POSITIONING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20080059066A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: CHUANG, CHUNG-HSIEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

A positioning system includes a positioning module, an application program, a control program, a first transmission interface, a second transmission interface and a switch module. The positioning module is for providing positioning information. The application program is for controlling the positioning module to receive the positioning information from the positioning module. The control program is for controlling the positioning module to receive the positioning information from the positioning module when the application program is shutdown. The application program receives the positioning information through the first transmission interface. the control program receives the positioning information through the second transmission interface. The switch module can be selectively switched to decide whether the positioning module is controlled by the application program or the control program to receive the positioning information.

Claims

1. A positioning system, comprising:

a positioning module, for providing a positioning information;

an application program, for controlling said positioning module, and receiving said positioning information from said positioning module;

a control program, for controlling said positioning module, if said application program is terminated, and receiving said positioning information from said positioning module;

a first transmission interface, for providing said application program to receive said positioning information;

a second transmission interface, for providing said control program to receive said positioning information; and

a switch module, for selectively switching to a first state or a second state, such that if said switch module is situated at said first state, said application program uses said first transmission interface to receive said positioning information from said positioning module through said switch module, and if said switch module is situated at said second state, said control program uses said second transmission interface to receive said positioning information from said positioning module through said switch module.

2. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said application program is a navigation program.

3. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said positioning module is a global positioning system (GPS) module.

4. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said first transmission interface and said second transmission interface are universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interfaces.

5. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said control program is set into an inactive mode when said application program is started.

6. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said switch module switches to said first state or said second state based on priority settings of said application program and said control program.

7. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said switch module switches to said first state or said second state based on a signal from a general-purpose I/O (GPIO) port of said central processor.

8. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said control program drives said positioning module into an inactive mode, if the intensity of a satellite signal received by said positioning module is lower than a predetermined value.

9. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said control program is set into an inactive mode, if the power of said positioning system is low.

10. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said control program is set into an inactive mode, if said positioning module has received sufficient positioning information.

11. The positioning system of claim 1, wherein said control program is set into an inactive mode, if the intensity of a satellite signal received by said positioning module is lower than a predetermined value.

12. A control method for a positioning system, applicable when an application program is terminated, comprising the steps of:

starting a control program;

using said control program to control a positioning module for receiving positioning information from said positioning module; and

setting said control program into an inactive mode, if said application program is started.

13. The control method for a positioning system of claim 12, wherein said control program is executed according to a procedure comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting whether or not a first serial port is in use, wherein said first serial port is provided for said application program to access a positioning module;

if yes, then said control program is set into an inactive mode, or else go to Step (b);

(b) detecting whether or not there is sufficient power supply;

if yes, go to Step (c), or else said control program is set into an inactive mode;

(c) opening a second serial port which is provided for said control program to access said positioning module to receive said positioning information;

(d) detecting whether or not sufficient ephemeris data is received;

if yes, then close said second serial port to set said control program into an inactive mode, or else go to Step (e); and

(e) detecting whether or not the intensity of a satellite signal received by said positioning module is lower than a predetermined value;

if yes, then close said second serial port to set said control program into an inactive mode.

14. The control method for a positioning system of claim 12, wherein said application program is a navigation program.

15. A positioning system, comprising:

a positioning module;

an application program, for controlling said positioning module;

a control program, for controlling said positioning module when said application program is terminated; and

a serial port, coupled to said positioning module;

wherein, said application program and said control program control said positioning module through the serial port by using a multi-threading architecture.

16. The positioning system of claim 15, wherein said application program is a navigation program.