ESTIMATING FREQUENCY OF A GNSS ENABLED DEVICE BASED ON TIME STAMPS

• US 20110199262A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Garrett, David, Lundgren, David Albert, Murray, David, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Buer, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.64
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

A GNSS enabled device that is communicatively coupled to a network, receives time stamps via the network. The time stamps are generated based on reference clock signals within the network. GNSS receiver clock signal frequency may be adjusted based on the time stamps. When GNSS satellite signals and/or SRN signals are not available, the time stamps enable synchronization with GNSS satellites. Network clock signals and/or time stamps may be generated by an access point, a DSL modem, a cable modem and/or a primary reference clock within the network. A series of time stamps may be utilized for adjusting frequencies. Clock signals may be generated for adjusting frequencies based on a comparison between time stamps and oscillator or mixer output. Clock signals are generated for baseband, intermediate and/or RF frequency signal processing. GNSS satellite signals may be demodulated, correlated with a pseudonoise code sequence and/or synchronized based on the time stamps.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a GNSS enabled communication device that is communicatively coupled to a network;

receiving via said network, time stamps are that generated based on one or more reference clock signals within said network; and

adjusting a frequency of one or more clock signals that controls a GNSS receiver within said GNSS enabled communication device based on said received time stamps.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising establishing and/or maintaining synchronization with analog and/or digital GNSS satellite signals, based on said time stamps, when synchronization information from one or both of said GNSS satellite signals and satellite reference network signals is not available and/or is not adequate for said synchronization.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said reference clock signals are generated in one or more of an access point, a DSL Modem, a cable modem and a primary reference clock within said network.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving a series of said time stamps for said adjusting of said frequency within said GNSS enabled communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising comparing information from said time stamps to information output from one or both of an oscillator and a mixer in said GNSS enabled communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating a signal for said adjusting of said frequency, based on a comparison between information from said time stamps and output from one or both of an oscillator and mixer in said GNSS enabled communication device.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating clock signals based on said time stamps for one or more of baseband processing, intermediate frequency band signal processing and RF frequency band signal processing.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising demodulating a GNSS satellite signal based on said time stamps.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising correlating with a GNSS satellite signal pseudonoise code sequence based on said time stamps.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising synchronizing with a GNSS satellite signal based on said time stamps.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use within a GNSS enabled communication device that is communicatively coupled to a network, said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to;

receive via said network, time stamps are that generated based on one or more reference clock signals within said network; and

adjust a frequency of one or more clock signals that controls a GNSS receiver within said GNSS enabled communication device based on said received time stamps.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to establish and/or maintain synchronization with analog and/or digital GNSS satellite signals, based on said time stamps, when synchronization information from one or both of said GNSS satellite signals and satellite reference network signals is not available and/or is not adequate for said synchronization.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said reference clock signals are generated in one or more of an access point, a DSL Modem, a cable modem and a primary reference clock within said network.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive a series of said time stamps for said adjusting said frequency within said GNSS enabled communication device.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to compare information from said time stamps to information output from one or both of an oscillator and a mixer in said GNSS enabled communication device.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to generate a signal for said adjusting said frequency, based on a comparison of information between said time stamps and output from one or both of an oscillator and mixer in said GNSS enabled communication device.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to generate clock signals based on said time stamps for one or more of baseband processing, intermediate frequency band signal processing and RF frequency band signal processing.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to demodulate a GNSS satellite signal based on said time stamps.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to correlate with a GNSS satellite signal pseudonoise code sequence based on said time stamps.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to synchronize with a GNSS satellite signal based on said time stamps.