Systems, methods, and computer program products for refreshing data

• US 8,866,588 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rowitch, Douglas Neal, Biacs, Zoltan, Dandu, Ravikumar Varma, Wu, Jie, Marshall, Grant Alexander, Bhatia, Ashok, Trisko, Donovan, Delucchi, John
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, NABIL H
• Application Number:
  US12/464,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 340/6.1, 340/6.11, 340/8.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.3, 340/10.31, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 455/433, 455/456, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.15
• US Class Current: 340/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion

Abstract

A method performs an update for a first device that consumes information with a known expiration time. The first device operates within a network that accommodates other devices also consuming the information. The method includes setting a time for the first device to refresh the information, the time to refresh being based on a pseudorandom time offset. The method also includes sending a refresh request to a resource for the data during the set time.

Claims

1. A device, of a plurality of devices, requesting data that is periodically refreshed, said device being a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) comprising:

a processing unit adapted to request a refresh of said data according to a time offset, said time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time of said data, the designated time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV having an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay, and wherein the designated time slot is generated using a remote device configured to pseudorandomly generate time offsets for the plurality of devices and provide the time offsets to the plurality of devices, each of the time offsets generated using the remote device corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of time slots such that the designated time slot corresponding to the time offset at which the processing unit of the device is configured to request the refresh is different from at least one other time slot from the plurality of time slots corresponding to at least one other time offset for at least one other of the plurality of devices configured to request a data refresh at the at least one other time slot.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said mobile station is adapted to receive said data from a transmitter of a network, said network serving a plurality of other mobile stations that use said data.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is adapted to request said data from a server that provides said data to the plurality of devices.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the time offset is a first time offset;

the defined interval is a first defined interval; and

the processing unit is adapted to request additional orbital data for an additional SV, the additional orbital data being requested according to a second time offset, the second time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a second defined interval, the second defined interval having a start time defined with respect to a time the additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to said SPS-enabled mobile station, the designated time slot with the second defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly.

5. A method for performing an update for a first device, of a plurality of devices, wherein said first device comprises a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) that uses information with a known expiration time, and wherein said first device operates within a network that accommodates the plurality of devices also using the information, said method comprising:

the first device setting a time for said first device to refresh said information, said set time to refresh falling within a time slot within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time, a placement of said time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly; and

the first device sending a refresh request to a server for said information, said refresh request sent during said set time to refresh, wherein the information comprises orbital information for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV having an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay;

wherein said set time to refresh is generated using a remote device configured to pseudorandomly generate refresh times for the plurality of devices and provide the refresh times to the plurality of devices, each of the refresh times generated using the remote device corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of time slots such that said set time to refresh falling within the time slot at which the first device sends the refresh request is different from at least one other time slot from the plurality of time slots corresponding to at least one other refresh time for at least one other of the plurality of devices configured to request a data refresh at the at least one other time slot.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said time slot corresponds to a selected slot of the plurality of time slots within the defined interval.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processing unit of a device, with the device being a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS), cause the processing unit to perform an update, the instructions comprising:

code to receive data from a server, said data being periodically refreshed by sending a refresh request to said server;

code to send said refresh request according to a time offset, said time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time of said data, the designated time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly; and

code to receive refreshed data from said server, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs'"'"'), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV having an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay;

wherein the designated time slot is generated using a remote device configured to pseudorandomly generate time offsets for a plurality of devices and provide the time offsets to the plurality of devices, each of the time offsets generated using the remote device falling within a respective one of the plurality of time slots such that the designated time slot corresponding to the time offset at which the processing unit of the device is configured to request the refresh is different from at least one other time slot from the plurality of time slots corresponding to at least one other time offset for at least one other of the plurality of devices configured to request a data refresh at the at least one other time slot.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise:

code to use said data to produce output information.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein said output information comprises location information presented upon a screen.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein:

the time offset is a first time offset;

the defined interval is a first defined interval;

the instructions further comprise code to request additional orbital data for an additional space vehicle according to a second time offset, the second time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a second defined interval, the second defined interval having a start time defined with respect to a time the additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to a satellite positioning system (SPS)-enabled device comprising the processing unit, the designated time slot with the second defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly.

11. A satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) receiver, of a plurality of receivers, comprising:

means for calculating an expiration time for data;

means for scheduling a time interval associated with said expiration time, said time interval including a start time and an end time respectively scheduled relative to the expiration time and divided into a plurality of time slots;

means for pseudorandomly selecting a first time slot of said plurality of time slots;

means for requesting said data during said first time slot; and

means for receiving requested data, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV having the earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay;

wherein the first time slot is determined using a remote device configured to pseudorandomly determine respective ones of the plurality of time slots for the plurality of receivers and provide the respective one of the plurality of time slots to the plurality of receivers, and wherein the first time slot during which the receiver requests the data is different from at least one other time slot from the plurality of time slots for at least one other of the plurality of receivers configured to request the data refresh at the at least one other time slot.

12. The receiver of claim 11, wherein:

the time interval is a first time interval;

the plurality of time slots are a first plurality of time slots; and

the receiver further comprises;

means for scheduling a second time interval having a start time scheduled with respect to a time an additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to the receiver, the second time interval divided into a second plurality of time slots, and

means for requesting additional orbital data for the additional space vehicle during a second time slot pseudorandomly chosen from the second plurality of time slots.

13. A method for performing an update for a first device of a plurality of devices, wherein said first device comprises a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) that uses information with a known expiration time, and wherein said first device operates within a network that accommodates other of the plurality of devices also using the information and includes base stations, said method comprising:

a base station receiving a request for said information from said first device;

the base station generating data indicating a time for said first device to refresh said information, said time to refresh falling within a time slot within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to the known expiration time, a placement of said time slot within said defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly; and

the base station sending said generated data indicating the time to refresh to said first device, wherein the information comprises information for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV having the earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay;

wherein the base station is configured to pseudorandomly generate data indicating refresh times for the plurality of devices and provide the data indicating the refresh times to the plurality of devices, each of the refresh times corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of time slots such that the time slot corresponding to the indicated time for the first device at which the first device is configured to refresh said information is different from at least one other time slot from the plurality of time slots corresponding to at least one other refresh time for at least one other of the plurality of devices configured to refresh said information at the at least one refresh time.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said time to refresh corresponds to a selected slot of the plurality of slots within the defined interval.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the base station comprises a position determination entity within said network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said position determination entity comprises a server computer, and said network comprises a wireless network.

17. A device requesting data that is periodically refreshed, the device being a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station comprising:

a processing unit adapted to request a refresh of said data according to a time offset, said time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time of said data, the designated time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV with an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the mobile station is adapted to receive said data from a transmitter of a network, said network serving a plurality of other mobile stations that use said data.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein said processing unit is adapted to generate said time offset.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein said processing unit is adapted to request said data from a server that provides said data to a plurality of other devices.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the time offset is a first time offset;

the defined interval is a first defined interval; and

the processing unit is adapted to request additional orbital data for an additional SV, the additional orbital data being requested according to a second time offset, the second time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a second defined interval, the second defined interval including a second start time defined with respect to a time the additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to the SPS-enabled mobile station, the designated time slot with the second defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the designated time slot is chosen pseudorandomly using a pseudorandom number generated based on one of:

a serial number of the device, or a power up time of the device.

23. A method for performing an update for a first device, wherein said first device comprises a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) that uses information with a known expiration time, and wherein said first device operates within a network that accommodates other devices also using the information, the method comprising:

setting, by the first device, a time for said first device to refresh said information, the set time to refresh falling within a time slot within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time, a placement of the time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly; and

sending, by the first device, a refresh request to a server for said information, the refresh request sent during the set time to refresh, wherein the information comprises orbital information for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV with an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the time slot corresponds to a selected slot of a plurality of slots within the defined interval.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein setting the time to refresh comprises:

generating a pseudorandom number using one of;

a serial number of the first device, or a power up time of the first device; and

choosing the placement of the time slot within the defined interval based on the generated pseudorandom number.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processing unit of a device, with the device being a Satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS), performs an update, the instructions comprising:

code to receive data from a server, the data being periodically refreshed by sending a refresh request to the server;

code to send the refresh request according to a time offset, the time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a defined interval, the defined interval including a start time and an end time respectively defined relative to a known expiration time of the data, the designated time slot within the defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly; and

code to receive refreshed data from the server, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs'"'"'), wherein the known expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV with an earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions further comprise:

code to use the data to produce output information comprising location information presented upon a screen.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein:

the time offset is a first time offset;

the defined interval is a first defined interval;

the instructions further comprising code to request additional orbital data for an additional space vehicle according to a second time offset, the second time offset falling within a designated one of a plurality of time slots within a second defined interval, the second defined interval including a second start time defined with respect to a time the additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to the device comprising the processing unit, the designated time slot with the second defined interval being chosen pseudorandomly.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the designated time slot is chosen pseudorandomly using a pseudorandom number generated based on one of:

a serial number of the device in which the processing unit is located, or a power up time of the device in which the processing unit is located.

30. A satellite Positioning System (SPS)-enabled mobile station (MS) receiver comprising:

means for calculating an expiration time for data;

means for scheduling a time interval associated with said expiration time, said time interval including a start time and an end time respectively scheduled relative to the expiration time and divided into a plurality of time slots;

means for pseudorandomly selecting a first time slot of the plurality of time slots;

means for requesting the data during the first time slot; and

means for receiving the requested data, wherein the data comprises orbital data for a plurality of resources comprising Space Vehicles (SVs), wherein the expiration time is an earliest expiration time among expiration times associated with the plurality of resources, and wherein the start time of the defined interval is defined as an orbital data expiration time of a first SV with the earliest orbital data expiration time among the SVs plus a specified delay.

31. The receiver of claim 30, wherein said means for pseudorandomly selecting comprises:

a random number generator configured to use one of;

a serial number of the mobile station, a power up time of the mobile station.

32. The receiver of claim 30, wherein:

the time interval is a first time interval;

the plurality of time slots are a first plurality of time slots; and

the receiver further comprising;

means for scheduling a second time interval including a start time scheduled with respect to a time an additional space vehicle becomes newly visible to the receiver, the second time interval divided into a second plurality of time slots, and

means for requesting additional orbital data for the additional space vehicle during a second time slot pseudorandomly chosen from the second plurality of time slots.