Synchronizing a radio network with end user radio terminals

• US 7,925,210 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIRF Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Jim, Zhang, Gengsheng, Garin, Lionel
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan; Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hai V
• Application Number:
  US11/205,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 375/354, 455/13.2
• US Class Current: 455/13.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2693 Centralised synchronisation, i.e. using external universal time reference, e.g. by using a global positioning system [GPS] or by distributing time reference over the wireline network

Abstract

Synchronizing a Radio Network with End User Radio Terminals A Mobile Station that is able to receive GPS signals and compare the frequency of the GPS received time signal with a time signal from a network in order to determine the difference between the signals and communicate that difference back to the network.

Claims

1. A wireless mobile communication device, comprising:

a transmitter in the wireless mobile communication device to send a request message that requests aiding information from a geolocation server;

a receiver in the wireless mobile communication device in receipt of a response message from the geolocation server that is other than a cellular base station, wherein the response message identifies absolute time with a first frame/bit number (bit Y);

a call processing section coupled to the receiver that generates a timing mark aligned to a second frame/bit number (bit X), wherein the second frame/bit number (bit X) is different from the first frame/bit number (bit Y); and

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the wireless mobile communication device in receipt of a notification message from the call processing section that identifies the second frame/bit number (bit X) aligned to the timing mark, where the GPS receiver propagates the absolute time from the first bit (bit Y) identified in the response message to the second bit (bit X) aligned to the timing mark that enables the GPS receiver to compensate for network delay and time errors caused by the geolocation server.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, where each of the first frame/bit number (bit Y) and the second frame/bit number (bit X) is a GSM frame/bit number.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, where the network delay comprises compensation for time estimation errors of the geolocation server.

4. A method for synchronizing a wireless mobile communication device, comprising:

sending by a transmitter in the wireless mobile communication device a request message that requests aiding information from a geolocation server;

receiving at a receiver in the wireless mobile communication device a response message from the geolocation server that is other than a cellular base station, wherein the response message identifies absolute time with a first frame/bit number (bit Y);

generating in a call processing section that is coupled to the receiver, a timing mark aligned to a second frame/bit number (bit X), wherein the second frame/bit number (bit X) is different from the first frame/bit number (bit Y);

receiving at a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the wireless mobile communication device a notification message from the call processing section that identifies the second frame/bit number (bit X) aligned to the timing mark;

propagating the absolute time from the first bit (bit Y) identified in the response message to the second bit (bit X) aligned to the timing mark; and

compensating for network delay and time errors caused by the geolocation server in the GPS receiver.

5. The method of claim 4, where each of the first frame/bi number (bit Y) and the second frame/bit number (bit X) is a GSM frame/bit number.

6. The method of claim 4, where compensating for network delay comprises compensating for time estimation errors of the geolocation server.