Virtual real-time clock based on time information from multiple communication systems

• US 7,911,381 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Farmer, Dominic Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing; Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US12/484,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.15
• US Class Current: 342/357.42
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/02 the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/005 compensating for timing error by adjustment in the receiver

Abstract

Method and apparatus to implement a “virtual” real-time clock at a terminal based on time information from multiple communication systems. At least one system (e.g., GPS) provides “absolute” time information for the virtual real-time clock, and at least one other system (e.g., a cellular system) provides “relative” time information. The virtual real-time clock is “time-stamped” with absolute time as it becomes available from the first system. Relative time (which may be received from multiple asynchronous transmitters) is mapped to the timeline of the virtual real-time clock as it is received from the second system. Absolute time at any arbitrary time instant on the timeline may then be estimated based on the absolute time from the first system and the relative time from the second system. Absolute times from the first system for two or more time instants may also be used to calibrate the relative time from the second system.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position of a receiver unit in a wireless communication system, comprising:

obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time;

receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

obtaining internal timing information from a local clock;

estimating absolute time at a second time based on the absolute time for the first time, the relative time information from the second communication system, and the internal timing information; and

determining a first pseudorange between a first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmitter is a particular satellite, and wherein determining the first pseudorange between the first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time comprises:

using the absolute time estimate for the second time instant to determine initial position information for the particular satellite; and

determining information indicative of an expected pseudorange to the particular satellite using the initial position information for the particular satellite.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein using the absolute time estimate for the second time to determine initial position information for the particular satellite comprises using the absolute time estimate for the second time with Ephemeris information associated with the particular satellite.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information indicative of an expected pseudorange comprises search window information, and further comprising:

determining the first pseudorange using the information indicative of the expected pseudorange.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a second pseudorange between a second different transmitter and the receiver unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication system is a satellite positioning system, and wherein obtaining absolute time from the first communication system for a first time instant comprises processing signals from one or more satellites included in the satellite positioning system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication system is a terrestrial communication system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second communication system is an asynchronous terrestrial communication system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the local clock comprises a counter.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a satellite positioning system receiver to receive signals from one or more satellite positioning systems;

a terrestrial receiver to receive signals from at least one terrestrial communication system;

a local clock;

a processing unit configured to;

access absolute time information for a first time obtained from received signals from the satellite positioning system;

access relative time information obtained from received signals from the at least one terrestrial communication system;

access internal timing information from the local clock;

generate an estimate of absolute time at a second time based on the absolute time information for the first time, the relative time information, and the internal timing information; and

determine a first pseudorange between a first transmitter and the mobile device based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the first transmitter is a particular satellite, wherein the mobile device further comprises memory storing information indicative of satellite orbit information for the particular satellite, and wherein the processor is configured to use the absolute time estimate for the second time instant to determine initial position information for the particular satellite, and determine information indicative of an expected pseudorange to the particular satellite using the initial position information for the particular satellite.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the information indicative of satellite orbit information for the particular satellite comprises Ephemeris information associated with the particular satellite.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to determine the first pseudorange using the information indicative of an expected pseudorange to the particular satellite.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the local clock comprises a counter.

15. A mobile device comprising:

means for obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time;

means for receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

means for obtaining internal timing information from a local clock;

means for estimating absolute time at a second time based on the absolute time for the first time, the relative time information from the second communication system, and the internal timing information; and

means for determining a first pseudorange between a first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first transmitter is a particular satellite, and wherein the means for determining the first pseudorange between the first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time comprises:

means for using the absolute time estimate for the second time instant to determine initial position information for the particular satellite; and

means for determining information indicative of an expected pseudorange to the particular satellite using the initial position information for the particular satellite.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the means for using the absolute time estimate for the second time to determine initial position information for the particular satellite comprises means for using the absolute time estimate for the second time with Ephemeris information associated with the particular satellite.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the information indicative of the expected pseudorange comprises search window information, and further comprising:

means for determining the first pseudorange using the information indicative of the expected pseudorange.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising means for determining a second pseudorange between a second different transmitter and the receiver unit.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the first communication system is a satellite positioning system, and wherein the means for obtaining absolute time from the first communication system for a first time instant comprises means for processing signals from one or more satellites included in the satellite positioning system.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the second communication system is a terrestrial communication system.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the second communication system is an asynchronous terrestrial communication system.

23. An article comprising computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that, when executed, cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

obtaining absolute time from a first communication system for a first time;

receiving relative time information from a second communication system;

obtaining internal timing information from a local clock;

estimating absolute time at a second time based on the absolute time for the first time, the relative time information from the second communication system, and the internal timing information; and

determining a first pseudorange between a first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the first transmitter is a particular satellite, and wherein determining the first pseudorange between the first transmitter and the receiver unit based at least in part on the absolute time estimate for the second time comprises:

using the absolute time estimate for the second time instant to determine initial position information for the particular satellite; and

determining information indicative of an expected pseudorange to the particular satellite using the initial position information for the particular satellite.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein using the absolute time estimate for the second time to determine initial position information for the particular satellite comprises using the absolute time estimate for the second time with Ephemeris information associated with the particular satellite.

26. The article of claim 24, the operations further comprising:

determining the first pseudorange using the information indicative of the expected pseudorange.

27. The article of claim 23, further comprising determining a second pseudorange between a second different transmitter and the receiver unit.