Gated RF Control Channel Demodulation Methods and Apparatuses

• US 20100248642A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Howard, Michael Alexander, Sweet, Charles Wheeler III, Aryan, Babak, He, Xiaoyin
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in devices that are enabled to receive control channel information over a link having a plurality of interlaced slots. The methods and apparatuses may be implemented to selectively disable/enable one or more circuits within a receiver path at selected times.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving control channel information in a receiver path of a device, said control channel information being transmitted over a link comprising a plurality of applicable slots interlaced with a plurality of non-applicable slots, said control channel information being transmitted over at least a portion of said plurality of applicable slots; and

disabling operation of one or more circuits in said receiver path during a time corresponding to at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of non-applicable slots.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein disabling said operation of said one or more circuits comprises powering-down at least a portion of said one or more circuits.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein disabling said operation of said one or more circuits is selectively implemented based, at least in part, on a decision to conserve power.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving said control channel information comprises performing initial control channel acquisition.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying said plurality of applicable slots.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a Low Duty Cycle (LDC) terminal.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiver path is part of a CDMA network modem.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said CDMA network modem is operatively enabled to support wireless data communication via a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits comprises at least a portion of an analog RF receive-chain and/or at least a portion of a baseband digital receive-chain.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said control channel information comprises ephemeris data associated with an SPS.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said SPS comprises a GNSS.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving control channel information, said control channel information being transmitted over a link comprising a plurality of applicable slots interlaced with a plurality of non-applicable slots, said control channel information being transmitted over at least a portion of said plurality of applicable slots; and

means for disabling operation of at least a portion of said means for receiving control channel information during a time corresponding to at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of non-applicable slots.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for disabling said operation of at least a portion of said means for receiving control channel information is selectively implemented based, at least in part, on a decision to conserve power.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

means for identifying said plurality of applicable slots.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said apparatus comprises a Low Duty Cycle (LDC) terminal.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for receiving control channel information is operatively enabled to support wireless data communication via a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said control channel information comprises ephemeris data associated with an SPS.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver path comprising one or more circuits, said receiver path being operatively enabled to receive control channel control information transmitted over a link, said link comprising a plurality of applicable slots interlaced with a plurality of non-applicable slots, said control channel information being transmitted over at least a portion of said plurality of applicable slots; and

a controller coupled to at least a portion of said one or more circuits in said receiver path, said controller being operatively enabled to disable operation of one or more circuits in said receiver path during a time corresponding to at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of non-applicable slots.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said controller is operatively enabled to power-down at least a portion of said one or more circuits.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said controller is operatively enabled to selectively disable said operation of said one or more circuits based, at least in part, on a decision to conserve power.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said controller is operatively enabled to identify said plurality of applicable slots.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said apparatus comprises a Low Duty Cycle (LDC) terminal.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said receiver path is part of a CDMA network modem.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein said CDMA network modem is operatively enabled to support wireless data communication via a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits comprises at least a portion of an analog RF receive-chain and/or at least a portion of a baseband digital receive-chain.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said control channel information comprises ephemeris data associated with an SPS.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said SPS comprises a GNSS.

28. An article comprising:

a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, if implemented by one or more processing units, operatively enable said one or more processing units to;

enable receiving of control channel information by a receiver path, said control channel information being transmitted over a link comprising a plurality of applicable slots interlaced with a plurality of non-applicable slots, said control channel information being transmitted over at least a portion of said plurality of applicable slots; and

disable operation of one or more circuits in said receiver path during a time corresponding to at least a portion of at least one of said plurality of non-applicable slots.

29. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said computer readable instructions, if implemented by said one or more processing units, operatively enable said one or more processing units to initiate powering-down at least a portion of said one or more circuits.

30. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said computer readable instructions, if implemented by said one or more processing units, operatively enable said one or more processing units to selectively disable said operation of said one or more circuits based, at least in part, on a decision to conserve power.

31. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said computer readable instructions, if implemented by said one or more processing units, operatively enable said one or more processing units to identify said plurality of applicable slots.

32. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said receiver path is part of a Low Duty Cycle (LDC) terminal.

33. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said receiver path is part of a CDMA network modem.

34. The article as recited in claim 33, wherein said CDMA network modem is operatively enabled to support wireless data communication via a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network.

35. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said one or more circuits comprises at least a portion of an analog RF receive-chain and/or at least a portion of a baseband digital receive-chain.

36. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein said control channel information comprises ephemeris data associated with an SPS.

37. The article as recited in claim 36, wherein said SPS comprises a GNSS.