations in the network.

Claims

1. A method for updating timing information in a wireless communication network, comprising:

detecting, at a mobile unit, signal data containing accurate timing information, wherein said mobile unit is in an area serviced by a base station;

deriving accurate timing information from said signal data;

generating association data associating said accurate timing information with base station timing information maintained by said base station; and

updating network timing information for said base station using said association data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said network timing information is updated using timing information received from a plurality of mobile units in said area.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating network timing information for a plurality of base stations in said wireless communication network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

forwarding portions of said network timing information to said plurality of base stations in said wireless communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal data is global positioning satellite (GPS) signal data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said detecting signal data containing accurate timing information comprises:

receiving, via a GPS antenna, GPS signal data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said deriving accurate timing information from said signal data comprises:

deriving GPS timing information from said GPS signal data in said mobile unit.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said deriving accurate timing information from said signal data comprises:

deriving GPS timing information from said GPS signal data at a central network authority.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said generating association data further comprises:

identifying the base station time at which said GPS signal data is detected;

forwarding said base station time along with said GPS timing information to a central network authority; and

generating said association data at a central network authority.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said generating association data further comprises:

identifying the base station time at which said GPS signal data is detected;

forwarding said base station time along with said GPS signal data to said central network authority; and

generating said association data at said central network authority.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating association data is performed at said mobile unit, the method further comprising:

forwarding said association data to a central network authority.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said association data is stored at a central network authority.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said association data is used to update data at a central network authority.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating said generating and updating each time a mobile unit in said network detects signal data containing accurate timing information.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating said generating and updating each time a mobile unit in said network is instructed to detect signal data containing accurate timing information.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding a portion of said network timing information to a second mobile unit.

17. A network timing system, comprising:

a receiver at a mobile unit configured to detect signal data containing accurate timing information, wherein said mobile unit is in an area serviced by a base station;

a processing device configured to derive accurate timing information from said signal data; and

a central network authority, coupled to receive said accurate timing information and configured to generate association data associating said accurate timing information with base station timing information maintained by said base station, and to provide said accurate timing information and association data to said base station to provide updated network timing at said base station.

18. The network timing system of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of mobile units in said area, each having a receiver configured to detect signal data containing accurate timing information.

19. The network timing system of claim 17, wherein said processing device to derive accurate timing information is located at one of said mobile unit and said central network authority.

20. The network timing system of claim 17, wherein said further comprising a plurality of mobile units in a plurality of areas, each area serviced by at least one base station, wherein said central network authority is configured to provide updated network timing at each of said base stations.

21. The network timing system of claim 20, wherein said central network authority is configured to provide updated network timing information to one or more of said plurality of mobile units.

22. The network timing system of claim 20, further comprising at least one mobile unit in said area configured without a receiver, wherein said central network authority is configured to provide updated network timing information to said at least one mobile unit.

23. The network timing system of claim 17, wherein said signal data is GPS signal data and wherein said processing device, located at one of said mobile unit and said central network authority, is configured to derive GPS timing information from said GPS signal data.

24. The network timing system of claim 23, wherein said association data comprises:

information identifying said base station;

information identifying the base station time at which said GPS signal data is detected; and

said GPS timing information.

25. A network timing method in a network including a central network authority and a plurality of areas each serviced by at least one base station, comprising:

detecting, at a mobile unit in one of said areas, GPS signal data;

deriving, at one of said mobile unit and said central network authority, GPS timing information from said GPS signal data;

associating said GPS timing information with base station timing information from said base station in said area; and

updating network timing information for said base station using said GPS timing information and said base station timing information.