Advanced power management for satellite positioning system

• US 20050083230A1
• Filed: 09/14/2002
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Limited (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIRF Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harvey, Robert Shaw, Garin, Lionel J, Zhang, Gengsheng, Witanis, Stefan, Innis, Wendell Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.740
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power management system for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the power management is described. The power management system may include a real-time clock, an input/output device, a radio frequency front-end and a SPS engine in signal communication with the real-time clock, input/output device and radio frequency front-end, the SPS engine capable of powering down itself, the input/output device and radio frequency front-end in response to determining a mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the method comprising:

obtaining a position of the wireless device with the SPS receiver;

determining the mode of operation of the SPS receiver; and

adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source to the SPS receiver in response to the determined mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a fix of the wireless device includes determining a fix of the wireless device in a cold-start operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the mode includes receiving a mode command from the communication device and determining an environment of operation in response to obtaining a position of the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mode command includes a duty priority mode command and time-between-fixes mode command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source includes powering up all components of the SPS receiver in response to determining the mode is a full power sub-mode.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source includes powering down components of the SPS receiver except a processor and a real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a processor only sub-mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source includes powering down components of the SPS receiver except the real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a tricklestate sub-mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the amount of power supplied by the power source includes

programming the real-time clock with the processor for a wakeup time;

powering down radio frequency front-end and input/output device located in the SPS receiver; and

powering down the processor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein programming the real-time clock includes setting a wakeup time for the real-time clock to send a wakeup signal to the processor at the wakeup time.

10. The method of claim 9, further including

powering up the processor in response to receiving the wakeup signal from the real-time clock;

and

powering up the radio frequency front-end of the SPS receiver;

obtaining measurement data from the radio frequency front-end;

powering down the radio frequency front-end;

computing a new fix of wireless device in response to obtaining the measurements;

powering up the input/output device of the SPS receiver;

sending the computed new fix to the communication device;

determining a sleep time and wakeup time for the processor;

setting a new wakeup time for the real-time clock; and

powering down the processor.

11. A power management system for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the power management system comprising:

a real-time clock;

input/output device;

an radio frequency front-end; and

a SPS engine in signal communication with the real-time clock, input/output device and radio frequency front-end, the SPS engine capable of powering down itself, the input/output device and radio frequency front-end in response to determining a mode of operation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the SPS engine receives a mode command from the communication device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mode command includes a duty priority mode command and time-between-fixes mode command.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the real-time clock includes a backup memory.

15. A power management system for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the power management system comprising:

means for obtaining a position of the wireless device with the SPS receiver;

means for determining the mode of operation of the SPS receiver; and

means for adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source to the SPS receiver in response to the determined mode of operation.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein determining means includes

means for receiving a mode command from the communication device and

means for determining an environment of operation in response to obtaining a position of the wireless device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mode command includes a duty priority mode command and time-between-fixes mode command.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein adjusting means includes means for powering up all components of the SPS receiver in response to determining the mode is a full power sub-mode.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein adjusting means includes means for powering down components of the SPS receiver except a processor and a real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a processor only sub-mode.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting means includes means for powering down components of the SPS receiver except the real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a tricklestate sub-mode.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein adjusting means includes

means for programming the real-time clock with the processor for a wakeup time;

means for powering down radio frequency front-end and input/output device located in the SPS receiver; and

means for powering down the processor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein programming means includes means for setting a wakeup time for the real-time clock to send a wakeup signal to the processor at the wakeup time.

23. The system of claim 22, further including means for powering up the processor in response to receiving the wakeup signal from the real-time clock;

and

means for powering up the radio frequency front-end of the SPS receiver;

means for obtaining measurement data from the radio frequency front-end;

means for powering down the radio frequency front-end;

means for computing a new fix of wireless device in response to obtaining the measurements;

means for powering up the input/output device of the SPS receiver;

means for sending the computed new fix to the communication device;

means for determining a sleep time and wakeup time for the processor;

means for setting a new wakeup time for the real-time clock; and

means for powering down the processor.

29. The signal-bearing medium of claim 19, wherein adjusting logic includes logic configured for powering down components of the SPS receiver except the real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a tricklestate sub-mode.

30. The signal-bearing medium of claim 29, wherein adjusting logic includes logic configured for programming the real-time clock with the processor for a wakeup time;

logic configured for powering down radio frequency front-end and input/output device located in the SPS receiver; and

logic configured for powering down the processor.

24. A signal-bearing medium having software for managing power in a wireless device having a SPS receiver, communication device and a power source, the signal-bearing medium comprising:

logic configured for obtaining a position of the wireless device with the SPS receiver;

logic configured for determining the mode of operation of the SPS receiver; and

logic configured for adjusting an amount of power supplied by the power source to the SPS receiver in response to the determined mode of operation.

25. The signal-bearing medium of claim 24, wherein determining logic includes

logic configured for receiving a mode command from the communication device and

logic configured for determining an environment of operation in response to obtaining a position of the wireless device.

26. The signal-bearing medium of claim 25, wherein the mode command includes a duty priority mode command and time-between-fixes mode command.

27. The signal-bearing medium of claim 26, wherein adjusting logic includes logic configured for powering up all components of the SPS receiver in response to determining the mode is a full power sub-mode.

28. The signal-bearing medium of claim 26, wherein adjusting logic includes logic configured for powering down components of the SPS receiver except a processor and a real-time clock in response to determining the mode is a processor only sub-mode.

32. The signal-bearing medium of claim 30, wherein programming logic includes logic configured for setting a wakeup time for the real-time clock to send a wakeup signal to the processor at the wakeup time.

32-1. The signal-bearing medium of claim 31, further including logic configured for powering up the processor in response to receiving the wakeup signal from the real-time clock;

and

logic configured for powering up the radio frequency front-end of the SPS receiver;

logic configured for obtaining measurement data from the radio frequency front-end;

logic configured for powering down the radio frequency front-end;

logic configured for computing a new fix of wireless device in response to obtaining the measurements;

logic configured for powering up the input/output device of the SPS receiver;

logic configured for sending the computed new fix to the communication device;

logic configured for determining a sleep time and wakeup time for the processor;

logic configured for setting a new wakeup time for the real-time clock; and

logic configured for powering down the processor.