SENSOR USES IN COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20100304761A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rowitch, Douglas Neal, Sheynblat, Leonid, Subrahmanya, Parvathanathan, Seibert, Cristina A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3078 Circuits generating control signals for digitally modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7085 using a code tracking loop, e.g. a delay-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7117 Selection, re-selection, allocation or re-allocation of paths to fingers, e.g. timing offset control of allocated fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03566 between different tapped delay line structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03019 adaptive, i.e. capable of adjustment during data reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are directed to mobile devices utilizing motion and/or position sensors for improving operating performance and/or power efficiency. In one example, a method for reducing power consumption in a mobile device includes receiving movement information, establishing movement data based on the movement information, determining if the mobile device is stationary using the movement data; and reducing the frequency of searching for a base station when the mobile device is stationary. In another example, a mobile device which reduces power consumption based upon movement data includes an RF front end, a receiver coupled to the RF front end, a data demodulator coupled to the receiver, a searcher, coupled to the RF front end and the receiver, which searches for base stations, and a processing unit coupled to the searcher, wherein the processing unit controls the searcher based upon the stationarity of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving movement information;

establishing movement data based on the movement information;

determining if the mobile device is stationary using the movement data; and

reducing a frequency of searching for a signal source when the mobile device is stationary.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal source comprises a base station and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) satellite.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allowing the mobile device to search for a base station when it is determined that the mobile device is not stationary.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a SPS receiver.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the movement data comprises stationarity data, velocity data, and/or directionality data.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

generating stationarity data for the mobile device;

establishing a threshold; and

comparing the stationarity data of the mobile device and the threshold to determine whether the mobile device is stationary.

8. A mobile device which reduces power consumption based upon movement data, comprising:

means for receiving movement information;

means for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

means for determining if the mobile device is stationary using the movement data; and

means for reducing a frequency of searching for a signal source when the mobile device is stationary.

9. The mobile device according to claim 8, wherein the signal source further comprises a base station and/or an SPS satellite.

10. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

instructions for receiving movement information;

instructions establishing movement data based on the movement information;

instructions determining if a mobile device is stationary using the movement data; and

instructions reducing a frequency of searching for a signal source when the mobile device is stationary.

11. A mobile device which reduces power consumption based upon movement data, comprising:

an RF front end;

a receiver coupled to the RF front end;

a data demodulator coupled to the receiver;

a searcher, coupled to the RF front end and the receiver, which searches for a signal source; and

a processing unit coupled to the searcher, wherein the processing unit controls the searcher based upon the stationarity of the mobile device.

12. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the signal source further comprises a base station and/or an Satellite Positioning System (SPS) satellite.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a movement sensor, coupled to the processing unit; and

memory, coupled to the processing unit, which comprises instructions causing the processor to

receive movement information from the movement sensor,

establish movement data based on the movement information,

determine if the mobile device is stationary using the movement data, and

reduce a frequency of searching for a base station when the mobile device is stationary.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, further comprising:

an SPS coupled to the processor, wherein the processor may combine movement information from the SPS receiver and the movement sensor to generate the movement data.

15. A method for altering the response time of a filter, comprising

receiving movement information;

establishing movement data based on the movement information; and

adjusting an IIR filter coefficient based upon the movement data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

weighting historical data more heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of a mobile device is low; and

weighting historical data less heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of the mobile device is high.

17. The method of claim 15, utilized for improving the responsiveness of an automatic gain control (AGC) in a mobile device, further comprising:

determining AGC parameters using the movement data; and

modifying a responsiveness of the AGC based on the AGC control parameters.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) receiver.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the movement data comprises stationarity data, velocity data, and/or position data.

21. The method of 15, utilized for improving the responsiveness of an equalizer receiver in a mobile device, further comprising:

modifying the filter in the equalizer receiver based on the filter parameters.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) receiver.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

24. An apparatus for altering the response time of a filter, comprising:

means for receiving movement information;

means for establishing movement data based on the movement information; and

means for adjusting an IIR filter coefficient based upon the movement data.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:

means for weighting historical data more heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of a mobile device is low; and

means for weighting historical data less heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of the mobile device is high.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, which improves the responsiveness of an automatic gain control (AGC) in a mobile device, further comprising:

means for determining AGC parameters using the movement data; and

means for modifying a responsiveness of the AGC based on the AGC control parameters.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, which improves the responsiveness of an equalizer receiver in a mobile device, further comprising:

means for modifying the filter in the equalizer receiver based on the filter parameters.

28. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

instructions for receiving movement information;

instructions for establishing movement data based on the movement information; and

instructions for adjusting an IIR filter coefficient based upon the movement data.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for weighting historical data more heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of a mobile device is low; and

instructions for weighting historical data less heavily when the movement data indicates the speed of the mobile device is high.

30. The computer-readable medium according to claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for determining AGC parameters using the movement data; and

instructions for modifying a responsiveness of the AGC based on the AGC control parameters.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for modifying the filter in an equalizer receiver based on the filter parameters.

32. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of an automatic gain control (AGC) in a mobile device, comprising:

an RF front end;

a receiver coupled to the RF front end;

a data demodulator coupled to the receiver;

an AGC, coupled to the RF front end which controls the gain of a signal provided to the receiver; and

a processing unit coupled to the AGC, wherein the processing unit controls the responsiveness of the AGC based upon the velocity of the mobile device.

33. The apparatus device of claim 32, further comprising:

a movement sensor, coupled to the processing unit; and

memory, coupled to the processing unit, which comprises instructions causing the processor to

receive movement information from the movement sensor,

establish movement data based on the movement information,

determining AGC parameters using the movement data; and

modifying a responsiveness of the AGC based on the AGC control parameters.

34. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of an equalizer receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

an RF front end;

the equalizer receiver coupled to the RF front end;

an data demodulator coupled to the equalizer receiver; and

a processing unit coupled to the equalizer receiver, wherein the processing unit controls the responsiveness of the equalizer receiver based upon the velocity of the mobile device.

35. The apparatus device of claim 34, further comprising:

a movement sensor, coupled to the processing unit; and

memory, coupled to the processing unit, which comprises instructions causing the processor to

receive movement information from the movement sensor,

establish movement data based on the movement information,

determining filter parameters using the movement data; and

modifying a responsiveness of the equalizer receiver based on the filter parameters.

36. A method for improving the responsiveness of a pilot filter in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving movement information;

establishing movement data based on the movement information;

determining a pilot filter based upon the movement data; and

selecting the determined pilot filter for extracting a pilot signal from a received signal.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the pilot filter includes a static pilot filter or an adaptive pilot filter.

38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising:

modifying filter parameters associated with the adaptive filter based upon the movement data.

39. The method according to claim 36, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) receiver.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the movement data comprises speed data.

42. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of a pilot filter in a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving movement information;

means for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

means for determining a pilot filter based upon the movement data; and

means for selecting the determined pilot filter for extracting a pilot signal from a received signal.

43. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

instructions for receiving movement information;

instructions for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

instructions for determining a pilot filter based upon the movement data; and

instructions for selecting the determined pilot filter for extracting a pilot signal from a received signal.

44. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of a pilot filter in a mobile device, comprising:

a pilot filter which further comprises

a plurality of filters, and

a switch operably coupled to the plurality of filters; and

a processing unit coupled to the switch, wherein the processing unit commands the switch to select one of the plurality of filters based upon the speed of the mobile device.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the plurality of filters further comprises:

a static filter; and

an adaptive filter.

46. The apparatus of 45, wherein parameters of the adaptive filter are controlled by the processing unit based upon the speed of the mobile device.

47. A method for improving responsiveness of a RAKE receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving movement information;

establishing movement data based on the movement information;

determining searcher adjustment from the movement data; and

providing searcher adjustment values to the searcher for improving finger tracking performance in the RAKE receiver.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) receiver.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the movement data comprises stationarity data, velocity data, and/or position data.

51. An apparatus which improves responsiveness of a RAKE receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving movement information;

means for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

means for determining searcher adjustment from the movement data; and

means for providing searcher adjustment values to the searcher for improving finger tracking performance in the RAKE receiver.

52. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

instructions for receiving movement information;

instructions for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

instructions for determining searcher adjustment from the movement data; and

instructions for providing searcher adjustment values to the searcher for improving finger tracking performance in a RAKE receiver.

53. An apparatus which improves responsiveness of a RAKE receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

a RAKE receiver, further comprising;

a plurality of fingers,

a finger control unit operably coupled to the plurality of fingers, and

a combiner operably coupled to the plurality of fingers;

a searcher unit operably coupled to the finger control unit; and

a processing unit coupled to the searcher unit, wherein the processing unit controls the searcher unit based upon the velocity of the mobile device.

54. A method for improving performance of a receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

receiving movement information;

establishing movement data based on the movement information;

determining a command based upon the movement data; and

establishing the usage of a RAKE receiver and an equalizer receiver based upon the determined command.

56. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

determining a combination command based upon the movement data; and

combining the outputs of the RAKE receiver and the equalizer receiver based upon the combination command.

57. The method according to claim 54, wherein the movement information is received from a movement sensor and/or a Satellite Position System (SPS) receiver.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

combining the movement information from the movement sensor and the SPS receiver to generate the movement data.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the movement data comprises stationarity data, velocity data, and/or position data.

55. The method of 54, further comprising:

determining a selection command based upon the movement data; and

selecting either the RAKE receiver or the equalizer receiver for processing a received signal.

60. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of a receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving movement information;

means for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

means for determining a command based upon the movement data; and

means for establishing the usage of a RAKE receiver and an equalizer receiver based upon the determined command.

61. A computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

instructions for receiving movement information;

instructions for establishing movement data based on the movement information;

instructions for determining a command based upon the movement data; and

instructions for establishing the usage of a RAKE receiver and an equalizer receiver based upon the determined command.

62. An apparatus which improves the responsiveness of a receiver in a mobile device, comprising:

a RAKE receiver;

an equalizer receiver;

a selector/combiner unit coupled to the RAKE receiver and the equalizer receiver; and

a processing unit coupled to the selector/combiner unit, wherein the processing unit controls the usage of the RAKE receiver and the equalizer receiver based upon the velocity of the mobile device.