Portable terminal and GPS time keeping method

• US 7,084,810 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.), the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kitatani, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/863,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20040252052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.13, 342/418, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.62
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/23 Testing, monitoring, correcting or calibrating of receiver elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A portable terminal includes a GPS processing unit and RTC oscillator. In the GPS processing unit, a free-run RTC counter continuously counts real time clocks generated by the RTC oscillator even in the power saving mode, a time maintenance processing unit which includes a memory storing the count value of the free-run RTC counter and a notified GPS time upon a shift from a normal power mode to the power saving mode, calculates the duration of the power saving mode from the difference between the count value stored in the memory and the count value read from the free-run RTC counter upon return from the power saving mode to the normal power mode, and calculates the current GPS time by adding the calculated duration of the power saving mode to the stored GPS time upon a shift from the normal power mode to the power saving mode, and a position measurement processing unit performs position measurement by receiving a radio wave from the GPS satellite in the normal power saving mode, also notifies the time maintenance processing unit of the GPS time acquired when position measurement is performed, and performs position measurement by using the GPS time notified from the time maintenance processing unit upon a shift from the power saving mode to the normal power mode. A GPS keeping method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

a GPS processing unit which receives a radio wave from a GPS satellite and specifies a current position; and

an RTC oscillator which continuously generates and outputs real time clocks even in a power saving mode,

wherein said GPS processing unit comprises

a free run RTC counter which continuously counts real time clocks generated by said RTC oscillator even in the power saving mode,

a time maintenance processing unit which compnses a memory storing a count value of the free run RTC counter and a notified GPS time upon a shift from a normal power mode to the power saving mode, calculates a duration of the power saving mode from a difference between the count value stored in the memory and the count value read from the free run RTC counter upon return from the power saving mode to the normal power mode, and calculates a current GPS time by adding the calculated duration of the power saving mode to the GPS time stored in the memory upon a shift from the normal power mode to the power saving mode, and

a position measurement processing unit which performs position measurement by receiving a radio wave from the GPS satellite in the normal power mode, also notifies the time maintenance processing unit of a GPS time acquired when position measurement is performed, and performs position measurement by using the GPS time notified from the time maintenance processing unit upon a shift from the power saving mode to the normal power mode; and

wherein the time maintenance processing unit calculates in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock.

2. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a communication oscillator for generating a clock to a communication processor,

wherein said GPS processing unit further comprises a reference clock counter for counting a clock generated by the communication oscillator as a reference clock, and

an RTC counter for counting a real time clock generated by the RTC oscillator,

wherein the time maintenance processing unit calculates in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode and comparing a count value of the reference clock counter with a count value of the RTC counter at the end of the predetermined interval of time, and compensates for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when calculating a duration of the power saving mode from a difference between the count value stored in the memory and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

3. A terminal according to claim 2, wherein

said GPS processing unit returns from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and

the time maintenance processing unit calculates a GPS time by calculating a duration of the power saving time upon return from the power saving mode, and calculates an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.

4. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a GPS oscillator for generating a clock to said GPS processing unit,

wherein said GPS processing unit further comprises

a reference clock counter for counting a clock generated by said GPS oscillator as a reference clock, and

an RTC counter for counting a real time clock generated by said RTC oscillator,

wherein the time maintenance processing unit calculates in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode and comparing a count value of the reference clock counter with a count value of the RTC counter at the end of the predetermined interval of time, and compensates for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when calculating a duration of the power saving mode from a difference between the count value stored in the memory and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

5. A terminal according to claim 4, wherein

said GPS processing unit returns from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and

the time maintenance processing unit calculates a GPS time by calculating a duration of the power saving time upon return from the power saving mode, and calculates an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.

6. A terminal according to claim 1, further comprising

a communication oscillator for generating a clock to the communication processor, and

a GPS oscillator for generating a clock to said GPS processing unit,

wherein said GPS processing unit further comprises

a switch circuit which selects and outputs one of a clock generated by said communication oscillator and a clock generated by said GPS oscillator in accordance with an instruction from the time maintenance processing unit or the position measurement processing unit,

a reference clock counter for counting a clock selected by the switch circuit as a reference clock, and

an RTC counter for counting a real time clock generated by the RTC oscillator,

wherein the time maintenance processing unit calculates in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode and comparing a count value of the reference clock counter with a count value of the RTC counter at the end of the predetermined interval of time, and compensates for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when calculating a duration of the power saving mode from a difference between the count value stored in the memory and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

7. A terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said GPS processing unit returns from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and

the time maintenance processing unit calculates a GPS time by calculating a duration of the power saving time upon return from the power saving mode, and calculates an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.

8. A method of keeping a GPS time in a portable terminal equipped with a GPS function of specifying a current position by receiving a radio wave from a GPS satellite, comprising:

storing a count value of a free run RTC counter which continuously counts real time clocks, even during a power saving mode, and a notified GPS time upon a shift from a normal power mode to the power saving mode;

calculating a duration of the power saving mode from a difference between the stored count value and a count value read from the free run RTC counter upon return from the power saving mode to the normal power mode;

calculating a current GPS time by adding the calculated duration of the power saving mode to the stored GPS time upon a shift from the normal power mode to the power saving mode; and

calculating in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

causing a reference clock counter and an RTC counter to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode, the reference clock counter being adapted to count clocks used as operation clocks in a communication processor as reference clocks, and the RTC counter being adapted to count real time clocks;

calculating in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by comparing a count value of the reference clock counter and a count value of the RTC counter after the predetermined interval of time; and

compensating for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when the duration of the power saving mode is to be calculated from a difference between the stored count value and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

returning from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and calculating a duration of the power saving mode upon return from the power saving mode; and

calculating an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

causing a reference clock counter and an RTC counter to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode, the reference clock counter being adapted to count clocks used as operation clocks in a GPS processing unit as reference clocks, and the RTC counter being adapted to count real time clocks;

calculating in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by comparing a count value of the reference clock counter and a count value of the RTC counter after the predetermined interval of time; and

compensating for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when the duration of the power saving mode is to be calculated from a difference between the stored count value and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

returning from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and calculating a duration of the power saving mode upon return from the power saving mode; and

calculating an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.

13. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

selecting one of a clock used as an operation clock in a communication processor and a clock used as an operation clock in a GPS processing unit;

causing a reference clock counter for counting the selected clock as a reference clock and an RTC counter for counting a real time clock to simultaneously operate for a predetermined interval of time in the normal power mode;

calculating in advance an error in a frequency of the real time clock by comparing a count value of the reference clock counter and a count value of the RTC counter after the predetermined interval of time; and

compensating for the error in the frequency of the real time clock when the duration of the power saving mode is to be calculated from a difference between the stored count value and the count value read from the free run RTC counter.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

returning from the power saving mode at predetermined time intervals, and calculating a duration of the power saving mode upon return from the power saving mode; and

calculating an error in the frequency of the real time clock by causing the reference clock counter and the RTC counter to operate for a predetermined interval of time before occurrence of a shift to the power saving mode again.