Method and system for maintaining a GNSS receiver in a hot-start state

• US 7,948,434 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, van Diggelen, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Dao L
• Application Number:
  US12/270,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.13, 342/357.15, 342/357.25, 342/357.63, 342/357.71, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.63
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for maintaining a GNSS receiver in a hot-start state are provided. A GNSS receiver in a standby mode may transition from a sleep state to a wakeup state to acquire ephemeris from, for example, GPS signals, GALILEO signals, and/or GLONASS signals. The acquired ephemeris may be stored and utilized for the GNSS receiver to generate a navigation solution in a normal mode. The GNSS receiver may transition from the normal mode to the sleep state or the wakeup state in standby mode. A sleep period and a wakeup period for the full sleep-wakeup cycle in the standby mode may be predetermined or dynamically adjusted based on required QoS, quality of satellite signals, and/or user inputs. The sleep period and the wakeup period may be selected in a way to ensure a valid and complete ephemeris to be acquired.

Claims

1. A method for satellite communication, the method comprising:

when a navigation satellite system receiver is in a sleep state during a standby mode operating at a low frequency clock, transitioning from said sleep state to a wakeup state during said standby mode to acquire fresh ephemeris; and

when said navigation satellite system receiver subsequently transitions from said standby mode to a normal mode operating at a high frequency clock, determining navigation information utilizing said acquired fresh ephemeris.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising transitioning from said wakeup state back to said sleep state in said standby mode, subsequent to said acquisition of said fresh ephemeris.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said fresh ephemeris is acquired from GPS signals, GLONASS signals, and/or Galileo signals.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising storing said acquired fresh ephemeris in said navigation satellite system receiver.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising returning to said sleep state in said standby mode from said normal mode of operation.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising returning to said wakeup state in said standby mode from said normal mode of operation.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising staying in said normal mode of operation after said transition from said standby mode to said normal mode of operation.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, for said standby mode, a sleep period of said sleep state and a wakeup period of said wakeup state are predetermined or dynamically adjusted.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said sleep period of said sleep state and said wakeup period of said wakeup state are determined based on QoS, quality of said acquired fresh ephemeris, and/or user inputs.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said sleep period of said sleep state is less than a period at which said fresh ephemeris is changed by one or more satellites.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said wakeup period of said wakeup state is greater than or equal to a period required for collection of said fresh ephemeris.

12. A system for satellite communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a navigation satellite system receiver, wherein when said navigation satellite system receiver is in a sleep state during a standby mode operating at a low frequency clock, said one or more circuits are operable to enable transition from said sleep state to a wakeup state during said standby mode to acquire fresh ephemeris; and

said one or more circuits are operable to determine navigation information utilizing said acquired fresh ephemeris, when said navigation satellite system receiver subsequently transitions from said standby mode to a normal mode operating at a high frequency clock.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to enable transition from said wakeup state back to said sleep state in said standby mode, subsequent to said acquisition of said fresh ephemeris.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said fresh ephemeris is acquired from GPS signals, GLONASS signals, and/or Galileo signals.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to store said acquired fresh ephemeris in said navigation satellite system receiver.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to return to said sleep state in said standby mode from said normal mode of operation.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to return to said wakeup state in said standby mode from said normal mode of operation.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to stay in said normal mode of operation after said transition from said standby mode to a normal mode of operation.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein, for said standby mode, a sleep period of said sleep state and a wakeup period of said wakeup state are predetermined or dynamically adjusted.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said sleep period of said sleep state and said wakeup period of said wakeup state are determined based on QoS, quality of said acquired fresh ephemeris, and/or user inputs.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said sleep period of said sleep state is less than a period at which said fresh ephemeris is changed by one or more satellites.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said wakeup period of said wakeup state is greater than or equal to a period required for collection of said fresh ephemeris.