Satellite positioning system receivers and methods

• US 20060181453A1
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: George J. Geier, Mark Heng, Robert Harbour, Thomas M. King
• Inventors: Heng, Mark, King, Thomas M., Geier, George J., Harbour, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.430
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A satellite positioning system receiver programmed to operate synchronously with an expected time of arrival of information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system, and to receive the information from the at least one satellite when the receiver is operating during the expected time of arrival of the information. In one embodiment, the receiver operates synchronously with an expected arrival of specific subframe information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system, and receives the specific subframe information when the receiver is operating.

Claims

1. A method in a satellite positioning system receiver, the method comprising:

operating the receiver synchronously with an expected time of arrival of information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system;

receiving the information from the at least one satellite when the receiver is operating during the expected time of arrival of the information.

2. The method of claim 1, operating the receiver synchronously with an expected arrival of specific subframe information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system, receiving the specific subframe information when the receiver is operating.

3. The method of claim 1, synchronously disabling a receiver operation of the receiver during time periods when the arrival of the information is not expected.

4. The method of claim 2, operating the receiver during time periods when the arrival of information is not expected for performing functions other than receiving the information.

5. The method of claim 1, operating the receiver synchronously with an expected arrival of at least one of ephemeris and almanac information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system.

6. The method of claim 1, operating the receiver synchronously with an expected arrival of at least one of clock correction information, ionospheric correction information, tropospheric correction information, universal time coordinate offset correction information.

7. The method of claim 1, receiving navigation information from at least one satellite of the satellite positioning system when acquiring a satellite of the satellite positioning system.

8. The method of claim 1, receiving navigation information from at least one satellite of the satellite positioning system when tracking a satellite of the satellite positioning system.

9. A satellite positioning system receiver, comprising:

the receiver programmed to operate synchronously with an expected time of arrival of information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system;

the receiver programmed to receive the information from the at least one satellite when the receiver is operating during the expected time of arrival of the information.

10. The receiver of claim 9, the receiver programmed to operate synchronously with an expected arrival of specific subframe information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system, receiving the specific subframe information when the receiver is operating.

11. The receiver of claim 9, the receiver programmed to synchronously disable operation of the receiver during time periods when the arrival of the information is not expected.

12. The receiver of claim 11, the receiver programmed to operate during time periods when the arrival of information is not expected for performing functions other than receiving the information.

13. The receiver of claim 9, the receiver programmed to operate synchronously with an expected arrival of either ephemeris information or almanac information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system.

14. The receiver of claim 9, the receiver programmed to operate synchronously with an expected arrival of at least one of clock correction information, ionospheric correction information, tropospheric correction information, universal time coordinate offset correction information.

15. The receiver of claim 9, the receiver programmed to receive navigation information from at least one satellite of a satellite positioning system while acquiring a satellite of the satellite positioning system.

16. The receiver of claim 25, the receiver programmed to receive navigation information from at least one satellite of the satellite positioning system while tracking a satellite of the satellite positioning system.