TIMING SIGNAL GENERATING DEVICE, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, MOVING OBJECT, METHOD OF GENERATING TIMING SIGNALS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SATELLITE SIGNAL RECEIVER

• US 20140203963A1
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shimada, Hiroyuki, Maki, Yoshiyuki, Tanaka, Noriaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,952,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.51
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/145 using Coherent Population Trapping
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 40/02 by phase locking

Abstract

A timing signal generating device includes a GPS receiver and a processing unit. The GPS receiver functions as a positioning calculation unit, and receives satellite signals transmitted from GPS satellites and performs positioning calculation based on trajectory information and time information contained in the received satellite signals. Further, the processing unit functions as a position information generation unit, and generates position information of a receiving point based on a mode value or a median value in results of the positioning calculation at a plurality of times by the GPS receiver.

Claims

1. A timing signal generating device comprising:

a positioning calculation unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from position information satellites and performs positioning calculation based on trajectory information and time information contained in the received satellite signals;

a position information generation unit that generates position information of a receiving point based on a mode value or a median value in results of the positioning calculation at a plurality of times by the positioning calculation unit; and

a timing signal generation unit that receives the satellite signals transmitted from the position information satellites and generates timing signals in synchronization with a reference time based on the trajectory information contained in the received satellite signals and the position information of the receiving point.

2. The timing signal generating device according to claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of the timing signal generation units; and

a timing signal selection unit that determines whether or not there is a failure of the plurality of timing signal generation units, and selects the timing signal generated by one of the plurality of timing signal generation units based on determination results.

3. The timing signal generating device according to claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of the positioning calculation units;

a plurality of the timing signal generation units; and

a timing signal selection unit,

wherein the plurality of positioning calculation units perform the positioning calculation at different receiving points from one another,

the position information generation unit generates the position information of the plurality of receiving points,

the plurality of timing signal generation units generate parameter information representing reception statuses of the timing signals and the satellite signals at the different receiving points from one another, and

the timing signal selection unit compares precision of the plurality of the timing signals based on the plurality pieces of the parameter information and selects one of the plurality of timing signals based on comparison results.

5. The timing signal generating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an oscillator that outputs clock signals; and

a synchronization control unit that synchronizes the clock signals with the timing signals.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 1.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 2.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 3.

11. A moving object comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 1.

12. A moving object comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 2.

13. A moving object comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 3.

4. A timing signal generating device comprising:

a satellite signal reception unit that can be switched between a first mode in which satellite signals transmitted from position information satellites are received and positioning calculation is performed based on trajectory information and time information contained in the received satellite signals and a second mode in which the satellite signals transmitted from the position information satellites are received and timing signals in synchronization with a reference time are generated based on the trajectory information contained in the received satellite signals and position information of a set receiving point;

a position information generation unit that acquires results of the positioning calculation at a plurality of times, and generates position information of the receiving point based on a mode value or a median value in the results of the positioning calculation at the plurality of times; and

a reception control unit that sets the position information of the receiving point in the satellite signal reception unit, and switches the satellite signal reception unit from the first mode to the second mode.

6. The timing signal generating device according to claim 4, further comprising:

an oscillator that outputs clock signals; and

a synchronization control unit that synchronizes the clock signals with the timing signals.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 4.

14. A moving object comprising the timing signal generating device according to claim 4.

15. A method of generating timing signals comprising:

a positioning calculation step of receiving satellite signals transmitted from position information satellites and performing positioning calculation based on trajectory information and time information contained in the received satellite signals;

a position information generation step of generating position information of a receiving point based on a mode value or a median value in results of the positioning calculation at a plurality of times at the positioning calculation step; and

a timing signal generation step of receiving the satellite signals transmitted from the position information satellites and generating timing signals in synchronization with a reference time based on the trajectory information contained in the received satellite signals and the position information of the receiving point.