AGPS module time synchronization method and device using system time information in mobile terminal

• US 7,373,250 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chan-Woo, Yoon, Jae-Seung
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/581,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20070213931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 701207-215, 701/216, 701/225, 34235712-358, 370/395.4
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset

Abstract

An Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) module time synchronization method and device using system time information in a mobile terminal that perform time synchronization using system frame information and a GPS module operation period in a process of searching for the position of a terminal using the AGPS module in an asynchronous mobile communication system. Accordingly, the GPS module operation period is set to be greater than the system frame period so that GPS system time can be immediately seen when an arbitrary GPS tick interrupt is operated.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) module time using system time information in an asynchronous mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a message having a time stamp for a referential system frame number contained therein from a system;

generating a Global Positioning System (GPS) module operation period to generate a GPS tick every period and to synchronize an initially generated GPS tick with a boundary of a system frame period;

identifying a time point when a GPS tick interrupt and a system frame correspond to each other after synchronization, and imparting a number to each phase interval in which an interval until a corresponding time point is divided by the system frame period; and

reading the system frame and the phase interval number of a generation time point when a predetermined GPS tick is generated to identify a system time of the GPS tick generation time point.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the GPS module operation period is set to be greater than the system frame period.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifying step further comprises identifying the time point by evaluating a least common multiple of the system frame period and the GPS module operation period.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising evaluating respective intervals in which the interval until the corresponding time point is divided by the system frame period using

p=xTick/system frame period

wherein p denotes a number of system frames until the corresponding time point, and xTick means a least common multiple of a system frame period and a GPS module operation period.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising calculating a system time of a current GPS tick when a predetermined GPS tick is generated using

system time of current GPS tick=system time of referential system frame number+system frame period×

(k1−

k0)+dT

wherein k1 denotes a system frame number read when the predetermined GPS tick is generated, the system time of a referential system frame number denotes GPS time tag information received from a server, and dT denotes a time difference between a current GPS tick and a frame interval just before the current GPS tick.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising previously calculating dT to store it in a look-up table.

7. A device for synchronizing Assisted Global Positioning System (AGPS) module time using system time information in an asynchronous mobile terminal, comprising;

a radio unit for receiving a message having a time stamp for a referential system frame number contained therein from a system;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) module operation period generator for generating a GPS module operation period to generate a GPS tick every period;

a system frame period generator for generating a system frame period; and

a controller for synchronizing a GPS tick initially generated from the GPS module operation period generator with a boundary of a system frame period, identifying a time point when a GPS tick interrupt and a system frame correspond to each other after synchronization to impart a number to each phase interval in which the interval until the corresponding time point is divided by the system frame period, and reading the system frame and the phase interval number of a generation time point when a predetermined GPS tick is generated to identify a system time of the GPS tick generation time point.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the system frame period generator sets the GPS module operation period to be greater than the system frame period.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller evaluates a least common multiple of the system frame period and the GPS module operation period to identify the time point when the GPS tick interrupt and the system frame correspond to each other.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller evaluates respective intervals in which the interval until the corresponding time point is divided by the system frame period using;

p=xTick/system frame period

wherein p denotes a number of system frames until the corresponding time point, and xTick means a least common multiple of a system frame period and a GPS module operation period.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller reads the system frame number and phase number of the frame interval just before the correspondent GPS tick is generated when a predetermined GPS tick is generated to calculate a system time of a current GPS tick using

system time of current GPS tick=system time of referential system frame number+system frame period×

(k1−

k0)+dT

wherein k1 denotes a system frame number read when the predetermined GPS tick is generated, the system time of a referential system frame number denotes GPS time tag information received from a server, and dT denotes a time difference between a current GPS tick and a frame interval just before the current GPS tick.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a memory for storing dT and a frame interval just before the current GPS tick, in a look-up table, wherein the controller previously calculates dT to store it in the look-up table.