Method and apparatus for lowering power use by a ranging receiver

• US 20050113124A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Syrjarinne, Jari, Kappi, Jani
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/285 taking into account the mobility of the user

Abstract

Equipment and a method by which power consumed by a ranging receiver (12) is reduced without appreciably impairing performance of the GPS receiver (12), the method including: a step (21) in which a controller (15) reads sensor signals provided by a motion sensor (14) mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver (12); and a step (22) in which the controller (15) powers down selected components of the ranging receiver (12) based on whether the sensor signals indicate only at most insubstantial motion of the ranging receiver (12). The motion sensor is advantageously a motion sensor constructed using MEMS technology, but at any rate is of a type using so little power as to provide a power savings when used according to the invention, i.e. when it is always on and at least partially based on its sensor signals, the ranging receiver (12) is sometimes at least partially turned off.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a ranging receiver (12), for providing output signals indicating information as to the position or motion of the ranging receiver (12), the apparatus characterized in that:

the ranging receiver is responsive to power control signals based on sensor signals indicating whether the ranging receiver (12) is in motion, the power control signals for powering on or off selected components of the ranging receiver;

and in that the apparatus further comprises;

a motion sensor (14), mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver (12), for providing the sensor signals.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, further characterized by a controller (15), responsive to the sensor signals, for providing the power control signals so as to power down the selected components of the ranging receiver (12) if the sensor signals indicate that the ranging receiver (12) is substantially stationary.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the controller (15) also uses the output signals from the ranging receiver (12) to determine whether to power down the selected components of the ranging receiver (12).

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the controller (15) re-applies power to the selected components as soon as the motion sensor (14) indicates significant motion of the ranging receiver (12).

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the controller (15) re-applies power to the selected components according to a predetermined rule allowing for the power to remain off for a predetermined time based optionally on recent past sensor signals, but at least as soon as the motion sensor (14) indicates significant motion of the ranging receiver (12).

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the motion sensor (14) is a MEMS-based motion sensor.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the motion sensor (14) comprises an electronic compass or an accelerometer.

8. A system, comprising:

an apparatus as in claim 1, and further comprising one or more ranging satellites for providing ranging signals conveying navigation information, wherein the apparatus provides the output signals indicating information as to the position or motion of the ranging receiver (12) based on the ranging signals.

9. A system, comprising:

a cellular communication terminal including an apparatus as in claim 1, and a cellular communication network by which the cellular communication terminal is communicative with other communication terminals.

10. A system, comprising:

a cellular communication terminal including an apparatus as in claim 1;

a cellular communication network by which the cellular communication terminal is communicative with other communication terminals; and

one or more ranging satellites for providing ranging signals conveying navigation information, wherein the apparatus provides the output signals indicating information as to the position or motion of the ranging receiver (12) based on the ranging signals.

11. A method for saving power consumed by a ranging receiver (12), characterized by:

a step (21) of reading sensor signals provided by a motion sensor (14) mechanically coupled to the ranging receiver (12); and

a step (22) of powering down selected components of the ranging receiver (12) based on whether the sensor signals indicate only at most insubstantial motion of the ranging receiver (12).

12. The method of claim 11, further characterized by:

a step (24) of reapplying power to the selected components according to a predetermined rule allowing for the power to remain off for a predetermined time based optionally on recent past sensor signals, but at least as soon as the motion sensor (14) indicates significant motion of the ranging receiver (12).

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor, with said computer program code characterized in that it includes instructions for performing the steps of the method of claim 11.