Vehicle locating unit with improved power management method
First Claim
1. A vehicle locating unit with improved power management, the vehicle locating unit comprising:
- a receiver which receives a signal from a network of communication sources;
a signal strength monitoring subsystem for determining which of the communication sources are transmitting the strongest signals; and
a power management subsystem responsive to the signal strength monitoring subsystem and configured to;
alternatively enter sleep and wake-up modes, synchronize the wake-up mode to the communication source transmitting the strongest signal, and test the signal strength of at least one additional communication source according to a predefined sequence.
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Abstract
A vehicle locating unit with improved power management. A receiver receives a signal from a network of communication sources. A signal strength monitoring subsystem determines which of the communication sources are transmitting the strongest signals. A power management subsystem is responsive to the signal strength monitoring subsystem and is configured to alternatively enter sleep and wake-up modes, synchronize the wake-up mode to the communication source transmitting the strongest signal, and test the signal strength of at least one additional communication source according to a predefined sequence.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle locating unit with improved power management, the vehicle locating unit comprising:
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a receiver which receives a signal from a network of communication sources;
a signal strength monitoring subsystem for determining which of the communication sources are transmitting the strongest signals; and
a power management subsystem responsive to the signal strength monitoring subsystem and configured to;
alternatively enter sleep and wake-up modes, synchronize the wake-up mode to the communication source transmitting the strongest signal, and test the signal strength of at least one additional communication source according to a predefined sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of checking messages from a network of communication sources, the method comprising:
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initially testing the signal strength of a plurality of communication sources;
storing the identity of the communication sources with the two strongest signals;
alternatively entering a sleep mode and a wake-up mode, the wake-up mode synchronized to the communication source with the strongest signal;
testing the signal strength of one additional communication source;
switching synchronization to the additional communication source if said source presents a signal stronger than the signal of a stored communication source with the strongest signal; and
replacing the identity of any stored communication source if an additional communication source tested in sequence presents a signal stronger than the signal of said stored communication source.
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11. A system comprising:
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a receiver which receives a signal from a network of communication sources;
a signal strength monitoring subsystem for determining which of the communication sources are transmitting the strongest signals; and
a power management subsystem responsive to the signal strength monitoring subsystem and configured to;
alternatively enter sleep and wake-up modes, synchronize the wake-up mode to the communication source transmitting the strongest signal, and test the signal strength of at least one additional communication source to ensure the wake-up mode is synchronized to the communication source transmitting the strongest signal.
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12. A vehicle locating unit with improved power management, the vehicle locating unit comprising:
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a receiver which receives a signal from a network of communication sources;
a signal strength monitoring subsystem for determining which of the communication sources are transmitting the strongest signals; and
a power management subsystem responsive to the signal strength monitoring subsystem and configured to;
test and store the identity of two communication sources with the two strongest signals, alternatively enter sleep and wake-up modes, the wake-up mode synchronized with the communication source transmitting the strongest signal, test the signal strength of at least one additional communication source according to a predefined sequence, switch to synchronization with any communication source having a signal stronger than the strongest signal of the two stored communication sources, and store the identity of any communication source with a signal stronger than the signal of any previously stored communication source.
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13. A vehicle locating unit power management system comprising:
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a memory; and
a controller configured to;
alternatively output sleep and wake-up mode signals, store in said memory the identity of at least a first communication source presenting the strongest signal, test the signal strength of at least one different communication source during the wake-up mode, synchronize the wake-up mode to the communication source identified in said memory, and update the memory to store the identity of a different communication source presenting a signal stronger than the first communication source.
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Specification